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We love Alameda Arts - it is the only program (in school, outside of school, athletic, arts, camps, etc) that our daughter absolutely 100% adores. My one request/suggestion is that it would be GREAT if the after school care (and camp) went until 6pm. For parents who commute to the city or other parts of the Bay Area, it is nearly impossible to get back to school by 5:30. If we could just extend the program by 30 minutes, it would be a lifesaver. And I'd obviously be happy to pay accordingly. Otherwise, we love this program and everything it offers to our child by way of support, care, enrichment and FUN. Thank you Hazel & Kate!!!

We are so happy with Alameda Arts! The flexibility for the kids to take other after-school enrichment programs throughout the year and knowing that my daughter can move to/from Alameda Arts to those classes so seamlessly is great!

It's been wonderful for our family and has exposed our kids to lots of art that they wouldn't have otherwise. Only suggestion is to have a quiet place for kids to do homework if they don't feel like doing the art project.

The program at Paden is successful Kate Meade's inimitable talent, kindness, and patience. I can't imagine anyone doing it anywhere close to this well.

The kids are constantly doing fun and interesting things. Kate is very flexible-the kids love her.

This program was an instrument to helping me and my daughter improve our relationship. She has a big sense of pride in all the projects she does and LOVES the environment; often doesn't even want to leave for the day...best thing that happened to our family unit this year. Thank you!!!

Kate Meade is like a second mother to my daughter, Alexandra. This program has been the best thing ever for Alexandra, and she wants to attend the program year round. We book the entire summer with Alameda Arts, too.

I feel so lucky to have this program. It is fantastic and everything we would want!

This is child's first year and I just notice her thriving and soaking in the various art projects and techniques offered. She adores Hazel and you can tell that Hazel cares about each and every one of the students like her own.

Hazel and Kate have done an amazing job of creating this wonderful program for our kids. They are supportive, kind, funny, energetic and really have the kids' best interests at heart. The projects in the class are so varied, yet remain fun and engaging and never seem to be forced onto the kids. Project time is balanced with outside free time to give the kids a break and let them be wild - this is after school, after all, and they are done being instructed. I recommend Alameda Arts to anyone I know with kids in Maya Lin and Paden!

Alameda Arts has been an incredible resource for my daughter and I. As a working parent of a TK aged child, I found there to be very limited options for affordable after school care that worked with our schedules. I'd have been pleased with the program if only for that reason, but it has been incredible for so many more. My daughter has loved being a part of Ms. Kate's class this year and I have felt 100% confident in my decision to have her attend. I've seen her blossom and become more independent and social, and her interest in art and creating has increased so much during this last year. I thank the Alameda Arts program for that.

I feel that my daughter's time at Alameda Arts has really been good for her creative mind. She can be very rigid and easily frustrated if things aren't "perfect". Hazel has shown her the "beautiful oops" and how to deal when things don't go as initially planned. There's coping skills that art integration provides, and I feel like my daughter's problem solving abilities have been improved by attending Alameda Arts. We didn't "win" the lottery to be in the program for the first part of 3rd grade, but we were graciously accepted for the final quarter and she is a happier child because of it. Homework time/assistance would be an amazing addition to this already extremely enriching program; but honestly we would still attend even if that wasn't part of the deal.

Yes, the first year, there was too much sugar in the snacks, we complained & Hazel changed snacks, now my children love bean soup. She also always seems to have a group of boys who weren't so into art, she had them make sports pinnys so they could play kickball in style. A great example of how she engages everyone. She is so smart about discipline, doesn't just yell, but follows thru and gives consequences, she connects personally with the kids so they respect her.

I love the convenience and reliability of AA. Miss Kate is fab! I would, however, like to see the AA space cleaned up, it's messy and my child has complained about it. If that requires volunteer help, I'm all for signing up.

We truly love this program! We are fortunate to have this program at Maya Lin. My daughter has the most positive views about school due to AAP. She says she never wants to leave AAP and she loves school! We are truly thankful. Structure H.W. as an option could be good, but i don't find it necessary, as i enjoy that time with my daughter at the end of the day.

