A Look Behind the Scenes | After School Care

With the new school term fast in swing, exciting things are happening at the Beach Drive Campus with the Junior School After School Care Program. We sat down with Ms. Shannon Sullivan, who is the Manager, External Programs and oversees After School Care and the GNS Camps Program.

After School Care has introduced weekly themes to add more activities and options to students’ days, ranging from outdoor education, STEM challenges, arts and crafts and sports. According to Shannon, last term the students did a lot of themed activities, like crafts around the winter holidays, autumn activities that fall within Thanksgiving and nature crafts. Students are regularly asked for suggestions for themes, ensuring that the program is appealing to the participants.

As GNS After School Care is a Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) licensed childcare program. Shannon’s job includes coordinating the various After School Care and Camps staff members, many of whom have been with GNS for years. All staff are over the age of 19, have valid first aid certificates, have passed a criminal record check, have training with children, and have at least 20 hours of experience in childcare prior to GNS. 

Right now, the After School Care crew have been loving making homemade play-doh and adding in glitter and food colouring. A craft is available every day as well as a snack to fuel up after a long day at school. During the colder winter months, students often enjoy having free play and organized games in the Bowers Gym.

Some students come every day, whereas others pop in every once in a while. Shannon shares, “I think the kids really like coming to After School Care because they begin to feel that they’re part of a club because they get to hangout, do cool activities and they all have lots of fun.” 

Students build a cross-grade community and friendships that exist outside of their homeform spaces, strengthening the overall GNS community bond. The drop in nature of the program means many Junior School parents love using it as a way to have organized play dates with classmates and friends.

“It is really low stress on parents,’ says Shannon. “They can just sign their kids up if they’re looking to have specific children to play with. They can all organize that on the parent end. They play for two and a half hours and there’s no cleanup, there’s no stress, you’re not feeding them, you’re not managing anything. You’re just picking up your happy, tired child at the end of the day.”

In addition to all of the After School Care fun, Shannon is busy preparing for Spring Break camps, which will be offered for both weeks of the break and include the ever-popular SIVA Volleyball and REX Basketball programs. Excitingly, GNS Camps has also partnered with Eagle Wing Tours to bring their most popular school program, the Floating Classroom, to a camp setting. Campers will spend their week exploring our backyard, from kayaking excursions with certified guides to visiting Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, and learning more about salmon migration, tide pools, temperate rainforests and more! The campers will finish their week with a wildlife tour on a semi-covered catamaran. 

Starting in September 2025, After School Care will also be available for the full-day Junior Kindergarten 3 students that have turned 4 years old. Additionally, Morning Care is available at no additional cost, but parents/guardians need to register their students via the After School Care Registration System.

Please visit the After School Care resource board to learn more about our program and for information on how to register. After School Care is available each day for students in JK to Grade 5, with limited room remaining for this term, and space is available on a drop-in basis. After School Care is also available during Parent Teacher Night on February 13.