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Webster Groves board approves Right at School contract to replace Adventure Club, citing end to wait lists

Webster Groves School District Board of Education · November 18, 2025

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Summary

The Webster Groves School Board approved a contract with Right at School to operate before- and after-school care beginning June 2026. District leaders said the move aims to eliminate an 88-day wait list and expand programming; the contract includes a minimum $70,000 revenue share to the district and priority hiring for current Adventure Club staff.

The Webster Groves School Board voted to approve a contract with Right at School to operate the district’s before- and after-school program beginning June 2026.

Board members moved and passed the contract by voice vote after a presentation from Right at School representatives and district staff. The presenters said the private operator would eliminate the current Adventure Club wait list, add flexible registration and drop-in options, offer sibling and military discounts and a 20% subsidy for families receiving free or reduced-price lunch, and provide summer and noninstructional-day coverage.

Right at School representatives told the board they would prioritize current Adventure Club employees for new positions, run a local recruitment pipeline and maintain a staffing model that includes at least two staff onsite and an additional floating/substitute pool. They described programmatic elements they call 'disguised learning'—thematic units such as building Roman aqueducts from recycled materials—and said the organization operates similar programs at several local districts without wait lists.

District staff summarized the financial model presented: the current Adventure Club historically generated a surplus (the 2025–26 budget projection showed about $285,000 net revenue), but switching to Right at School would change cash flows. The contract includes a $70,000 minimum revenue share to the district and a revenue-share tier that would begin returning 4% on revenue above an estimated $1.7 million; staff cautioned the district could record an estimated $210,000 loss if the program does not exceed the projected revenue threshold.

John McLeod, a parent who spoke during public comment, highlighted the urgency: 'Been 88 days since the start of the school year... We are still on the wait list for adventure club.' Board members and administrators said the contract is intended to address that backlog and expand access. A board member moved to approve the contract 'as presented' and the motion carried by voice vote.

The immediate next steps outlined by Right at School include informational meetings for employees and families, a prioritized, nonpublic application period for current Adventure Club staff, and a transition timeline with recruitment beginning after Thanksgiving and application processing starting December 1 so staffing decisions can be made before next school year.