The Curtain Falls on the After-School Program

Finding childcare for children during the summer can often be a headache. This year, some parents were able to enroll their children in “Les Colibris,” a day camp program offered by the Collectivité. From July 6 through July 31, the Gustavia preschool and elementary school are hosting more than 140 children from across the island, from all schools combined. There were nearly 80 children under the age of six at the preschool and about 60 at the elementary school. To care for and keep all these little ones occupied, eleven activity leaders were on hand, including some from the Les Francas association who traveled all the way from Guadeloupe. “Some of the activity leaders have been coming for three years now, so they’re starting to find their footing,” explains Francius Matignon, the elected official in charge of school affairs.

Heritage and Well-Being
For four weeks, a wide range of activities were offered to the children. For the younger ones, the summer theme was “heritage and the environment,” with the following on the program: “Local cooking workshops featuring galettes, traditional dances, and a gardening workshop where children could learn about local fruits like coconuts,” lists Francius Matignon. Not to mention outings to the beaches, the educational farm, or the local swimming pool. The older children enjoyed a program focused on well-being, featuring relaxation, hip-hop, and kung fu, as well as beach tennis, an introduction to kayaking, archery, and culinary and art workshops. To bring this first part of the summer to a spectacular close, the children are putting on a show—not during the last week, but on Thursday, July 23. Needless to say, the children will be able to take some of their creations home with them.

Rising Demand
“The School Affairs Department does a lot of work—almost a year in advance—to make these four weeks possible,” emphasizes Francius Matignon, who is delighted by the growing enthusiasm for this summer program offered to parents. Changes have been made to the internal regulations so that the two sites can each accommodate 100 children. There are therefore still about 20 spots available in preschool and about 40 in elementary school. The elected official is, however, confident about the coming years: “Demand is constantly increasing. ” The fee is 115 euros per week.