Below, you'll find answers to the questions we get asked the most about our School Age Child Care programs.
If you have questions about your bill or your account, you can email our Director of Finance at cynthia@nsyc.com.
How do I register? You can register for School Age Child Care by clicking on the large "Online Registration" icon on your particular district's page under our School Age Child Care and Middle School Drop-In tabs. The online registration will guide you through all the electronic paperwork and prompt you to input your information, including when your child will be starting before and/or after care and how many days a week they will be going (including an option for per diem).
Is there a cost to register? There is a non-refundable $50 registration fee per child to register for School Age Child Care each year.
Do I need to re-register my child every year? Yes, every school year you MUST re-register your child and pay the non-refundable $50 registration fee per child. Registrations do not carry over from year to year. We cannot accept children at the before and after care sites if they are not registered for the current school year.
How do I know if you've received my child's registration? Once you've completed the online registration, you'll receive an e-mail confirmation of your child's enrollment.
How do I know if there are still spots to register? Registration for School Age Child Care and Middle School Drop-In is open and ongoing throughout the school year. However, please be advised that there is a deadline to register if you need your child to begin on the first day of school.
How soon after I register can my child begin attending? We require a 48 hour time period between the time of registration and when your child may begin attending the program so that we can complete your account and update the Program Directors and Site Supervisors on your child's attendance.
What if my child has a medical issue or an allergy? If your child has a medical issue or allergy, you must download and complete the "Medical Consent" and "Allergy" forms that are provided on each school district page under our School Age Child Care and Middle School Drop-In tabs. Due to the serious nature of medical issues and allergies, the forms MUST be completed and all medication MUST be provided to your site PRIOR to your child attending. Because our programs happen before and after the school bell, we do not have access to any school nurse's office for any general medication or any medication that you have supplied to the school for use during school hours, therefore an additional set of medication must be handed over to your particular Site Supervisor.
What do I do in the event of a custody issue? If there are any custody issues or orders of protection in place concerning your child that we need to be aware of, you must indicate this on the appropriate section of the registration form and attach a copy of the court order. Any custody paperwork MUST be on file BEFORE your child starts the program.
Can my child eat in after school programs? A snack break is made available each afternoon in after care and drop-in. We request that you send in a snack with your child, but in the event your child forgets, one will be provided to them. Any food allergy information will be communicated with you so that you are aware what is not allowed in the program for the health and safety of any children with allergies. We kindly ask that you do not send in glass bottles or snacks that contains nuts.
How do you determine the monthly rates and why are they different for each school? Our monthly rates are based on the full 10 month school calendar year in each district, meaning the rates have already taken into account school holidays, closings, and recesses. No adjustments are made for school closings either planned or unplanned, nor are adjustments made for absent days. The rates vary from district to district based on the program length in that particular district.
I can't afford the monthly rates, can you negotiate them? Unfortunately, we cannot negotiate the monthly rates, but we do have financial assistance that you can apply for. Once the forms are completed and you have submitted the paperwork along with the required documents, they will be sent to our Scholarship Committee for review. The majority of scholarships are partial and payment plans will be made on an individual basis. Please contact our office at 631-744-0207 to learn more about our scholarships.
Is there a discount for multiple children? Yes, we offer a 20% discount on the lowest monthly rate of any child/children registered after the first, however, this only applies to those families registered 5 days a week.
What is the difference between registering for a certain number of days vs. registering per diem? At the time of registration, you will be prompted to complete your child's expected attendance schedule. We offer the flexibility of attending before and/or after care 2, 3, 4, or 5 days a week, as well as a per diem option. By registering for any set number of days per week, you will be charged the corresponding monthly rate, regardless of how many days your child actually attends. If you register as per diem, you are not committing to a set number of days; rather you are registering with the option of having the before or after care or drop-in should you occasionally need it at your convenience or in the event of an emergency. Per diem days must be pre-purchased in increments of 5 time slots which you can use for before or after care at a fee of $20.00 each.
Please note that because per diem charges are generally more expensive, it would be a good idea to reevaluate the cost effectiveness of your child's schedule if you notice you are using the per diem option frequently. For example, if you register per diem, but your child attends after care 2 times a week for 4 weeks, you would have paid $160.00 for the month vs. the $88.00 to $116.00 range (depending on the school) for 2 days a week per month.
