Before & After Care
Our school-age program invites children starting from kindergarten up to 12 years old. Though the school day ends, our support continues with structured before and after school care.
The Hours Between School and Home Matter More Than You Think
For most school-age children, roughly 80% of their waking hours are spent outside the classroom. What happens in those hours — especially the window between when school lets out and dinnertime — has a measurable impact on how children learn, grow, and feel about themselves.
Our before and after school program gives children up to age 12 (ages vary by location) a safe, structured, and genuinely enriching place to land. Not only supervised, but engaged, supported, and happy.
What Our Before & After School Program Includes
- Homework Help & Quiet Time: Teacher-assisted homework support in a calm, structured environment — so evenings belong to your family, not to the kitchen table struggle.
- Customized Enrichment Activities: Technology, sports, art, reading, drama, cooking, science — children pursue their interests with passion. Activities are designed for school age students and adapted to each child’s developmental stage.
- Outdoor Play & Physical Activity: Safe, supervised outdoor time every day. Research shows children’s physical and emotional health both benefit from regular active play — and after a full school day, kids need to move.
- Consistent Daily Schedule: Predictable routines reduce end-of-day anxiety for children and make planning easier for families. Same teachers, same rhythm, every day.
- Transportation (select locations): Private transportation to and from many neighborhood elementary schools. (Confirm availability at your location.)
- Holiday & Break Coverage: Full-day programs on school holidays, Winter Break, and Spring Break — aligned with your child’s school calendar so there are no gaps in care.
What the Research Says About Quality After-School Care
The evidence on high-quality after-school programs is compelling — and it goes well beyond homework help. A landmark 26-year longitudinal study by researchers at the University of California, Irvine found that consistent participation in high-quality after-school programs during elementary school is directly linked to positive academic and social outcomes in high school — outcomes that persist well into adulthood. The key word in that finding is consistent: children who participate regularly in quality programs see significantly better results than those with sporadic attendance. [Source: Vandell et al., Mott Foundation, 2021]
What makes programs work? Research consistently identifies three factors: trained staff who build real relationships with children, a balance of academic support and enriching activities (not just homework supervision), and consistent participation over time. Our program is designed around all three. [Source: Boys & Girls Clubs research synthesis, 2025; Vandell longitudinal study, 2021]
Academic Benefits
Quality after-school programs are associated with improved school attendance, better classroom behavior, stronger academic motivation, and higher test scores. Children who receive help in a structured, supportive setting arrive at school the next day more prepared and more confident.
Research also shows that after-school programs help close the gap for children who need extra support, while keeping advanced learners engaged and challenged. A well-run program doesn’t treat all children the same. Ours doesn’t either.
Socio-Emotional
The after-school hours are prime time for social development. Children who participate in structured programs with trained staff develop stronger self-control, greater empathy, and better peer relationships than those left in self-care. Studies have found that positive relationships with after-school staff are associated with fewer behavioral problems and stronger social competence — even after accounting for home and school environment. [Source: NIH / PMC, 2022
Our Kind Child Culture™ doesn’t stop at the end of the school day. The same intentional approach to empathy, cooperation, and emotional regulation that runs through our early childhood programs continues in our school-age setting — providing a consistent framework children can rely on.
Cognitive
The hours between 3 and 6 PM are peak hours for risk-taking behavior and unsupervised screen time. Research consistently shows that children in structured after-school programs are significantly less likely to engage in risky behaviors — not because they’re being watched, but because they’re genuinely engaged in something better.
Physical activity, positive peer interaction, and caring adult relationships during these hours are also associated with healthier lifestyle habits, including better fitness and nutrition choices, that carry into adolescence and adulthood.
Find Out About Pricing And Availability
We’re always happy to talk about our schools and answer any questions. Please complete this form and we’ll be in touch soon. Thank you.
Our School-Age Program Is Good For Your Family Too
The benefits of quality after-school care aren’t limited to children. Parents who have reliable, high-quality care for their school-age children report lower stress, greater productivity at work, and more meaningful family time in the evenings — because the homework is done, the child has had a good afternoon, and the frantic scramble to find coverage is off the table.
Our program is designed to fit seamlessly into your family’s routine — with consistent schedules, school holiday alignment, and transportation at select locations making the logistics as smooth as possible.
School age programs aren’t offered at every Cadence Education school. Ask your School Director for details when you schedule a tour and visit us.
Our Promise
We provide parents with peace of mind by giving children an exceptional education every fun-filled day in a place as nurturing as home.