Mercer Island

Debe Thomas
Program Director

As a young teen, Debe moved with her family to the State of Washington from the east coast where she was born. She is a graduate of the University of Washington Honors Program, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Spanish. Debe’s passion for learning and her desire to experience other cultures motivated her to spend one of her college years studying abroad in Spain. The year solidified her fluency in Spanish and developed within her an appreciation for cross cultural interactions, both of which shape her lens in her work at Kids Co. Returning to the United States, Debe decided to pursue a career working with children, and she actively sought out a variety of positions within different educational settings to see what might appeal to her most, including managing before-school, after-school, and summer camp programs for the YMCA. In August 2007, her journey brought her to Kids Co. to serve as Program Director for the Mercer Island centers. Debe comes to Kids Co. with a deep and abiding connection to the work of providing quality care for children. Outside of Kids Co., Debe can be found playing with her puppy, rollerblading around Greenlake, and spending time with family and friends. Less

Overview

Ages served: 5 to 12 years old
Before-School Program
After-School Program
Summer Day Camp

Kids Co. on Mercer Island is located on the forested, park-like grounds of two Mercer Island elementary schools: Island Park and Lakeridge. Families whose children attend West Mercer Elementary participate in Kids Co. programs through transportation provided by the Mercer Island School District. Kids Co. offers three programs at its Mercer Island centers: Before-school and after-school care and summer day camp.

Before-School Program

The Island Park and Lakeridge Kids Co. morning programs offer children a safe and friendly environment in which to make the transition from home to school. Offered to children from Kindergarten through 5th grade, Kids Co.’s before-school program is a stable and welcoming foundation that gives families a positive start to their day.

Our professional childcare staff is skilled at creating an environment that supports kids during the morning hours. From a family-style breakfast to individual and group play, Kids Co.’s before-school curriculum is designed to get young minds and bodies ready for the school day ahead.

The morning program curriculum emphasizes free choice and gives kids options. Kids are given time to choose activities that meet their individual interests (e.g., reading, playing games, making arts and crafts, and/or interacting with their friends) and time to participate in group activities facilitated by Kids Co. staff. On days that offer clear skies, kids also have the chance to head outside for a bit of supervised play.

The Kids Co. before-school program aims to help families start the day off on the right foot by providing quality care for children that kids love and parents trust.

Sample Curriculum

After-School Program

Kids Co.’s after-school programming is designed to meet the particular needs kids have during the post-school hours. Under our care, young bodies are refueled with nourishing snacks; given time for self-directed, free-play; and invited to participate in fun group activities, such as cooking, indoor and outdoor games, arts and craft, drama, and science.

Our daily schedules intentionally weave opportunities for children to burn off their ample energy with experiences that help their minds and bodies wind down. We aim to create a stable and enriching after-school environment that supports children no matter how they are feeling on any given day, one that encourages them to build life-long friendships, discover interests and talents, and explore the world at large.

The Kids Co. after-school program also aims to create a safe environment for kids. National studies have found that the single most problematic time of day for children is between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. It is the time of day when kids are most likely to get hurt, to get into trouble, and to establish detrimental life-long patterns, such as excessive television watching, that can lead to chronic health-related problems and low self-esteem.

Kids Co. childcare professionals are caring adults adept at listening to and attending to the emotional, intellectual, physical, and social needs of kids. They are trained in helping children learn how to negotiate personal relationships with others and experts in designing curricula that support kids in the discovery and development of themselves within the context of a supportive community.

Homework Club is offered Monday through Thursday to help kids begin homework assignments within a small group setting under the watchful and supportive guidance of Kids Co. staff. Homework Club accommodates families who desire more free time during their evenings. It also supports children in becoming academically and socially successful by helping them develop active habits of learning.

The Kids Co. after-school program supports and enriches the life of the entire family unit by giving children quality care that parents trust and kids enjoy.

Sample Curriculum

Summer Day Camp

The Kids Co. Summer Day Camp is a voyage in imagination, discover, and simple down-home play that kids are sure to remember for years to come. Offered five days a week, the program is designed to give kids a broad-spectrum summer camp experience tailored to the needs of growing bodies, active minds, and the making of lifelong friends.

Kids can participate from a range of two days a week to all five, depending upon family needs and schedules.

The Summer Day Camp schedule offers a balance of structured activity time with time for unstructured free-play. Each week is inventively and individually themed with activities that are related. Examples of Summer Day Camp week themes include:

Kid Koncoctions (Focus: Mad potions and science)
Walk the Plank (Focus: Pirates and treasure)
Training Camp (Focus: Making friends through games and sports)
CSI M.I. (Focus: Solving mysteries through investigation and analysis)
Tidal Wave (Focus: Water sports)
Reality Island (Focus: Team competitions)
Hogwarts Express (Focus: Secret potions and magic)
Icky Sticky, Ooey, Gooey (Focus: Exploring the senses)
Red Carpet Kids (Focus: Unleashing one’s “inner star”)
Topsy Turvy (Focus: Exploring unexpected phenomena)

Sample Summer Day Camp Curriculum