“A complete, concise, consensus of best practices in before/after school aged care. Every aspect of what to consider as you plan, set up, and oversee programs for these ages in a variety of settings is fully discussed. The appendix is full of great additional resources for the practitioner to utilize. A much needed updated exploration of the state of after school care.”

Lois M. Ingellis
Adjunct, Empire State College, SUNY

“High-quality programs for children just don’t happen” and high-quality books about school-age programs don’t either. School’s Out: Challenges and Solutions for School-Age Programs is a well-designed, informative resource written by two individuals with extensive experience in the afterschool field. A great dive into the school-age childcare field, the importance of afterschool programming, and what it means to operate a high-quality program. This book showcases the many components of providing a nurturing and engaging environment for all school-age children. Each chapter outlines targeted areas, from basic safety to developing family and community partnerships, in which school-age professionals need to excel, in order to provide high-quality care for children. The book not only provides pertinent background knowledge school-age professionals need to succeed, it reviews relevant examples, complete with challenges and solutions, to support practical application. An excellent resource and a must read for all school-age professionals!”

Erin Broderick
Capacity Building Director, New York State Network for Youth Success

“"School's Out" provides a strong description of the elements needed in high quality school-age care. Drs. Galuski and Rider go beyond the basics by describing a curriculum framework that focuses on observing children, considering their developmental characteristics and interests and discussing how these factors effect care. Their book provides scenarios and challenges that illustrate the complexity of school-age care today. Furthermore, they encourage the reader to provide an interesting and engaging program and supply numerous ways and resources to accomplish this. This text should be on the shelf of every after-school program as a training resources and an on going reference. ”

Mary Ellen Bardsley
Professor, Niagara University

“School's Out provides the most comprehensive and quality set of guidelines that support the development and growth of Out of School program staff that I have seen in the field. As Galuski and Rider capture, the work of program staff often moves well beyond basic health and safety and into the understanding of development and holistic support of youth. The book provides critical information that program staff need in order to understand how school age children develop in their social, emotional, physical, as well as cognitive domains. This book provides key foundational information to program leads and staff in the Out of School space, as well to those who support their professional growth and development. The book is very well organized, and the Solutions section is particularly helpful when applying concepts. I highly recommend this book to anyone who supports those working in Out of School programs. ”

Lynn M. Lubecki, EdD
Early Childhood Strategies Director, Children's Institute

“School's Out is a long awaited and much needed resource in the field of child care. This excellent resource recognizes an often overlooked reality - after school programs are the vital infrastructures that support the wellness of children and success of families in our communities. School's Out has finally given us a template for envisioning and designing the high quality care and education children in our neighborhoods deserve. This book recognizes after school teachers as professionals, essential caregivers, and valued educators. ”

Carol Garboden Murray
Author, Director, Early Care and Education Instructor and Consultant