Do I have to apply every year for the expanded learning programs in WUSD?

Do I have to submit an application for each of my students?

Which students are eligible to apply for the program?

All students who are WUSD students are eligible to apply for the program.  These students will be enrolled in TK-8th grade at one of our 7 elementary sites.  Students are able to attend the expanded learning program of the school they are attending in person. California State Preschool Program and SPED Preschool students are not eligible to apply for the program as they are not WUSD students.  For the intersession programs, the same rules apply and are for the current school year. If students are preenrolled, they are not eligible as they are not current students. 

When are applications released and how will I be notified when it is available?

Applications for the school year are available in the Spring of the previous school year.  For example, applications for the 25-26 academic school year are available in March of 2025.  Notifications of the application being available are made through the district's Catapult messaging system; the school administration's weekly messages; flyers sent home to students; flyers posted in the district office; and are also made available on the website and the Expanded Learning calendar (see above).  Applications for the intersession programs are made available two months before the intersession begins and the messaging is the same as above.  You can check the calendar or the website for the most up to date information.

How is enrollment determined for the expanded learning program?

Enrollment is determined by the priority enrollments that were approved by the WUSD Board of Education on Janary 9, 2020 (listed above).  Priority enrollment is based on the collaboration of the FIT Coordinator, Nutrition Services, AERIES database, and the school site.  Once the spots in the program have been filled by the priority enrollment students, the remaining spots are chosen by a lottery system to balance the remaining classes.  Any application received after the application deadline is automatically placed on the waitlist.

My child was in the program the year before.  Don't they get automatically enrolled?

No.  Students do not automatically rollover every year for the expanded learning program.  As this program is voluntary and not mandatory, every student needs an application to be considered for enrollment into the expanded learning program.  Submitting an application does not guarantee enrollment into the program.  Enrollment is determined by priority enrollments and then a lottery for the remaining spots.

How do I get notified if my student is enrolled or on the waitlist for the program?

Students will be notified by the deadline that is stated on the application.  Deadlines are on Fridays and notifications will happen on the first business day after the deadline (Monday or Tuesday if Monday is a holiday).  The notification will come from either the site leader (for the academic school year) and from the After School Programs email (for the intersession programs).  Please ensure that you have the contacts saved so that messages do not go into your junk/spam folders.

Why is my student on the waitlist?

Your student may be on the waitlist because there are not enough spots in the program for the number of applications received.  If the application is submitted before the deadline, your child is placed on the waitlist if they do not qualify under the first 5 priority enrollment statuses and were not selected through the lottery.  If the application is submitted after the deadline, the application is automatically placed on the waitlist as stated on the application.  

How is the waitlist organized?

The waitlist is organized by grade level and also in the order the applications are received.  

How does my student get off the waitlist and enrolled into the program?

As spots open up in a grade level, families are contacted in the order the applications are received.  For example, if a spot is available in second grade, the site leader will contact the family of the first second grade student on the list.  

Does my student have to attend the expanded learning program every day?

Yes.  The grant states that students are to attend the expanded learning program every day they attend the school day.  The student has to be at the school when the bell rings in order to attend the expanded learning program.

Can my student attend the program if they are absent from school or have an early dismissal?

A student cannot attend the expanded learning program if they are absent from the regular school day.  In order to attend the program, the student has to be in school when the bell rings.  If student has an early dismissal and returns before the bell rings, the student is still eligible to attend the expanded learning program.  If the student has an early dismissal and does not return before the bell ring, they are unable to attend the expanded learning program for the day.

How long does my child need to attend the program?

The grant requires that students attend the program for 3 hours a day.  If students leave early, the parent/guardian is required to circle one of the early dismissal codes and write in the time out for the student.

What happens if my student leaves early or has pick ups after the end of the program?

Students that are picked up early 4 times (within an hour of program without approval) or picked up late 4 times will be dismissed from the program.  The grant states that students can be dropped with early and/or late pick ups.  Parent/guardians will be required to sign off that they have picked up early without approval or picked up after program has ended.  This is also stated in the parent handbook and in the application.

My student participates in extracurricular activities that occur during the expanded learning program.  Will my student be removed for attending these activities?

Your student will not be removed from the program as long as there was preapproval for the parallel program.  Parent/guardians will need to fill out the Google form for Parallel Programs prior to the activity starting.  The site leader will email you the link to fill out and you will state the date the activity starts and ends and what days/times you will be picking up your child from the program.  The site leader will then review and approve or deny the parallel program request.  Once the parallel program is over, the student is expected to attend every day of program.  If students are getting picked earlier than the request states, that will count as an early dismissal.  Parallel Programs may include sports, church classes, ongoing medical appointments, outside tutoring, or any other activity that requires the student to leave the program on consistent days and times.  

My child is enrolled in the expanded learning program at a school but I voluntarily transfer them to another school within the district during the school year.  Is my child automatically enrolled in the expanded learning program for the new school?

No.  Your student is not automatically enrolled in the new school's expanded learning program.  The parent/guardian will need to fill out an application for the expanded learning program at the new school site for each child and will be placed on the waitlist based.