Before & after school program providers for
St. Louis schools.
Cadet Care is our turnkey before and after school program. We bring the staff, the curriculum, the insurance and the registration system. Your building brings the space — and families get coverage from the first bell to early evening.
Vetted by the people who know what to look for.
STEM.org Accredited
Best in STEM — Top 5%
Best in Youth Enrichment
We staff it, you don't
Recruiting, hiring, background checks, CPR/First Aid certification, training, payroll and daily supervision are ours. Your teachers are never asked to cover a shift.
Zero administrative load
Families register, sign waivers and pay through our system. No tuition collection at your front office, no paper rosters, no chasing forms.
STEM-accredited programming
STEM.org accredited and Best in STEM recognized curriculum — sports skills, STEM builds, archery, drone battles and cooperative games, not a screen-time holding room.
Intro call
Twenty minutes to cover enrollment interest, bell times, space and what your families need most.
Site walkthrough
We visit the building, confirm space and entry/exit flow, and map out the morning and afternoon schedule.
Proposal & agreement
You get a written proposal with staffing plan, ratios, pricing to families, insurance certificates and a service agreement.
Staffing & launch
We hire and train the site team, open family registration, and run the first day — typically four to six weeks from the intro call.
Why St. Louis schools outsource before and after school care
Running wraparound care in-house means posting jobs you can't fill, covering call-outs with certified staff you don't have, collecting tuition, carrying the liability and answering every parent email about it. Most buildings we talk to are absorbing that with people who already have a full-time job.
Cadet Care replaces all of it with one vendor. We employ and supervise the site team, carry our own general liability and workers' compensation coverage, handle enrollment and payment, and give your administration a single point of contact instead of a program to manage.
Programming is built around what actually keeps kids engaged after a long school day: a supervised homework block and snack, then rotating active clubs — sports skills, STEM builds, trading-card clubs, foam-tipped archery, drone battles and cooperative games. Ratios target 1:14, every staff member is background-checked and CPR/First Aid certified, and pickups are restricted to an authorized list and logged.
For families, it means the building they already trust covers the gap between the last bell and the end of the workday. For the school, it means a stronger enrollment pitch and a differentiator at open house — without adding a line to anyone's job description.
St. Louis communities we serve
- Kirkwood
- Webster Groves
- Ladue
- Chesterfield
- Clayton
- Brentwood
- Maplewood
- Glendale
- Town & Country
- Des Peres
- Frontenac
- Creve Coeur
- Sunset Hills
- Crestwood
- Affton
Also in St. Louis
Don't just take our word for it.
Verified reviews from Google, Facebook, Indeed, and LinkedIn — the parents who trust us, the partners who host us, and the coaches who work here.
"Wow! Our 9 yr. old son attended a Pokémon card game/trading week long workshop. Fabian, the instructor was terrific. He has great awareness and made the week amazing."
Douglas Bram
Parent, St. Louis
"We have had such a great experience with Recreation Academy at Kirkwood Park. Our kids have attended several weeks of extreme sports summer camp and have always had a great time. Staff and management are accessible and wonderful to work with."
Amanda Penick Brauer
Parent
"The Recreation Academy has helped us add so much variety to our weekly end-of-day enrichment programs — tons of sessions have been a hit with our families. Their staff are professional, prompt, and always super engaged. Truly a fantastic company to work with."
Eve R.
The Community School
"I have absolutely loved my time at The Rec Academy and can't wait to come back and see all of my Cadets again next summer! It's really refreshing to be at a youth organization that promotes a healthy environment for everyone and supports their staff so well."
Camp Counselor
Camp Counselor (Seasonal) · St. Louis, MO
"I worked here through college and it was easily the most rewarding job I've had. The team is supportive, the schedule works around classes, and you get real coaching experience with elementary-age kids. Highly recommend for anyone in education."
Jordan P.
Former Enrichment Facilitator
"Highly recommend Rec Academy for your kid camp needs! Great staff! Awesome activity games my super active 7 year old. Naps will ensue!"
