Academics
Lower School | PreK–Gr. 5

After School Programs

Shipley Lower School offers two distinct after school programs: Encore Clubs and Later Gator. 
 
Encore Clubs offer opportunities for learning and discovering new passions beyond the typical school day. A rich array of developmentally-appropriate clubs is offered to students in preschool through Grade 5. 

Later Gator aftercare program provides a safe setting where students can play, do homework, and spend time with friends under the supervision of a caring staff.
Later Gator provides a safe setting where students can play, do homework, and spend time with friends under the supervision of a caring staff. On In-Service and Conference Days, Later Gator will be offered from 8:00 am – 3:00 pm. Later Gator offers advanced registration or drop-in service, and students can join Later Gator after attending an Encore Club. 

Sample Schedule
3:00-3:15 pm Snack
3:15-4:30 pm Outdoor Play/Gym 
4:30-5:00 pm Homework/Quiet Activities
5:00-5:15 pm Snack
5:15-5:50 pm Arts & Crafts, Games, Puzzles

List of 7 items.

  • Cost

    • Drop-In Service - $13/hr, one-hour minimum
    • Year - $3,600
    • Semester - $1,800
    • Month - $475
    Shipley also offers childcare on Conference and In-Service Days, as well as during Early Dismissal PD Fridays. Cost includes care until 3:00 pm, regular Later Gator fees apply after that.
    • Conference Days/In Service Days - $68.25
    • Early Dismissal Half Day Care (Until 3:00 pm) - $15/1 child, $20/2+ children

  • Hours

    All Regular School Days, 3:00 – 5:50 pm

    In-Service & Conference Days , 8:00 am – 3:00 pm

    Early Dismissal PD Fridays, 1:00 - 3:00 pm
    (Regular Later Gator Aftercare is available from 3:00 - 5:50 pm)

  • Drop-In Service

    Children may use our drop-in service on any given day. Families are responsible for paying on the same day that they use Later Gator.

  • How to Enroll

    If you wish to enroll your child in Later Gator for the full year, semester or a full month, please fill out the registration form. A completed form is required before your child can attend.

  • Attendance

    Attendance is taken daily at Later Gator between 3:00 and 3:10 pm, verifying changes such as absences and drop-ins. For safety reasons, children must be signed out when they are picked up. If there are any changes in pick-up or attendance, please notify the Lower School office at 610-527-6851.

  • Conduct

    Later Gator and the Encore Clubs are an extension of the Shipley Lower School. Therefore, students are expected to conduct themselves as they would during the regular school day. In addition to rules for safety and following directions, our primary expectation is for the children to treat others the way they want to be treated. Children who cannot follow these rules or who have other disciplinary issues may be restricted from participating in Later Gator and the Encore Clubs.

  • Late Pick-Up Policy

    Once the program ends at 5:50 pm, a 10-minute grace period is allowed, during which time no late fee is applied. After 6:00 pm, late fees apply and should be paid to the attending teacher at the time of pick-up. The charge is $30 for the first fifteen-minute interval (up to 6:15 pm). A $50 charge will be applied for pickups later than 6:15 pm, with no exceptions.
Encore Clubs offer opportunities for learning and discovering new passions beyond the typical school day. A rich array of developmentally appropriate clubs is offered to students in preschool through Grade 5. Clubs meet weekly and are offered Monday-Friday. Students are picked up from classrooms and provided a snack before clubs begin. There are three sessions during the year, fall, winter, and spring.

Time: Clubs run from 3:15-4:15 p.m.

Cost: The registration fee for all clubs is $200 per session. Please see the registration form for specific pricing information.

Fall 2024 Clubs

List of 6 items.

  • Schedule

    Mondays
    Tuesdays
    Wedensdays
    Thursdays
    Fridays
    9/9
    9/10
    9/11
    9/12
    9/13
    9/16
    9/17
    9/18
    9/19
    9/20
    9/23
    9/24
    9/25
    9/26
    9/27
    9/30
    10/1
    10/2
    Rosh Hashanah
    10/4
    10/7
    10/8
    10/9
    10/10
    Early Dismissal
    Fall Break
    In-Service Day
    10/16
    10/17
    10/18
    10/21
    10/22
    10/23
    10/24
    10/25
    10/28
    10/29
    10/30
    10/31
    11/1
    11/4
    11/5
    11/6
    11/7
    11/8
    11/11
    11/12
    Over
    11/14
    11/15

  • Mondays

    Recycled Fashion Club (Grades 3-5): Ms. Clinkscales
    Students will explore, discuss, and practice various art-making techniques to create wearable art using recycled materials. From bags, hats, clothing, and more, each project will involve creative problem-solving and exploration with sustainable and recycled fashion practices. Each student will display their finished product(s) at the Spring Arts Night exhibition.

