After School and Student Programs

After School Programs

Campagna Center

Campagna Kids is a before and after school program for K-5th grade students. It is located in the school cafeteria and multi-purpose room. The program runs from 7:15- 8:00 a.m. and 2:40-6:00 p.m. It follows standards developed by the National Afterschool Alliance and provides small-group activities. 

Campagna provides services on a sliding-fee scale. To ensure that your child can begin on the first day of school please register in August.

Learn more about the Campagna and their program offerings or contact Sofia Hayes at 703-549-0111 X118 or shayes@campagnacenter.org.

City of Alexandria Recreation Program

ACPS offers bus transportation from Polk to the following recreation programs; Patrick Henry, William Ramsey, Buddy Ford Nature Center, John Adams, Charles Houston, and Boys and Girls Club. The recreation programs are offered weekdays from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

 Learn more about Alexandria's recreation program, register online or in person at the Lee Center's Registration & Reservation Office (First Floor- 1108 Jefferson St. Alexandria, VA 22314). All participants must be residents of the City of Alexandria.

Girls on the Run

The Girls on the Run mission is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. Girls on the Run is for all girls in grades 3-5. Ms. Kapes is the head coach for the program at Polk, and Ms. Webster is the assistant coach. There is a fall and spring season every year.

Learn more about the Girls on the Run Program.

After School Clubs

James K. Polk is excited to offer after-school programs for students in grades K-5 three times per year. We have fall, winter, and spring sessions consisting of different clubs each session. Clubs meet after school on Monday or Wednesday from 2:45-3:45. The clubs offered range from soccer and basketball to Minecraft and Lego exploration to culinary skills in the Polk Chefs program. Each club is fun for the students and teaches them a new concept outside of our Virginia state curriculum.

• Cheerleading is a year-round club. Students in grades 1-3 can participate. The cheerleaders learn many sideline cheers, cheer jumps, and sometimes even pyramids! The cheerleaders provide Polk with entertainment and school spirit! Often times we participate at school board meetings, assemblies, in-school events, and even community events!
• In Lego club, students are given the opportunity to show their creativity! For each day of Lego club, there is a specific theme. Students use Legos to build models that match the theme either independently or with a small group of students. After completing a model each student or group explains why their model fits the theme.
• The Whoooo News Newspaper Club is a club for third through fifth-grade students. The students learn how to collect information, write in a particular genre and edit and revise their work. Students become better writers and improve their typing skills as they work on articles that they think will be interesting to Polk students. At the end of each eight-week session, the club releases a digital newspaper to the Polk community!
• At the soccer club, we learn ball control, the rules of the game, and sportsmanship. We learn how to train to get better at a sport, and we learn how to cooperate with teammates to defend our goal and to score on the other goal. We will come away from the class with more confidence on the ball, greater respect for the sport and for our teammates, and for the training, it takes to get better at a sport, or any endeavor. We develop an enjoyment of the game which brings joy to our lives.
• Mad Science-“Secret Agent Lab” Ever wanted to be a detective? Do you think you have what it takes to discover "who done it"? If so, this program is for you! From secret communications and detective crime science to the inner workings of our cells and cool chemistry, this program is sure to make you go hmmm! Each day, we sleuth out the answers to many of life's mysteries!
• In Girls' Coding Club, we do a variety of online and offline coding activities that teach communication skills, sequential thinking, and problem-solving. For example, the students gave and followed directions to help a partner get to the end of a maze. We also learn how coding is used in our day-to-day life and some important vocabulary words. Each week, students try out websites and apps, such as code.org, Kodable, and Robot School. We even use robots and use what we've learned to tell them what to do!
• Bienvenido to our Spanish Club for K-2nd grade. Our students will learn Spanish while participating in games, singing songs, and watching videos along with taking notes and studying vocabulary. Our students will leave our club knowing salutations as well as simple important Spanish phrases. Our goal is to have students further learn and understand the Spanish language and culture while having fun and interacting with other club members.
• The Chess Club provides students the opportunity to learn the fundamentals and strategies of the game. Club members will play each other using techniques to become successful in the game. Students will learn the history of the game and develop an appreciation for its importance.
• The basketball club teaches the rules and skills of basketball needed to enjoy the game in a fun, low-pressure environment. Each week students will develop motor skills needed for basketball such as running, jumping, and catching and learn new skills such as dribbling, passing, shooting, rebounding, defending, rules of the game, etc. In addition to developing individual basketball skills, the students also learn to work with the team, improve their overall physical fitness, and develop sportsmanship and athletic integrity. This program allows students to learn, socialize and have fun at the same time.
• "Making Global Connections" is a club created by Ms. Dillingham, Polk's Art Teacher. Students are given their own "passports" and virtually travel to several countries throughout the program, learning about each country's culture through videos, art, research, and occasionally guest speakers. Students are encouraged to share their own backgrounds and discover the importance of being a good global citizen.

Student Programs

School Safety Patrol Program

The job of a safety patrol is to protect students by enforcing hallway rules on their way to and from the classroom. They also serve as models for younger children, who look up to them. Only students in 5th grade can serve as a safety patrol. Students are nominated by their 4th grade teachers and classmates.

To be a Safety Patrol one must:

• Look, act and be alert.
• Report for duty on time.
• Always set a good example. Know and practice safe walking tips.
• Perform your patrol duties faithfully.
• Be neat and clean while on duty.
• Be dependable and trustworthy.
• Be courteous and polite at all times.
• Treat others as you would like to be treated.
• Wear your belt proudly.
• Remind classmates of safe walking rules without being bossy.
• Obey rules of the patrol school

Student Council Association

James K. Polk's Student Council Association (SCA) promotes school spirit among the student body and staff, and encourages participation in service projects that benefit our school and community. Student Council provides students with many opportunities for leadership. Our SCA is comprised of an Executive Council and Classroom Representatives in Grades 3, 4, and 5. Campaign speeches for our Executive Council are read, taped, and shown via our in-house television station allowing students to learn more about the candidates. SCA meetings are held once a month before school, where upcoming projects, fundraisers, and student activities are discussed and planned.