YMCA of Greater Williamson County – CHASCO Family YMCA (Round Rock), about the Y’s Program.
The YMCA charges the least of any aftercare program we could find. It was convenient, i.e. they operated out of our child’s school. They had alleged Trained Counselors (teenagers who had the minimum state training and were observed many times away from the kids texting and then getting impatient with our children who were running around.) However, truth be told “Caveat emptor”.
At the end of the school day our Kindergarten child (we’ll call “K”) would be led to the school’s Gym with about 100 other students (at least). For these 100+ kids there was an average of 3 “counselors” there to provide a safe, educational, enriched and enjoyable experience while their parents worked. The “GYM” was “richly” furnished with about a dozen tables, separated around for about 6 groups and their backpacks. A small closet contained the YMCA’s educational and fun supplies/equipment. The supplies/equipment was paper, pens, glue some art supplies, etc.
The Y will work with you on payment! It’s the least expensive program around and the price includes the “Counselors Supervision”, Food and Play supplies. They will even offer several venues for payment; however, You must pay for 1 and a half months in advance. The recommend automatic payment which you allow them to turn off. Read On…
I’m turning 55 shortly and my son soon to be 6, entered Kindergarten at Union Hill Elementary this year. On a budget, we tried to find a great aftercare program for “K” that we could afford and was convenient for him without much bussing extra. Union Hill’s Website recommended the YMCA so we checked out the YMCA’s website. So we signed our son up, it seemed a great deal. However, what we found was this.
100+ kids herded like cattle into a Gym until it was packed. There was only a few Teenagers there supervising them, usually about 3. The Teenagers were the alleged Trained Counselors. There were Children running amuck about the area and the 2-4 counselors couldn’t find students parents were looking for. Trying to find your child’s backpack is like finding a needle in a hay stack since each group are allowed to just toss them in a huge pile on a designated table, Floor, stairs, stage floor (there’s a stage in the gym).
Once inside the gym and at their tables the kids are told what project they are to all (26+ of them) are to work on and then the counselors walk away and start texting… Now here’s my story…
My son, K, is very creative, energetic and needs some down time. He does have some special needs, although not ADD or ADHD, just a normal child with extraverted behavior. Within the first days the Teenage Counselors called me and told me that K was disruptive, that all of a sudden he would just jump up from one side of the gym and lurch out and strike a child from the opposite of the gym. Now if you are intelligent you realize that the gym is very large, that’s a huge distance to travel, especially for a Kindergartener and No One could Stop him. I found this hard to believe, especially since he’s been in day care, pre care for most of his little life. After the 3rd time they called me in and told me how the kids K went after promised that they did nothing to provoke K, I asked who these kids were and sure enough, they were other classmates who entice K and make fun of him because he can be sillier the other students and can easily get caught up in their teasing. They tease K, call him names (I’ve witnessed this and had to intervene) and when I’m not there or K’s not supervised, he protects himself and acts out, spitting, pushing, shoving, etc. The kids say they did nothing and the Teenage Counselors don’t listen to K or offer support. In fact, the Teenage “Regional Counselor” Told Kyle to his face and in front of me and his classmates that he was a “bully” and that I had to except that he was a bully (this was 3 weeks into the program and it was the first time she worked him, she is thin, puffy blond curly hair and about 18 years old at best). It’s very inappropriate to label a child anything, especially in front of him and his classmates!
This neglect, abuse and labeling continued. I tried everything, I even discussed with the “Counselors” a token reward program that worked. However, they didn’t have any chain of communication and they frequently switch “Counselors” new counselors were unaware of K’s active style and would panic and call me and say that K needs more attention then the other 26+ students and therefore a danger and a threat to others and must be suspended.
Finally, we had enough. K has been to a couple of day cares etc and no one every reported anything like this… I’ll keep this long story short. If you choose the YMCA Program at Union Hill this is what you get…
Teenager, untrained supervision
100+ kids in a gym at tables from 2:45 till when you pick them up (6ish?)
1 Teenager to every 40 kids
Kids forced to stay still at a table for chosen activity, if they deviate from that they are tainted to be suspended and kicked out.
little supervision (hard to supervise when your texting in the middle of 100+ kids)
Your Child’s belongings stacked piled anywhere and broken. Yes, we’ve had a number if items broken from the stock piling.
Name calling, when and they do, label your child (inappropriately, they call your child the names in front of him AND his classmates and this is from their Trained, Teenage, regional coordinator!
Finally, and this is the best bit, they Y really promotes paying by automatic payment and give them the say so for stopping it. Plus you are paying a month and a half in advance. So K’s in their “care” for about 4 weeks, we’ve had to pay in advance so we’ve payed for 3 months and they are doing everything they can to kick him out, calling him names, judging him, even admitting they are ill staffed to deal with any student who doesn’t adhere to sitting still and let alone a special needs student. My God, if you have a Special Needs student they don’t have the training or staff to deal with it, which of course K is because of his speech development. So, K gets booted out after a month, we’re paid up for 3 and now have to pay for another aftercare program, increasing our costs while the head honcho’s rake in the money, by hiring cheap inexperienced help, herding in as many kids as they can (under state law) and then booting as many kids as they can out while they rake in the profits. All the while hiring cheap inexperience (kids themselves) “counselors” who are unable to deal with this behemoth situation.
Do NOT Every put your kids in the Y program at Union Hill. I’m also ashamed that Union Hill has a “Washed Hands” approach to this situation although it’s in their own school. The representatives at Union Hill and several Teachers that the YMCA Program is separate from Union Hill, and that Union Hill can’t intervene… even when our children are being neglected, verbally abused and what else?
I’ve posted this on YELP and on Google. However, if a company or organization has pull i.e. paid them or advertise big with them, the post will be downgraded and hidden. BUT Grilldog fans, they can’t do that to ME Here! No one Messes with my kid! YMCA YOU SUCK, you are Money Motivated and do not have any care for our Children Shame on your sorry asses!
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