Students at St. Anthony of Padua School in Falls Church
exited their last class of the day Jan. 17 only to attend another class. Eleven
students went to an art class where they learned how to draw a picture of
someone ice fishing. Another dozen students went to the gym where they learned
soccer skills.
The hourlong after-school program for kindergarten through
fifth-graders is organized by Flex Academies, and runs through April.
Colin Nguyen said it gives his daughter, Vivienne, a break
from her routine. “She gets excited and looks forward to the Flex classes,” he
said. “It gives her an opportunity to learn a new skill and be around other
friends.”
With the help of Flex Academies, the school can offer
multiple classes and not need extra staff.
Jarod Forget has two children who participate in the
after-school program. “The program has provided my children an after-school
enrichment activity, which enabled them to engage in educational or athletic
events with skilled event coordinators,” he said. “It affords parents such as
myself time to finish employment obligations while knowing their children are
being well-cared for, having fun and learning.
The flex program also is offered at St. Agnes School in
Arlington.
“We love offering enrichment classes after school,” said
Sara Cruley, St. Agnes PTO liaison. “It’s a great way for kids to try something
new. We get to offer different things — everything from chess to making apps to
fencing to science, Lego and art clubs.”
Katrina De Souza said her daughter and son have taken the
classes at St. Anthony. “We take advantage of these programs as a way to
introduce new concepts, ideas and abilities to our kids,” she said. “The
benefits are endless, you enrich their curiosity, they become more independent
and they increase their social skills.”