Before & After School Care

State licensing requires a minimum caregiver-to-child ratio in our program. For this reason, we request that parents/guardians provide us with a child care schedule each week. This allows us to plan for our staffing needs. 

All schedules must be received the Tuesday prior to the week when child care is needed. Anything after Tuesday you will not be guaranteed a spot.

Schedules can be submitted via hard copy or email ([email protected]). Fillable schedules are available on request. When unexpected child care needs arise, please contact us and we will do our best to accommodate your child, as long as openings are available. Drop-in care is not guaranteed.

Half Days
The Good Time Friends program follows the Allendale Public Schools calendar. When the school district has a half-day session, Good Time Friends will be open from the time school dismisses until 6 p.m. During those half days, a field trip may be scheduled. Sign-up forms will be posted in advance of the event, outlining the activities planned. Permission slips MUST be signed for your child to attend. The additional fees for the planned activity and transportation will be added to the family’s bill. An hourly rate applies for all half days.

School Cancelations & Delays

• IF SCHOOL IS CANCELED BEFORE 6 a.m., Good Time Friends will NOT be in session.
• IF SCHOOL IS CANCELED AFTER 6 a.m. or CANCELED FOLLOWING A DELAY Good Time Friends families need to pick up their child or make arrangements for someone else to pick up their child.
• NOTE: Allendale Public Schools does not transport children home if school is canceled.
• IF SCHOOL IS DELAYED, Good Time Friends will keep children at the elementary school until school begins. (Please see fees below)

FEES DURING DELAYS/CANCELLATIONS
The regular $9 fee will apply until 8:30 a.m.. After 8:30 a.m., there will be an hourly charge of $5.50.

Children must be five (5) years old to enroll in Good Time Friends. To register your child for Good Time Friends, please complete the enrollment forms and submit the $60 per-child registration fee (family cap is $150). The nonrefundable registration fee is used to buy supplies for the program.

2024/2025 Program Fees
Before School (until school begins)
Drop off between 6 a.m.- 8:35 a.m. = $10.00 per child

After School (until 6 p.m. close), if you pick-up at...
3:30-4:30 p.m. | $5.80 per child
4:31-5:00 p.m. | $8.70 per child
5:01-5:30 p.m. | $11.60 per child
5:31-6:00 p.m. | $14.50 per child

Payment Policy
Payment is due the last day of service each week. Good Time Friends accepts cash, check, credit card or online in Procare at myprocare.com (2.5% fee applies with Procare). The Good Time Friends program is eligible to receive payments from Child Development and Care Program (DHS). If payment is not received by 6 p.m. Friday, a $10 late fee will be charged. If a bill is more than two weeks overdue, the child will not be allowed to participate in Good Time Friends until the bill is paid in full. If late payment becomes a pattern, the family may be required to pre-pay for service.

No Show/Cancellation Fee
To cancel child care for morning or afternoon, please contact us by phone (616-892-5579) or by email ([email protected]) at least 12 hours prior to the child’s scheduled time. Failure to notify will result in an additional $10.00 fee per child for each scheduled session that a child misses. Families will not be charged for children who are sick however, families are still required to notify the program of the child’s absence.Failiure to notify the program will result in a $10 fee per child absent.

Late Pick-up Fee
Good Time Friends closes at 6 p.m. Staff must be present until all children and parents have left. After 6 p.m. a late fee of $10 is charged for the first 15 minutes and an additional $10 for every additional 15 minutes following.

Examples:
• Pick-up between 6 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. incurs a $10 late fee.
• Pick-up between 6:16 - 6:30 pm incurs a $20 late fee.

Late fees will be automatically added to weekly bills. Chronic lateness may result in the dismissal of your child from the program.

To Enroll in the Good Time Friends Program
Enrollment forms are available at the Allendale Early Childhood Center, Evergreen and Oakwood schools, as well as on this website. For more information, contact program coordinator Lisa Gross.

An extension of our regular preschool program, Preschool Wrap-around care is offered in the Preschool Wing of the Allendale Early Childhood Center (ECC).

Preschool Wrap-around staff is professionally trained and certified in first aid and CPR. The staff works jointly with all preschool classrooms, using the same curricula to best meet the individual needs of every APS preschooler.

Schedule Options and Fees
 

• Monday through Friday care availability
• Before Preschool 7 a.m. - start of preschool class 
• After Preschool - 6 p.m. care 

Student must be enrolled in an APS preschool classroom and fully potty trained.

For more information, please visit our preschool page!