Community Service Background & Questions
InnerForce
After school, seasonal, and summer program for students ages 6-13 (1st-9th grade)
Extended-day Program, Monday-Friday, 3:00-6:00pm
Summer Program, (2) Four week Programs, Monday-Friday, 7:00am-6:00pm
Services include: Homework Tutor Time, Math, Science and Engineering Program, Science, Language Arts, Chess, Dance, and Music
InnerForce Tots
Early childhood education programs for children ages 0-5
Divided into three segments: Infants, toddlers, and preschool (ages 3-5)
Additional Information
3 sites located in Brooklyn, NY. Bedstuy, Flatbush, and Downtown Brooklyn.
They charge a weekly fee due on every Monday (no set amount; determined on a case by case basis). Have the right to dismiss a child if payment is not received by the Thursday.
They also offer a scholarship to low income families and works on a sliding scale (based on one’s ability to pay).
Questions
In your history, you say you created InnerForce “in response to city wide school closures and overwhelming achievement gaps within New York City’s public schools.” Was there a particular situation in which you witnessed in the NYC public schools that reassured your decision to create InnerForce?
How do the multiple sites communicate and interact with one another? Is there a set system in place?
How are the remaining costs compensated for families who receive the scholarship?
Have you experienced any budget cuts and how has it affected your program?
What is the ratio of students receiving a form of scholarship to students paying full price? Has that affected the organization financially? Has this created a divider between students/parents in the organization?
In the parent partnership agreement, you have a list of responsibilities for parents to agree to. This list ensures the parents participation in the child’s educational development. Have you encountered a situation where a parent didn’t stick to this agreement? How did you handle this?
How has the changing demographics in the neighborhood affect your student/parent base?