Kidscorner + Dragons Den

Afterschool Enrichment Childcare Program
for Kindergarten - 3rd grade PJA and PPS students
at Portland Jewish Academy

MISSION – To create, build and maintain programs dedicated to the care, education, and development of children and youth during their out of school time. We emphasize life skills through community service and enrichment-based programming.

The Kidscorner Program follows a philosophy of teaching developed by the National AfterSchool Association (NAA), which states that a programs goal or mission should be to provide a balance of activities in the day of the child whose time in an enrichment setting extends after school hours. To learn more about the philosophy of teaching developed by the National Afterschool Association, (NAA), please visit their website.

We encourage children to become responsible, self-confident, independent, active explorers and enthusiastic learners by stressing the process of learning and discovery through developmentally as well as age-appropriate activities that meet the children’s interests. The activities and environment at Kidscorner are specially structured to address the interests and development levels of school-age children.

• Fun enrichment activities

• Well-equipped indoor activity areas for exploring: arts & crafts; drawing; science discovery; dramatic & imaginative play; board & table games; building & construction; plus more…

• Opportunities for resting, relaxing and reading

• Opportunity for children to work towards homework completion, Monday-Friday, for at least 35 minutes

• Large outdoor play areas

We have a capacity for 70 children each day but our actual day to day numbers may vary. Our ratio requirement is 1:15 by state law. We strive for lower ratios which we find provides for more activites, better supervision and a more enjoyable experience by children, families and staff.

Enrichment-Based Program

At Kidscorner, we create an atmosphere where children can socialize, prosper, learn and enjoy themselves. Children are given time to relax individually or with friends, create, play, rest and be active. We strive to create an environment where children feel safe, important and nurtured.

Because the Kidscorner program is based on choices and community service, children gain independence, have the freedom to learn more about what interests them, and develop into caring, responsible citizens of their community.

Family Involvement

We aim to create a partnership between families and afterschool teachers for the benefit of every child in our program, and we promote and encourage daily communication. Our doors are open to families at all times and we welcome families to drop in and observe, have snack, or just hang out with their child.

We offer several family engagement activities and opportunities through the school year and strongly encourage families to join us and participate whenever possible.

Our Staff

We believe the strength of the Kidscorner program is in the dedication of our caring teaching staff. We support our afterschool teachers with continued professional development opportunities, resources, and the freedom to create unique learning experiences for the children in our program.

All our afterschool teachers are registered with the State of Oregon as required by law and all go through background checks. Every afterschool teacher at Kidscorner is also equipped with certifications for First Aid, CPR, Food Handling, and Recognizing/Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect.

Hours of Operation

September through June, Monday - Friday
K-3 Afterschool Program – 2:15 - 6:00 pm
A Before School Care option is not currently available.

Healthy and Nutritious Snacks

We are committed to serving food that is both appealing to children and supportive of their growth and development. We follow strict nutritional guidelines for school-age children established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, (USDA), the National Association for the Education of Young Children, (NAEYC), and the National Afterschool Association, (NAA).

Kidscorner snacks include 100% juice (never diluted) or milk, fruit or vegetables, a dairy option: generally cheese, milk or yogurt, and a grains portion of crackers, pasta or other breads. All snacks served are Kosher. Water is ALWAYS available.

Schools Served by Kidscorner

Kidscorner currently has children attending from the following schools:
East Sylvan, Maplewood, Rieke, and Portland Jewish Academy.

Kidscorner provides Transportation from the following schools for our Afterschool Care:
East Sylvan, Maplewood, and Rieke.

Children from other schools are always welcome to attend the Kidscorner program provided space availability and individual transportation to our program.

Enroll Your Child in PJA Afterschool

Enrollment at PJA Afterschool programs remains open throughout the school year providing there is space available. There are 2 ways to get your child’s enrollment process started…

1. Download our enrollment paperwork from the Afterschool Forms and Handouts drop down menu below, then complete and return via fax, email or postal mail.
2. Visit your program’s site for hard copies of enrollment paperwork and then mail or fax your completed paperwork to our main office.

