Afterschool Care & Enrichment

When is registration?

• Registration begins Monday, May 12th at 9:00 am
• Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis and will continue until the program is full. Please join the waitlist if you don't get in. 

What is the schedule for the year?

• ACE operates Monday – Friday (excluding holidays) starting September 2 and ending on the Friday of the last full week of school. The program runs from 2:30 pm – 6:00 pm on regular school days and 12:30 pm – 6:00 pm on Early Release Days.

Where will ACE be held?

• ACE is located at the Community Campus (100 Campus Drive, Portsmouth, NH). More specifically, we will be based in the newly designed “ACE Space,” which is a refurbished activity area adjacent to the gymnasium. It will have its own dedicated and secure entrance on the side of the building.

Is transportation provided to the Community Campus from Portsmouth Elementary Schools?

• Yes! Buses will bring students from Dondero, Little Harbour, and New Franklin to the Community Campus, where they will be welcomed and checked in by our staff.

What are the options for signing up?

• Families can sign up for 3 different options:
  • 2 days per week (Tuesday & Thursday)
  • 3 days per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
  • 5 days per week (Monday – Friday)

Will ACE be offered on days when there is no school?

• If there is a scheduled Teacher Workshop day, a full day program (9:00 am – 5:00 pm) will be offered to all ACE families for an additional cost of $70 per child per day.
  • If there is no school due to a non-scheduled reason (e.g. snow days) then there is no ACE that day.
  • Portsmouth Recreation will offer week-long camps for February and April break, however these registrations will be separate.
    • There will be no vacation camp or ACE program during the winter break.
  • There will be no ACE Program on holidays (holidays will be published on the master schedule).

Is the initial deposit refundable?

• No, this deposit both secures your spot in the ACE program and serves as your first month’s tuition.

How does the billing work?

• Upon sign up, families will pay a nonrefundable deposit for the first month's tuition. Once school begins, families will be automatically billed monthly beginning September 30. Recurring payments will be billed on the last day of the month for next month's tuition.

Can I cancel registration at any time?

• 30 day's notice is required to withdraw participants from the ACE program. In addition, a withdrawal form must be completed and submitted to ACE Director (Connor Mullin).

After enrolling, what can I expect?

• We will be reaching out to our families who are enrolled shortly after registration. These communications will include:
  • Parent Handbook containing policies, procedures, schedules, etc.
  • Invitation to join our third-party platform, Arly
    • Arly will be used for parent communications, sharing of pictures, curriculum/enrichment, and daily check-in/check-out.

Why should I send my child to the ACE program?

• ACE is an amazing opportunity for students to learn, grow, and explore. This program is centered around fostering positive relationships between our participants while also providing a diverse range of enriching experiences. These may include: outdoor/nature-based learning, arts & crafts, music & drama, social emotional learning, cooking & nutrition, and sports & games.
• It is also an opportunity for students from different schools to make new friends and enjoy time with old friends. We have a brand-new childcare space that has been specifically designed for the ACE program.

Does #AreUIn or other tuition waivers apply to ACE?

• Unfortunately no, these waivers will not apply to ACE tuition as of now. Portsmouth Recreation is committed to finding ways to make ACE more affordable for families, including potential scholarships. That funding may be in place in future years.

Do you have any tips to expediate the online registration process?

• Through a few test runs, here is what we can recommend:
  • Create an account and enter any participants in our MyRec software. Make sure you remember your password!
  • Have your credit card on hand or saved to your account prior to registering.
  • You will see exclusion dates listed when you register. These are informational and do not effect your registration so you can ignore them and scroll down to “checkout” to complete your registration.
  • The full payment amount for all 10 months will appear in your cart when first entered. You will only be asked to pay the first month's nonrefundable deposit upon registration.