ENRICHMENT
PTSA provides opportunities to help enrich your child's education. In addition to the after school opportunities listed here, PTSA also supports (with volunteers and/or through financial support) a variety of school-day enrichment programs including assemblies, author visits, our Art Volunteer program, field trips, service learning, scholastic magazines, a school garden, STEAM activities, and student leadership clubs.
Enrichment Schedule 2026-27:
Fall Registration: Aug 27th- Sept 16th
Fall Enrichment Classes: Sept 28th - Dec 4th
Winter Registration: Nov 19th - Dec 9th
Winter Session: Jan 4th - Mar 11th
Spring Registration: Feb 22nd - Mar 12th
Spring Session: Mar 29th - Jun 4th
Fall Season 2026: Sep 28th- Dec 4th
Registration Open: Aug 27th (7pm)-Sep 16th
**Volunteer Chaperones needed (and receive a discount & dedicated spot): Class will be canceled without a chaperone. More Info here
Fall Schedule 2026-27
Note: No classes on Oct 16th (Leap Day), Nov 11th (Veterans Day) and Nov 25,-27 (Thanksgiving Break)
SMART WITH ART: STEAM lab
Grades K-5: Mondays 4-5pm ($364.81): (10 weeks)
Voyage with Smart with Art as we dive into sea inspired creations using a variety of artistic mediums. Students will explore seascapes, ocean life, and coastal landscapes while learning about artists such as Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and O’Keeffe. We’ll ride the creative waves together as students build new artistic skills and set sail on an imaginative ocean adventure. As always, please encourage students to dress for mess! Smart with Art Website
Class Descriptions & Schedules (Fall 2026)
CTB BASKETBALL: gym
Grades K-2: Mondays 4-5pm ($274): (10 weeks)
Grades 3-5: Tuesdays 4-5pm ($274): (10 weeks)
Lil Ballers: A after-school program for students of ALL SKILL sets in grades K-2. Students will have a blast learning the fundamentals of basketball, sportsmanship, teamwork, and healthy habits while practicing skills and having fun. Sessions are designed for students to explore the game in a fun and nurturing environment. Exciting games such as “Fry the bacon” and sharks and minnows” are enjoyed.
Ballers: A after-school program for students of ALL skill sets in grades 3-5. Sessions are fun filled with exciting games like “poison” and “bump” and also feature fundamental training like ball handling, passing and shooting. CTB Basketball Website
STICKY FINGERS COOKING: commons & STEAM Lab
Grades K-5 : Thursday 4-5pm ($355): (9 weeks)
It's THYME to TURNIP the BEET on what kids EAT!Our interactive classes make cooking fun and deliciously educational. Kids will enjoy tasty, healthy recipes while learning S.T.E.A.M., culture, language, geography and more! Led by experienced Chef Instructors, we ensure all allergies are accommodated, and recipes are always nut-free. Explore our weekly recipes and join us to WHIP up some culinary fun all year. Perfect for children of all ages! ALL ALLERGIES ARE ACCOMMODATED and our recipes are always NUT FREE. Sticky Fingers Website
EXCEL WITH CHESS: commons
Grades K-5: Wednesdays 2:30-3:30pm ($264): (8 weeks)
Kids learn chess in a fun, safe environment with encouragement, independent practice resources, and engaging lessons. We strive to ensure every student is learning a new skill in each class! Multiple instructors ensure we can have multiple groups at various levels. Excel with Chess Website
BEST IN CLASS MATH CLUB: Commons & STEAM Lab
Grades K-5: Tuesdays 4-5pm ($322): (10 weeks)
Math can be fun! Through activity-based learning, students build a strong foundation in math while developing the analytical skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving strategies needed for math competitions such as Quest (Accelerated/Gifted Learning Program). Students learn to approach challenging problems with confidence, break complex problems into manageable steps, explore different solution strategies, and develop effective test-taking skills. Topics include math concepts, number analogies and puzzles, number series, estimation, problem solving, data interpretation, and computation—helping students become confident Math Problem Solvers!
