If you are moving to Kansas City and have children that need afterschool care so that you can work, check out Johnson County schools.
Johnson County Park & Recreation District (JCPRD) Children’s Service Manager Kim Chappelow-Lee has enjoyed over 30 years of employment and continues to strive for better afterschool care for the children of Johnson County.
With her new title of Afterschool Ambassador for the 2014-2015 school year, Chappelow-Lee is part of the national nonprofit organization Afterschool Alliance; a group that aims to ensure that all children have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs.
The national group consists of only 13 members, so with Chappelow-Lee being the only representative for Kansas, it is surely an honor.
“I was just so honored because I feel like this is very important work,” Chappelow-Lee said. “I’ve been on the provider side for the majority of my career and I feel like now is the time to step up and advocate for more after-school care so that everyone that needs after-school care can access it.”
In 1980, at Brookwood Elementary in the Shawnee Mission School District, afterschool programs began to be offered and served only 20 children. Today, JCPRD provides afterschool care to 1,924 students.
JCPRD’s afterschool programs help to assist families in which both parents work until after school hours, providing afterschool care until 6 p.m.
Chappelow-Lee’s health and physical fitness awareness is what earned her the spot on the Afterschool Alliance. JCPRD’s afterschool programs make sure that children get a healthy fruit or vegetable snack and at least 30 minutes of exercise each day, whether it be from tag, kickball, running, or Zumba.
Chappelow-Lee explains how the availability of afterschool care can be scarce for lower income families and lower income neighborhoods, and that she aims to help bridge this gap by requesting more afterschool programs in areas that are currently lacking them.
“Kids need to be supervised in a safe environment. Research shows that kids get involved in risky behaviors when not supervised. It’s just the responsible thing for us to do,” says Chappelow-Lee.