The After School Enrichment Program is back!
We're thrilled to bring ASEP back -- it gives students at all grade levels the opportunity to enjoy physically and/or mentally enriching activities after school!
The registration deadline is February 17, 2026
Classes run from 2:20 until 3:20 p.m. at Hillside
Instructor Coordinator - Tayyaba Monto
View the 2026 Spring ASEP Brochure here
Spring 2026 ASEP Classes at a Glance
2:20pm – 3:20pm Classes are 5 sessions
*Registration must be submitted with payment in order for the slot to be assigned.*
Dates for ASEP sessions:
Monday Classes- February 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, and make up March 30
Tuesday Classes- February 24, March 10, 17, 24, 31, and make up April 14
Wednesday Classes- February 25, March 4, 18, 25, April 1, and make up April 15
ASEP Information
Volunteers
ASEP is run by Hillside parents and its success is contingent upon parent volunteers. A volunteer registration form will be e-mailed to you when your child has been registered for a class. Classes without a volunteer may be canceled.
We need parent volunteers each day to help with the following:
1. Escorting younger students to their ASEP class.
2. Taking attendance for each class.
3. Handling problems that may occur during class.
4. Dismissing students at 3:20 p.m.
5. Assisting in classes when requested by the instructor.
We are grateful for parent volunteers and we are very happy to offer guaranteed spots for the students of volunteer parents (one student per one volunteered class session).
Registration
Registration will go live on the Hillside PTO website on Friday, February 6th and will close on Tuesday, February 17th. Payment must be made at the time of registration. No late registrations accepted.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER: https://hillsidepto.membershiptoolkit.com/asep-program
Payment
Payment required at the time of registration. Payment can be made directly on the Hillside PTO website at the time of registration.
Scholarships are available. If your child(ren) would like to participate in ASEP and you are in need of financial assistance, please contact Dr. Fasciglione at 518-377-1856. Be assured that all calls are confidential.
Refunds/Cancellations
There are no refunds once registration is closed, unless a class is canceled. There are no exceptions to this rule.
The Hillside PTO reserves the right to cancel any class due to insufficient enrollment. A full refund will be given for any canceled program. The entire registration fee gets paid directly to the instructor. The Hillside PTO, therefore, does not have flexibility with the refund/cancellation policy and cannot allow students to change classes after the registration deadline or issue credits for future classes. There will be no refunds for a class your student might have missed.
Class Times and Dates
The ASEP sessions are 5 one-hour classes, beginning at 2:20pm and ending at 3:20pm. The weeks may not be consecutive due to the district calendar (early releases, conferences, etc.). Please save and note the dates for each class in the detailed descriptions that follow.
Pick-Up
It is the responsibility of the parents/guardians of each participant to arrange transportation. Please arrive on time at 3:20 p.m. to pick up your child and be ready to present your ID to the pick-up monitor at the front door of the school building. You will then proceed into the building to pick-up your child from the ASEP classrooms. Children will not be allowed to meet a car. Registered students will be released only with the adult(s) designated on the registration form. Children must be “signed out” by the program volunteer assigned to the door. Children who will be walking home must also “sign out” with the program volunteer. Prior permission (in writing) must be given by the parent/guardian for a walker to be released without an adult. Kindergarteners are not permitted to walk home from ASEP. If there is a change from the registration form as to who will pick up your child after class, please send a note into school to be placed in the ASEP folder or call the office by 2:00 p.m.
Emergencies
In the event of inclement weather or any other school emergency, students will follow their normal daily dismissal plan. In the case of canceled classes due to inclement weather, we will make our best effort to reschedule the canceled session. In case of an emergency during class, you will be contacted at the emergency telephone numbers that you provided on the registration form. Please make sure that these numbers are accurate.
Student Behavior
Please remind your child that the expectations for behavior in ASEP classes are the same as the regular school day. In order to participate in ASEP classes, children must be willing to accept the instructor’s direction. For the benefit of all, we will not allow persistently disruptive children to continue in classes. Please visit the district Code of Conduct for more information. We appreciate your support.
