PORT ANGELES — To help meet a growing demand for after-school care in Port Angeles, William Shore Memorial Pool will launch a new program for elementary school students when the school year begins next month.

The Splash, Play and Active Recreation for Kids (SPARK) Squad program will begin Sept. 5.

It will include swim lessons, homework assistance, arts and crafts, games and sports, and recreation for students in kindergarten through sixth grades.

The program is a partnership between the William Shore Memorial Pool District and the city of Port Angeles, which will provide gym and class space in the Vern Burton Community Center.

Transporation will be provided from all elementary schools in the Port Angeles School District to the William Shore Memorial Pool at 225 E. Fifth St.

SPARK Squad fees will be $16 per day. Scholarship opportunities will be available on a limited basis.

The district began looking for ways to provide an after-school program when a Port Angeles day care center closed its doors earlier this year, district officials said.

“Access to after-school care has reached a critical level and families who work are under extreme pressure to find openings for their children,” Christi Wojnowski, William Shore Memorial Pool aquatic manager and SPARK Squad program manager.

Pool staff and the district’s board of commissioners “decided it was imperative to fill the void so families who work had options for their children besides staying at home,” district officials said in a news release.

Space will be limited in the SPARK Squad program.

“We were wanting to start with 20 [students], but the demand is so great we’re looking at needing to prepare for 50,” Steve Burke, pool district executive director, said in an email.

Swim lessons will be provided for all participants. The district “feels strongly that all kids in our community have access to swim lessons,” officials said.

To reserve space in the program, call 360-417-9767 and ask to speak to a supervisor.

For information on the William Shore Memorial Pool, go to www.william shorepool.org.

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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsula dailynews.com.