Sacramento START

The Sacramento START program has touched the lives of over 100,000 young children and youth over the past twenty-seven years. Approximately 1,000 children and youth are enrolled in the program serving the Robla Unified School District at five different school sites. The program currently offers an exciting array of academic, enrichment, physical activities, and nutrition and recreation opportunities for participants. Through these experiences, young people are offered a wide range of opportunities that can spark critical thinking, physical activity, food security, and environmental initiatives.

We welcome all families and incoming students in TK through sixth grade to register.

Sacramento START was launched in January 1996. Today, Sacramento START is one of the recognized Expanded Learning Program providers in the greater Sacramento area.

The Sacramento START program has touched the lives of over 94,000 children & youth in the past twenty-one years. Approximately 1,000 children and youth are currently enrolled in the program that serves the Robla Unified School District in five different school sites. The program currently offers an exciting array of academic, enrichment, physical activities, and nutrition and recreation opportunities for participants. These experiences offer the young people a wide range of possibilities that spark critical thinking, physical activity, food securities and environmental changes. Registration is open to all families and incoming TK - Sixth Grade can enroll (capacity limited). 

Contact

The Sacramento START main office is located at:
Coloma Community Center
4623 T Street (Suite B for USPS)
Sacramento, CA 95819
Phone: (916) 808-6089
Fax: (916) 529-4162
Jmarson@cityofsacramento.org

Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday
8:00am - 5:00pm
Closed on Holidays

START offers...

The Sacramento START program helps children throughout the Sacramento region gain knowledge, expand their universe outside neighborhood boundaries, provide opportunities to grow and flourish, build and develop trust and create and fulfill dreams. With this in mind, the program promotes youth development and builds on individual student assets. Positive youth development promotes social and emotional growth and greater attachment to school which, in turn, translates into enhanced learning opportunities during the regular school day. The Sacramento START program includes the following three components: homework and assistance, enrichment (literacy), and recreation. The START program also includes a supper and/or snack program.

History

Our program began with an initiative championed by Mr. Darrell Steinberg to have local government and school districts partner in students' out-of-school activities utilizing school campuses. The City started collaborating with school districts to open the school campuses beyond the school day for students out of school-time activities. At first, the program was promoted as a recreational activity and a safe place for kids after school. The collaboration of Sacramento START and LA Best stakeholders created legislation that would design programs with an academic focus on literacy support for students performing below basics. This first after-school legislation originated with the beginning of the START Program. It is this legislation that remains current for after-school programs today. And at this point, It was only one of its kind still in the nation.

START- Students Today Achieving Results for Tomorrow. The City of Sacramento, Sacramento START Program opened its doors and committed its program to Youth Development on January 10, 1996. Sacramento START is a public/private collaboration working to build children's capacity to succeed academically and socially while reconnecting families and neighborhoods with schools. START believes that every opportunity should be given to children to succeed.

START fosters enthusiasm for learning by engaging children in a fun, literacy-focused activities. In a safe and caring environment, START expands the school day and supports district goals. We operate After School programs at five Robla school sites daily, Monday– Friday. In November 1995, the START Program was established with an award of $800,000 for providing after-school programs at twenty schools. Each site had a minimum of 100 students giving 2,000 students a safe place to go after school. START opened its program doors on January 10, 1996, operating three days a week, Monday-Wednesday, 2:30 -5:30 pm for the first six months (January –June 1996). Due to more diversified and sustainable funding sources, programs soon moved to be open five days a week until 6 pm.

The Sacramento START program pioneered the hiring practice of hiring from the community it served. Recruits would come directly from neighborhoods for line staff positions. Site Directors hired would be Instructional Aids at the school sites, being recommended by the principal. In 1999 the City began to require program staff to be city employees at the site and administrative levels.

Core values

  • Communication: by being non-judgmental; by presenting clear and consistent messages; by listening; by being honest; through speaking up in a professional manner and with consideration of others and by insuring that messages are communicated to all levels of the START program. 
  • Customer Service: by making it all about the people we serve (participants, their family members, school staff and community members and our co-workers); engaging and valuing the other person, through listening, being open-minded, staying flexible and being patient; by maintaining our professional behavior and attitude at all times. 
  • Leadership: through being the example for others to emulate; by teaching others to be leaders; by helping people to develop their strengths; and by stepping back in order to encourage others to lead. 
  • Integrity: by always striving to do the right; by being honest and forthright; and by “walking the talk”- doing what we say and saying what we do. 
  • Teamwork: by working together towards a common goal and cause; through sharing our knowledge and contacts in order to improve the program; by supporting one another and sharing strategies and materials as we work to accomplish the program goals. 
  • Respect: by treating others as we would want to be treated; by respecting confidentiality; by respecting others personal thoughts, opinions and beliefs. 
  • Safety: by providing an emotionally and physically safe environment for the children we serve, our staff and the community 
  • Consistency: by holding each other accountable; ensuring that policies and procedures are followed and programs all align; providing and following clear job responsibilities; by treating others respectfully and professionally and through planned change and updates.

Vision, mission, and general overview

Vision: Sacramento START builds the capacity of people to succeed by providing opportunities to learn and lead within our communities.

Mission: Sacramento START fosters enthusiasm for learning through fun and structured activities in a safe and caring after-school environment.

General Overview: Sacramento START is designed specifically for children in grades TK-6th grade. To ensure consistency in learning, students attend Sacramento START at least three hours a day, five days a week during the school year. The program includes three interrelated components: homework and assistance, enrichment (literacy), and recreation.

Our mission has always included the belief in children. Sacramento START believes that children should be given every opportunity to be successful. Sacramento START fosters enthusiasm for learning by engaging children in fun, literacy-focused activities, in a safe and caring environment. Sacramento START expands the school day and supports the district goals. With our highly-qualified staff and local partners, the experiences we offer and the relationships we build keep students involved. At each of our sites, the program works to support students in all areas of their development by offering a variety of activities that include visual and performing arts, community involvement, physical activity, sports, and nutrition. As well as support in: language arts, reading, math, science, social studies, nutrition, fitness, character development, leadership, mentoring, sports skills, visual and performing arts, dance, and recreation. The quality of our programming goes well beyond what is typically seen in other expanded learning programs. Most importantly, we know that the needs and interests of every school are different. We honor their uniqueness by designing our programs in ways that reflect the priorities of local student populations, site administrators and faculty members. Our approach has paid huge dividends in helping students achieve their potential and districts and schools meet their goals.

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