Summer has flown the coop! Reminding me that I just finished Michael Perry's Coop, a fun look at Western Wisconsin living (where I grew up). We also just read The House with a clock in it's walls, the movie is coming out soon, starring Jack Black.
But, as usual, I digress! Today is the first day of school, and for the first time in my 6 years here we will not be able to host the After School Program. We just don't have the resources, either in personnel or fiscally, to find a person to run the program.
Children are welcome, as always, but we won't have a formal snack time or supervised activities. We'll find a way to give them a snack, but they will have to listen to staff, be polite and not overly loud. We will do our best to help with homework, just remember that my abilities seem to peter out at 4th grade math. (Mr Kjentvet refuses to teach me the secrets to 5th grade maths!)
We offer a safe place for children to come, and although we cannot supervise them outside, we do have some games and of course the computers for them to work on. On rainy days, ONCE HOMEWORK IS FINISHED, we might set up the Wii, or watch a movie. We may even be able to have pizza or a snack on some days - it just depends on the availability of a "kid wrangler", namely me! (I am on 3 State of Wisconsin Library Committees, and I will do my best to be around, but sometimes I will have meetings, it is inevitable!)
Bear with us, as we enter this new stage of our development, and please pick up your children from the library by 5 pm. Our policy during incloement weather (i.e. Tornado Warning; Severe Thunderstorm, blizzard, etc.) is that no child will leave the library unsupervised by an adult caregiver. The library is a very safe building. Your child is safer here than trying to walk or run home in a storm. After closing hours, when the threat of storms has passed or when it's dark or just scary, myself or a staff member will give your child a ride home, no matter where theylive, near or far!
I have kids of my own, and I can think of nothing worse than to send a child out into a storm alone!!!
Thanks for dropping by!
Mr. Kent