Our Services - What Families Need to Know
Mobile Afterschool is the help busy families need to ensure their school-aged children receive the proper care and nurturing once their home school day is over. All children enrolled in Mobile Afterschool have either the option of having their children walked over to our program or bused over to us after their home school day ends.
We offer programming for children ranging in ages from 3-10 years. If you have any questions and would like to register, please feel free to contact us.
Pickup Time
Children attending select DC schools will be picked up between 3:15pm and 3:45pm and children attending select Prince George’s County Schools will be picked up between 1:55pm and 2:30pm. A list of schools on our routes can be found at the "Schools Served” tab.
Mobile Afterschool will send over a member of our teaching team to gather and wait with children who get out of school after 3:15pm, inside the building until it is time to get over to afterschool programming. As children enroll, Mobile Afterschool will reach out to families to coordinate between them and school officials to communicate release/pickup procedures so that home schools are familiar with Mobile Afterschool staff.
How Children Get to Us
For children who are walked over from select nearby schools, the walk is 10-15 minutes and for children who are bused over from further select schools, the ride is between 20 and 30 minutes. Children who are walked over should wear comfortable shoes and those who ride the bus will have a belt positioning booster seat supplied by Mobile Afterschool, so that families do not have to worry about providing a seat each day.
Teachers who are skilled to work with young children at our schools will chaperone children coming over by foot and also ride on the bus to assist. All drivers for this program have clean driving records and experience with transporting children.
By 6pm, families should pick up their children from our location.
Program Locations
Mobile Afterschool operates at The Socratic Language Center, at 3833 34th Street in the heart of Mount Rainier, MD.
Hygiene
Though teachers who will instruct during Mobile Afterschool are teachers who work in our day programs with younger children, children attending Mobile Afterschool classes must be fully potty trained but should bring along one full spare set of clothing in their belongings each day, just in case. Families should also include at least 2 large plastic bags daily in the event soiled clothing is sent home.
Children will be asked to wash their hands after sneezes/excessive coughing, and before and after snacks, after using the restroom, and upon returning from the playground.
Meals
Each student attending Mobile Afterschool must bring in the following daily:
·One-two labeled snacks of your choosing (does not have to be allergen free, but should be an adequate portion for your child’s appetite)
·One labeled refillable water bottle
Medications
Children who are prescribed medications must have a doctor’s clearance to either take medicine during after school time or have our instructors administer any medications. Please use the Medication Authorization form found in the enrollment documents, should your child require medicines during after school time.
Should your child have allergies, please provide us with the necessary form, instructions, and tools/medicines in case of an emergency.
Illnesses
Children who are ill should not be sent to school and thus, should not be allowed to attend Mobile Afterschool. Should a child become ill during afterschool time, we will isolate that child and contact their family/caregiver to inform them and allow them time to pick up the child.
Guidance
Due to the nature of Mobile Afterschool programming, disruptive disciplinary situations will not be tolerated out of fairness to other children who are attending with a purpose, as well as our teachers who would be too distracted and challenged to provide care and support to all children in attendance.
Mobile Afterschool also has a No Biting and No Hitting/Physical Contact policy that provides one warning to a family if a child bites or intentionally uses hands, feet, or objects, or spits to harm another person during after school time. If a child engages in any of the above behavior for a second time, Mobile Afterschool will ask the child’s family to withdraw the child from the program without pro-ration or refund. Mobile Afterschool staff will make all attempts to redirect undesirable behaviors and attempt to diffuse confrontational behaviors amongst peers, for safety reasons.
In addition, Mobile Afterschool has a Zero Tolerance policy for bullying behavior of any kind—whether it be by child or adult, towards any person at our program. We ask that children and their families/caregivers always be respectful of others at all times during programming hours.
Inclement Weather
On days when your child’s school may close early for inclement weather or other events warranting a school closing or early pickup by you, please contact us at 202-380-9636 to let us know.
Also, our team will keep you posted to let you know, should we hear of school closings and we will not plan to do pickups on these days. Inclement weather days are refunded to families.
Complaints and Concerns
Should a situation arise that causes anxiety or frustration, please contact Ms. Susan, our Director at 202-380-9636 or at director@mobileafterschool.com to let her know what happened so she can investigate and find solutions to help to make it better.
