This page provides a quick introduction to LEAP. For more detailed information, please read the LEAP Parent Handbook.

What is LEAP?

The Lincoln Extended-day Activities Program, Inc. (LEAP) is an after-school program on the campus of the Lincoln School in Lincoln, Mass., where students can play outside, do their homework, go on field trips, work on creative projects, and just hang out in a group setting under the supervision of a professional staff.

LEAP was established in 1981 by a group of Lincoln parents who needed safe and dependable after-school care for their children. The program began in a single room with a part-time director and a handful of students. Today, LEAP has dedicated space in Hartwell Pod C with full-time directors and more than a dozen full-time and part-time staff members, and the program serves more than 100 children.

LEAP is open every weekday from school dismissal until 6 p.m. for children in kindergarten through eighth grade when school is in session. Staff members from LEAP walk children who are in grades K-5 in a group from the Smith building to LEAP, which is located in Hartwell pod C across the ballfield. Older children may walk to LEAP by themselves.

LEAP’s on-campus location allows the program to take full advantage of the Lincoln School playgrounds and athletic fields. Children are escorted to any activity that takes place on campus, including Recreation Department activities, sports, music lessons, play rehearsals, Scout meetings, and language classes.

Mission and philosophy

LEAP’s mission is to provide the children of working parents with a nurturing after-school program that offers diverse opportunities for enrichment, exploration, and  development of social skills. Our philosophy is to contribute to the social and emotional development of the children through a recreational focus. Self-confidence, self-respect, and self-expression are encouraged as are responsibility, decision-making, respect for others and for the program’s materials. Through structured recreational activities and free choice activities, there are opportunities for socializing, unwinding and releasing energy, as well as time for doing homework. All activities are tailored to each child’s age, personality and skill levels.

Management

LEAP is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care and is a self-supporting non-profit organization, independent from both the public school system and the Lincoln Recreation Department. It is managed by director Kathryn Hawkins (see our staff page). They report to a parent-comprised board of directors who oversee the program.

Parent volunteers are welcome to join the board or serve on committees where they can offer expertise in areas such as technology, fundraising, finance or human resources. Any parent interested in joining the board should call Julie Graves, board president, at 781-259-0615. The board roster is as follows:

Who may participate in LEAP?

LEAP is open to all students enrolled in the Lincoln School or who are residents of Lincoln. LEAP does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, cultural heritage, political beliefs, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status.

Enrollment may be limited on certain days of the week. If limitation is required, a waiting list will be established. Priority is given to children already enrolled in LEAP and to those families who need the program every day.

To enroll your child, see our Forms and Handbook page for our LEAP Parent Handbook and registration packet. You must fill out and sign the forms as well as the last page of the handbook and pay the registration fee before your child may enroll.

Billing and payment

See our Rates and Billing page for more information.

Absences

If your child will not be at LEAP on a scheduled day, please email LEAP or call and leave a message as soon as possible. Daily attendance sheets from the school may tell us if your child is absent from school, but if your child is (a) not absent from school and (b) does not arrive at LEAP as expected, we will make phone calls to ascertain the child’s whereabout and you will be charged a $25 search fee.