A&E After School Program
Registration for the 2023-24 school year is now open. You can fill out the 2023-24 Application of Interest and a staff member will reach out to you with information.
To enroll, families must first have an account with us. (Create one here.) We also ask that families pay a non-refundable $175 registration fee once a spot is available for their child(ren). Along with your registration fee, please request your days of care. This allows us enough time to acquire the proper paperwork and communicate next steps before the official start of the school year in late August. August will be prorated based on the number of days. September will be its own fee and your deposit will not be applied to your September payment.
Please contact us at 412-828-8566 x103 or jfate@lauriannwestcc.org with questions.
About the Program
The Lauri Ann West Community Center’s Arts & Enrichment (A&E) program is offered at the Center each day after school and follows the FCASD calendar.
This two-hour program serves as a resource for busy parents with children in grades K-6. A&E is a unique combination of enriching activities designed to inspire and complement individual interests in a relaxed atmosphere.
All activities are led by professional educators with a balance of learning, play, physical activity and outdoor time (weather permitting). The program is certified by the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning.
Click here to view the 2022-2023 Arts and Enrichment Parent Handbook.
Program Fees
Parents must choose consistent days of the week for the entire year. Fees are based on the number of consistent days.
Scholarships
We are committed to keeping our prices affordable for all families to start the school year. Scholarships are available for families based on financial need. Learn more here.
Registration
To register call 412-828-8566 x103 or email jfate@lauriannwestcc.org.
Instructors
All Arts & Enrichment instructors and Lauri Ann West Community Center staff members have current Pennsylvania State Criminal History and Child Abuse clearances, as well as FBI background checks.
Program Activities
The A&E program strives to present art activities, group projects and play that stimulate creativity and wonder while promoting a broader awareness and engagement with the world. This active, hands-on approach to learning promotes self-confidence and exploration while it provides children the opportunity to pursue their own unique, expressive solutions. Activities include: Art lessons and activities exploring a specific artist, musician, culture or historical period; science experiments; acting and performance; sewing; exercise and outdoor play. Some time is also allotted each day for exploration of individual interests, such as reading, building with various materials, games, and creative, imaginative play.
Maker Studio
The Lauri Ann West Community Center’s Maker’s Studio is a space for students to make, play and design using “real stuff” – the same materials, tools and processes used by professional artists, builders, programmers and creators of all kinds. It is a place where physical materials and digital media resources intersect; where students are encouraged to be curious, creative, experimental and innovative. By framing creative action as a means of problem-solving, our young makers explore their original ideas by using basic crafting skills like woodworking and sewing, as well as tech-based learning such as circuit making, digital imaging and stop-motion animation. Sample projects have included the construction of cardboard houses and furniture, experimentation of Sculpey clay and the creation of personal sculptures, the development of paper circuits, the design of pop-up books and the construction of a hydraulic hand. Interested in helping keep the Maker Studio stocked and thriving? Please consider donating the following:
- Paper of any kind – plain, colors, cardstock, etc.
- Paper plates, coffee filters, and food dye
- Paper towel, wrapping paper and toilet paper tubes
- Cardboard boxes
- Markers and chalk
- Duct tape and washi tape
- Fabric, beads, buttons, yarn, and ribbon
- Plastic lids & containers
- Bottle caps & corks
- Lightly-used board and card games
Ratio and Social Interaction
Program and enrollment is capped each day, allowing for a low student-to-teacher ratio that emphasizes respectful social interaction. Children are encouraged to foster a healthy, inclusive group dynamic and develop friendships.
Arrival and Departure
Children are welcomed as they arrive by bus from Fox Chapel Area Schools: Dorseyville, Fairview, Hartwood, Kerr and O’Hara. Parents pick up and sign out children inside the room, by 6:00 PM each day.
Transportation
The Center provides bus transportation from Dorseyville, Fairview, Hartwood, Kerr and O’Hara. All children who register for the program will automatically be registered for the bus. If you do not wish bus transportation, you must email and request to completely opt out of the service.
Snacks
Please send a nutritious snack for your child! Snack will be eaten when all of the children arrive, as sharing food together is an important part of socialization.
