Here at the Ross Community Center, we are excited for another year of our Explore! After School program. This program is available to students in Kindergarten through 5th grade. While South View and West View Elementary schools bus directly to our center, we also have homeschool students and other Delaware County elementary students that join us for our programming.
This year will be our 5th year in partnership with the Youth Symphony Orchestras of East Central Indiana. Through this partnership, two times per week students learn how to play either the viola or cello and learn how to read music. They also get to participate in Fall and Spring performances. In addition, this year students not enrolled in viola or cello will participate in music appreciation studies also provided by the YSO.
We’re also excited to implement a new schedule this year. On Mondays, our program will have a focus on reading. We will be offering reading remediation with current and retired teachers, as well as, reading through the Magic Tree House series and participating in different activities related to the series.
Tuesdays will be all about program partners. This past two years, we have brought in different program partners such as Open Door Health Services, IU Medical students, BSU Computer Science students, and many more! These different groups come in and give demonstrations or plan fun activities around topics specific to their jobs or what they are studying. Another group that has partnered with us for years is a group of BSU Sport Psychology students that come in and teach the student how to play Futsal, a variation of indoor soccer. This year we look forward to continuing old partnerships, and always continuing to bring in more! Already for fall, we are making plans specific to entrepreneurship and financial literacy.
Wednesdays are all about music, and we are so excited to have YSO partner with us to bring the world of music to our students! Lastly, Thursdays are all about social emotional learning (SEL) . Last year, the Ross Center Coordinators attended an intensive Restorative Practices training. Taking what they have learned, an SEL curriculum has been developed to share with our students each week.
We have a lot in store for this next school year! You can find more information on our website at: https://rosscentermuncie.org/youth-programs/afterschool-programs/.