Extended-day program reports large waitlists, staffing add-ons and successful summer pilot
Summary
Extended Day director Dan Santangelo outlined enrollment growth to 577 students, significant waitlists, three new staff positions, a summer pilot with strong family feedback and plans to reduce the waitlist by increasing staff.
Dan Santangelo, director of the district—s Extended Day program, told the school committee the program has grown substantially over the last three years and is now operating with waitlists that require additional staffing to reduce.
Santangelo reported 577 students currently enrolled across Extended Day programs and said the program has 111 students on wait lists across all offerings. He said 575 of the enrolled students participate in before- and after-school care (with 60 waitlisted for those slots) and the middle-school enrichment program currently serves about 160 students.
To meet demand, the Extended Day program added three positions this year: a full-time assistant director (Evan Storlazzi), an assistant site coordinator and a behavior support specialist (Raeleen Salen, a licensed social worker and transition coach at the high school). Santangelo said those roles improve consistency when site coordinators are absent and provide in-the-moment behavioral support and modeling for staff.
Santangelo described a four-week summer pilot attended by 131 students that included STEM, sports and first-aid/CPR training provided by district nursing staff at no cost to families. He said 96% of families who completed the program survey said they would re-register, and many asked for additional weeks.
The Extended Day program has 52 staff members, increased staff professional development aligned with district training, and runs middle-school sessions that return proceeds to the middle school for scholarships and materials. Santangelo said the program offsets three custodial salaries in the district budget and keeps Extended Day rates lower than neighboring districts. He told the committee the program aims to expand summer offerings and permanent year-round access while continuing to increase staffing through local college outreach and recruitment.
Committee members commended the program—s fiscal management, professional development, and incremental approach to sustainable growth; they also noted the operational challenge that staffing ratios impose on admitting students from wait lists.
