Schools commonly make mistakes when running after school enrichment programs. They include: not having an online registration system which leads to more time spent managing forms and rosters; poor marketing so parents don't know about class options; lacking clear program policies; and offering the same classes repeatedly without variety. Other mistakes are having classes open to too wide of an age range which hinders learning; providing too many signup options which causes confusion; allowing drop-ins which disrupt classes; and failing to communicate with parents about their children's progress. Setting up efficient registration, clear policies, varied class options, and parent communication can help schools run stronger after school programs.

1. After School Enrichment Mistakes
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No Online Registration
Schools report low registration along with difficulty in managing forms, waivers
and rosters – requiring them to spend more hours each week managing the
program.
Poor Marketing
A big mistake some schools make is thinking that parents and students
automatically know about the after school classes.
No program policies
Having no program policies or even vague ones can be a disaster. Setting up
good policies will be the backbone of your program.
Never Change Classes
Eventually, running the same after school classes session after session will
catch up with you. Kids and parents want variety and won’t be happy if they
don’t get it.
Classes Open To All Grades
Too big of age gapes lead to classes that are more about crowd control than
enrichment. There are too many developmental milestones between the
younger grades to lump them all together.
Multiple Signup Options
Too many options lead to disorder and a lack of decision. Compare it to a
restaurant that has too many options… you end up not getting anything, and if
you do, you can be sure the kitchen is a nightmare.
Allow drop-ins
Drop-ins tend to be disruptive to classes for both students and instructors.
Students that are required to register before trying a class are over 90% likely
to stay in the class.
Never Talk To Parents
It may be after school, but parents still want to hear how their children are
doing. Not talking to parents can present a whole bunch of issues – all of
which can be easily avoided with an email every now and then.