Overview
Our licensed child care programs are designed to address the social & recreational needs of the age groups that we care for at each location. In a typical school year, activities in elementary school programs include: PM Snack, Homework/Literacy Time, Outdoor Play, Staff-directed Crafts, Self-Directed Crafts, Organized Games, Activity Stations (a rotation of “free play” stations that give your child the opportunity to explore different materials and learn through play with their peers, such as: Engineering, Science & Math, Housekeeping, Music, Movement, etc.), Community Service Projects, and Special Events.
There is a minimum & a maximum registration for each center, and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please be aware that space/capacity may be limited due to available space in the facility and/or certified Child Care Teachers. Once additional staff/space can be added, then additional children will be added from the wait list.
Hours of Operation & Eligibility
The AM licensed child care program will operate from 6:30am until the start of the school day. There is not an AM snack offered by our staff; therefore, your family is welcome to drop your child off with a snack or breakfast from home, or they may participate in the breakfast program provided by the school at the start of their school day.
The PM licensed child care program will operate from the end of the school day until 6:00pm every day that school buildings are open for students, with the exception of two hour early dismissal days. Please see below “School Break Fun Days” section regarding recreational program care options during early dismissal days and professional development days. During the 2024-2025 school year, a PM snack is included in your monthly fee.
- Children must be at least 5 years old by the first day of school, and entering Kindergarten through 5th grade for the 2024-2025 School Year to be eligible to attend the elementary school programs.
- Please see our South County Rec Pre-K page for care for Pre-K children 3-5 years old.
- Children must be toilet trained. Your child must be able to be self-directed and self-sufficient in the restroom and able to care for their own hygiene needs.
- To ensure appropriate accommodation, if your child has been identified with a medical condition, disability or special needs plan, please note this information on your registration form. Contact our Child Care Administrative Office with questions or requests for accommodations: 410-222-7856, ext. 0 or via email at sacc@aacounty.org.
- Every child must have the State mandated Required Forms for Admission for Child Care completed and on file at the site on their first day. Please be aware that the Health Inventory requires a physician’s signature.
School Break Fun Days
- As we shared with families in the 2024-2025 School Year Fee Letter for the coming school year, the Department of Recreation and Parks is no longer offering licensed child care on early dismissal days in the school calendar.
- In their place, the Department will now be offering one-day “School Break Fun Day” recreation programs on the 12 early dismissal days in the school calendar (10/15, 10/28, 10/29, 12/10, 01/16, 01/17, 02/04, 03/18, 03/27, 03/28, 06/12 & 06/13). These one-day recreational programs will require pre-registration from your family one month prior to the early dismissals so that our Department can work on adequate staffing on these special days. These early dismissal day programs will be offered at no additional cost to families already registered in our PM licensed child care programs.
- Also, in answer to families’ requests for additional care when schools are closed, our Department will also be extending the “School Break Fun Days” concept to include the 4 professional development days in the school calendar (11/01, 11/25, 11/26 & 01/21). Our Department is currently working with Anne Arundel County Public Schools on access to some school locations for these new programs.
- As in years past, the Department will also continue to provide School Break Fun Days opportunities at the two aquatic centers in Anne Arundel County.
- Pre-registration information & flyers for these one-day programs will be shared with families via email the month prior. There will be an additional cost for these full-day programs on days schools are closed.
Locations & Fee Schedule
- The monthly fees for our school year programs are established on an annual basis and are determined by program costs and the school hours as noted at www.aacps.org.
- The annual expense is then divided into ten equal monthly payments. There is no reduction in fees for months with a relatively few number of school days, just as there is no increase in fees for months with a greater number of days.
- There is no additional fee for the scheduled early dismissal days. All school year programs (regardless of location) follow the Anne Arundel County Board of Education school calendar & emergency closings schedule. There is no reduction in fees for emergency closings.
- Click here to see the 2024-2025 School Year Locations & Fee Schedule. For detailed information about the SACC program, please view the Parent's Manual for School Age Child Care (SACC) Programs.
Registration
Please be aware that there is a minimum & a maximum registration for each center, and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Families that currently have a child care space that are being redistricted for the 2024-2025 school year will have first priority this year for available spaces in their new school location. They will only have priority for the space they currently have (for example, AM space in current school = AM space in new school). Families currently being served in our programs/wait lists have the option to continue their current space and/or request a space in another session first. Then, Wait List registration will open to the General Public. If/when more certified staff can be hired at your preferred location, additional children will be added from the wait list. Registration for 2024-2025 School Year wait list and/or available spaces is now open!
Registrations may be completed by:
- Creating an Account. The primary account must be completed by an adult over the age of 18. An email address is required to create an account online. If you are NEW to Child Care, it is highly recommended that you create an account prior to registration day to ease your wait time online.
- To reserve a space, open your account and select:
- Center Name: {Select School your child attends},
- Session Name: 2024-2025 School Year AM and/or 2024-2025 School Year PM.
- Make sure to register for both AM AND PM if you would like to request a space in before and after care.
- If your family is placed on the wait list for your chosen location, please know that we will officially offer registration spaces in order of the wait list for any and all available spaces. If additional staff members can be hired and/or additional space can be added at a particular location, we will continually notify and bring more children into care throughout the year.
- It is crucial that you watch your email throughout the year to be notified of registration updates & space offers.
Once you have been notified that your child has received a space in one of our programs:
- The next step is to review the Required Forms for Admission sheet. These forms are mandated as required by the Maryland State Department of Education’s Office of Child Care.
- If your child is NEW to our licensed child care program, your child must have these forms completed and on file at the site on their first day. Open the Required Forms for Admission page to download the required forms.
- If your child is RETURNING to our licensed child care program from care with us during the past school year, your child’s file will be present in their new school year location. Parents will be asked to provide a new Emergency Form and update the file as needed on their first day.
Contact Us
For additional information, please contact the Child Care Administrative Office at 410-222-7856, ext. 0, or via email at sacc@aacounty.org.