DIGIPEN: PYTHON PROGRAMMING UNLOCKED: Gym
Grades 3-5: Thursdays 4-5pm ($364): (9 weeks)
In this Open World afterschool program, students will develop a foundation for future programming and software development projects. Over the course of this program, students will be introduced to data types, control statements, and case selection. Students will also develop proper programming practices bearing in mind conventions, syntax notation, and the semantics of the Python programming language. Digipen Website
AMAZING ATHLETES: VOLLEYBALL : gym
Grades 3-5: Fridays 4-5pm ($311): (8 weeks)
Amazing Spikers is designed for students of ALL SKILL levels in grades 3-5. Amazing Spikers is an engaging after-school program that develops each student’s volleyball skills through a balance of structure drills and fun play-based learning. Students will develop the fundamental skills of passing, setting, serving, and court movement while developing their ability to work in team settings and learn good sportsmanship. Each session includes fundamental skill-focused drills followed by small-group gameplay that will maximize each student’s opportunities to participate in high energy games. Amazing Athletes Website
DIGIPEN: BRINGING ART TO LIFE: STEAM lab
Grades K-3: Fridays 4-5pm ($327): (8 weeks)
For young learners, expressing themselves through art can be a crucial stage in their development, and the artwork they create at this age often become cherished keepsakes. While they may have plenty of time to practice and improve their craft, it’s never too early to pick up some of the tried-and-true principles of drawing and animation, using both traditional and digital tools. This introductory class shows young students the techniques that bring what they see in their mind into the real world through their art and sculptures. Instructors will guide students through the basics of drawing, painting, and animation, exploring both traditional and digital media and leading into a better understanding of how to bring their creations to life from start to finish. Digipen Website
AFTER SCHOOL GARDEN CLUB: Outdoor/Commons
Grades K-5: Wednesdays 2:30-3:30pm ($269): (8 weeks)
Garden club is about more than just gardening- it's a fun way to connect with nature, understand where food comes from, try new things, and help care for the earth and your community. Join us for an exploration of the soils, plants, and animals that we share the school grounds with! The fall season is one of the best times to be out in the garden, harvesting the summer bounty and preparing for the changing weather. Students will gain real-world skills and learn about important STEAM concepts through participating in all aspects of garden care including watering, weeding, planting, harvesting (and eating!), plant & animal identification, soil analysis, garden design & seasonal plant selection, wildlife monitoring, and more!
Policy and FAQs
Each after-school enrichment class requires volunteer chaperones to attend EACH class. A 50% discount on the class price is offered to the volunteer chaperone's child. If you are interested in committing to be the volunteer chaperone, please email enrichment@ellabakerptsa.org BEFORE you register your child for a class. See the Volunteer Chaperone Agreement for responsibilities. If a volunteer chaperone is not found for a class, that class will be cancelled.
We are gauging volunteer availability and interest in a once-weekly “walking bus” during after-school enrichment as a way to help students get home after enrichment classes end. The walking route would be down Eastridge Drive between Ella Baker and the Redmond Ridge Apartments located at 11099 Eastridge Drive (a one mile walk) and would start when classes let out (around 5 PM, depending on the day). In order for this to happen, we would need at least one approved adult volunteer chaperone to accompany the "walking bus.” If you would be interested in volunteering to chaperone a once weekly “walking bus” during after-school Enrichment at Ella Baker, please email enrichment@ellabakerptsa.org
Registration for PTSA enrichment classes is via homeroom.com. For instructions and help with Homeroom, please see https://homeroom.helpscoutdocs.com/category/6-for-parents
The curriculum of each class is suitable for both new and continuing students, as the instructors of each class adapt the curriculum to ensure all students are learning.
To be inclusive of all students in our learning community, scholarships based on financial need are available. If you need a scholarship, please email the school councilor Melissa Foss at mfoss@lwsd.org. Financial need scholarship students will be given priority registration by reserving 10% of class enrollment. If these spots are not claimed, they will be released to the waiting list.
Refunds will ONLY be issued until registration closes. Withdrawing from the class after the first class will result in NO refund. To request a refund & withdraw from class email enrichment@ellabakerptsa.org
Late registration, shortly after registration closes, MIGHT be permitted- at the discretion of the PTSA- with a 25$ late fee.
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