As we look ahead to the summer months, many parents and community members are wondering how our youth will spend their out-of-school time hours. Children spend a great deal of time in “out of school time” (OST) programs. Here in Bedford, these programs include everything from town recreational programs, summer camps, after-school programs, town pools, playground time, scouting activities, and religious/youth group programming. While initially such programs were intended to “keep kids busy and out of trouble,” research has shown that quality out-of-school time programs can have positive effects on the social, emotional, and academic development of students who attend these types of OST programs regularly. As the use and need for out-of-school time programming have increased in our culture, we will continue to understand and build off the powerful influence our programs have on a child’s development. Furthermore, as our children emerge from the isolation of COVID, our OST programming gives youth time and space to learn and practice interacting with peers, learning cooperatively, and resolving conflicts in a shared, safe community.

New Morning Schools has provided out-of-school-time programming for students in the Bedford community since the early 1980s through its school-aged after-school and summer camp experiences. New Morning Schools’ after-school programs are based within each elementary school building, where a team of New Morning School educators welcomes between 30-60 students to our programs on a day-to-day basis. Students are greeted each afternoon by friendly, familiar educators who develop a meaningful relationship with each child. Together the students and New Morning School educators enjoy crafts, complete homework, spend time outside and share healthy snacks. This is also the time when new board and card games are learned, favorite gym games are played, and study skills and habits are formed. Perhaps most importantly, through all these shared experiences is the development of trusted relationships between students and educators. Another option available to students in Bedford is the IMAGINE After School Enrichment program. IMAGINE students gather in our school-based after-school programs and then ride the IMAGINE bus to our 23 Back River Road campus, where they participate in a choice-based enrichment program. Activities at IMAGINE include a variety of gym, art, STEAM, and outdoor activities.

In 2015, New Morning Schools expanded to serve children ages 3-12 at our 23 Back River Road campus during the weeks that schools are closed. Our preschool camp continues to offer 10 theme-based weeks of adventure-filled, age-appropriate camp experiences for children ages 3-6. Students ages 6-12 are invited to participate in our IMAGINE camp program, fostering independence. We encourage campers to choose among a variety of activities in the gym, art, STEAM, and outdoor areas. In partnership with the town of Bedford, our IMAGINE campers have the opportunity to go on field trips to the town pool, town hiking trails, and even the farm! Campers of all ages at New Morning develop meaningful friendships with peers while sharing time with dedicated educators. Campers return home at the end of a day filled with confidence from developing new skills, eager to share knowledge from what they have learned and ready to return the next day for more fun!

New Morning Schools partners with parents to provide meaningful out-of-school-time programming to youth in our community. Through this partnership, Bedford youth enjoy a wide variety of learning experiences beyond the traditional school day hours. If you are interested in exploring these programs for your child, please call New Morning Schools at 603-669-3591.