Hiring an Afterschool Director

We are seeking to hire an experienced, skilled, enthusiastic afterschool director. Please inquire and apply at the RuralArtsVT.org website.

A New Model for Afterschool Programming in OSSU

The statewide afterschool network is working to ensure that all Vermont kids have access to high quality afterschool programs. It is our collective responsibility to create and sustain safe, reliable, and enriching programs so that children in Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union are active, connected, engaged, and heard.

After more than 20 years of serving students in OSSU, the REACH! Afterschool Program, along with teachers, children, and families, felt the additional stresses of operating during the Pandemic. The staffing model and program structure spread resources too thin, and operating over capacity generated a culture of burnout and unsustainability. In fall 2022, this program was suspended due to a lack of available staff and to reevaluate how OSSU can offer afterschool and summer programming to its communities.

Fortunately, REACH! had cultivated numerous community partnerships which yielded individuals looking to pitch in and problem solve so that we could begin offering programs again. A new model has been created, which is funded initially and in part by a ​​State of Vermont Set-Aside Grant as part of the American Recovery Plan. The next steps are to hire an afterschool program leader who will work with the Supervisory Union, schools, families, and community organizations to implement this model.

It is our expectation that under the leadership of a new Afterschool Director along with the support of OSSU and community organizations, a summer enrichment program for all elementary-aged students will recommence in July 2023.

Who runs/what is the afterschool program now?

Rural Arts Collaborative, an arts organization based in Greensboro, has been piloting a small afterschool program in Craftsbury called WonderKids. This is a comprehensive program offering nutritional, academic, and enrichment opportunities to support children grades K-8 in the after school hours. WonderKids has been funded by the Vermont Afterschool Expanding Access Grant since June 2022, and in July 2023 OSSU will contract the WonderKids program to establish additional local sites serving all OSSU towns. Rural Arts Collaborative will continue to incubate the program, lending experience and support to the new WonderKids Director ensuring a smooth transition from one entity to the next as WonderKids begins to stand on its own.

What is the WonderKids model?

WonderKids utilizes the synergy of schools, families, and community resources to expand opportunities for youth. WonderKids Afterschool manages the business aspects of afterschool (staffing, financial management, program development, and quality assurance) and organizes community resources to provide dynamic, fun, creative activities for kids after school. WonderKids applies national research and evidence-based practices to its structure and activities that are proven to accelerate positive student outcomes. A three pillar partnership between OSSU, WonderKids, and the Community is integral to the success of this new model.

  • OSSU partners with WonderKids to ensure the sites are safe, accessible, and that the needs of students in the Supervisory Union are met.
  • Community assets like public libraries, organizations, natural resources, and recreational groups  provide fun, dynamic, educational enrichment experiences for the kids.
  • Families of participants and participants themselves partner in this model, helping to guide program offerings, provide support through fundraising efforts, and assist staff with programs when possible.
How and where do we sign up?

Registration for the summer enrichment program will open as soon as possible. Families can return to this page to access the application as soon as it is available.

We will also announce via Front Porch Forum, the Superintendent’s newsletter, and school newsletters, social media and administrative offices when applications are available.

Spring 2023 Afterschool Program at Craftsbury Common site

We continue to offer the WonderKids program at Craftsbury Common to all OSSU students, in collaboration with Rural Arts Collaborative, for the remainder of this school year.

We are now accepting applications for the spring session for grades K-8, which runs March 13, 2023 - June 6, 2023. You can view all the details and apply online at https://ruralartsvt.org/​afterschool or contact Virginia Lapierre at wonderkids.manager@ruralartsvt.org to request a paper application.

WonderKids will do their best to accommodate transportation requests if the bussing schedules allow for it. If transportation is the only reason you have not joined the Craftsbury program, please reach out to wonderkids.manager@ruralartsvt.org.