YWCA of Greater Miami-Dade, Inc.
NLD ID #61148Contact Information
351 NW 5th Street
Miami, FL 33128
Miami, FL 33128
Hours of Operation
M-F 8-6
Program Overview
The YWCA’s Educational Program (YEP) provides children ages 3-13, inclusive of those with special needs, afterschool programs on the campuses of Miami-Dade County Public Schools and at YWCA owned/operated facilities for four hours a day following a regular school day. Early learners, ages 3-4, have educational programming at five YWCA owned/operated sites for eight hours of instruction daily. These children, ages 3-13 and those with disabilities, benefit from a philosophy of inclusion rather than segregation. Support for children with special needs in YEP either come through written Individual Educational Goals (IEP), Individualized Health Plans (IHP) or through Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The majority of the children in YEP are on a private pay reimbursement with others receiving services through governmental subsidies, stipends, or individual grants. The target populations for YEP are children ages 3-13 at Norwood Elementary, Phyllis Wheatley Elementary, Coral Gables Elementary, Miami Parks Elementary, YWCA Cain Tower, YWCA Windows, YWCA Carol Center, and YWCA Gerry Sweet Center. Approximately 10% of the children currently served qualified as “special needs” on an IEP, IHP, or through Section 504 as described earlier in this application. Based on program history, the demographics served are 51% male and 49% female. Of those, 37% are Black; 54% Hispanic; and 9% White. More than 80% qualify for free or reduced lunch programs. The afterschool program, which began in 1974, has a long history of providing exceptional educational services through best practice models approved by the Miami-Dade County School Board. Currently funded in part by The Children’s Trust and through parent’s fees, the activities include literacy, physical fitness/sports, social skill building, and access to technology, arts and crafts, nutrition, field trips, and cultural areas. Each location provides for a nutritious snack for all children. The pre-school children are engaged in a full day program that begins with breakfast and includes lunch and snacks. All of the programs are nationally accredited and follow the Creative Curriculum and the Voluntary Pre-K educational standards as proscribed by the State of Florida. Children participate in activities that enhance their literacy, oral language, and mathematical skills while promoting their social/emotional development. All activities are developmentally appropriate and teachers develop portfolios for each child to ensure that required skills are achieved by the end of the school year. Evidence-Based Programs and Practices The YWCA is proud to have been one of the first agencies to receive funding for afterschool programs through The Children’s Trust when it began in 2005. As a result of this public investment in afterschool programming by the Trust, the YWCA has been able to greatly enhance the delivery of service, having consistently met the performance standards in (05-08: $620,749.00 award, 595 individuals served at 14 locations having met performance standards with a final score of 95.73%), (08-09: $495,636.00, 570 individuals served at 13 locations having met performance standards with a final score of 88.8%), (09-10: $412,865.00, 703 individuals served at 13 locations having met performance standards with a 92.9% final score) and (10-11: $396,350.00; 455 individuals served at 9 locations having met performance standards with a 93.41% final score). The YWCA adheres to best-practice models and evidence-based curricula geared to the age groups that it serves both in its pre-school environments and during it’s after school programs. In addition to implementing these programs with fidelity, measurements of success are seen by the use of assessments that indicate each child’s progress. Following is a description of the tools that are used in the program: The 4-hour afterschool program targets literacy, physical fitness, social skills building, and homework assistance. Both the literacy program and homework assistance is overseen by a certified teacher. Literacy: PlayBooks® Reader’s Theater is a well-known fluency building strategy that engages and entertains students while they learn and improve their skills. An approved method by “Repeated Guided Oral Reading,” and research-based, this method of reading is endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Reading Panel, and Teaching Children to Read. The Oral Reading Fluency assessment is administered three times each school year to measure each student’s progress and to determine if additional interventions are necessary. Physical Activity and Fitness: SPARK (Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids) After School Physical Activity Program, curriculum targets all out-of-school physical activity programs and has been field tested throughout the country with children ages 5-14. This curriculum includes daily physical activity for every child regardless of ability, improving fitness, skill, and enjoyment of physical activity. It includes lesson plans, training, equipment, and follow-up support. Improvement is measured through the P.A.C.E.R Test (Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run). Social Skill Building: Too Good for Violence™ K-8 is a school-based prevention program that has received a Model Program designation from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The curriculum is geared to help students learn the skills and attitudes they need to get along peacefully with others. Curriculum features include: built-in character education traits; updated teacher resources, recommended books, videos, website and more; interactive exercises for parents and kids to build important family bonds and reinforce critical prevention skills at home; information for teachers, instructions for role-playing, normative education, bullying prevention, anti-bias tips, and provides for warning signs of violence. Additional Supports: Homework assistance by a Certified Teacher or individual with a Professional Education’s Certificate, family involvement through parent meetings, cultural/special events; nutrition, exploration of computer hardware/software programs, training and discussion relative to computer literacy; and supervised free choice (table games, computer time, arts and crafts, independent reading, and indoor/outdoor play). The full day preschool program incorporates the Creative Curriculum and the State of Florida Voluntary Pre- K program standards to help prepare and ensure that children are ready for school. Both of these programs utilize assessments to establish baselines regarding where the children are when they enter the program and how far they have progressed during the school year. Both the three and four year old children are administered the Creative Curriculum Assessment. Only the four year old children receive the Voluntary Pre-K Assessments. The Creative Curriculum Assessment, completed in school year 2011-2012, reflected four areas of development assessment to include: social/emotional, physical, cognitive, and language. Four levels of achievement in each are determined as: Forerunner: Below developmental age; Step 1: At beginning of developmental age; Step II: Midpoint to above developmental age; and, Step III: Above to next development age. The following test scores reflect the children’s progress from the Fall to the Spring terms using these achievement levels at four of the YWCA’s Centers.Education services
- Read and write better
- Help my child learn
- Study for my high school equivalency exam
- Learn English
- Improve my math skills
- Improve my technology skills
- Volunteer at a program
Instruction Type
- In-person
- Online