Extended Day Program Marks 20 Years of Service in Westwood

Thursday is officially the last day of the 2010-2011 school year in Westwood. But students aren't the only ones about to embark on a summer vacation. 

The Westwood Extended Day Program will also finish up Thursday, as it celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

Program Coordinator Janice Van Hyning, who has been with the program since its inception in 1991, said in the last 20 years, the biggest change to come has been the size of enrollment. 

"Our total enrollment by the end of our first year was 65 children," Van Hyning said. "The total enrollment this year is 245 children, and we're looking at 275 next year."

The program provides families of Westwood Public Schools with an after-school session of games, homework study, and activities, among other features. 

"We try to have lots of choices," Van Hyning said. 

Earlier this month, Van Hyning was honored as part of a yearly ceremony that commemorates employees in the Westwood Public Schools who have reached a milestone of 10 years or more, in increments of five years. 

This year also marks the first time the program is permanently split into two locations, one being at for students of that school, as well as and the , and another at for Martha Jones and students. 

Alongside Van Hyning at the program's home-base at Hanlon is Michael Fagone, Extended Day's Assistant Program Coordinator and Site Coordinator of the program at Hanlon Elementary, and Chrissie Niedzialkoski, Site Coordinator at Martha Jones. The staff also includes former students of the program, as well as students from Westwood High Shcool, who are paid employees.

Students from kindergarten through Grade 5 can participate; Van Hyning stressed that the program is a part of the Westwood Public School system.

Both locations at Martha Jones and Hanlon offer similar activities for students, and include such activities as arts and crafts, cooking, science projects, outdoor recess. Students in Grades 2 through 5 also engage in a homework study period after recess. 

"We try to find a little bit of a balance where we can accommodate kids of different energy levels and interests," Van Hyning said. "Certainly, with the size of the program, there has to be a reasonable amount of structure."

Adding to that, the program runs every day after school until 6 p.m. On early-release days, students have an extended Extended Day, which runs immediately after early release until 6 p.m. The program is not open during Christmas Vacation, but is available from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday during February and April breaks. 

Alisa Shapiro, whose children have been a part of the program since 2001, said she can't think of anything better in Westwood for her kids.

"You can trust the staff," Shapiro said. "It's a very enriching program. It's not like a day care situation, it's very focused on homework time. They structure it so the kids who are in similar grades do activities together."

In addition to the varied activities, Van Hyning and Fagone also organize special field trips to various places in the area. Such past trips have included visits to Castle Island, a Duck Boats tour in Boston, and a visit to area zoos.

"Between Michael and Janice, you just know that your kids are going to have fun," Shapiro said. "It's hard to pull them away at the end of the day."

For more information on the Westwood Extended Day Program, click here.