Tayler Bodio, Director

90 Concord Street, Ashland, MA 01721

Phone: 508-532-8060

The best way to contact the Director is via email, which is monitored constantly throughout the day.  Someone is available by phone from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM during the school year. Summer Break - Send an email, and someone will get back to you ASAP.

MISSION AND VISION

The Ashland Extended Day Program is a self-supporting program offering enrichment experiences to children in Kindergarten through grade 6 who need supervised care when school is not in session. The program is governed by the Ashland Public Schools and a Parent Advisory Board.

    The possibilities for creativity within this program are limitless because, although the program falls under the aegis of the Ashland Public Schools, it is separate and enjoys a great deal of autonomy. The Superintendent of Schools, The Parent Advisory Board, and the parents of the children enrolled all have a great deal of optimism and high expectations for the program. This is an enrichment program, an opportunity for children to be nurtured and to learn to make mature choices while having good after-school fun with their schoolmates.  

    The focus of the Ashland Extended Day Program is not merely to continue the academic school day or to be an elaborate daycare.  The Extended Day Program will strive to help students acquire important decision-making skills by providing numerous activities to choose from without constantly imposing specific activities upon the entire group. These choices will increase in developmentally appropriate increments.

    The Extended Day Program offers unique after-school enrichment services to children and allows them to explore things they may not have the opportunity to do at home or can't do during the school day. Arts and crafts, non-competitive games, sports, storytelling, STEM, thematic units, cooking, music and theater, and field trips are all interwoven to provide the students with a wide variety of enjoyable and stimulating experiences in a warm and caring environment. Time is set aside for children wishing to read, do their homework, or play quietly. In addition, a variety of special clubs and offerings are made available such as ImagArena, Kickball League, Music and Movement, etc. Through such activities, students build up confidence in their skills; instead of feeling, "I can't", we want them to develop an attitude of "I'll try." At the beginning of each year, an effort will be made to determine the interests of the children and have activities that match these interests.

Waitlist Frequently Asked Questions:

When should I add my student to the waitlist?

Students can be added to the waitlist at any time. Once you know your student will need before or after school care, you should consider adding your child to the waitlist. 

When will my student be added to the program?

Students are offered enrollment when a spot becomes available within their specific program. Placement is based on the date a student was added to the waitlist, with priority given to those who have been waiting the longest. Availability at each program is determined by space, staffing, and current student enrollment schedules.

How will I be notified that there is a spot for my student?

Families are notified via email by the Program Director when a spot becomes available. Each family is given a short response window (typically a few business days) to confirm their interest. This timeline allows us to offer the spot to the next student on the waitlist if we do not hear back or if a family chooses to decline.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION for the 2026-2027 School Year

IMPORTANT DATES (approximate)

January 29, 2026 -  APS Parent Information Night - 6:30 PM

January 31, 2026 - Registration for Kindergarten begins with APS

February 2, 2026 - EDP Registration begins. Forms will not be accepted before this date.

February 13, 2026 - Deadline to register

February 15, 2026 onward - Late applications accepted

February 25, 2026 - Lottery drawing

March 2, 2026  - Email confirmation of registration spots sent home this week

March 9, 2026 - Enrollment packets mailed home this week

April 1, 2026 - Deadline to return enrollment packet

Kindergarten Enrollment Application Packets

Kindergarten Registration Frequently Asked Questions:

Will applications be accepted early?

If we receive a form more than a couple of days early, we will not accept it. If it is received a few days earlier, it will be dated as received on the first day registration begins. One reason for not accepting forms early is that we ask for a check with the registration, and we do not want them sitting in our office for additional time. 

Will you accept applications via email?

We do not accept applications via email; they must be mailed or hand-delivered. They must come accompanied by a check or money order as well. Applications should be sent to the David Mindess School C/O EDP. During school hours, you can leave your application and check with the school administrative assistants. Between the hours of 3:00 and 5:30 PM, use the school buzzer system, and someone will come and take the forms from you.

What happens to our check if our child is not accepted into the program?

If your child does not get chosen in the lottery, your check will be returned to you, or we will shred it in our office per your request. If your child receives fewer than the requested days in the lottery, we will ask you to submit a new check for the lesser tuition amount. 

How many spots are available?

We register 20-24 students per day (M-F). The number per school year is based on various factors.

What is the amount of my security deposit check?

The security deposit check should include both the one-time registration fee and one month of tuition. Monthly tuition rates are listed in the registration packet and are broken down by the number of days per week you are requesting. For example, if you want to register for 5 days a week in the afternoon, the check will be in the amount of $475.10.

GRADES 1-6 REGISTRATION for the 2026 - 2027 School Year

IMPORTANT DATES (approximate)

February 23, 2026 - Registration begins for current students. This applies to you if your child is currently enrolled in EDP.

March 6, 2026 - Deadline to register for current students

March 9, 2026 - Late applications accepted

March 16, 2026 - If the program does not fill with current students, spots will be filled with students on the waitlist. Students can be added to the waitlist at any time. 

March 16, 2026 - Enrollment packets go home for students who receive a spot

April 1, 2026 - Deadline to return enrollment packet with the correct security deposit

April 15, 2026 - Security deposits will be sent out for bank deposit

Grades 1-6 Registration Frequently Asked Questions:

Is my current schedule guaranteed?

If we receive your enrollment application before the deadline, you may keep your current schedule. If your enrollment application is received after the deadline, you are not guaranteed to keep your current spots. 

How do I increase my child's schedule?

Requests for additional days are subject to space availability. Increases in days are considered after the current waitlist has been exhausted and are prioritized in the following order: students increasing to five days per week, then four days, and so on. Requests that include Breakfast Bunch will receive additional priority.

If your student is not currently on the waitlist for an additional day, it is unlikely that the request can be accommodated during the current school year.

"Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name,

And they're always glad you came…."

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

MONTHLY TUITION RATES

EDP BLOG 

BUILDWAVE IMPACT VIDEO 

30th Anniversary Photos