Flagship Vendor
In January, with just four weeks until their winter session was scheduled to launch, a school district in urban New Jersey received an alarming phone call: a longtime enrichment provider was pulling out, resulting in a large vacancy in their after-school offerings. With just a month before launch and families already committed to the extended day program, what would the district do?
A panicked school leader reached out to Little Scholars shortly thereafter with a request: Would Little Scholars be able to fill 27 additional classes, grades K-2 and 3-5, at three different elementary schools —all scheduled to begin a month later?
Solution
Little Scholars leaders immediately met internally to put together a plan. It was developed in an afternoon. We returned the district contact’s call and went through the plan step-by-step.
Result
Little Scholars was able to access their diverse program offerings and tap into their vast network of teachers. In three weeks, from their headquarters in Richmond, Va., Little Scholars had all 27 teachers placed, kits shipped to the teachers, and orientation calls scheduled to ensure a successful launch for the New Jersey district. They were thrilled and continue to maintain a large number of programs from Little Scholars for their fall and winter After-School Enrichment sessions. Years later the school district refers to Little Scholars as “our flagship vendor.”
No experience? No problem.
A rural school district approved running an afternoon summer enrichment program every day for four weeks beginning the first week of July. Only one problem: leaders acknowledged that they had never operated such a program.
So they called Little Scholars: “Can you help?”
Solution
The Little Scholars team tapped into their experience of designing exceptional summer camp experiences for children. They proposed that each week be a different theme. The camps began in the afternoon at the conclusion of the children’s summer school class schedule and ran for three hours until dismissal.
Result
Little Scholars provided 13 staff members with lesson plans and materials for nearly 200 children located at four different elementary schools throughout the county. The teachers oversaw an orderly and safe dismissal during carpool each afternoon and sent parents a daily recap of what their child worked on in camp each day. The parents and school administrators, meanwhile, were ecstatic.
A little help here?
As the PTA’s After-School Enrichment coordinator, Rosanna — a volunteer — was responsible for overseeing the entire program that consisted of five unique vendors delivering programs to nearly 100 children, in grades K-2, three days a week (Tuesday through Thursday). Needless to say, Rosanna was spread thin and looking for a solution that would enable her to enjoy the volunteer experience, but turn over the day-to-day functions to a reputable company. She found an After-School Enrichment program and quickly became disenchanted with their customer service and inability to provide a reliable on-site coordinator.
At her wit’s end, she called a friend at a nearby school to inquire about their PTA’s experience in outsourcing the Total Program Management of their after-school experience. Her friend recommended — you guessed it — Little Scholars.
Solution
Little Scholars stepped in midway through the year and took over the PTA’s After-School Enrichment program for the winter session. In a matter of weeks, Little Scholars had placed teachers for their own classes, managed the vendor contract negotiation and execution process, set up online registration and managed the resulting rosters, and set up an in-person meeting with their On-Site Coordinator to get a tour of the school.
Result
Little Scholars is now the PTA’s go-to resource for Total Program Management.