Space availability depends upon our daily attendance numbers. Please contact the Department Director for a program’s current availability.

Upon enrolling your child in our programs we ask that you carefully read the Program Handbook for all our enrollment information as well as our standard program policies and procedures. We also ask that families review our Program Calendar upon enrolling. The calendar indicates when our program will be closed and/or offering care on Non-School Days.

Please note:

• Signatures are REQUIRED to complete forms.
• Completed enrollment means agreeing to our program policies and parent/guardian expectations.
• A 10% Sibling Discount is awarded for 3 days a week or greater enrollment of at least 1 child.

Click here for the Kidscorner Fee Schedule 2019-20.

We are able to offer Tuition Assistance to families. Our goal at PJA Kidscorner is to provide quality, enriching Afterschool care to every school-age child.

2019-20 Tuition Assistance Application

IRS 4506 Form

Submit completed Enrollment Form along with your Registration Fee to our Registrar's Office via email to Afterschool@pjaproud.org, Fax to 503.452.7001, or mail/drop-off at PJA (PJA-Afterschool, 6651 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219)

If you have specific Tuition Assistance application questions, please call or email Beth Germain, 503.535.3593.

NOTE - We do accept DHS Subsidy and other forms of Tuition Assistance. Please contact us with any questions you might have.

PJA Afterschool Department Director Natalie Haskins

Phone: 503.535.3546, Fax: 503.452.7001

Kidscorner Site Director, Heather MacLaughlan
Phone: 503.452.3431, email Heather

Program Hours: 2:15 - 6:00 pm
Follow Us on Facebook for announcements, updates and program insights!

Click here to fill out our inquiry form.

Physical & Mailing Address:
Kidscorner Afterschool Program
c/o Portland Jewish Academy
6651 SW Capitol Hwy
Portland, OR 97219

Mail Tuition Payments to:
Portland Jewish Academy
Attn: Billing Department, RE: Kidscorner Tuition
6651 SW Capitol Hwy.,
Portland, OR 97219

All forms are available in PDF for your convenience. Paper copies can also be made available upon request.

Frequently Asked Questions

Kidscorner/Dragon's Den Homework Contract

Kidscorner Medication Form

Kidscorner 2019-20 Parent Handbook

Kidscorner 2019-20 Enrollment Application

Kidscorner 2019-20 Program Calendar

2019-20 Automatic Payment Form

E-Statement Enrollment

2019-20 VDP Emergency Card (Non-members only)

Vacation Care Programs

(Care on PJA and PPS No-School Days)

PJA-Afterschool offers special full day care for holiday breaks, school conference breaks, and teacher in-service breaks. These are called Vacation Care Programs and are held on-site at Kidscorner.

Please refer to the 2019-20 Kidscorner Calendar for specific Vacation Care Programs.

Vacation Care Hours

Full-Day Care Programs 8:00 am - 6:00 pm, unless otherwise noted
Half-Day Care Programs 12:15 - 6:00 pm (for PJA students only and only on specifically marked days) Early closures at 5:00 pm may occur and will be listed on the form.

Vacation Care Fees

For information on vacation care rates and more, please visit our Fee Schedule page.

Terms of Participation

• Vacation Care Forms must be accompanied by any/all necessary the fees in full.
• Vacation Care Forms must be received by the listed deadline date (generally one business week prior).
• Participation Authorization Forms received after the listed deadline will be accepted only if there is space available.
• Vacation Care Tuition Members are subject to cancellation fees and loss of spot without refund if Vacation Care Forms are not submitted by the registration deadline.
• Cancellation must be made in writing to the Director of the PJA-Afterschool Department (email is acceptable).
• Cancellations made prior to the listed deadline, 90% of paid fees will be refunded. No refunds are applicable to Vacation Care Tuition participants.
• Cancellations made after the listed deadline, 50% of paid fees will be refunded. No refunds are applicable to Vacation Care Tuition participants.
• PJA-Afterschool Department reserves the right to dismiss a child whose behavior is deemed inappropriate, in which case, no refunds will be given.
• Vacation Day Programs offered in June are not included in any Tuition package and do require separate registration as well as payment upon registration.
• If PPS closes due to inclement weather, PJA-Afterschool will be cancelled as we are required to follow the PPS Inclement Weather Policy. Stay up to date on the PPS Inclement Weather closures by reviewing their website at https://www.pps.net

Vacation Program Emergency Card

The Vacation Program Emergency card is for non-program members only and is required for Vacation Care participation.

