KOC Information and FAQs

Please be aware of important KOC dates, including closures, minimum days, and holidays!

For the current school year, check out our Parent Calendar for 2022-23.

Our Parent Calendar for the 2023-24 School Year is now available! 


(Please see the KOC 2023-24 Registration and Enrollment Info page for all documents pertaining to registration for 2023-24.)

Frequently Asked Questions:



Where is KOC offered?


KOC care is offered at the following 9 elementary schools serving grades TK-5, except where it is noted otherwise in parentheses:

 

Carrillo Elementary

Discovery Elementary

Double Peak School (TK-3 only)

Knob Hill Elementary

La Costa Meadows Elementary

Paloma Elementary

Richland Elementary 
San Elijo Elementary
Twin Oaks Elementary


When is KOC open?


Our centers are open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. We are closed on all school holidays. We will also be closed one day per semester for staff professional development. These dates will be indicated prior to the enrollment period and will be stated in the contract agreement. 

How does KOC care work?

KOC care breaks down into the following shifts:

 Shift Name: Care Hours: Description:

AM

6:30-8:45

Early morning/before-school care for TK-5th graders

Morning TK Care, pending minimum enrollment 8:15-11:50 TK students needing KOC care to make a full day of coverage will be placed into PM TK by their school site. Therefore, TK KOC care would be offered during the morning hours (hence the name "Morning TK Care"). KOC hopes to offer Morning TK Care (8:15-11:50) at Carrillo, Discovery, Knob Hill, La Costa Meadows, Paloma, Richland and San Elijo schools for the 2023-24 school year. This shift of KOC care must meet a minimum enrollment to be staffed.
After TK Care (DP TK only)  11:35-3:10  Double Peak is projected to only have one TK class, 8:00-11:35. Therefore, KOC care will be offered 11:35-3:10 for this site only. This shift of KOC care must meet a minimum enrollment to be staffed.
TK "Bridge" Care (TOES only) 2:45-3:10 Care only from the time between 2:45 TK dismissal and 3:10 when 1st-5th graders get out of school @ Twin Oaks only. We automatically receive the TKs 1 hour early on Early Release Wednesdays. 
PM (DP Kindergarten only)  2:25-6:00  PM care after kindergarten dismissal at 2:25 pm @ Double Peak School. We automatically receive the kinders 1 hour early on Early Release Wednesdays. 

PM

3:10-6:00

After school care for TK-5th graders. We automatically receive students 1 hour early at 2:10 on Early Release Wednesdays. 


5 days of care are required for any shift. We do not have the option of part-time schedules.


See our Shifts of Care Offered by Site document for more details.

How do I register my child for KOC for the 2023-24 school year?

All families must register and enroll their child(ren) for KOC care online using the EZ ChildTrack website. There is no paper or in-person registration. We recommend using a computer to complete registration. However, EZ ChildTrack now has a module for mobile registration that is smartphone responsive. We recommend that ALL families complete the “2023-24 New Families/Add Child/Update” program registration to walk you through what the new format looks like to avoid any surprises during live School Year 2023-24 Enrollment. Please be sure to thoroughly review our 2023-24 Registration and Enrollment information. 

When is KOC Registration for the 2023-24 school year?


Registration dates have been posted in News and Announcements. Please read all information thoroughly. Feel free to call our office with any questions. 

Am I guaranteed a spot? Are there waitlists?


All enrollment is processed on a first come, first served basis. Families who were with us for past school years are not automatically guaranteed a spot. Spaces fill up quickly, so it is recommended that you enroll your child as soon as possible after enrollment opens for your site. A $25 registration fee payable by electronic check or credit card (we accept all cards except American Express) is due at the time of enrollment. 

Once a KOC site or grade room is full, we begin a waitlist. As families drop from KOC, we add in families off of our waiting list.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR CHILDCARE:

Financial assistance through alternative payment programs is available for families who qualify through subsidy providers (CDA, YMCA). However, KOC does not offer scholarships directly through our program. 


How do I drop off and pick up my child from KOC?

