FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

How does the program work?
Classes are one hour long and take place right at your school, either before or after the school day. Our instructors include school staff, parents, local businesses, art studios, nature centers, and experienced professionals. We love referrals, too! If you know a great potential instructor, please contact us at instructors@yourafterschool.com.

Once registration is completed, we will email and/or text schedules, reminders, and updates before and during each session. To ensure our emails land in your inbox (not your spam folder), please add info@yourafterschool.com to your contacts or download our contact card directly from our site. You can also find your class details anytime under the "Classes at Your School" menu on our website.

What are your office hours?
We are available Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–6:00 PM. You can reach us by phone or text at 888.212.3837, or by email at info@yourafterschool.com. If you reach out outside of these hours, we will still receive your message, but please allow up to 1 business day for a response.

What if I have questions about the program?
Please contact our organization directly. Because we operate independently from the school district, school staff and front offices cannot assist with after-school program questions, registrations, or schedules. You can reach our support team directly at info@yourafterschool.com or by calling/texting 888.212.3837.

Registration & Policies

How does the online registration queue work?
Our online registration operates exactly like a physical checkout line—it is first-come, first-served. Once you join the digital queue, please stay on the page. Leaving, closing, or refreshing your browser window will cause you to lose your spot and push you to the back of the line.

Can a student attend a program at a different school?
No. For safety and scheduling reasons, students may only join after-school programs hosted at the specific school building they currently attend.

Can I register after the session has started? 
Yes. It's free to join up until one week before the session starts, then a $25 fee applies. All class fees online are prorated for the next class meeting.

Can my student switch classes? 
Yes. Switching is free up until one week before the session starts. After that, there's a $25 fee per change. Changes can't be made online, send us an email and we will take care of the swap. 

Can I withdraw from a class and get a refund? 
Before you cancel, please reach out to us. We are often able to find a solution or move your student to a different class. If you do need to cancel, here is how refunds are handled:

• More than one week before the start of the session: refund, minus a 5% cancellation fee based on the original class cost

• One week before the first class through the 3rd class: 50% refund

• For classes with 15+ meetings: 70% refund through the 3rd meeting, 50% through the 5th

• After the 3rd class meeting (or 5th for longer classes): no refund

Where eligible, credits can be applied toward a different class in the same session.

Can I withdraw from a Half Day registration?
Yes. You will receive a full refund as long as you cancel your registration at least 24 hours before the scheduled start time of the class. To request a withdrawal, please log into your account dashboard or contact our support team directly. Cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance are not eligible for a refund.

Are scholarships available?
Yes. We believe our programs should be accessible to everyone. Please reach out to our management team directly at info@yourafterschool.com, and we will talk through your financial aid options completely confidentially.

Managing Your Account

How do I update my student's teacher's last name? 
Log in to your account, go to the Students tab, click Edit next to your student's name, and enter the teacher's last name. 

Where can I view my child's schedule? 
Log in and click "Account" in the top menu; your student's schedule will be right there.

Can I sync classes to my personal calendar?
Yes. Go to your school's classes page, click "Details" on any class, then click the calendar icon next to the dates to add it to your personal calendar.

Can I use Your After School for the Dependent Care Tax Credit?
Yes. Our Tax ID is 46-3043744, filed under "Darien After School," PO Box 919, Madison, CT 06443.

Day-to-Day Logistics

How does my student get to their after-school program?
Dismissal logistics depend on your specific school. Most students head to a central location—such as the gym or cafeteria—where our staff takes attendance before splitting everyone into individual classes. At other schools, students are dismissed directly to their designated after-school classroom.

Note: If your school dismisses students on their own, it is up to your student to walk to the designated attendance area.

What if my student misses a class?
Please let us know in advance if your student will be absent so our instructors know not to expect them. Please note that we do not offer refunds for missed classes.

If your student is absent and we have not heard from you:

• Safety Verification: Our staff will immediately cross-reference the school's daily attendance roster to check if your student was absent from school.

• Continuous Contact: If they attended school but did not show up to our program, we will continue to reach out to you until your student is safely accounted for.

• Provide Multiple Contacts: Because student safety is our top priority, please provide multiple emergency contact numbers during registration so we can reach your family quickly if needed.

Can my student walk home after class?
Yes, provided they are in 3rd grade or above. You must authorize "walker" status during the online class registration process. To update this status after registration is complete, please review and sign our walker consent waiver and email it to info@yourafterschool.com.

Can I pick my student up late?
No. Our on-site team members have other professional commitments immediately after the program ends. Late pickups may result in a $25 fee. If late pickups become a recurring pattern, it may unfortunately affect your student's ability to participate in the program. We deeply appreciate your on-time arrival.

