Youth Services – Beyond the Bell

The Beyond the Bell (BTB) Branch Youth Services (YS) Section provides after school supervision on our play yard for children in grades 1-5. Kindergarteners are not allowed on the central play yard after school without their guardians. Trained supervisors plan and conduct the program each day after school for children at nearly all Los Angeles Unified School District elementary and middle schools. This program is provided free-of-charge to participants.

The program operates from the time of school dismissal until 6pm to better meet the recreational and supervision needs of children, as well as those of working parents. Additionally, expanded program hours may be provided on minimum and shortened days to provide safe and supervised activities. At Sherman Oaks Elementary, YS operates an extended and expanded 4- to 6-week program during the summer months.

Youth Services provides wholesome, supervised recreational and enrichment activities in our safe neighborhood environment. The program emphasizes recreational play that develops basic movement skills, strong and healthy bodies, teamwork, sportsmanship, cooperative social skills and activities that reinforce the skills learned in the regular instructional program. In addition, the tenets and teaching model of the national CHARACTER COUNTS! program are implemented to instill and reinforce the back-to-basics effort to build good character in our youth.

The Youth Services Program is a permissive program where participants arrive and leave at their own discretion and of their own volition. All participants must conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with the rules of the school and playground. The daily program may include various sport and game activities, including:

• Basketball
• Kickball
• Softball
• Soccer
• Handball
• Flag Football
• Volleyball
• Table Games
• Board Games
• Intramural Tournaments
• Drill Team
• Arts and Crafts

Excursions to beaches, water parks, amusement parks, museums, and special events are also planned throughout the year.

In addition to the daily program, weekend regional sports tournaments in various activities are regularly organized and conducted to provide opportunities for supervised, inter-playground competition.

Please visit our Sports Section in the Athletics tab for more information on these inter-scholastic competitions run through the BTB/YS programs. Sherman Oaks Elementary is a perennial top competitor in flag football, basketball, track and field, and softball.