Wayne board hears Right at School proposal for district aftercare program

Julie Lyon, vice president of national partnerships for Right at School, told the Wayne Board of Education on April 24 that her organization would staff and operate the district’s before‑ and after‑school program using local site managers and trained educators and that the program emphasizes safety and ‘‘fun’’ for students.

Lyon said Right at School serves about 65,000 children daily nationwide and employs roughly 5,000 educators. She described a station‑rotation curriculum that mixes play‑based learning, homework support and community‑led activities, and said the contractor would align staff training to district safety protocols, including fire drills and emergency procedures.

A district staff member said the district solicited five proposals for the RFP and that Right at School was ‘‘the least expensive of the five proposals that we received who met the specifications for the RFP.’’ The staff member clarified that the district’s current program has some internal subsidies that likely would not be allowable next year and that rising staffing and operational costs affect program pricing.

Right at School presented a tiered pricing schedule that Lyon and district staff described in the meeting: after‑school five days a week at $298 per month, four days $271, three days $236, two days $177 and one day $108; before‑school five days $260, with lower rates for fewer days; and a discounted combo rate for five days of before‑and‑after care. Lyon said the vendor will accept New Jersey state subsidies and offer sibling and military discounts. She added that programming would run to about 6 p.m. by default, with options to extend to 6:30 or later if families request it.

Board members asked whether hours and schedules would change; Lyon said hours would match existing hours and that the vendor would offer rolling admissions and ‘‘punch card’’ options for families that need intermittent care. She also said the vendor would hold a meet‑and‑greet for prospective educators on Monday, May 28 if the contract is board‑approved.

No vote on the contract was recorded at the April 24 meeting. The board opened the item for questions and said the proposal would return to the board for consideration under the district’s procurement process.

Quote attribution: "Our promise is to our students, our families, and our partners," Lyon said, adding the program aims to provide ‘‘safety and joy’’ for children during out‑of‑school hours.

The board’s staff clarified price comparisons and the RFP outcome during the question period; the meeting record shows both the vendor presentation and staff pricing clarification are part of the official discussion.

Next steps: If the board approves a contract with Right at School, the vendor plans a May 28 meet‑and‑greet for potential staff and a parent forum to explain program details and registration.