All students must be signed in and out of KOC by a parent, designated sibling in 3rd grade or above (ask for a RELEASE TO SIBLING form), or another person listed on the child’s emergency sheet. Please be prepared to show ID at any time. We use EZ ChildTrack for student sign-in and -out, and all parents and authorized pick-up people must have a PIN. Parents must create PINs for their authorized pick-up people in their EZ ChildTrack Parent Portal.

How will KOC communicate with me?

KOC’s EZ ChildTrack software uses email communications to confirm application submission and to enable KOC to communicate pertinent information to parents. It is important that you use an email address that you check regularly. You will receive an email confirmation that your application was submitted successfully - this means that it is pending approval (in the order it was received) on a space-available basis. You will receive an email once your child has been enrolled to indicate that they have a spot in KOC at their school site. You will also receive an email letting you know if your child has been placed on a waitlist.


KOC administration also uses email blasts from EZ ChildTrack to communicate program-wide information, as well as site specific news and announcements. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you opt in to receive email communications from EZ ChildTrack.

Once your child is enrolled and attending KOC, phone calls are our primary method of communication regarding your child’s day. This will include phone calls to excuse their absences, inform parents of injuries from the neck up, communicate about behavior concerns, and any other pertinent information that needs to be communicated promptly.
Each KOC room also has a Parent Board located on the wall above the sign-in and -out area. This area will include snack calendars, monthly planning calendars, pictures of all KOC staff working at the site, and KOC announcements. Parents should check this area regularly. We also have our District Website for program-wide information, and our KOC Facebook page.

 

What is a KOC Incident Report?


Incident reports are primarily for communication. They are used to document injuries, illness, and accidents. But we also use them to communicate more broadly about how a child’s day was at KOC. This can include a range of behaviors, including good and poor choices, interactions with peers and KOC Leaders, and things that KOC Leaders want to be sure that parents are aware of. Incident Reports are part of our behavior guidelines and discipline policy found in the KOC Parent Handbook. A KOC Leader should also speak to the parent about an incident report to provide clarification or more details. If the Leader who witnessed the documented incident is not available to talk in person, parents can always request a follow-up phone call. Incident reports keep KOC accountable for communicating to parents and are for KOC records only. Every family should expect to receive incident reports from KOC at some point in the school year.

What kind of activities does KOC provide?


KOC Leaders plan a variety of enriching activities each day. Monthly planning calendars are posted on the parent board so families can see what is scheduled for the month. For each shift, we offer a planned, leader-led activity each day and a supervised group game. These activities include art/craft projects, team building activities, STEM and Makerspace projects, project-based activities using Chromebooks, Social-Emotional Learning lessons and more! We encourage students, especially in the upper grades, to share ideas and even lead activities for their peers and younger students. There is also unstructured “free play” time for students to unwind after their school day.

How does KOC snack time work?


KOC serves a snack each afternoon around 3:40 for students enrolled in the PM shift. The menu for the month will be posted on the parent board near the sign-out area. Your child may choose to eat the provided KOC snack, or not. If parents choose to send a snack from home, students may choose to eat that snack, KOC snack, or both, unless otherwise specified by the parent. KOC staff are made aware of all food allergies listed on your child’s emergency sheet. However, if you have specific instructions or questions relating to allergies, please let a staff member know.

My child (in 1st-5th grade) attends AM KOC. Can they be released to regular morning recess?


Yes, if you fill out a RELEASE TO MORNING RECESS form, we will dismiss your child to play at 8:15. They will be under the supervision of the school supervisors and will be responsible for reporting to their classroom at 8:45 when the bell rings. KOC Leaders do not accompany students to supervise them at AM recess.

My child will attend an after-school activity. How do I coordinate this with KOC?


If you have signed your child up for an on-site after-school activity through FitKids or another 3rd party vendor, please fill out a Release to 3rd Party On-Site Activity Form and return it to staff at your center. If your child will attend a program organized by your school site (chorus, play rehearsal, reading or math intervention, for instance), please fill out a RELEASE TO ON-SITE ACTIVITY form and return it to a KOC Leader. You can put multiple activities on the same form. Be sure to indicate whether you want your child to return to KOC after the activity, or whether you will be picking up directly from the dismissal point at 4:15 (3:15 on Wednesdays). Fitkids has a 3 enrollment periods/sessions, so please be sure to fill out a new release form each time your child's activity schedule changes. Let a staff member know if you have any questions or concerns.

