After-School Programs Create Unique Opportunities for Students

Park City is fortunate to have outstanding community partners supporting vibrant after-school programs for elementary students. Last year Park City School District and Holy Cross Ministries Combined its after-school programs into one unified program and it’s proving to be a big win for students.

Holy Cross Ministries has offered its own program for underserved children since 2000.  “Holy Cross Ministries has a long history of providing services within the Park City community. We work very hard to make sure the needs of the underserved are met,” said Patricia Sanders, Director of Development and Communications for HCM. “Last year we were able to partner with Park City School District in our after-school programming. That combination has improved the program and created a better experience for the students.”

Todd Klarich, Director of Community Education for PCSD, said more students are being served and that is only possible because of the partnership with HCM and other community partners. “We appreciate all the efforts that have made this program be so successful and we value this  partnership which has created many more opportunities for all our children.”

The four pillars of the after-school program are:

– STEM and Literacy: Students read for 30-45 minutes every day then alternate between art and science projects during enrichment time.

– Homework Help: Students work on homework for 45-90 minutes each day with help from teachers and volunteer tutors.

– Physical education and Exercise:  Students have recess 30 minutes each day and go on field trips twice a month with Kids Outdoors.

– Field Trips: Students go on field trips in Park City and in Salt Lake City.

The programs run Monday through Thursday from 3-6 p.m. and Fridays from 12:30-6 p.m. It is open to students in kindergarten through fifth grade, and a monthly fee is charged. Financial assistance is available for those who qualify.

After-school programs are offered at all four Park City School District elementary schools — Camp Moose, Camp Hawk, Camp Falcons, and Camp Trailblazers. Parents can still register for the programs going on now, and next year’s registration begins in April.

Additional community partnerships include: Park City Education Foundation, United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Basic Recreation, PC Marc, EATS Park City, Summit Land Conservancy, Youth Sports Alliance, Park City Community Foundation, and Latinos in Action.

For more information visit the Community Education website here.

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About Holy Cross Ministries: Holy Cross Ministries (HCM) is a non-profit organization in Utah that responds to the underserved community’s need for health and wellbeing. HCM’s  history of providing services to vulnerable families in this community dates back to 1875, when the first two sisters of the Holy Cross arrived to establish a hospital for injured miners and railroad workers. In their first three months of service, they opened a hospital and a grade school. They established an innovative prepaid health plan for miners in which participants contributed $1 a month while in good health, which entitled them to free admission. Over the years, as the healthcare environment and delivery system in the United States became more complex, the sisters decided to move away from the acute hospital setting and to look at new and innovative ways to reach out to the underserved and underinsured. In 1994, the Sisters created Holy Cross Ministries (a 501c3 nonprofit organization) to continue their tradition of compassionate service. Today, Holy Cross Ministries continues to serve the poor, underserved and marginalized, through health outreach, education, and legal services.