A partnership with the YMCA in Gastonia, Belmont and Cherryville

After-school childcare is available at 31 elementary and seven middle schools through a partnership with the YMCA Prime Time Program.  Programs are directed by the Central Branch YMCA in Gastonia, the Stowe Branch YMCA in Belmont and the Cherryville Branch YMCA.

The Central Branch YMCA directs after-school childcare for 20 schools.  Programs at W. A. Bess, Bessemer City Central (Bessemer City Primary students served at the Bessemer City Central site), Brookside, Carr, Chapel Grove, Costner, Gardner Park, Lingerfeldt, Lowell, Robinson and Sherwood are directed at the school site.  Students are picked up and taken to the Central Branch YMCA from Forest Heights, H. H. Beam, Pleasant Ridge, Rhyne, Sadler, Woodhill, Grier Middle and York Chester Middle.

The Stowe Branch YMCA is responsible for after-school programs at the following schools: Kiser (Springfield students bused to the Kiser site), Belmont Central, New Hope, North Belmont, Page, Pinewood, Mount Holly Middle, Belmont Middle, Cramerton and Holbrook.  Students from Belmont Central, Catawba Heights, Ida Rankin and McAdenville are picked up and taken to the Stowe Branch YMCA.

The Cherryville Branch YMCA directs the after-school programs at Cherryville Elementary and Tryon Elementary.  Students at Beam Intermediate and Chavis Middle are bused to the Cherryville Elementary site.

YMCA staff member Paula Morgan directs the after-school childcare program for the Central Branch YMCA, Monica Lileton coordinates the program in Belmont and Josh Collins oversees the program in Cherryville.  The program is offered from the time school is dismissed until 6:00 p.m.  On teacher workdays, the program runs from 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.