Would you like your child to be involved in fun, healthy, active and educational activities after school?

Wouldn’t it be amazing if there was an after-school program for that? Well, there is!

The Healthy Active Community Kids (HACK) after-school program offers a safe and enriching after-school experience for children aged 6 to 12, currently in grades one to six.

About our program:

  • a unique, engaging program offered in partnership with Edmonton Public Schools
  • helps children develop fundamental life skills
  • boosts self-confidence and helps kids to engage more in their daytime school activities
  • curriculum promotes children’s holistic development, including social, emotional, mental and physical health
  • includes outreach and support to parents/guardians in addressing needs at home that affect their child’s development

The HACK program is offered in five participating schools, located in different parts of Northwest and West Edmonton. The program is offered one day per week in each school.

 

To participate in the program, your child must be enrolled in one of the five schools:

  • Athlone School (1-hour program) 12940 – 129 Street NW, Edmonton, AB
  • Inglewood School (1-hour program) 11515 – 127 Street NW, Edmonton, AB
  • Belmead School (1-hour program) 9011 – 182 Street NW, Edmonton, AB
  • Brightview School (1-hour program) 15425 – 106 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB
  • Thorncliffe School (1-hour program) 8215 – 175 Street NW, Edmonton, AB
  • Alex Janvier School (1-hour program) 9535 – 167 Street NW, Edmonton, AB
  • St. Catherine Catholic School (1-hour program) 10915 – 110 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5H 3E3

 

The HACK program serves approximately 150 families each year, with about 30 kids enrolled in the program at each of the five schools.

 

Youth facilitators employed by HACK work at the schools and lead the program activities. Our HACK Program Site Facilitator supervises staff and activities on-site at each school location.

 

To learn more about the HACK program, please contact:

Email: youth@a4hc.ca | Tel: 780.944.4687

 

Our program promotes learning and development of life skills, with a constant focus on healthy child development, including social, emotional, mental and physical health. This approach includes a wide range of fun, engaging activities, plus monthly learning themes.

 

Examples of daily activities:

  • cooking (e.g., easy meals kids can cook), art, crafts, music, physical games/activity, social games, language and literacy, science, culture, math, engineering, technology, and much more.

Learning themes are chosen each month by our program leaders and staff, who then develop educational activities for that month.

Sample themes:

  • leadership, community development, anti-bullying, self-awareness, healthy lifestyle, mental health, caring, safety, respect, relationships, multiculturalism, conflict management/ resolution, and more

Healthy snacks are also a big part of the program. Kids can enjoy favourite snacks, new choices and the occasional surprise snack!

Kids Can Cook!

For 2019, the HACK program in each school has been able to offer an extra focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). This has engaged the children not only with interesting concepts and themes, but also with technology and equipment.

Sample learning activities and classroom tools include:

  • sensory stimulation, measurements, coding, engineering robots, synths, droids, rovers, electronic music, pulleys, catapults, sensors, circuits, hydraulics, bridge development, and free play inventions using gadgets

We always love to connect with the parents of the amazing children enrolled in our program!

 

Parents can visit on-site and volunteer with different activities, such as cooking with their children, doing crafts or participating in cultural events.

  • Follow our Facebook Group for Parents and keep up to date on our news, events and more. Share recipes, connect with friends and view photos of the children’s activities.

 

Community Outreach

Importantly, the HACK program involves community outreach and connecting in many different ways with the parents and families of the children, and their communities.

For example, program staff may connect with a parent to discuss a child’s understanding of an activity, the types of activities they like best, or how much fun they had that day!

Or, if a child has a developmental need, staff may suggest resources for parents or ways for the family to work on the developmental need at home. For example, our team may offer or suggest some reading or literacy materials for your child related to a learning theme.

Each year, our HACK program hosts many types of events, including parties and celebrations. Parents, families, friends and community members are always welcome!

Examples:

  • events related to holidays
  • parent social gatherings (e.g., parent night)
  • end of school year celebrations
  • Mother’s Day tea part
  • and many more!

Every summer, the HACK program hosts a summer camp which includes snacks, guests and field trips! Like our school-year program, our summer camp focuses on healthy child development, including physical, social and emotional health.

Youth facilitators employed by HACK work at the summer camp and lead the program activities. Our HACK Program Site Facilitator supervises the staff and camp activities.

To learn more about the HACK Summer Camp, please contact:

Email: youth@a4hc.ca | Tel: 780.944.4687

To learn more about the HACK Program, please contact:

Email: youth@a4hc.ca | Tel: 780.944.4687