Community Day School Association

1414 - 31 St. Ave. S., #101, Seattle, WA 98144
(206) 726-7972
www.communitydayschool.org

CDSA is a nonprofit organization supported by tuition, co-payments from families who receive child care subsidies, grants and fundraising activities. CDSA does not receive funds from Seattle Public Schools.

What We Do:

• CDSA provides preschool and before- and after-school care for 350 children, ages 3-12, in Seattle’s Central Area neighborhoods.
• Our centers are located in five Seattle Public Schools: Hawthorne, Leschi, Madrona, Montlake and Sanislo.
• We are celebrating our 30th year in 2007.

Our Mission:

• CDSA is dedicated to providing affordable, quality childcare in safe and caring surroundings. We seek to promote each child’s intellectual, physical and social development within our diverse community and with an emphasis on respect for self, others and the environment.

Our Program:

• Nationally Accredited: CDSA meets the curriculum standards of the National School-Age Care Alliance and provides high-quality educational materials.
• Aligned with Seattle Public Schools’ Curriculum: CDSA aligns its curriculum to SPS grade-level standards. This requires that out-of-school-time activities purposefully complement work in schools, improving the ability of students to meet learning and academic standards.
• Emphasis on Strengthening Social Skills: CDSA staff members use normal daily activities (gym, games, snack time, etc.) as opportunities to teach listening, communicating and emotional skills. We emphasize violence prevention and conflict resolution strategies, and use student leadership to teach and demonstrate these skills among peers.

Research That Supports Our Approach:

• In addition to providing safe learning environments for our kids, investments in after-school programs yield enormous benefits in public safety, youth risk reduction, economic development and school success. Cost benefit analyses show that every $1 invested in after-school programs can represent savings to taxpayers in the range of $8 to $12. [Washington Afterschool Network]
• Children who attend high-quality after-school programs have better peer relations, emotional adjustment, conflict resolution skills, grades and conduct in school, compared to their peers who are not in after-school programs.” [Baker & Witt, 1996; Kahne, Nagaoka & Brown, 1999; Posner & Vandell, 1999]

Our Families and the Challenges They Face:

• About 45% of the children CDSA serves are from low-income families, and another 18% are from middle-to-low-income families.
• Many families receive subsidies from DSHS and DHHR (state and city) funding, however, these sources for financial assistance for childcare have been reduced.
• DSHS increased the parent copay tenfold, from about $15 per month to $150, effectively making childcare unaffordable for many families.
• For those who qualify for City of Seattle assistance, there is a one-year waiting list.
• King County discontinued its childcare assistance program.
• Childcare subsidies are now only available to very low-income families—and these are limited.
• CDSA provides $20,000 per year in tuition assistance to help families who are unable to afford the full cost of childcare and do not qualify for state or city funding.

How You Can Help:

• Please consider participating in our annual auction—donate an auction item, attend the event and/or bid on an item.
• 100% of the money raised through the auction is used for tuition assistance to help families who otherwise cannot pay for care.
• If you would like to make a contribution or volunteer at CDSA, please contact our office.