Thank you to everyone who has shared feedback over the past few days. We recognize this update is coming on short notice and apologize for the delay. Over the summer, we changed to a more parent-friendly registration system, which took longer than expected to set up.
We’ve heard your concerns, and we know this year’s changes to afterschool registration have caught many families by surprise. We also know that aftercare is not a luxury for most families — it’s essential. That’s exactly why we made changes: to better serve the families who need us most while maintaining the quality, structure, and consistency that every child deserves.
- Full-year enrollment security: Once your child is enrolled, their spot is held for the year. Families simply confirm participation monthly — a quick process with your forms and preferences already on file.
- Lower ratios for more attention: We maintain an average child-to-staff ratio below the EEC maximum of 13:1, allowing for more individualized attention, stronger relationships, and better supervision.
- Enrichment: Activities in STEM, arts, recreation, and leadership led by experienced staff to foster confidence, curiosity, and community.
- Experienced leadership: Full-time youth development professionals trained to support kids of all ages and backgrounds.
- Flexible scheduling: Choose the Monday/Wednesday/Friday track, the Tuesday/Thursday track, or both for 5-day care.
- Making Care Accessible: Our rates are kept far below the cost of private child care thanks to our generous supporters. We also accept state vouchers and offer scholarships for qualifying families.
In the past, we allowed families to pick any individual day(s) they wanted. But starting this school year, our licensed Child Care & Enrichment programs are organized into two consistent weekly tracks:
- Monday/Wednesday/Friday
- Tuesday/Thursday
Families can register for either or both tracks, depending on their needs. We want to explain why we made this shift and why we believe it will lead to a better experience for both children and families.
- To Provide a Clearer Path for Families Seeking Full-Time Care — There has always been enough demand to fill our programs to capacity, but the old system made it difficult to match openings with family needs. When schedules were built from individual scattered days, it often left gaps that couldn’t be used by families needing full-week coverage. By moving to fixed tracks, we can match availability with demand more effectively and ensure more families can access the care they’re looking for.
- Consistency Builds Stronger Experiences — Children thrive when they attend regularly. Consistent schedules help kids build friendships, adjust to routines, and get the most out of group activities. Like a classroom or sports team, success depends on regular participation, committed staff, and shared expectations. While flexibility is important, so is building a community kids can count on.
- Consistent staffing is critical to program quality — We are proud to employ full-time youth development professionals, not gig workers. Building predictable, stable work schedules helps us attract and retain great staff. Inconsistent day-to-day rosters made it nearly impossible to schedule fairly or anticipate daily needs. This affected both staff morale and operational efficiency.
- This is a flexible yet structured approach — Ideally, we’d run the program as full-week only. Offering a two-track system is our way of providing flexibility without compromising safety, structure, and fairness. It gives families more choice while still allowing us to plan effectively.
- Transparent pricing and communication — By setting clear schedules, we’re able to better explain monthly pricing, invoice accurately, and communicate proactively with families about their specific program.
- Better planning, better programs — Set rosters make it possible to plan activities in advance, group children in ways that support positive behavior, and customize enrichment offerings to each group’s needs. This leads to smoother days, more engaging activities, and timely communication with families.
- More equitable access — Last year, we had a long waitlist of families seeking full-week care. When families with custom day selections left, we couldn’t offer those spots to anyone on the list because they didn’t match the full-week need. This new structure makes it easier for families with greater needs to access care.
- Licensing and safety standards — We are a fully licensed program under Massachusetts EEC regulations, which require us to maintain strict child-to-staff ratios. Consistent attendance is not just helpful — it’s essential for ensuring safety and staying compliant.
We know this is a change, and we’re committed to making the transition as smooth as possible. Our team is always available to answer questions, help you choose the track that works best for your family, and guide you through registration. Thank you for trusting us with your child’s care — we’re excited for a great year ahead.
Warmly,
The Leadership Team
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro North
