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Preschool Before and After Care FAQs
Once space becomes available, families will receive an email to confirm whether they are still interested in attending. The waitlist will reflect the order in which a family has applied. If a space becomes available, you will be given 48 hours to respond. If we don’t hear from you within that time, we will move on to the next family on the wait list.
A current annual membership is required to enroll on the waitlist for a program. No payment is due at time of registration if you are placed on the waitlist for a program.
What are the before and after school childcare hours?
Before school program: 6:30 a.m. - start of school.
After school program: End of school - 6:00 p.m.
What does “licensed preschool sites” mean?
All preschool programs will be licensed through Washington State’s Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). This allows families to access different sources of financial assistance. Licensing programs allow Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue to provide extended care on early release days and School’s Out Days which include a meal and a nap/rest time. Licensing ensures high safety, procedural, staffing, and program standards are upheld and documented.
Is there a daily curriculum that will be used?
Early childhood programs have a daily schedule built to align with the child’s typical routine at school and extend learning. Activities are structured to work towards meeting Washington State Early Learning and Development Guidelines . Kids will participate in learn-through play style activities in math, art, literacy, and interactive play daily centers. Boys and Girls Club will also be utilizing pieces of the Second Step SEL curriculum to help build strong peer-to-peer relationships.
How does financial assistance work?
Preschool/licensed sites- Because all preschool programs are licensed through the state of Washington, families can apply to Working Connections (WCCC) and BrightSpark to be granted subsidies. Once we have received notice of subsidies, the family account will be adjusted accordingly for copayments or potentially a zero-dollar monthly fee.
Getting Help Paying for Child Care | Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families
School is closed due to weather or power outage. Are Clubs open?
In the event of inclement weather, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue will follow the schedule of the Bellevue School District. If Bellevue School District closes due to severe weather, all club programs for that day will be canceled.If BSD is delayed (1 or 2 hours) or closed, before school programs will be canceled. In the event of a power outage, affected locations will be closed.
For the most up to date information regarding Bellevue School District closures, please visit the district website at www.bsd405.org or the BSD closure webpage.
All efforts will be made to close the Club prior to children arriving. If children are in the building, parents are expected to make efforts to pick up their child/children as soon as possible.
No. Preschool programs will have their own space which is separate from elementary students. The space provided for preschool-age children will have furniture, supplies, and activities that are age-appropriate and catered towards early learning and development.
All staff for early childhood programs are required to obtain their 30-hour basics course through the state along with other trainings such as food handlers, CPR, safe sleep, and other continued learning courses. Below are the included Washington State Administration Codes regarding early childhood staff qualifications.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue has also extended opportunities to Bellevue School District staff to help maintain consistency of staff and routines in early learning. Our goal is to create collaborative teams with extensive experience in schools and early learning.
Daily communication with parents and school staff will occur with the preschool lead and support staff who are on-site. Email communication, meetings, program concerns, and school needs will be directed to Hannah Gillette, Preschool Area Director, at hgillette@bgcbellevue.org.
We provide a first snack at 3:30 p.m. and a second small snack around 5:30 p.m. Snacks consist of a fruit or vegetable, whole grain cracker, and a dairy item. On Wednesdays we provide a lunch which consists of a sandwich or wrap, fruit or vegetable, and milk.
Any information pertaining to diet or medical needs must be communicated to the Site Director at your Club location so that we may assist within our capacity. Allergies, medications, and doctor information can be updated online through our Parent Portal, under the Submit a Form tab.
A medication authorization form is required for staff to administer medications during the time your child attends before or after school care. This form is also included in welcome email sent before the program begins. Ask your Site Director for additional information.
Resources for families are provided in multiple languages including subsidy information/instructions, flyers, and meetings with translator phone services. Supports in programs for children include but are not limited to translated activity instructions, visual support for routines and schedules, and bilingual staff considerations especially for sites with emersion programs.
Our staff-to-preschool child ratio is 1 staff: 10 children.
What if my preschool age child struggles with bathroom accidents?
All youth must be able to use the bathroom independently. For safety purposes, Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue staff do not support any youth while they are using the bathroom or changing their clothes in response to a bathroom accident. We encourage families to provide additional clothing for their child in case of an incident. Families may be called to pick up their child early following a bathroom accident.