Both of our children went to a Reggio-Emilia preschool where the child is considered the navigator of the learning experience, with teachers and the environment supporting their various interests and allowing creativity to soar and allow them to develop all their intelligences (re Howard Gardiner's Multiple Intelligence paradigm). We love this approach, and if there were a Reggio Emilia school in Alameda we would strongly consider sending our children there. Alameda Arts is the next best thing for us, and we consider our children's experience there to be just as important to their overall education and thriving childhood as the academics of school. The fact that in Alameda Arts they can choose how to engage with the materials, forge friendships with children across grades and other lines (cultural, gender, etc), get the loving attention and support from staff to help them work out issues that arise (like how to settle disputes, how to problem solve, how to learn what is appropriate or inappropriate behavior for a social setting, how to engage their creativity in all aspects of life), and have a ton of fun every day...we could not be happier. Some concerns we have are that a) the cost will become prohibitive, b) the way enrollment is handled may mean we could possibly be shut out from this program that has meant so much in our family's life...that would be tragic, and yet it isn't clear to us how we can prevent that from being a possibility, cost issues aside, and c) that regulations dictated "from above" will limit the freedom and creativity of the staff to design a program that so well meets so many family's needs. We also wish it went til 6 p.m. every day, to better accommodate the needs of working families. We are huge fans and supporters of Alameda Arts and hope it will be around, and well supported by the powers that be, for many years to come. We also hope we can continue to participate and wont be shut out by a random lottery. THANK YOU for this huge gift.

We've been at Maya Lin since kindergarten, and tried out the Leaps program first, because of the low cost. But we found that the children were not well-supervised, not treated fairly, and were not supported or encouraged in their activities. We entered Alameda Arts as soon as we could, and noticed a marked difference in our daughter's energy level and mood after school, the improvement in her social skills, and a broadening of our circle within the Maya Lin community. The art projects are fun and engage crucial parts of young minds, and assist in developing creativity and teamwork. Hazel and her team are the most emotionally intelligent crew I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Alameda Arts is the highlight of what have been extremely challenging second and third grade years for us at Maya Lin, and without Alameda Arts, our child would certainly not have dealt with these challenges as well as she has. The Maya Lin community is extremely lucky to have this as an after-school option for its students.

Dylan has tried several after school enrichment programs, but none of them have even come close to how much he enjoys Alameda Arts. Kate is a godsend!

Alameda Arts has been a life saver for us. My daughter has thrived from her experience. She can tend to be a bit closed but when she's at the arts she opens up and laughs, plays, creates and learns. I don't know where we would be without Alameda Arts.

I love how Alameda Arts is so adaptable for each child's interest. Participation is never forced or required. Flexibility with schedules and special situations is always cheerfully handled. Alameda Arts has been a perfect fit for my child.

I love this program. I only wish that the food that they have access to was higher quality ( i.e. non-processed, or if processed no sugar or sugar like ingredients). I really love it when there's fruit, etc. Thank you for the program you already have, it's wonderful!

My child loves Arts! She is enthusiastic about the program and the teachers. There is no other after school program that compares in enrichment, creativity, and structure.

I just want Ms Kate to know how much we appreciate her every day. I know as a teacher to my TK daughter is not an easy task .Thank you for teaching my daughter what she needs to know at her young age. You are amazing Ms Kate! Thank you. You will be missed.

Incredibly enriching and woderful. It has made a huge positive difference in out daughters life. We areally extremely grateful to be part of it

Alameda Arts has been an absolutely fantastic experience for us. Our daughter gets support doing her homework and gets to do fun art projects I don't have room to do at home. We LOVE it. Kate is one of our favorite people in the world! She has saved me literally hours of worry by being a caring, creative, responsible, supportive caretaker/teacher! Thank you.

Alameda Arts is a prime motivator for us staying at Paden - our son just loves the program, and he normally hates art (but Ms. Kate has found a way to make him less afraid to create when he knows it won't be "perfect")