    Soccer Stars (Grades PreK-2, MAX 20 with two coaches) - Soccer Stars’ unique curriculum will introduce your child to the game of SOCCER! We focus on teaching the FUNdamentals in a creative manner so kids can have FUN while learning at the same time. Our classes will have a lesson and theme each week. Kids will learn individual skills such as juggling and shooting along with team building. Our classes include warm-ups, stretches, skill building, partner skill building, teamwork, and scrimmages. 

  • Tuesdays

    Adventures in STEM with LEGO Materials (Grades K-2): Play-Well TEKnologies
    Let your imagination run wild with tens of thousands of LEGO parts! Build engineer-designed projects and use special pieces to create your own unique designs! Projects are rotated seasonally to ensure that both new and returning students can explore the endless possibilities of the LEGO building system.

    Sewing and Crafts (Grades 2-5, MAX 14): Ms. Leschinsky
    A typical afternoon in Sewing Club consists of a lot of sewing and a lot of fun! We will learn how to hand sew and then apply what we’ve learned to make fabulous projects.

    Sports Card Club (Grades 3-5, MAX 18): Mr. Wareikis
    Join Shipley’s sports card trading club. Come share some of your sports card collection and have fun trading! The club will include tips for trading, how to look up value cards with a database, organization and overall care, the different types of grading services, and a whole bunch more! While our focus will mainly be with sports cards, trading card games similar to Magic and Pokemon will be an option if there is enough interest.

  • Wednesdays

    Homework Help/Enrichment Activities (Grades K-2): Ms. Sklow
    Students will be given individual guidance while completing homework assignments and/or enrichment activities to support their learning in reading and math. Activities will be specific to each student and in alignment with grade level curriculum.  

    Gator Gallopers Running Club (Grades 3-5): Ms. Taylor
    The Gator Gallopers Running Club is open to all who love to stay active! This club is designed to instill a love for running through games, running specific drills, form technique, relay races, and more! Participants will also learn about the sport of Cross Country, which is a fall sport offered in the middle and upper school grades! Coach Viscardo will be present for a few of the sessions!!

    Tennis (Grades 2-5, MAX 8): Mr. Caddle

  • Thursdays

    Amazing Athletes - Sports Discovery (Grades 1-3, MAX 14)
    In this multi-sport program kids will explore, learn, and play different sports. Some of the sports included will be Volleyball, Basketball, & Hockey! Over 9 weeks, we will empower your kids to discover their inner athlete and love of sport!

    STEM Explorations with LEGO Materials (Grades 3-5): Play-Well TEKnologies
    Master your engineering skills with Play-Well TEKnologies and tens of thousands of LEGO parts! Apply real-world concepts in physics, engineering, and architecture through engineer-designed projects. Projects are rotated seasonally to ensure that even returning students get a new experience, so join us to design and build as never before and explore your craziest ideas.

    Young Rembrandts (Grades PreK-5)
    What do sassy bunnies, a scarecrow, Van Gogh and silly cow expressions have in common? They are all subjects of our fun Young Rembrandts fall lessons! Our students will draw and color a new lesson every week, every session under the step by step guidance provided by our amazing staff. Don't let your child miss out- sign them up for our club and watch their artistic abilities improve!

  • Fridays

    Bombardment (Grades 4-5): Mrs. Early/Mr. Kellett 

    Shining Knights Chess (Grades K-5): Coach Conrad
    Whether you are new to the game, learning to push pawns for the first time, or have played in numerous tournaments and want to sharpen your skills, come to Shining Knights Chess Club! We have trained numerous state champions and national trophy winners. We have trained even more kids to enjoy the game so that they can spend hours playing with friends and family. So, whether you want to win games in your living room against your parents or win tournaments in other states, come join us and learn how to play chess or play better chess!
814 Yarrow Street
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

Phone: 610-525-4300
Fax: 610-525-5082
The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.