Can my student be picked up early?
Early pickups disrupt the classroom environment for all participants, so we appreciate your cooperation in avoiding them whenever possible. If an early pickup is truly necessary, you must notify us ahead of time. Routine or unscheduled early pickups cannot be accommodated.

Can I send snacks with my student?
No. Snacks are not allowed inside the classroom during program hours to avoid mess and allergy risks. If your student absolutely needs a snack, they are welcome to sit with the Site Director away from the classroom area to eat quickly before class begins. Alternatively, many school-day teachers will allow students to eat a quick snack right before the school bell rings.

What is your technology policy?
To help everyone stay engaged and focused, personal devices—including phones, tablets, computers, and smartwatches—are not allowed during class for either students or instructors.

Note: On-site staff members are permitted to use their phones exclusively to contact the program management team, time an activity, or play background music for the class.

How do school closures or inclement weather affect classes?
We strictly follow your school district's decisions regarding cancellations and adjusted schedules:

• Delayed Opening: Morning classes are canceled.

• Early Dismissal: Afternoon classes are canceled.

• School Closure: All classes are canceled.

The cost of the first weather cancellation of a session is built into your base class fee. If the exact same class is canceled more than once in a single session, we will issue a refund for those additional missed classes at the end of the session. Refunds are calculated based on the per-class fee, minus a $5 per-meeting administrative expense.

Are classes ever canceled for other reasons, and do you use substitutes?
We work incredibly hard to avoid canceling classes. If an unexpected conflict arises (such as a sudden instructor illness or a school space conflict), we will do everything we can to keep class running smoothly. This may include bringing in a qualified substitute instructor or adjusting the lesson plan for the day. We appreciate your flexibility when these rare situations occur.

Health & Safety

What happens in a medical emergency?
Our Site Directors are fully trained in First Aid, CPR, Epi-Pen administration, and AED operation. In serious or life-threatening situations, 911 will be called immediately. Please review our formal Terms and Conditions for full safety details.

What if there is an issue or an emergency with my student during the program?
Our on-site staff will immediately call all primary contacts listed on your account. If we do not receive a response within 10 minutes, we will begin calling your listed emergency contacts. Because of Murphy's Law, please provide multiple contact numbers on your profile so we can reach someone quickly in an emergency!

What if my student has allergies, medical needs, or behavioral accommodations?
Please disclose all allergies, medical needs, or behavioral considerations at the time of registration. We do not have access to your school's official records, which means your student's school-day IEPs, 504 plans, or medications kept in the school nurse's office are not shared with us. This information must be communicated to our staff directly.

Do you support students with special needs or allow one-on-one paraprofessionals?
Yes. Our instructors and partners have experience working with students of all abilities, and we are committed to making reasonable accommodations for everyone. In many cases, we can accommodate or help arrange a one-on-one aide.

To ensure the best support, please note your student's specific needs during the registration process. You can request accommodations or an aide by sharing your student’s IEP or 504 plan and providing the name of their school-day aide. Alternatively, you can sign a third-party consent form, and we will request these documents from the school directly.

Important details regarding paraprofessional support:

• School-day requirement: Your child must already receive one-on-one support during the regular school day to qualify.

• Included coverage: We cover the cost of a paraprofessional for up to 2 classes per session at no extra charge.

• Additional classes: If your student enrolls in more than 2 classes, we will arrange the necessary support at a rate of $50 per class meeting.

What is the Code of Conduct?
Students are expected to follow their school's day-to-day conduct policies and behave in a way that keeps the program safe and positive for everyone.

For general conduct concerns, we use a three-step graduated response:

1. Parent Contact: We will contact a parent or guardian to discuss the issue.

2. Class Suspension: Continued misconduct may result in the student missing a class meeting.

3. Program Removal: If the behavior persists, the student may be removed from the program entirely at our discretion.

Critical Exceptions & Policies:

• Physical Altercations: We enforce a zero-tolerance policy for physical altercations. Any student involved in a physical fight will be removed from the session immediately, regardless of who started it or the circumstances.

• Refund Policy: Refunds are never issued for student removals or suspensions due to Code of Conduct violations at any stage of the process.

Can I observe my student's class?
We completely understand wanting to see your student in action! However, to maintain focus and ensure a productive environment for all participants, we generally do not allow unscheduled classroom observations.

If you have a specific reason or need to observe your student, please reach out to us in advance. We will do our best to help and will coordinate with the on-site staff to see if an accommodation can be made. Please note that unannounced visits cannot be accommodated.

Legal Waivers & Quick Links

Click Here for the complete Media Waiver 

Click Here for the complete Terms and Conditions and Medical Consent - All registrations require acceptance at registration and prior to participation in Your After School Programs.  

Click Here for our Privacy Policy