After School Program

The mission-driven After School Program (ASP) strives to further enrich and support all  learners through a variety of course offerings. Students are encouraged to pursue interests, reinforce new skills, socialize, explore, create and simply play while in a safe and supportive environment. We offer a diverse array of hands-on experiences and recreation classes that support self-expression, intellectual stimulation and social engagement. Although we have some grade-specific classes, most classes are designed to host students of various age groups. Each semester, we change or expand our program as a practice and in alignment  with the philosophy and strategies of a child-centered progressive education.

Our lead teachers are affiliated with The School at Columbia (TSC) or specialized professionals hired by The School. One of the highlights of our program is our partnerships with community organizations that teach special programs both on and off site. Past vendors have included Bloomingdale School of Music, Breakaway Hoops, Broadway Bound, Dazzling Discoveries, FunFit Kids, Juventus Academy, NYC Guitar School, Robofun, Roll America, Sugar Hill Museum, and many more!

Class offerings are vast and include diverse options to accommodate each child. A few of our most popular classes are Basketball FUNdamentals, Best Sports Class Ever, Chess (Beginners, Intermediate, & Advanced), Coding & Game Design, Engineering Adventures, Homework Help, Inline Skating & Skateboarding, Keyboard, Violin, & Voice for Children, Martial Arts, Minecraft, Musical Theater Builders, Pre-Robotics, Soccer and Athletic Enrichment, Tap Ballet, The Mystery of Magic, Tumbleweeds, and many more! Some students in Grades 5-8 opt to enroll in The School’s Athletics Program, and then join their ASP course at the end of their season. Middle Division students (Grades 6-8) can also participate in Supervised Study Hall (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 3:45-5:30 pm) or Middle Division Clubs, which typically meet once weekly, 3:45-5:30 pm. Clubs can cover a range of subjects and interests, including visual arts, debate, gender identity, and The New Roar Times student newspaper.

ASP courses run for a full semester, either Fall or Spring. The Fall Semester runs from the second week of September through the third week of January, and the Spring Semester runs from the last week of January through the first week of June.

There is a two week add-drop period at the start of each ASP semester that allows families to trial classes before final registration. After this deadline, families will be billed for all registered courses. Families may still make changes after this two-week deadline, but they will be charged an additional administrative fee for any course they add to their child’s schedule and may incur the full cost of a class they drop.

ASP enrollment ranges from $677 to $719 per class for one semester. Class costs are not prorated. Billing is dependent on the number of classes families select for the week. Families receiving financial aid in their TSC tuition packages may also qualify for financial aid for ASP courses. Please contact The School’s Business Office at billingteam@theschool.columbia.edu with any questions.

To support families in need of emergency childcare on a given day, ASP offers a one-day, drop-in service, Kidspace, for a fee of $30. Kidspace is a nurturing environment where  students engage in play, reading, board games, or arts and crafts. Parents are encouraged to email asp@theschool.columbia.edu on the day they require emergency child care.