Gary Stewart
Parent, St. Louis
"My son loves the Extreme Sports camp. Great experience!"
Lindsay Schultz Wessels
Parent
"Fantastic program with excellent staff! Kids have so much fun!!"
Katrina Paumier
Parent, St. Louis
"Our kiddo loved the sports camp. The teachers were very helpful. What a great week."
Jen Kaesberg
Parent
"Fun and supportive environment with a lot of room for personal and professional growth! Working for The Recreation Academy has truly been a fulfilling experience."
Area Manager
Area Manager · St. Louis, MO
"My son attended their Summer camps and had a blast! The staff was great and caring. Highly recommend!"
Kelli Jaeger
Parent, St. Louis
"I have an uncoordinated six year old who loves running around. I was worried he might not be able to follow all the rules or would get out right away, but that wasn't the case with the playground games camp. The counselors did a great job of making sure everyone was included. His only complaint was that I picked him up… he wanted to stay all day."
Rebecca Zide
Parent, St. Louis
"Both of my boys have loved The Recreation Academy. They've done both Spring Break camps and Summer Camps. Each day they are excited to participate!"
Tiffany Whelehon
Parent, St. Louis
"Wow! Our 9 yr. old son attended a Pokémon card game/trading week long workshop. Fabian, the instructor was terrific. He has great awareness and made the week amazing."
Douglas Bram
Parent, St. Louis
"We have had such a great experience with Recreation Academy at Kirkwood Park. Our kids have attended several weeks of extreme sports summer camp and have always had a great time. Staff and management are accessible and wonderful to work with."
Amanda Penick Brauer
Parent
"The Recreation Academy has helped us add so much variety to our weekly end-of-day enrichment programs — tons of sessions have been a hit with our families. Their staff are professional, prompt, and always super engaged. Truly a fantastic company to work with."
Eve R.
The Community School
"I have absolutely loved my time at The Rec Academy and can't wait to come back and see all of my Cadets again next summer! It's really refreshing to be at a youth organization that promotes a healthy environment for everyone and supports their staff so well."
Camp Counselor
Camp Counselor (Seasonal) · St. Louis, MO
"I worked here through college and it was easily the most rewarding job I've had. The team is supportive, the schedule works around classes, and you get real coaching experience with elementary-age kids. Highly recommend for anyone in education."
Jordan P.
Former Enrichment Facilitator
"Highly recommend Rec Academy for your kid camp needs! Great staff! Awesome activity games my super active 7 year old. Naps will ensue!"
Gary Stewart
Parent, St. Louis
"My son loves the Extreme Sports camp. Great experience!"
Lindsay Schultz Wessels
Parent
"Fantastic program with excellent staff! Kids have so much fun!!"
Katrina Paumier
Parent, St. Louis
"Our kiddo loved the sports camp. The teachers were very helpful. What a great week."
Jen Kaesberg
Parent
"Fun and supportive environment with a lot of room for personal and professional growth! Working for The Recreation Academy has truly been a fulfilling experience."
Area Manager
Area Manager · St. Louis, MO
"My son attended their Summer camps and had a blast! The staff was great and caring. Highly recommend!"
Kelli Jaeger
Parent, St. Louis
"I have an uncoordinated six year old who loves running around. I was worried he might not be able to follow all the rules or would get out right away, but that wasn't the case with the playground games camp. The counselors did a great job of making sure everyone was included. His only complaint was that I picked him up… he wanted to stay all day."
Rebecca Zide
Parent, St. Louis
"Both of my boys have loved The Recreation Academy. They've done both Spring Break camps and Summer Camps. Each day they are excited to participate!"
Tiffany Whelehon
Parent, St. Louis
"Good place to work while being active and having fun with the kiddos. If you work in education and are off during the summer months, this is the best way to make some extra cash."
Coach
Coach · St. Louis, MO
"One of the best side gigs I've had. The Rec Academy trusts you to run your own class, gives you real curriculum to work from, and pays well for the hours. The kids genuinely look forward to it every week."
Marissa T.
