After School Programs

Nutritious Meals & Snacks

Our AYCC Kitchen Staff provides breakfast, two snacks, and lunch options daily for campers. We follow the USDA School Food Nutrition Guidelines.

Families may send their child with a lunch and/or snacks if they prefer. Peanut or nut products are prohibited and the AYCC is unable to refrigerate or microwave items.

Our food program is mainly funded through state and federal grants and as such, we may require families to complete the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Child and Adult Care Food Program application. Completing these forms allows us to provide FREE, quality, nutritious snacks and meals to all our childcare participants, but especially to children who may otherwise go without.

Visit our Gardens & Greenhouse page for the USDA Federal and State of Maine Non-Discrimination Statements.

Giving Your Child A Healthy, Safe Environment To Learn Is Our Commitment.

• Experienced and Caring Staff: Our dedicated team of experienced educators and childcare professionals is passionate about creating a positive and supportive environment for your child’s growth and development.
• Balanced Curriculum: We offer a well-rounded curriculum that includes a mix of educational, recreational, and creative activities. These activities are designed to encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and imaginative play.
• Homework Support: Our staff provides homework assistance to help students with their school assignments, promoting a sense of responsibility and academic achievement.
• Enrichment Activities: We offer a wide range of enrichment activities that allow children to explore various interests and talents. These may include arts and crafts, sports, music, dance, and more.
• Nutritious Snacks: We provide daily snacks that are nutritious and delicious, ensuring your child has the energy to engage in our activities.
• Safe and Secure Environment: Your child’s safety is our top priority. Our facilities are equipped with modern safety measures, and all staff members undergo thorough background checks.
• Program Schedule: Our programs run in the afternoons on regular school days. We also offer extended care options for early release days, some snow days, and school vacations.
• Registration and Fees: Information regarding registration procedures, program fees, and payment schedules can be found this handbook. We strive to make our program accessible to all families and offer various payment options.
• Behavioral Expectations: We believe in promoting a positive and respectful atmosphere where all children can thrive. Our policies outline our approach to discipline and encourage open communication with parents/guardians to address any behavioral concerns constructively.
• Communication: Open and clear communication is essential for the success of our program. In this section, you’ll find information on how we stay in touch with parents/guardians, including newsletters, parent-teacher conferences, and online communication platforms.
• Health and Safety: We take every precaution to maintain a healthy and safe environment for all participants. These policies provide details on illness, medications, emergency procedures, and allergy management.

Thank you for entrusting your child to our care.

Our After-School Program locations offer camps during the regular school vacation weeks – December, February, and April each year. Each vacation camp requires registration and full payment at the time of registration.

Camp Dates 2024-2025

• December 23, 26 & 27, 2024 (closed Dec 24 & 25)
• February 17-21, 2025
• April 21-25, 2025

Details:

• Monday-Friday from 7:00 am-5:30 pm
• $xx.00/day for Members (per child)
• $xx.00/day for Non-Members (per child)
• Financial Assistance is available.
• The program is held at all five sites (Atwood, Benton, China, Mill Stream, and Waterville).

• Students from Waterville and Winslow Public Schools, RSU18, and MSAD49 districts may attend the Waterville location.
• Children must be enrolled at the school where they attend childcare for our satellite locations.
• Students must be ages 5-12 and entering Kindergarten for the 2024-2025 school year for Atwood, China, and Waterville.
• Students must be ages 4-12 to enroll at Mill Stream.
• Counselor-in-Training (CIT) programs are available at most sites for ages 13-15

Locations

• Alfond Youth & Community Center, Waterville
• Atwood Primary School, Oakland
• Benton Elementary School, Benton
• China Primary School, China
• Mill Stream Elementary School, Norridgewock

Hours of Operation

• Waterville – Mon-Fri 2:15-6:00 pm
• Atwood – Mon-Fri 2:30-5:30 pm
• Benton – Mon-Fri 2:50-5:30 pm
• China – Mon-Fri 2:30-5:30 pm
• Mill Stream – Mon-Fri 2:15-5:30 pm

Generally, the sites are open for all In-Service, Early Release, School Vacations, and some snow days. School Vacations require additional registration and payment.

All programs are closed on the following 2024-2025 holidays:

• Labor Day – Monday, September 2, 2024
• Thanksgiving & the day after – Thursday, November 28 & Friday, November 29, 2024
• Christmas Eve & Christmas Day – Tuesday, December 24 & Wednesday, December 25, 2024
• New Year’s Day – Wednesday, January 1, 2025
• Memorial Day – Monday, May 26, 2025

• All programs are licensed by the State of Maine, Department of Health and Human Services.
• The Waterville location is accredited by the Council on Accreditation
• All childcare staff must be enrolled with the Rising Stars for Maine, formerly known as Maine Roads to Quality Professional Development Network, and complete mandatory training each year.

Childcare Options for All Budgets

The AYCC is proud to work with families to provide affordable, quality childcare options. We accept third-party funding from many organizations, including the State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Additionally, we offer financial assistance for some of our childcare programs. We strive to do our best to connect area families with funding assistance so that children have the best possible opportunities for safe, quality childcare after school.

