Before/after school care for 4th and 6th graders in Seattle, Renton areas? (Federal Way: day care)

[Glas333]

Will be relocating to the area to work at a job in Renton. Trying to decide where to live but don't quite understand what is done for before school and after school care. I currently live on the east coast where parents that work a normal 9 to 5 can drop kids off at school as early as 6:30am and pick them up by 6:00pm for a small fee. I saw a couple of after school programs in Washington that end at 4:20, which wouldn't give me enough time to finish my work day or travel to pick them up.

So what do you working parents do? Need advice fast because I have a lot of major decisions to make.

Thanks!

[Hemlock140]

Here the public schools don't do that. There are some Boys & Girls Clubs that provide that service. The one in Federal Way does it. Most people just pay several hundred a month for before and after day care at a pre-school that goes to age 12, with transportation to the schools. After age 12 they just let them go home alone unless there is an older sibling, or arrange their work schedules so one parent is there before and one after school.

[Seacove]

The YMCA works with many schools, some have onsite before and after and some have transportation to other facilities. You will need to address before and after school care on an individual basis depending on the district and the school and it won't necessarily be cheap; it will just depend on the location and providers. Onsite can be competitive with waiting lists requiring transportation to other locations. Hemlock is right, it typically ends after 6th grade.

[Glas333]

Thank you both for your responses. It looks like this transition may be a little more difficult than I realized.

[Ira500]

There's also the Communiy Day School Association in Seattle that runs after school programs at about eight schools, including Hawthorn, Leschi, Madrona, and Montlake.

[tinaque2]

I live in Renton and my son's school does before and after school care. There are a few in the Renton school district that provide this through the YMCA at the school site. It usually goes 7am to 6pm. It does go through 5th grade. They do transport from another school that is nearby that does not offer the service. There are also other places, like Kindercare that does before and after school care at their site and they transport to and from the school. And just so that you know, Renton schools have a late start Friday. That means that all the schools in the school district start 90 minutes later than the usual 8:30. The YMCA program at the schools and places like Kindercare allow the same time for drop off as always.

Hope this helps.

[Glas333]

Thanks!