Santa Fe outlines after-school, day‑camp and summer youth programs; officials discuss expansion and wait list

The City of Santa Fe presented details of its after‑school, school‑closure day camp and summer youth programs during the Quality of Life Committee meeting on May 21, explaining fees, staffing, enrollment limits and partnerships while committee members pressed staff about wait lists and possible expansion.

The programs provide after‑school care and year‑round options for elementary and middle school students, operate on sliding‑scale fees and rely on partnerships with Santa Fe Public Schools for meals and site support, City of Santa Fe youth program staff said. The presentation highlighted program capacity, a significant waiting list and recent one‑time funding for transportation.

Melissa Bustos, the City of Santa Fe youth program manager, told the committee that the after‑school program at the GCC includes transportation from participating schools, an hour of daily recreational activities, a healthy snack and homework help and that “when fully staffed, we serve up to 90 participants ages 6 through 12.” She said after‑school hours are Monday through Thursday 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and that the after‑school fee is “$50 per month per child due at time of registration.”

On school‑closure days (parent‑teacher conferences, spring and winter breaks), staff said the city operates day camps from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fees for those camps use an income‑based sliding scale that “range from $15 to $40 per day per child,” Bustos said.

The city’s summer program runs Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., across five school sites in Santa Fe and includes on‑site breakfast and lunch provided by Santa Fe Public Schools, weekly local swimming or ice‑skating trips and out‑of‑town field trips to destinations such as the Rio Grande Zoo and Explora. Partner organizations that will rotate through sites this summer include We Grow Eco, SITE Santa Fe, Audubon Center, Santa Fe Watershed, Wiseful and Lenzick Performing Arts.

Bustos said the city uses an online appointment platform for registration and that, with early registration for city employees this year, “programs are affordable and accessible.” She also said the sliding‑scale structure’s top bracket — households with annual income at or above $80,000 — pays “$240 for the 8 week program.”

Committee members asked for program clarifications and possible expansions. Councilor Garcia asked about the broader spectrum of services, and Bustos confirmed there is a separate teen program that serves middle‑school students beginning at age 12 and up to 17 and that it mirrors the summer program with more freedom for older participants.

Councilor Travis raised the idea of a before‑school drop‑off program and said it could create employment opportunities for high school students; Bustos said the city has not operated a before‑school program but “that’s something that we definitely can explore.”

On staffing and demand, Bustos said the city recently onboarded 81 teenage and college‑age employees to staff summer sites and that the current wait list for programs is “between, I would say, 50 and 65 kids.” She told the committee that adding an additional program site would require roughly 20 more staff to maintain the stated staff‑to‑child ratios and caregiver requirements.

Committee members and staff discussed operational constraints: hiring enough qualified part‑time workers, scheduling registration to align with partner deadlines, and working with Santa Fe Public Schools for meal service and potential additional sites. The committee member who requested more data on funding sources was told the department did not have a full city‑fund versus fee revenue breakdown available at the meeting and that staff would follow up.

Councilors and staff noted a recent infusion of one‑time city funds that will support transportation: Bustos said the department received $200,000 and is purchasing two new vans for after‑school transportation. She also said the summer program is expected to serve 545 participants this summer.

Committee members praised program staff for longtime service and for recruiting local youth as staff, and staff said they will analyze fee structures, staff recruitment and possible partnerships to expand slots and reduce wait lists.

The committee did not take a formal vote on program expansions at the May 21 meeting; members asked staff to return with analyses and options for increasing capacity, refining fees and exploring additional service models such as before‑school care or occasional drop‑in coverage for working parents.