Financial Assistance through the Affordable Access Program

The AYCC offers a variety of financial options for families interested in attending our childcare programs. All registration forms include the application for assistance. Our Registrar & Billing Specialist reviews all applications and will reach out to each family with options for their family.

Third-Party Childcare Assistance

This process must be completed and approved before the child attends the program unless you are personally paying for your child care fees.

If your family qualifies for any third-party childcare assistance/subsidy, you MUST obtain childcare assistance or reimbursement before the child’s attendance in the program. The Child Care Affordability Program (CCAP) and Transitional Child Care (TCC) are the most commonly utilized and accepted. Notes:  The Childcare Affordability Program is formerly known as the Childcare Subsidy Program (CCSP).

You may qualify for Transitional Child Care (TCC) If you have received TANF in the last 12 months, or been open TCC in the last 30 days, have earnings at the time TANF closed, and are working now. If “yes” to all, you may be potentially eligible for Transitional Child Care.

Contact the Child Care Unit: (207) 624-5200; Email: Childcare.dhhs@maine.gov; or visit your local DDHS office for more info.

If “no” to any TCC questions, and you are a parent who is: working, in school, in a job training program, or a guardian who is the age of 65 with retirement documentation, check income guidelines to see if you may be potentially eligible for the Child Care Affordability Program.

There are three ways to apply for CCAP:

1. You can apply online: Click here
2. Call (207) 624-7999 or 1-877-680-5866; or
3. Visit your local DHHS office for more information.

Contact

For more information, you may contact Danielle Bragg, AYCC Registrar & Billing Specialist, at programbilling@clubaycc.org or call 207-873-0684 x787.

Important

• The parent/guardian is responsible for reporting any absences to the Childcare Site Coordinator for the program the child attends. These are considered excused absences, and each child is allowed a limited number of absences.
• Those utilizing third-party funding for childcare must have a minimum attendance of 6 hours per week after school. During school vacations, children must have a minimum attendance of 30 hours.
• Any absence not reported to Childcare Site Coordinators would be considered unexcused and must be reported to CCSP. Failure to do so may result in a change or loss of third-party funding.

For more information, contact the Child Care Unit at (207) 624-5200, email Childcare.dhhs@maine.gov, or visit your local DHHS office.

AYCC’s Absence Reporting Form

State of Maine Income Eligibility Guidelines

Effective December 9, 2023

Childcare Fees

• $85.00/week per child
• $17.00/day per child (all locations but Waterville)
• Financial assistance through the Affordable Access Program is available at most locations.
• Third-party payors are also accepted, such as the State of Maine’s Child Care Affordability Program (CCAP).

Policies

1. Payments are due in full on Sundays before the upcoming week of service. See example calendar at the right.
   1. Payments not received on Sundays in advance will incur a $10.00 late payment fee and could result in the loss of space in the childcare program.
   2. Late fees must be paid prior to attendance.
   3. If your child is sent to the program from the bus without payment, then the parent will be called to make an immediate payment and/or immediate child pick-up.
2. Payments may be made in cash, check (payable to AYCC), credit/debit.
   1. Payments are accepted via phone (207-873-0684), in person at the AYCC, or online
   2. Payments may be auto-scheduled from a bank or credit card account. Additional paperwork (page 22 of registration) is required and written notice for any changes must be provided in writing 14 days prior to the next billing cycle.
   3. Payments declined or returned for non-sufficient funds (NSF) will incur an additional fee between $10.00 – $30.00 per instance and must be paid immediately in addition to the total of the original fee that was returned. Personal checks and auto-scheduled payments will no longer be accepted after 2 instances of returns.
3. Under all circumstances, a paid two-week notice is required for removing the child from any of our childcare programs.
4. Aspire cards are not accepted at the AYCC. Direct withdrawal is required to use Aspire for all AYCC childcare programs.
5. Those receiving third party assistance (i.e. State of Maine, etc.) are required to speak with one of the AYCC’s Registrar & Billing Specialists, before the child’s attendance for any program. They can be reached at 207-873-0684 or email programbilling@clubaycc.org

Registration options for youth ages 5-12.

2024-2025 Registration

2024-2025  Handbook

Application for Counselors in Training (CIT’s) for ages 13-15. **Application requires 2 letters of reference & approval from Childcare Director.

2024-2025 CIT Application

Other Documents

Childcare Affordable Access Application

Automatic Payment Document

Waterville Activites Form

Families may request childcare tax statements by completing the form below or calling 207-873-0684 to place a request with the Welcome Center. Requests will be processed in the order they are received.

Please allow 7-10 business days for the email due to the volume of requests received.

Contact our Registrar & Billing Specialists at programbilling@clubaycc.org or at 207-873-0684 for information regarding your request.

Please note that the AYCC runs childcare programs under both the Boys & Girls Clubs and the YMCA’s Tax Identification Numbers, and you will be provided with the appropriate information with the receipt.

In addition to the Boys & Girls Clubs Mission Youth Outreach Program, the AYCC has also partnered with Military Child Care dot Com to offer assistance with childcare costs. Learn more about each program below.

Mission Youth Outreach Military Childcare