Gabriel Thomas completed a water vortex last year at Madison Elementary School.(CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Working parents have a viable option for their children’s after-school daycare with the Extended-Day Program.

Madison Elementary School offers the service as a “safe, enriching climate in which children can remain for a limited time at the end of a regular school day until picked up by their parents,” director Natalie Smoak said.

The program approaches the child’s social, physical and intellectual needs. At Madison elementary, Melissa Mims is principal and Britt Lovelace is assistant principal.

Typically, a routine ‘extended day’ will begin at 2:40 p.m. with roll call, restroom, hand washing, water and snacks. At 3:15 p.m., supervised homework time and reading begins for grades 3-5, with rotation time for kindergartners through second-graders, unless they need homework time.

At 4 p.m., various planned rotations will include puzzles, board games, iPad learning activities, story time, peer reading, organized sports and free play. Students also can pursue daily electives, like art, drama, computer time and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) activities.

After cleanup, parents will pick up their children by 6 p.m.

For homework, workers will provide a quiet, supervised setting in a teacher’s classroom or the cafeteria. Children are responsible for bringing all books, materials and assignments to the homework area.

The staff is not responsible for checking with the classroom teacher about assignments or for distributing supplies.

For admission, the child must be enrolled at the elementary school in kindergarten through sixth grade. Students are accepted on a full-time or regular part-time basis. A minimum enrollment of three days per week qualifies as regular part-time.

Parents must pay $50 for a non-refundable registration/activity fee. Parents must pay any delinquent fees from previous enrollment. Drop-in service is available.

Parents should contact the extended-day director or staff during an emergency or other late pick-up. After 6 p.m., parents pay a late fee of $1/minute per child.

For more information, call Madison elementary at 256-772-9255 or the Central Office at 256-464-8370.