Class Absence
If your child will not be attending class for any reason, please promptly notify the school office and ask that a note be placed in the appropriate ASEP folder for that day. It will help the ASEP volunteer with record keeping and save unnecessary phone calls. There will be no refunds for missed classes.
Special Education Support
We want all our students to be able to join ASEP!!
If your child receives services from the school via a 504 plan or IEP and would like to participate in ASEP, please contact Hillside School Principal, Shireen Fasciglione (sfasciglione@niskyschools.org; 518-377-1856) about availability of additional support for ASEP.
Contact Information
Please contact the ASEP coordinators with any questions:
Tayyaba Monto - tchaudhrey@gmail.com
Class Offerings
MONDAY CLASSES February 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, and make up March 30
Legos and Games Galore
Who loves exploring and building with Legos? Who loves problem solving and playing games? Come join me to build, create, and have fun with Legos and play a variety of games. Work cooperatively with peers or by yourself to have some extra fun after school.
Student Limit: 5-25
Grades: K-5
Fee: $55
Instructor: Kathleen Lynch
Slime Lab
Are you ready to become a slime expert? Learn how to make all different kinds of slime in this fun, entertaining, hands on class. You’ll also learn about chemistry and how adding different ingredients can result in differences between slimes. Kids will get to use their creative energy while using chemistry to help create toys that will lead to hours of fun.
Student Limit: 5-20
Grades: 3-5
Fee: $60
Instructor: Wade Fisher
Sensory Science
Come and explore science through your 5 senses. We will focus on 1 sense each week. Activities may include creating art, doing experiments, and getting a bit messy. But, we will definitely have fun while we "see", "hear", "smell", "touch", and "taste" science in action!
Student Limit: 5-10
Grades: K-1
Fee: $50
Instructor: Sherry Jonas
TUESDAY CLASSES February 24, March 10, 17, 24, 31, and make up April 14
Creative Crafts
Come and make a variety of crafts that will spark your creativity! Try your hand at wreath making, tye-dyeing, different ways to paint, and more. Plan to have fun and get messy while exploring some new and some old ways to do arts and crafts.
Student Limit: 5-10
Grades: 4-5
Fee: $60
Instructor: Sherry Jonas
Super Steve: An Introduction to Minecraft Modding
Designed for inventive students in grades 3 through 5, this course transforms the Minecraft world they love into a laboratory for learning code. Students will dive into the fundamentals of game modding, moving beyond simple gameplay to actually rewriting the rules of the Minecraft universe. Using block-based coding, young programmers will engineer their own "Super Steve" mods, exploring essential computer science concepts like algorithms, events, and logic to create super speed, weather control, and custom abilities. The journey moves from playing the game to programming it, culminating in a custom superhero mod that they design, code, and test themselves. This hands-on experience empowers young makers to see themselves not just as gamers, but as creators.
At STEAMwhiz – The STEM Learning Lab, we believe today’s curious minds are tomorrow’s innovators. We equip the next generation of Thinkers & Doers with the creative problem-solving and analytical skills to thrive in an AI-driven future. Discover our programs and camps at steamwhiz.com.
Student Limit: 8-10
Grades: 3-5
Fee: $165
Instructor: STEAMWhiz
WEDNESDAY CLASSES February 25, March 4, 18, 25, April 1, and make up April 15
Jewelry Making
Come and create your own jewelry! You will have the opportunity to learn how to make and design a variety of beads & charms each week. We will use materials such as paper, clay/model magic, shrink art, and more. Once all your beads and charms have been created & are dry, you will be able to use them to make your own pieces of jewelry!
Student Limit: 5-10
Grades: 2-3
Fee: $60
Instructor: Sherry Jonas
STEM Sampler
In order to bring several science topics to students we have created our STEM Sampler. Each session we will discuss, with the use of hands-on activities, a different STEM topic. Topics may include Chemistry, Earth and Space, Physical Science, Engineering, Physics, etc.
Student Limit: 10-25
Grades: 3-5
Fee: $93
Instructor: MiSci
Creative Crafts
Who loves to create crafts? Who enjoys trying something that may be new for them? Come take some time after-school to make some crafts and create a fun enjoyable experience with your peers.
Student Limit: 5-25
Grades: K-5
Fee: $60
Instructor: Kathleen Lynch