How do I change my child's attendance schedule? You are entitled to two schedule changes per year. While we understand that things happen and you may need to adjust your child's schedule, please be mindful that we cannot change schedules frequently due to the hundreds of accounts we have. Should you need to change the days and/or number of days your child is attending, a $10.00 fee will apply to each additional change. Please call the office at 631-744-0207 so that we can fill out a form for you, adjust your account, and forward the information to your Program Director. It is also imperative to let your child's teacher know of any changes to their schedule.
What if I need to switch or add days to my child's schedule at the last minute? If your child is already registered, but you need to change or add days in a particular week on short notice, please call or text your individual Program Director and Site Supervisor, whose names and phone numbers are listed on each school district tab under School Age Child Care. If you are sending your child to after care on a day that they are not usually signed up for, you MUST send them to school with a note, e-mail their teacher, and/or call their school's main office to let them know they are not to take the bus home that day and instead go to after care. If your child attends any additional days than what is noted on your account, you will be charged the per diem rate for those days.
Will I still be charged for days that my child didn't attend? If there are any unused days (days that your child was signed up for but didn't attend), you will still be charged the monthly rate for the schedule you registered for. Because the monthly rate is already calculated to take into consideration school closings, holidays, and recesses, we do not make adjustments for school closings either planned or unplanned, nor are adjustments made for absent days. If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to call the office at 631-744-0207 or send an email to cynthia@nsyc.com.
I don't need child care anymore. Do I need to do anything? Yes, you need to call the office at 631-744-0207 and let us know that you no longer need child care or drop-in and the date from which that cancellation is effective. You will still incur the monthly charges even if your child is no longer attending unless we have it on file.
I only need child care for an hour. Is there an hourly or discounted rate? No, there is no hourly or discounted rate for child care.
Can I get makeup days? No, we do not offer makeup days, but if you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to call the office at 631-744-0207 or send an email to cynthia@nsyc.com.
What happens if there is inclement weather and school closes early? If the schools implement an early dismissal due to weather conditions, there is no after care available for that day. The school will notify you to find out what the alternative dismissal plan for your child is (whether they will be picked up at the early dismissal time or if they will be taking the bus home). It is your responsibility to ensure that your child has someone either picking them up at school or picking them up from the bus stop.
How does before care work if there is a two hour delay in the morning? Currently, if there is a two hour delay in the morning due to inclement weather, only the Rocky Point School District is still open for before care but operating on the same two hour delay. For example, if the program regularly begins at 6:45am, it would begin at 8:45am. Before care is NOT open in Mt. Sinai and the Shoreham-Wading River School Districts when schools are on a two hour delay.
Do you offer extended after care and drop-in past 6:00pm? No, after care and drop-in in all districts ends at 6:00pm. If your child is not picked up on time, a $15.00 late fee will be added to your account for every 15 minutes you are late, rounded up to the nearest 15 minute interval. For example, if you are 15 minutes late there will be a $15.00 late fee; if you are 20 minutes late there will be a $30.00 late fee. The late pickup fee applies to each child at each site. Late pick up fees must be paid on site and apply to all program participants, including those on scholarship and DSS. You must also call the site in case of any emergencies. Please make every effort to be on time.
How does the billing work? Billing for the school year will be communicated with you via e-mail. Every registration application must contain a current accurate e-mail address for this purpose. Billing is done in advance on or about the 25th day of each month for the following month. If you do not receive an e-mail invoice and your child is still utilizing the program, you are still responsible for making your payment on time. It is necessary to call the office in the event of this happening to let us know you are not receiving your statement.
When is payment due? Payments are due at the start of each month, but no later than the 5th of the month. Payments that are received after the 5th of the month are subject to a $20.00 late fee.
What forms of payment do you accept? Payments can be made by personal check, money order, cash, or credit card. If paying by cash, the exact amount is required. Checks can be made payable to North Shore Youth Council and mailed to North Shore Youth Council, PO Box 1286, Rocky Point, NY 11778. If you pay by check and the check is returned, you will be charged a $20.00 bank fee and all future payments must be made by cash, money order, or Visa or Mastercard. We encourage you to keep a credit card on file and authorize a "recurring credit card basis" so that we can charge your card automatically each month.