The Roxbury Weston Programs CATCH after school educational enrichment program is located at 81 Walnut Avenue at the Church of Christ in Roxbury, convenient to MBTA bus transportation.

Age Range: Kindergarten through Third Grade

Days/Hours: Monday-Friday/1:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
After School Calendar
No school vacation care

Application Process: Rolling admissions throughout the school year. Complete the application and send along with a $10 (non-refundable) application fee to the above address.

Transportation: Parents arrange transportation through their child’s school bus or through private transportation companies.

Learning to be “School Smart”: CATCH serves all families with children in Kindergarten through Third Grade. We know that children this age learn best and most when they are engaged in meaningful learning activities. When children’s curiosity and excitement about learning is ignited they internalize their learning and it becomes part of their cognitive repertoire. We know that children need to feel nurtured and safe to learn, and that opportunities to eat, to rest, and to choose from a range of activities is critical to their well-being during out of school time. These elements are reflected in our CATCH Program. Our goal is to support children’s academic achievement in school.

Educational Philosophy: The curriculum at CATCH recognizes the developmental needs of the whole child with equal emphasis placed on physical, emotional, social and intellectual growth. Curricular activities and materials are used to help strengthen and develop children’s academic performance in school. Homework is designated and assistance is available to children each afternoon.

Family Involvement: Family Involvement is vital to Roxbury Weston Programs! To help us fulfill our vision of bringing families together, all families are involved in some way. Parents most actively participate in annual events and fundraisers. There are many opportunities from which to choose. CATCH parents and family members work through the Board of Trustees to assist in fundraising and community outreach. Parents and families support the Site Coordinator by offering their ideas about policies and standards. CATCH values and encourages parent involvement. All families sign up for specific areas of involvement during the enrollment process.

CATCH Accreditation:

ROXBURY WESTON PROGRAMS C.A.T.C.H. POD ACCREDITED BY NAEYC

Roxbury, April 27, 2006 – Roxbury Weston Programs’ Children Achieving Through Community Hope (C.A.T.C.H.) Program has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children – the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals, and has received ten commendations for excellence.

“We’re proud to be accredited by NAEYC, and recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards,” said Winifred Hagan, Executive Director of Roxbury Weston Programs, Inc. “NAEYC Accreditation lets families in the community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences. We are particularly proud to bring our high quality educational programs to the community.”

C.A.T.C.H., which was founded in 2003 by Mattapan resident and Roxbury Weston Programs alumna, Monique Marshall-Veale, provides after school enrichment opportunities for children in kindergarten through grade three in space donated to the program through the generosity of the Church of Christ in Roxbury.

More than 11,000 early childhood programs – serving over one million young children – are currently accredited by NAEYC. “In recent years, we’ve seen a growing number of child care and preschool programs earning NAEYC Accreditation,” said Mark Ginsberg, Ph.D., executive director of NAEYC. “By earning accreditation, C.A.T.C.H. has become a leader in a national effort to raise the quality of early childhood education, and to help give all children a better start.”

Responding to the growth of the system, in 1999 the NAEYC Governing Board appointed a national Commission on Accreditation Reinvention to conduct a comprehensive review of NAEYC’s Accreditation system. Building on their work, NAEYC is making many changes to increase the reliability and accountability of the accreditation system and promote higher program quality. In April 2005, the NAEYC Governing Board approved new Early Childhood Standards and Accreditation Criteria.

NAEYC created its accreditation program in 1985 to set professional standards for early childhood education and to help families identify high-quality child care and early education programs. To earn NAEYC’s accreditation, a program conducts a self-study to determine how well it meets the standards. After necessary improvements are made, the program is observed by independent, professional validators, and then reviewed by a national panel. Programs are accredited by NAEYC for a five-year period.