Middle School Extended Day Program Adds New Face
Wesleyan strives to be a place that is supportive of parents and students not just during the school day, but afterwards as well. If you’ve spent time in the middle school, you may have noticed a new face after school. Michelle Cailor is the new Extended Day Assistant, in charge of the after-school service for middle school students. Kelly Weatherly, Director of Auxiliary Programs & Outreach, said about Michelle, “Michelle has been a welcome addition to the Wesleyan family and our middle school. She has connected quickly with our students, and created a schedule that works for them. Michelle continues to find a balance of studying and unwinding after school. Her vision for how to add value for these students after school fits well into the overall after care umbrella.” Michelle offered some more insight into the after-school program for middle school students below:
What is middle school extended day?
Middle School Extended Day is an after-school service that Wesleyan provides for middle school students who can’t be picked up right after the school day ends.
What does the programming look like?
Middle School Extended Day starts every day at 4 p.m. in Chapman Library. We give the students the opportunity to do homework, play games, or just relax and spend time with their other friends in Extended Day after the school day. Being located in Chapman Library, the students have all the resources they need to get their homework or projects done. Each day, weather-permitting, we spend time on the Morris-Fletcher Quad or in Grace Gym, letting the students get some fresh air and get active. We occasionally have fun snacks, and try to do festive activities around the holidays. During December we built gingerbread houses and decorate cookies!
Who can join?
Any middle schooler in grades 5-8 can join. Parents can register their children by semester or for a drop-in rate of $30 a day.
What do you most enjoy about the job?
My favorite part of the job is getting the opportunity to build relationships with each of the students. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know each of them!
What do you hope the kids get from Extended Day?
The goal of Extended Day is for the students to have a fun and structured place to go while they are waiting to be picked up after the school day or extracurricular practices. We hope that through this program, they get to continue to build relationships with their friends through this program, as well as have the time and resources to get their schoolwork done.
What do you hope the parents get from Extended Day?
We hope that Extended Day gives parents a peace of mind as they know that their children are in a safe place after school as well as give them a flexibility that works with their schedules.
Where do you see this program heading?
We see this program continuing to grow in both numbers and opportunities. As the numbers continue to grow, we hope to be able to do even more, finding more ways for the students to have fun after a long school day.
