Joyful Horizons After School
Quick Facts:
Grades: 4th–6th
Limited to 8 children
2 staff (4:1 ratio)
Monday–Thursday, 3:00–5:30 PM (begins August 26, 2026)
Early release Wednesdays: 1:00–4:00 PM
$190/week
Follows MMUUSD calendar
Bus transportation available from CHMS, RES, JES
Located at 20 Church Street, Richmond
Joyful Horizons is a small, relationship-centered afterschool program for curious, creative 4th-6th graders. It is an intentionally designed program where children are both deeply supported and actively invited into their own learning process.
At the heart of this program is a simple but powerful belief:
Children learn best when they feel safe, seen, and are valued as decision-makers in their own learning.
After a full academic day, many children need something different than more structure or more stimulation. They need a place that responds to who they are in that moment. Some days that means movement and collaboration; other days it means quiet, creativity, or simply being near trusted adults.
Joyful Horizons is a carefully facilitated environment where children’s ideas, energy, and needs help shape the direction of our time together, while experienced educators help turn those sparks into meaningful experiences.
A Flexible, Responsive Structure
At the heart of this program is a flexible, responsive structure. With two staff members and a small group, we are able to support multiple parallel experiences at once.
While some children are collaborating on a project, others may be drawing, reading, building, or engaging in quieter independent work. On other days, the group may come together around a shared experience such as cooking, conducting science experiments, or immersive imaginative play.
Each afternoon blends:
child-led exploration
adult-guided facilitation
independence and collaboration
creativity, movement, and rest
This flexibility allows children to engage deeply without the pressure of constantly transitioning from one activity to the next.
One of my greatest strengths as an educator is helping children take their ideas seriously.
When a child says,
“Jessie, I have an idea,”
my response is as often as possible:
“Yes! Let’s figure out how to make that happen.”
Together, we turn sparks of curiosity into something real: a project, a game, a performance, an invention, a story, or an imaginary world.
That might look like:
building a play from scratch and performing it
constructing snow forts, fairy worlds, or elaborate imaginary landscapes
designing and filming a short movie
running science experiments sparked by real curiosity
cooking together and learning through real-world tasks
immersive storytelling and role-play worlds (including D&D-style games)
long, unhurried creative projects that evolve over multiple days or weeks
A Calm Transition After the School Day
We balance creative exploration with grounding routines that help children regulate and transition after a full school day.
This includes:
snack time
time outdoors at Volunteer’s Green (playground, trails, fields)
a weekly walk to the library for book choice and quiet reading time
space for rest, solitude, or movement depending on what each child needs
a calm transition from school to home
Children are supported in learning to notice their own internal signals — energy, overwhelm, excitement, or need for space — and to build skills for navigating those feelings within a group setting.
Learning to Live and Work Together
We intentionally support the development of group skills: communication, shared agreements, collaboration, problem-solving, and repairing conflict when it arises.
These moments are not rushed or pushed aside; they are part of the learning. When something takes time to work through, we take the time.
Children learn how to navigate relationships, advocate for themselves, listen to others, and participate meaningfully in a community.
Who Thrives at Joyful Horizons?
Joyful Horizons is a strong fit for children who benefit from:
time to engage deeply in interests and projects
a balance of independence and collaboration
meaningful relationships with trusted adults in a small group
autonomy and choice within a supportive structure
a flexible environment that adjusts to the group’s needs
opportunities to practice kindness, communication, and problem-solving in real time
This program is designed for children who thrive when they are given space to explore, create, connect, and follow their curiosity without being rushed from one activity to the next.
Joyful Horizons prioritizes depth over speed, relationship over compliance, and meaningful engagement over busyness.
With over 15 years of experience as an educator, head teacher, and program designer, I specialize in creating environments where children thrive: not by being “managed,” but by being understood, guided, and engaged.
Joyful Horizons is intentionally small. In a group of just 8 children with 2 staff, each child is deeply known. This allows for genuine relationships, flexible support, and the kind of responsive teaching that simply isn’t possible in larger programs.
Enrollment and Group Composition
As an intentional program, we have a limited number of spots. I thoughtfully build a balanced group so the environment is supportive, engaging, and sustainable for all children involved.
If you are interested in enrolling, please fill out the enrollment form. It includes questions about your child’s strengths, interests, needs, energy level, and what helps them feel successful in group settings.
This process helps ensure that Joyful Horizons is a good fit for your child and also helps me thoughtfully shape the overall group.
I pay close attention to:
a mix of ages
group energy levels and social dynamics
interests and learning styles
Enrollment Timeline
1st round enrollment opens: Wednesday, May 27, 2026
1st round enrollment closes: Thursday, June 4, 2026
Families notified of enrollment or waitlist status: Sunday, June 7, 2026
If spaces remain available, rolling enrollment will continue after June 7.
Questions? Reach out!
FAQs
Can we enroll for only certain days or do we have to attend all four days each week? Can I enroll for the full year?
1
We are open to having different students attend different days, as long as we are able to balance it. For example, if one family needed Mondays and Wednesdays and another family needed Tuesdays and Thursdays, we could enroll both of those families. Priority is given to families who are enrolling for all four days.
Yes, enrollment is for the full school year.
What about early release Wednesdays? Are there days there is no program?
2
We will have the program from 1pm - 4pm on early release Wednesdays. It will be an extended time of three hours, but the cost is the same.
We will follow the MMUUSD calendar, so there will be no program on school vacations or snow days.
Are snacks provided?
3
We encourage families to pack snacks for their children as you know what they will eat and enjoy. However, we always have extra food on hand so no child ever has to feel hungry. We are a nut-free program.
Why does the program begin at 3 if school gets out at 2:45? Can I pick my child up before 5:30?
4
The local bus drops students off at Joyful Horizons at 3pm and so that is when the program begins.
You can pick your child up early whenever needed. We will use the app Remind where you are able to text to let us know about early pick ups or any other needs.