Before/After Care Program (ACP) Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

  • What is Before/After Care?
    • Before/After Care (also known as ACP) is supervised childcare provided at the school by the MPVA PTO. For a one-time registration and a monthly fee, students can be dropped off beginning at 7:00 am, and can stay within the building until 6:00 pm. During this time, they are supervised by MPVA faculty and staff in a safe and secure environment.

 

  • Can’t I just drop off my kids or pick them up whenever? Why do I have to pay for ACP?
    • Keep in mind that MPVA school building is not open to students until 8:00 am and students are dismissed from the building promptly at 4:00 pm. Only students who are participating in a school-approved or sponsored activity (rehearsals, athletic practices/events, school approved clubs, tutorials or ACP) are allowed to remain inside the building outside of school hours. Additionally, the grounds are also cleared after 4:30 pm. Participation in the ACP ensures that your student is safe, indoors, and supervised for extended time outside of school hours.

 

  • Who is eligible for ACP?
    • Any student enrolled at Meyerland PVA Middle School who has not been previously dismissed from the ACP program is eligible to attend.

 

  • When is ACP available?
    • ACP is offered every day that students are present at school during the HISD academic calendar, except when school closed due to emergency (including inclement weather) by appropriate officials. Hours begin at 7:00 am and end promptly at 6:00 pm.
    • ACP is not available on weekends, holidays, professional development/teacher inservice days or during scheduled school breaks.

 

Fees/Payment

  • How much is ACP?
    • There is a one-time registration fee of $75, and a regular monthly fee of $180.

There are additional fees assessed for late pick up and for late payment of monthly fees.

 

  • I only need care for the morning/afternoon, can I just pay half the cost?
    • Unfortunately, no, the monthly rate has been set based on the programmatic needs and to cover the operational expenses. The benefit to the inclusive rate is that you are not required to pay separately for before and after care should you need it.

 

  • I only need care two (or 1, 3, 4) days a week, can I pay just for those days?
    • Unfortunately, no, the monthly rate has been set based on the programmatic needs and to cover the operational expenses. The benefit to the inclusive rate is that you don’t have to factor in additional expenses should you need to add extra days, and space is allocated to accommodate your student regardless of use.

-  My student is going to participate in a sport or club - do I have to pay for those days?

 

-  Remember that the ACP monthly fee is the same, regardless of usage. So yes, you are still going to be paying the same rate. However, it’s worth noting some after school activities end at 5:00 or 5:30, so you may still require care after the activities conclude.

 

  • I won’t need care during this month, do I still have to pay?
    • If your child will be out of care for an entire month, you can contact treasurer@mpvapto.com to discuss pausing enrollment during that time. However, if your child does participate in ACP, you will be responsible for the full monthly amount. Additionally, if you do not contact the MPVA PTO Treasurer in advance, you will be responsible for the full monthly payment.

 

  • Do you offer fee reduction or fee waivers for ACP?
    • Fee reductions and fee waivers are offered at the sole discretion of the MPVA PTO. If you need a fee reduction or waiver, please reach out confidentially to treasurer@mpvapto.com so we can assist.

Policy & Procedure Staffing/Locations

  • Where do the kids go for ACP?
    • ACP is frequently held in the rooms of the faculty supervising, but will meet in the library or in the cafeteria at times. Students are informed of changes to regular locations during announcements and are responsible for checking in promptly at their assigned location.

 

  • How many adults are present?
    • The number of adults present vary depending on the number of participants present. We strive to maintain a low student:staff ratio and will have as many as 10+ staff members rotating throughout the week.

 

  • Are medical staff available during ACP?
    • The school nurse is not typically available during ACP. In the event of a medical emergency, staff will follow their training and established protocols to assist students, using their discretion to obtain aid if needed. Parents will be notified in the case of an emergency event as soon as is reasonably possible. Please ensure your contact information with ACP remains up to date.

 

During ACP

  • Is food provided for ACP? Can students eat at ACP?
    • There is no food provided during ACP; however, students may get breakfast from the school or afternoon meals if provided. Students are allowed to eat during ACP, provided they respect the spaces they occupy and clean up after themselves.

 

  • Will you make sure homework is completed? Will teachers tutor my student if they need additional support?
    • While our staff encourages students to complete their homework during after care, it is not required that students be working on assignments during ACP. Our staff is often willing to assist if possible, but ACP is not a formal tutorial program. If a student requires significant assistance, they should contact their instructor of

record to inquire about tutorial sessions. If offered, students can attend tutorial

sessions during ACP.

 

Drop Off/Pick Up/Closures

  • What happens if there is an emergency and school closes early?
    • If school closes early due to an emergency situation, parents will be notified by appropriate officials through official channels. In an emergency, the ACP staff will be expected to vacate the school urgently as well, so we cannot wait with students for more than 1 hour beyond the stated time of closure.

 

  • What happens if there is a delayed start?
    • In the event of a delayed start due to emergency, ACP will be closed because our staff will likewise be impacted by the delay. For the safety of our staff, we cannot ask them to try to arrive earlier in potentially dangerous conditions.

 

  • What do I do if an emergency arises and I will be late?
    • We understand there can be extenuating circumstances - please contact the school as swiftly as possible so ACP staff are notified of the situation. We will do our best to work with you as you deal with the emergency and get there to pick up your student or have another designated adult pick up your student.

However, be aware that there is a late pick up penalty of $5 per minute beginning after five minutes grace period elapses.

 

  • What if I need my relative to pick up my child?
    • As long as your relative or friend has been included on the list of Designated Adults sent on your Student Information Form, that adult can pick up students with a photo ID. Please ensure they are familiar with the pick up procedure and understand they will have to enter the building and present a photo ID for us to release your student.
    • If your friend or relative has not been added to the Designated Adult list you, may email aftercare@mpvapto.com and cc edeleon6@houstonisd.org at least 24 hours in advance and let us know that you need to update your list and provide name and contact information for that individual.
    • Please note that we cannot release a student to anyone who is not a parent/legal

guardian and on the Designated Adult list for the safety of your student.