It’s August, and the 2026-27 school year is just around the corner, which means CASW is gearing up for its afterschool programs. After school isn’t just a place to go once the last bell rings – it’s an opportunity to make new friends, explore new interests, and even get ahead on academics; all in an environment that allows just a little more freedom than the normal school day. Are you interested in enrolling your child in one of our COMPASS or SONYC programs? Here are some simple steps you can take TODAY:
1. To learn more about free after-school programs in NYC, check out DiscoverDYCD, a special portal created by NYC’s Department of Youth and Community Development. Here you can filter programs by your child’s age, school district, or borough. (I.E. COMPASS for ages K-5th grade vs SONYC for 6th-8th grade.) From here, you een have the option to fill out an online application to your program provider.
2. One more direct route of signing up for after school programs is to contact your school’s main office or even email “afterschool@schools.nyc.gov.”
3. If your school specifically doesn’t offer any afterschool programs, many community centers (such as CASW’S DYCD-Cornerstone programs) offer site specific registration during the school year.
Of course, these are just basics, and programs like COMPASS or SONYC tend to fill up quickly. Here are some quick tips to keep in mind:
- Act fast, as spots tend to fill up on a “first come, first served” basis.
- If your program of choice is full, many sites offer waitlists. Plans can change for many families during the first few weeks of school, so be on standby for later registration.
- Be sure to have all of your necessary paperwork, such as photos and/or medical records, ready to streamline the registration process.
