FAQs
Q: Who can join SUN School classes at Buckman?
A: In the fall and winter terms, our classes are open to Buckman students in the 1st-5th grades. In the spring term, we open some classes up to kindergartners. Classes are only open to Buckman students. All students are required to follow SUN guidelines and expectations. If they cannot follow them safely, responsibly, respectfully or kindly, SUN has the right to dismiss them from all SUN classes.
Q: How does my child join SUN?
A: A few weeks before each term, SUN will distribute catalogs and registration forms via this website, through teacher newsletters, and through our SUN email list. We begin with our Early Bird Registration, then open general registration online.
Q: Why does it cost money to attend SUN School?
A: As a non-Title-1 School, our SUN program only receives minimal funding from Multnomah County. Your program fees pay for all of our class supplies, our Extended Day Coordinator's wages and benefits, instructor wages and benefits, some of our event materials, and even snacks for our students who experience food insecurity at home. If you are unable to pay the full class fee, you can talk to the SUN Site Manager about getting full or partial financial assistance.
Q: Who is eligible for Early Bird (priority) Registration?
A: New this year, students who are new to Buckman and/or students of color are part of our early bird/priority registration and are able to request classes before other students. In addition, if you are a family that needs financial assistance for your student to participate in SUN school, you are also eligible for early bird registration.
Q: I submitted early registration, why didn't my student get all the classes we requested?
A: We have so many more students who want to participate than we have class spaces for! We do our best to ensure that each student gets at least one class, but we do not have space for all students to get every class.
Q: If there is such high demand, why can't you expand program capacity?
A: The support staff for the program is only the SUN Manager and the Extended Day Coordinator! We have to be in 3 places at once most afternoons, so we are unable to offer support for more programming than we already have. We want our students to receive the attention in SUN School that they need and deserve, and that requires that we keep our program small.
Q: Do you have suggestions for where I can find childcare if I can't get into SUN?
A: If you are looking for daily care for your student after school lets out, here are some options worth exploring: