A group of Keene Central School students work on their painting skills at the after-school club last December. (Provided photo — Stacy Prime)

KEENE VALLEY — A group of parents at Keene Central School teamed up this year to expand after-school offerings to five days per week. The Keene Parent-Teacher Community Committee, entirely volunteer-run, aims to enrich students’ lives and help working parents with its after-school club.

“There’s a youth commission program that’s also run by parents and community members and funded by the town that puts on sports activities for the elementary school kids, and they do an amazing job. I wanted to work directly with them to figure out how to start filling in the gaps if it wasn’t a five-day after-school program,” said Maya Judd, KCS parent and KPTCC leader.

Currently, the committee offers two-hour-long after-school programming for students in kindergarten through fifth grade on Mondays and Tuesdays. The youth commission offers programming on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Judd, a working mom who co-parents her four children, said this type of after-school programming is vital for parents.

“Having a real after-school program felt like a prime focus as a need for working parents and just for the enrichment of grade-school kids to give them something to do.”

A group of Keene Central School students complete a STEAM challenge during the after-school club last December. (Provided photo — Stacy Prime)

Every Monday, the students participate in “Magical Mystery Monday” with music teacher Amy Nelson. Tuesdays are handled by KPTCC volunteers: parents, grandparents and community members. Tuesday themes vary. In the past, students have participated in STEAM, nature crafts, baking and even a Taylor Swift dance party and a bracelet-making session.

Judd said the KPTCC has historically been run by working mothers, but there is a push to involve more fathers and grandfathers who have volunteered to run some of the after-school programming.

“There’s a lot of moms that deserve a lot of credit (for the KPTCC),” Judd said. She took over the group from those moms recently, having moved to Keene during the coronavirus pandemic.

The KPTCC is hoping to recruit more volunteers from the community for the after-school club, Judd said.

“(We want to) reach beyond the parents and teachers and dive into the community,” she said. “We’re kind of trying to match up what the adults in the community have time and energy and interest to offer with what the kids have time and energy for and what the parents need in terms of basic childcare in that 3 to 5 p.m. time.”

Aside from the after-school club, the KPTCC also takes on projects to improve the school community and show support for school employees.

head of the first day of school last September, parents and community members brought Judd recycled jars and fresh flowers from their gardens. Judd and other KPTCC members used the supplies to put together bouquets for every KCS employee ahead of the first day of school.

“That was a pretty cheery moment,” Judd said. “The committee, as a whole, has not been as active as I’d love it to be yet, but it’s kind of the first year of getting it back in action.”

Judd said organizations like the KPTCC are “really smart” for all members of the community.

“We’re living in a time that needs bridges and community, and I think anywhere, any opportunity to create those bridges is one to seize.”

To volunteer with the KPTCC or the after-school club, contact Judd at keeneptc@gmail.com.