You can contact your Program Site Director or the Director of PJA-Afterschool Department for further details.

2019-20 VDP Emergency Card

Registration

PJA Spring Vacation Day Programs Registration Form

PPS Spring Vacation Day Programs Registration Form
Once we receive and process your form, we will email you a participation confirmation.

Vacation Program Forms:

The PJA-Afterschool Department Director must receive a completed and signed Vacation Care Form and the required Vacation Program Emergency Form before any child is eligible to participate in any Vacation Day Program. This form acts as your legal permission slip for your child to be in our program's care for the extended hours as well as participate in all planned activities and field trips. Incomplete and/or unsigned forms will be returned unprocessed.

Please send participation forms to:
Postal Mail ATTN: PJA-Afterschool, 6651 SW Capitol; Hwy, Portland, OR 97219
Fax ATTN: PJA-Afterschool at 503.452.7001
Email to Afterschool@pjaproud.org
Hand Deliver to PJA Office to put in the Afterschool Inbox

**Forms are considered incomplete without your signature. Please do not return incomplete forms as they will be returned to you unprocessed which may result in losing your space in the program.

The Dragon’s Den program is designed to meet the needs of the older youth in our community. The program will work to provide unique experiences tailored to interests of youth ages 9-12 to include social support, community involvement, active participation, homework assistance and creative expression.

The Dragon’s Den offers youth a setting for trying new things, expressing their creativity, practicing good decision making skills, and working to become independent and responsible citizens. The program is designed to grow with the youth and be driven by their interests and ambition.

Our professional, creative, and educated staff serve as positive role-models and work to provide care that is supportive, nurturing, and responsive to each participating youth.

We have a capacity for 24 youth each day. Our actual day to day numbers may vary. Our ratio requirement is 1:15 by state law.

Family Involvement

We respect the family as the primary and most important care provider and believe that families, school and Afterschool are all partners in each youth’s care, education and success.

We aim to create a partnership between parents/guardians and program staff for the benefit of every youth in our program, and we promote and encourage daily communication. Our doors are open to parents/guardians at all times and we welcome families to drop in and hang out with their youth.

Our Staff

We believe the strength of the Dragon’s Den program is in the dedication of our caring teaching staff. We support our afterschool teachers with continued professional development opportunities, resources, and the freedom to create unique learning experiences for the youth in our program.

All our program staff are registered with the State of Oregon as required by law and go through the state-required background checks. Program staff at the PJA Dragon’s Den are also equipped with certifications in First Aid, CPR, Food Handling, and Recognizing/Reporting Youth Abuse and Neglect.

Hours of Operation

We are open from the first to final day of school, Monday through Friday from 2:15 to 6:00pm, excepting holiday closures and vacation day program hours.

We do not offer morning care at this time

Healthy and Nutritious Snacks

We are committed to serving food that is both appealing to youth and supportive of their growth and development. We follow nutritional guidelines for school-age youth established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the National Afterschool Association (NAA).

Dragon’s Den snacks include 100% juice or milk; fruits or vegetables; a dairy option: generally cheese, milk or yogurt, and a grains portion of crackers, pasta or other breads. All snacks served are Kosher. Water is always available.

School's Served by Dragon's Den

Dragon’s Den serves youth from PPS & PJA.
We provide Transportation services using a rented school bus from a local school bus company. PPS Schools that we currently provide daily transportation from include the following: Maplewood, Reike and East Sylvan Elementary.

Robert Gray students can also attend the program taking the PPS bus route 131 which drops off at the top of our campus parking lot.

PJA students come direct from their classrooms at the end of their school day.

Youth from other schools are always welcome to attend the Dragon’s Den program providing there is space available and they are able to acquire transportation to our program.