Parents and administrators will use extension period to explore ways to increase enrollment and make the program financially sustainable
ALEXANDRIA, VA — Responding to appeals from parents seeking before- and after-school care for their school-age children, Hopkins House has temporarily extended its Hopkins House Kids Project through the end of September, giving parents and administrators additional time to explore ways to increase enrollment and make the tuition-supported project financially viable.
The decision follows concerns raised this summer by parents of children enrolled in the Hopkins House Preschool Academy who also have school-age children, as well as parents of recent Preschool Academy graduates entering kindergarten this fall. Many expressed a need for dependable before- and after-school care and urged Hopkins House to reconsider its decision to end the project on August 15.
“We heard clearly from our parents that this project fills an important need for their families,” said J. Glenn Hopkins, President & CEO of Hopkins House. “The temporary extension gives us an opportunity to work together to determine whether there is sufficient demand to sustain the project beyond September. We want to continue offering this service, but we also have a responsibility to ensure that it is financially sustainable.”
A Pilot Designed to Meet a Family Need
Hopkins House launched the Kids Project as a pilot in 2024 at its Fairfax County campus, expanding the organization’s traditional early childhood focus to provide before- and after-school care for elementary-age children.
The project was designed to serve a minimum of 18 Young Scholars, with an annual budget of just over $85,000. The budget supports two full-time educators as well as bus transportation between the Hopkins House campus and local elementary schools.
When the pilot was approved, the Hopkins House Board of Trustees committed to making the project permanent if sufficient demand could be demonstrated and the program proved financially viable.
Enrollment, however, has averaged only about 12 students during each of the past two years, one-third below the level for which the program was designed. With enrollment remaining below the level necessary to sustain operations, the Trustees decided this summer to discontinue the project.
Competing With Free School-Age Care
One of the challenges facing the Hopkins House Kids Project is competition from government-sponsored school-age programs, including Fairfax County’s School Age Child Care program, commonly known as SACC. While those programs provide families with another option for care, demand can exceed available space.
Hopkins House’s tuition-based project provides an additional option for families, including those already connected to the organization through its Preschool Academies. Parent response following the announcement that the project would end demonstrated continued interest in having that option available.
“We recognize that the transition from preschool to kindergarten does not eliminate a family’s need for safe, reliable care,” Hopkins said. “For many working parents, before- and after-school care is essential. The question before us is whether enough families are prepared to enroll to allow Hopkins House to provide that care responsibly and sustainably.”
September Extension Will Help Determine the Project’s Future
During the temporary extension, Hopkins House administrators and participating parents will consider strategies for increasing enrollment and strengthening the project’s financial viability.
If sufficient enrollment can be generated and a sustainable path forward identified, the matter will be presented to the Hopkins House Board of Trustees’ Programs & Assessments Committee when it meets in October. The Committee will then be asked to consider continuing the Kids Project beyond the temporary extension.
“Our hope is that families who told us how important this project is will help us demonstrate that there is enough demand to sustain it,” said Deborah Okyere, James L. & Juliette McNeil Preschool Academy Interim Principal. “This extension gives the project another opportunity to succeed.”