For Double Peak, San Elijo, and La Costa Meadows, there is a Fitkids Liaison who will pick up kinders from KOC, or from their kinder classrooms for PM kinders, and walk them directly to their activity. Kinders will also be walked back to KOC by the Fitkids Liaison after activities are over.

My child will attend a before-school activity. How do we coordinate this with KOC?


You must fill out a RELEASE TO ON-SITE ACTIVITIES form with the dates, times, and location of your child’s before-school activity and return it to a leader. The leaders will then walk your child to the activity at the time indicated on the form.

My child will be absent from PM KOC. What should I do?


If your child will not be attending KOC, for any reason (absence from school, pick up at the gate, going home with a friend's parent, walking home, off-campus extracurricular activity, etc), please call your child’s KOC room any time during the day to let a staff member know or to leave a message. Please include your full name, your child’s full name, your child’s grade, and the date of the excused absence. We cannot take your child’s word for it if they say they will be absent. We greatly appreciate your help in reducing the number of absence phone calls we have to make each day!
If we do not get a call excusing your child from attending KOC on a day they are scheduled to attend, you will get a call from a KOC staff member verifying that your child is with you or otherwise accounted for.

Can my child do their homework at KOC? Is there someone to help them with homework?


Yes, grades 1-5 all set aside time for homework. You may add your child to the Homework Club List in their KOC room if you wish to require that your child finish their homework before being allowed to play. Students may start their homework during daily check-in/attendance time and may finish it after snack time. A KOC leader will be present inside the classroom to supervise, maintain a quiet environment conducive to concentration, and help answer students’ homework questions. However, KOC cannot provide one-on-one tutoring or help with every question on your child’s homework. Students being disruptive after repeated warnings will be removed from homework time and parents will be notified. See a staff member if you have specific questions.
KOC also has Chromebook time and students will have time on iReady or other school apps at least once per week. Students may also request to silent read at any time.

What is KOC Camp?


KOC Camp is full-day KOC care provided during school breaks. Camp hours are 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. We offer Thanksgiving, Winter, Spring, and Summer Camp.

Camp enrollment is separate from regular school year enrollment, so parents must sign up on EZ ChildTrack for Camp care. KOC Camp has a weekly enrollment structure and costs $225 for a full five-day week (shorter weeks due to holidays are prorated accordingly). Families must commit to the full week of care and can select as many weeks as they need. We offer Camp at fewer locations than our school year program, prioritizing sites with two or more classrooms to divide students into age-appropriate groups. Camp locations may be determined by District facilities and maintenance projects on site which take priority. We have Camp with field trips and Camp that stays on site with no field trips. All Camps offer a day of planned, leader-led activities to keep the students engaged. Camp registration is available online approximately one month before the school vacation to which it corresponds.


For Kindergarteners & TKs:

How does my child get to and from their TK or kindergarten classroom?


Leaders will walk TKs and kinders directly to their teacher’s classroom or meeting location. Our KOC leaders will also pick up students directly from their classrooms and walk them to KOC if they attend after school. TKs and kindergarteners never go anywhere without an adult to accompany them.

When does my TK child eat lunch?


TK students in Morning TK Care will eat their main lunch at KOC. You may send a packed lunch for your child or if you want them to get lunch from the cafeteria, the staff will walk them to the cafeteria at lunch time. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s lunch, please let a staff member know. All SMUSD students may eat District-provided meals (breakfast and/or lunch) for free. 

What about Early Release Wednesdays, aka “Wacky Wednesdays”?


TKs and Kinders attend KOC as usual on early release days. KOC leaders will automatically pick up students 1 hour earlier for PM shifts. There is no need for special schedule changes. Students scheduled for KOC until 3:10 may still stay at KOC until that time, although regular school dismissal is at 2:10.