Community Education and Recreation: Contact Us

From
Jenna Bacolor, Director

Community Education and Recreation

Ms. Jenna Bacolor comes to Rec&Ed after a sixteen year career at Washtenaw County Public Health. Ms. Bacolor is excited to join the Rec&Ed team with its rich history of providing high quality programs to the community.

Welcome to the Rec&Ed Website, and to many exciting recreation opportunities. Nicknamed “Rec&Ed”, we are a department of the Ann Arbor Public Schools celebrating the lifelong nature of learning and recreation.
We Create Community! through opportunities for active recreation, citizen involvement, non-credit courses, and collaborations with other community organizations.

·We serve residents of the community from birth through senior adulthood with a myriad of programs and activities.
·We use both Ann Arbor Public School and City of Ann Arbor facilities, bringing programs close to your neighborhood.
·We have a generous scholarship program, which gives access to low-income residents.
·We provide accommodations that support differently-abled children and adults in their participation.
·We strive to serve one and all, in fulfillment of our mission: To enhance the quality of life for our community through recreation & education

MAJOR DIVISIONS

League and Team Sports for both youth and adults such as soccer, basketball, baseball

LifeLong Learning including Cultural Arts such as art, music, dance, drama, Instructional Sports Programs such as swim lessons, tennis lessons, fitness classes, and Enrichment including topics such as languages, parenting, handicrafts, self-improvement, cooking, and finance for adults, plus after-school classes for students

School Age Child Care operating before and after school at the elementary schools

Tuition Preschool fee-based program for children who are age 4

First Steps-Washtenaw (Ann Arbor) & Early On Program for families with children from birth through age 5

FUNDING
Although for nearly 50 years Rec&Ed was funded through the schools and the city, currently support for our department comes mainly from program fees and donations. We wouldn’t exist, however, without the “in-kind” help we receive from both the Ann Arbor Public Schools and the City of Ann Arbor. They are what make us a public institution.

CITIZEN INPUT
Community Education is a philosophy that public schools can and should be used by all members of the community beyond the normal school day and year-round. It is a philosophy of citizen involvement, where programs are developed and provided based on what is needed in each community.

The Recreation Advisory Commission (RAC) is a 12-member citizens group, appointed jointly by the Ann Arbor Board of Education and the Ann Arbor City Council to advise them and the department staff. Through citizen input over the years, our offerings have increased and changed to reflect the interests and needs of our participants. Opportunities for feedback, ideas, and suggestions are provided to all program participants. Citizens who have something to say to us can contact a RAC member, call or email a staff member, or fill out a comment card in our office lobby. Every program we operate is because people voiced a desire to see it offered.

PROGRAM INFORMATION
We publish a course catalog four times per year, and mail it to the homes of everyone living in the Ann Arbor Public School district. Our catalog and registration forms are available at Ann Arbor Schools and libraries. We have a separate mailing for each of the youth team sports, maintain a mailing list from past participants, along with anyone requesting to be added to the list. Some of our programs get advertised through “backpack mail” with school children.

HOW TO GET THE PROGRAM YOU WANT
1.   Look for the catalog or brochure in your mailbox or on-line
2.   Sign up before the registration deadline – we accept mail-in, drop box, and internet
3.   Be persistent! Some of our popular programs do fill to capacity quite quickly. If this happens, we put you on a waiting list. Often we are able to arrange additional sections, or offer alternatives that may work for you.
4.   If you are interested in a scholarship, apply for the scholarship now. Once approved, your approval lasts for a year. Public housing residents in Ann Arbor are automatically eligible for Rec&Ed scholarships, so just ask.