After-school program for Rosa Parks
Hi all,
I'm reaching for some advice on after-school care for our soon-to-be TK-er that starts this August. The Learns program at his school (Rosa Parks) has waitlisted all TK-ers. We are also wait-listed at the City of Berkeley recreation department. Are there any options I'm overlooking? Do people ever organize groups of kids with babysitters for afterschool care? We primarily need someone to pick him up at 2:15 when school let's out, and watch him until about 5:00 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, but we'd prefer him to be around other kids his own age during that time to socialize. Any advice would be super helpful.
Thanks in advance,
Ashley and Andrew
Jul 7, 2025
Parent Replies
We are in a similar situation at Rosa Parks with our soon to be kinergartener. Posting here hoping to hear what options might be available.
Lydia & Ian
We've had a lot of friends enroll their kids in Berkeley's JCC afterschool program....https://jcceastbay.org/youth-family/afterschool/berkeley/
Hello, all - thanks for the replies to this very timely post - our family is in the same situation, on allllll the waitlists, including LEARNS, City of Berkeley, JCC, the Berkeley School. It seems Berkwood Hedge is only for Kinders and up? So wondering if anyone has other advice or leads on Aftercare options for TK students in Berkeley.
Jennifer
This doesn't resolve the transport issue but my kid's preschool/daycare has recently started offering afterschool care. They are located at Seventh and Virgina (right across the street from James Kenney and they often go to the same park used by that aftercare program). It's $595/month for care between 1:30-6:00pm. You can contact them at dolmadaycare [at] gmail.com (dolmadaycare[at]gmail[dot]com) or check out their website https://dolmadaycare.com/ and BPN page: https://www.berkeleyparentsnetwork.org/recommend/preschool/dolma
Hi,
Has anyone who posted here found a viable option? We are waitlisted for Learns, James Kenney, and JCC…
Would love to stay in touch about this too, same issue for both my new RP kids (TK and 2nd grade)
I just got an email from Bliss Belly Kitchen where my kids did a summer camp that they are starting an after school program (ages 5-12). Maybe check it out and see if it can work for you?
The Depot at The Berkeley School is open to TK (thedepot [at] theberkeleyschool.org).
Hi Ashley & Andrew, I'm posting this reply on all recent BPN posts about BUSD after-school care. Good luck to us all!
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There’s a BUSD school board meeting tonight, Weds 8/6 (they meet every two weeks) at 1231 Addison St. The open session begins at 7pm, and includes time for public testimony/comment (time is "strictly limited to 30 minutes", which I have no idea how that plays out if there are many people who want to speak).
A handful of elementary parents are going to make comments about the after-school care situation, and specifically concerns for/from TK families. More public comments, more bodies in the room can only be helpful to getting heard by the school board on this critical issue.
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Anecdotally, it appears all BUSD after-school care is a mess. A couple dozen returning kids received rejections from their school's LEARNS program. Returning and new TK John Muir BEARS families have not heard either way, as of 1 week before school start. One JM BEARS parent got a rejection letter a day or two ago after calling the district spokesperson. My child is a 1st grader at John Muir who was enrolled in BUSD aftercare last year, but we haven't received word either way for this year (1 week before school start).
Optimistically speaking, this absolute cluster could be the result of budget cuts and layoffs at the district level that make enrollment impossible (i.e., there's no one at the district level who can work the enrollment system, so most students can't be enrolled, even though there are spaces/care for most students). If this ends up being the case, there would still be families left without care when the dust settles, but the vast majority would get care/coverage.
The John Muir PTA is communicating with PTA leadership across BUSD, and planning to submit a letter to the school board and also offering to collaborate on a broader letter with other PTAs. The letter they are planning to submit focuses largely on TK after-school coverage in the BEARS program (the only BUSD after-school program at John Muir).