Francis Scott Key Elementary School (home)

Key Extended Hours Program KEHP offers before and after school care for students enrolled at Key. The program is coordinated by Ms. Ann Conway. Before care is from 7:45 am to 8:40 am and after care is from 3:15 pm to 6:00 pm. There is a nominal fee for this program with financial assistance available on a sliding scale basis. For information please contact Ms. Conway at 202-282-3800 or fskehp at yahoo.com. Space is limited. KEHP Hums Along (November 2006, Key Notes, page 3) By Lynda Hall Have you ever noticed the little hum of activity in the office across from the lunchroom? That would be coming from the Key Extended Hours Program (KEHP), which was established by the Key PTA many years ago to provide child-care services before and after school hours. Ann Conway, the KEHP Director, joined Key in 1986 as Janis Linden’s teacher aide, and she was named KEHP Director in 1990. She has two daughters, ages 15 and 13. With both parenting and teaching experience under her belt, Ms. Conway has been capably running this essential program for the past 16 years. KEHP provides a safe place for kids to come before and after school. The morning program starts at 7:45 a.m. At present, there are about 30 students enrolled under the care of two adults – Key staffers Sylvia Gallmon-Taylor and Devon Gore. Morning activities include breakfast (provided by DCPS), last-minute homework sessions, and free play. KEHP has pretty much the run of the lower level for all its activities during the morning session. The after school program, which runs from the end of school until 6:00 p.m., is supervised by a cadre of adults and this year has expanded to encompass 60 kids. Staff members at present include Ivy Caldito, Gwendolyn Foster, Sharon Scholem, Monique Clark, Diana Moroney, and Lisa White. Sarah Comeau, a teacher from the Community Preschool of the Palisades, and Kristina Krupinzca, a George Washington University student, back up the staff. The afternoon kicks off with that all-important meal, the after school snack. Then homework gets done, and after that the kids can participate in crafts, games, or free play or can go out to the playground if the weather permits. Ms. Conway says it’s a laid-back program with a relaxed atmosphere in which all the grades mix and mingle and learn to look out for each other. The KEHP program, as was noted earlier, is sponsored by the PTA. Longtime parent liaison Cathy Tyson is handing off her supervisory duties this year to Lena Nirk and Melissa Mehring. They will be responsible for making sure that things are running smoothly and will report to the PTA on any issues that may crop up. The morning program has a flat fee of $50 a month. The after school program runs up to $235 for the full session, but there are also part-time prices and sibling discounts. The only bad news about KEHP is that there is a waiting list to enroll! Priority is given to those who are returning to the program; any spaces that become available after that are allocated from the waiting list. For more information on the Key Extended Hours Program, email fskehp at yahoo.com or call 243-1186.