Enroll · Transportation
The van is why a lot of kids can come.
Two vans, four school loops, free TriMet passes for anyone who needs one, and a walking-home policy that about 40% of families use.
- Vans
- 2
- School loops
- 4
- TriMet passes
- Free
- Cost
- $0
Transportation is the number one reason kids stop attending after-school programs, and it is the reason most programs quietly serve the families who live closest. We treat it as a program cost, not a favor, and we budget for it: $157,000 last year, mostly vans and passes.
Van routes
| Route | Schools | Sites | Departs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Route A | Ridgeline Elementary, Camas Academy | Hawthorne | 3:05 |
| Route B | Foster Park Middle School | Foster-Powell, Lents | 3:10 |
| Route C | Willamette Crossing School | Cully, Montavilla | 3:05 |
| Route D | Alder Creek Elementary, North Lombard | St. Johns | 3:00 |
Vans are driven by trained staff and volunteers with clean records. Every van has a first-aid kit, a fire extinguisher, and a kid checker at the door. Routes are posted at each site and included in the enrollment packet.
TriMet
Any enrolled kid who needs a pass gets one, no questions, no proof of need. We buy them in bulk and keep them at the front desk. Kids as young as 9 ride the bus home from most sites; if you are not comfortable with that, tell us and we will work something out.
Walking home
About 40% of our kids walk home alone or with siblings. Families sign a walking-home permission with a list of who may leave with whom. We do not release a kid to an adult who is not on the list, even if the kid knows them, even if they are a grandparent. That conversation happens at enrollment, not at the door at 6 p.m.
Late pickup
Call the site phone. We will keep a staff member with your kid. There is no fee and no lecture. After 6:30 we call the emergency contact; after 7:00 the second one. We have never had to call the police and we do not intend to make a policy out of a bad night.
Six minutes, no test.
Enrollment is free and there is no academic requirement, no audition, and no interview for your kid. There is a short conversation, because we like to meet them.