Seabrook's SAZ to offer mix of in-person, virtual afterschool programs

SEABROOK – Seabrook Adventure Zone afterschool program will retain its important profile for local middle schoolers this fall, but it will be substantially different to accommodate COVID-19 safety requirements.

According to Program Director Forrest E. Carter, Jr., utilizing a four-tiered approach ranging from in-person to remote programming, starting Sept. 21, SAZ’s free afterschool plan will offer options to meet the social and academic needs of Seabrook students in grades 5 to 8. Within each level of this fall’s programming, Carter said, SAZ staff will “meet and exceed COVID-19 safety guidelines.”

Most of SAZ’s in-person afterschool programming will take place outdoors in various locations, Carter said, which include Seabrook Middle School, Veteran's Memorial Park, and Governor Weare Park. Spreading the programming across town makes it easier for middle school students to access SAZ should they have transportation issues, he said.

Tents will be set up for this tier to protect students from sun and wind, he said, but in the case of inclement weather, programs may be canceled and parents notified through emails. Cancellations will also be posted on SAZ’s website, www.seabrookadventurezone.com.

In the case of in-person student academic support, SAZ’s academic advisors will work by appointment at outdoor venues or possibly in the middle school with individual students, or groups no larger than four, Carter said.

SAZ will also offer Off-Campus Adventures this fall, similar to its Summer Adventure Camp.

“Students sign-up for a one-week session and are picked up at their house at the beginning of the afterschool program day,” Carter said. “They’ll travel to a state park or outdoor adventure area for the afternoon. Students are dropped off at their homes when the day is over.”

There is a maximum number of students who can participate each week. An identical program worked well during the summer, he added.

The final tier of this year’s SAZ is its virtual component, which is similar to the one offered during the spring school shutdown. It will use SAZ’s website, www.seabrookadventurezone.com, as its foundation.

“SAZ will partner with ZOOM and Google Classroom platforms, including the new and engaging Bitmoji classroom designs, to create a virtual oasis of fun, education, and support for our youth, families, and community,” Carter said.

Through the use of the digital platforms, SAZ will offer live afterschool virtual opportunities, he said, such as activity tutorials, parent and family self-care and engagement options.

“We embrace the likelihood that virtual programming will become more robust as we head into winter,” Carter said, “or perhaps as more heightened COVID-19 challenges present themselves.”

Parents and guardians may register students by downloading SAZ’s 2020-21 registration form, located in PDF format at the organization’s website. Once completed, the form should be emailed to brittney@sys-nh.org.

After registration forms are received, students may be signed-up for any of the programming offered throughout the year. All activity forms are downloadable from and can be filed via SAZ’s website.

According to Carter, snacks are being built into all program designs, except for virtual programming.

SAZ safety requirements include temperature readings for all students and staff each day before all programs. Face masks and six-foot social distancing are required for any in-person activity. Hand sanitizer will be in abundance throughout SAZ’s in-person activities, and anyone exhibiting any COVID-19 symptom will not be allowed to remain. Robust cleaning procedures will be conducted.

Carter said to accommodate the additional expenses COVID-19 places on the program, SAZ is able to continue free to families thanks to a grant from the state’s Department of Education.