Afterschool programs waitlist hell, what are more options

Hi,

I know there are so many parents in the same terrible boat. We're on waitlists at LEARNS, and City of Berkeley after-school programs even though my kid has done Learns at their school for at lest 2 years in a row. 

Anyway, I have used JCC before and Kids in Motion before and it worked out well. I'm waiting to hear if they have spots and I suspect they don't.

BUSD transportation can't guarantee buses to afterschool programs and there's no list to see what might have been possible in the past.

  1. What other after-school programs are out there? 
     
  2. Are there unadvertised private pay options?
     
  3. Have any of the programs (in the past) been able to get busing from an elementary school?


    > My answers
     

I have been able to get BUSD Transportation for Sylvia Mendez to 

  1. JCC
  2. Kids in Motion at John Muir

  3. Beth El on Oxford

Has there ever been busing for these?
 

  1. Sticky art lab
  2. New School

I heard someone got a bus to the Coder school in North Berkeley in the past.


 

Jul 12, 2025

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RE:
Afterschool programs waitlist hell, what are more options (Jul 12, 2025)

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/.

Jul 17, 2025