Former Enrichment Facilitator
"My sons (5 and 9) had a great week of camp at Kirkwood Park with the Rec. Academy. They came home happy and excited to go back the next day."
Nora Schweighart
Parent, St. Louis
"My daughter Corinne loved it, highly recommend!"
Caroline Tee
Parent
"Working with The Recreation Academy has allowed our school to increase summer revenue, expand programming availability, and has been an absolute pleasure to work with. We love the Rec Academy and look forward to continuing to work with them."
Adam H.
New City School
"Management and team are great! They truly care about you and your personal & professional development. The work/life balance is for you to create. You choose your hours and what activities you work. I love the flexibility."
Area Manager
Area Manager · Chicago, IL
"Great organization to grow with. I started as an Enrichment Facilitator running after-school programs and left with real experience leading groups of kids. Management actually listens and invests in staff development."
Alicia R.
Former Enrichment Facilitator
"Very fun place to work if you're looking for something to keep you active and with kids. You are supplied with the materials needed for each class. You make your own schedule and the pay is great."
Assistant Manager
Assistant Manager · St. Louis, MO
"My son loves after school kickball! It's a great way to interact with kids from other grades and have fun!"
Liz Pratt
Parent, St. Louis
"My son loves all classes through the Rec Academy! He has fun and stays active. The instructors play with the kids and seem to be having a great time."
Beth Hausner
Parent, St. Louis
"My son did a Recreation Academy summer camp through his elementary school and had a great time doing all the fun activities, such as dodgeball, games, and sports."
Julia Maranan
Parent, St. Louis
"My son started camp this week at Kirkwood park and has absolutely loved it! He's getting three straight hours of energy out playing different sports and connecting with friends. Thanks for a great start to the summer!"
Chad Lembach
Parent, St. Louis
"Good place to work while being active and having fun with the kiddos. If you work in education and are off during the summer months, this is the best way to make some extra cash."
Coach
Coach · St. Louis, MO
"One of the best side gigs I've had. The Rec Academy trusts you to run your own class, gives you real curriculum to work from, and pays well for the hours. The kids genuinely look forward to it every week."
Marissa T.
Former Enrichment Facilitator
"My sons (5 and 9) had a great week of camp at Kirkwood Park with the Rec. Academy. They came home happy and excited to go back the next day."
Nora Schweighart
Parent, St. Louis
"My daughter Corinne loved it, highly recommend!"
Caroline Tee
Parent
"Working with The Recreation Academy has allowed our school to increase summer revenue, expand programming availability, and has been an absolute pleasure to work with. We love the Rec Academy and look forward to continuing to work with them."
Adam H.
New City School
"Management and team are great! They truly care about you and your personal & professional development. The work/life balance is for you to create. You choose your hours and what activities you work. I love the flexibility."
Area Manager
Area Manager · Chicago, IL
"Great organization to grow with. I started as an Enrichment Facilitator running after-school programs and left with real experience leading groups of kids. Management actually listens and invests in staff development."
Alicia R.
Former Enrichment Facilitator
"Very fun place to work if you're looking for something to keep you active and with kids. You are supplied with the materials needed for each class. You make your own schedule and the pay is great."
Assistant Manager
Assistant Manager · St. Louis, MO
"My son loves after school kickball! It's a great way to interact with kids from other grades and have fun!"
Liz Pratt
Parent, St. Louis
"My son loves all classes through the Rec Academy! He has fun and stays active. The instructors play with the kids and seem to be having a great time."
Beth Hausner
Parent, St. Louis
"My son did a Recreation Academy summer camp through his elementary school and had a great time doing all the fun activities, such as dodgeball, games, and sports."
Julia Maranan
Parent, St. Louis
"My son started camp this week at Kirkwood park and has absolutely loved it! He's getting three straight hours of energy out playing different sports and connecting with friends. Thanks for a great start to the summer!"
Chad Lembach
Parent, St. Louis
Got questions? We've got answers.
Don't see your question? Email info@therecreationacademy.com.
Let's talk about your building. No cost to start.
Tell us your bell times and how many families are asking for coverage. We'll come back with a staffing plan and a written proposal.