Trinity offers after-school day care

The two Dickinson Trinity elementary schools have responded to patrons who need after-school day care for their children.

Students attending Trinity Elementary East gather in the lunchroom/gymnasium, while students at Trinity West meet in a former classroom and the gymnasium for after-school activities.

"If kids are in the building, you don't worry about picking them up," said Sister Dorothy Zeller, East and West principal. "It's not couches and beds, but there's a lot of time for creative play and a lot of choices."

The program was launched in September 2007 with a $5,300 grant received from the Diocese of Bismarck. The funds covered start-up expenses.

The after-school day care was intended as a privately run program, but attendance was considered too low, she said.

"We did have a rocky start. Because families using the program had not made other arrangements, we took it over," said Zeller.

Attendance varies from five to 20 students at East and up to 10 at West. The supervisors include students from Trinity High School or Dickinson State University.

"Right now, there's different supervisors every day," she said.

The supervisors play with the students or help with homework from 3:15-6 p.m.

"They can do homework during that time. They have tables to spread out," she said.

Activities vary with the time of year. They might play football or basketball, board games, bingo, card games or even coloring.

There's plenty of creative play. The children played with large boxes until they fell apart. Another time, they put blankets over the cafeteria tables to create hiding places, said Zeller.

"They can use the library or go to the library for computers and the computer lab at West," she said.

The day care is provided all day on holidays such as President's Day and several days during Christmas, she said.

The after-school programs also provide nutritious snacks.

"We have strict guidelines for snacks -- graham crackers, string cheese, raisins," she said.

The cost is the same as the Regional After School Program (RASP) -- $2 an hour for the first child and $1.75 for the second child.

Drop-ins are welcome if they call in the morning.

It's a free service to Trinity faculty having students enrolled in the system.

Connie and Arvin Herner enroll their two children, Seth and Ethan, in the program.

"It's for the convenience. It's right at the school," said Connie.

Previously, the children were enrolled in the Dickinson Roosevelt Elementary after-school program. A Roosevelt supervisor walked with them from East to the school each day.

However, they prefer the Trinity program.

"The kids don't have to leave school at all," she said. "The kids like it because their friends are there. They're comfortable there."