Is potty assistance available if a 3-year-old still needs some help? If so, is it mainly verbal guidance and reminders, or would hands-on assistance also be provided if needed?
We can provide some assistance with toileting specifically centered around goal setting and helping until a child becomes independent. We will work on making a specialized plan guided by the appropriate Washington State Code specifying what support a child may require and the role the staff will play in the plan. Staff can help with both verbal and physical tasks, but once a child has mastered the steps in the routine, we will reduce the amount of support given by staff and re-evaluate the goal, needs, and plan.
What information does BGCB review to understand if a child can be successful in our current group structure?
We may review:
- Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
- 504 Plans
- Behavior Support Plans
- Medical Care Plans
- Parent input
- School recommendations (with permission)
- Individual Care Plans
This information helps us understand how we can support your child in our program setting.
Why do you ask for an IEP?
An IEP provides important information about:
- Educational supports
- Behavioral strategies
- Communication needs
- Safety considerations
- Successful accommodations
The IEP is one piece of information used during our individualized assessment process.
Does having an IEP guarantee enrollment?
No.
An IEP helps us understand a child's needs, but enrollment decisions are based on whether the Club can reasonably support the child within our current program structure while maintaining a safe environment for all participants.
What is a"reasonable accommodation"?
A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment that allows a child to participate in our program without fundamentally changing the nature of the program or creating a direct safety risk.
Examples may include:
- Visual schedules
- Behavior support strategies
- Modified activities
- Staff training
- Seating accommodations
- Communication supports
- Environmental modifications
Accommodations vary based on individual needs and program capabilities.
Does the Club provide one-to-one (1:1) aides?
Currently, Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue does not provide dedicated one-to-one aides or individual support staff.
Our programs operate in a group setting with established staffing ratios. While we continually work toward expanding our inclusion services, we do not currently have the funding, staffing structure, or specialized training necessary to consistently provide individual aides.
Can my child bring their own support person?
Requests for outside support personnel are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may require additional approvals, documentation, and coordination with the family.
If my child's school provides 1:1 support during the school day, will the Club provide the same support?
Not necessarily.
School-based services are determined by the school district and are specific to the educational setting. Community-based programs such as Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue must independently evaluate whether they can reasonably accommodate a child's needs within their own program model.
How do you determine whether a child can participate successfully?
We conduct an individualized review that considers:
- Safety of the child
- Safety of other participants
- Ability to participate in group activities
- Supervision requirements
- Behavioral support needs
- Medical needs
- Available accommodations
- Staff skills and training
Our goal is to identify supports that allow the child to be successful while maintaining a positive experience for everyone.
Will my child be denied solely because of a disability?
No.
We do not deny participation solely because a child has a disability, diagnosis, or IEP.
Any decision regarding participation is based on an individualized assessment that considers whether reasonable accommodations can support successful participation in our program.
What happens if additional needs are identified after enrollment?
We recognize that a child's needs may evolve over time.
If concerns arise, we will:
- Meet with the family.
- Review support strategies.
- Consider additional accommodations.
- Evaluate whether modifications can address concerns.
- Work collaboratively to identify next steps.
Our goal is always to support successful participation whenever possible.
Why might a child not be a good fit for the program?
In some situations, a child's needs may exceed what can reasonably be provided within a group-based recreational setting.
Examples may include:
- Continuous individual supervision needs
- Personal care or bathroom assistance requirements
- Specialized medical support beyond staff training
- Safety concerns that cannot be addressed through reasonable accommodations
When this occurs, the decision is based on program capacity and safety considerations, not on the child's disability or diagnosis.
Our Commitment
Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue is committed to inclusion, dignity, and respect for every child. We partner with families to understand each child's unique needs and strive to provide reasonable accommodations that support meaningful participation whenever possible.
Our mission is to create safe, welcoming, and engaging environments where all young people can learn, play, and thrive.
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Why the Club Works
- Safety is our #1 priority. The club provides youth with safe havens staffed by caring adult mentors, who have the best interest of children at heart.
- 80% of all learning occurs outside the classroom. Our goal is to have a positive impact on every child's academic success
- Academic success, healthy lifestyles and civic engagement are the Club's three focus areas for all programs.
- We believe in providing all of our members with access to the latest technolgy so they will have a head start in today's world.
- Our expectation is that every young person who enters our doors will be on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future.
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