Frequently Asked Questions

Beyond the Bell and Club B are fun but structured after school programs at our elementary and middle schools.  

Beyond the Bell is for students in grades K-5. Club B is for students in grades 6-8. (Wainwright students participate in Club B.)

Beyond the Bell and Club B offer something for everyone! Program offerings include STEM, sports, arts, dance, outdoor education and more!  When registration begins, you’ll see your school’s specific offerings in the Compass app. 

Sessions run for eight weeks. Programs are Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday. There are no programs on Friday. 

Beyond the Bell times depend on what time your elementary school starts.  

• If your school starts at 8:40 a.m., BTB runs from 3:10-5:10 p.m.  

• If your school starts at 9 a.m., BTB runs from 3:30-5:30 p.m.  

Club B runs from 2:15-4:15 p.m. 

See the registration and program session dates

The registration schedule is available on the Beyond the Bell & Club B webpage. We will also share registration reminders through email, newsletters and websites.  

Families register their students on the Tacoma Public Schools website, in the Compass app. Registration is done on a staggered schedule, by school name. Find your school's registration dates here.

Beyond the Bell will cost $100 per M/W or T/Th program. Club B will cost $50 per M/W or T/Th program. This cost is for the entire session. 

Families who qualify for McKinney-Vento or financial assistance through the CNEEB form may receive Beyond the Bell and Club B programs at a free or reduced cost. Reduced cost is $10 for Beyond the Bell and $5 for Club B.  

Any fee reductions/financial assistance will be automatically applied to your account. You can find your program cost in Compass.   

Questions about CNEEB and how it applies to Beyond the Bell and Club B? Contact our team at (253) 571-1365 or cneeb@tacoma.k12.wa.us.

• We are implementing a set fee this year. The fee is $100 per Beyond the Bell program and $50 per Club B program. Any fee reductions/financial assistance will be automatically applied to your account. Any fee reductions/financial assistance will be automatically applied to your account. You can find your program cost in Compass.   

• Families will continue to use MySchoolBucks to pay for Beyond the Bell and Club B. (Pro tip: Create your MySchoolBucks account before you start the registration process.) 

• Starting this year, there’s a 4.95% processing fee on all transactions. Get more information here.  

• Starting this year, we are using a “cart” system.  

• When a parent/guardian clicks the “register” button, that starts a 20-minute countdown clock in the cart. That gives 20 minutes to review programs and start the checkout process with MySchoolBucks. After 20 minutes, those seats will be released back to the registration process for other families. 

• When the checkout process starts with MySchoolBucks, the parent/guardian has 24 hours to pay for their cart. After 24 hours, those seats will be released back to the registration process for other families. 

• Students are not registered until payment is made.  

• 100% refund if you withdraw your child before first date of program 

• 50% refund if you withdraw your child within the first 14 calendar days of the first date of program 

• No refunds starting 15 calendar days from the first date of the program 

• The 4.95% processing fee is non-refundable if the payment has been settled. 

• There are no partial refunds when children miss a day of the program. 

No. We can only accept credit card or e-check (direct from checking account) payments. Families can use the kiosk in their child’s school to create a MySchoolBucks account, register and pay. 

There are three ways to get help: 

By email: 
help@tacoma.k12.wa.us 

By phone: 
253-571-HELP, (253) 571-4357 

Online Self-Service Portal on TPS student-issued laptops:

1. Student HELP icon, blue circle with question mark 
2. Log into SolarWinds by clicking the blue, question-mark icon on your desktop. From here you can: 
   1. Submit a request for assistance 
   2. Review the status of your current or previous requests 
   3. Chat live with a technician (during normal district hours) 
   4. Use the Solutions function to search for answers to common technology problems. 

Schools provided with transportation are Blix, Fawcett, Larchmont, Lyon, Manitou, Reed, Sheridan, Stanley, Travis, Wainwright and Whitman. Families at those schools can register for transportation on Compass while registering for programming. 

Our staff and providers have trainings on inclusion, universal design, and the use of specific tools and materials that help support the success of all students.

Beyond the Bell and Club B are extended learning opportunities. Extended learning opportunities are structured programs designed to help students explore new interests, build skills, and enrich their learning beyond the regular school day.  

Beyond the Bell and Club B offer programs after school, four days a week over the course of the school year. There are about two weeks between each of the four sessions. 

Childcare programs offer before-school and after-school care five days a week, excluding federal holidays. They run from Sept. 9-June 23, excluding federal holidays, for these hours: 

• Before school: 7:15 a.m. to start of school day 

• After school: End of school day to 6 p.m.  

Get more information here: Before and After School Childcare - Tacoma Public Schools

No. If a spot becomes available and your child is successfully registered, you will have 48 hours to pay for the program based on your CNEEB status. 

If you require childcare, please see the childcare options we offer: Before and After School Childcare - Tacoma Public Schools

The first few months of kindergarten are a time of learning to manage new routines and longer days. Kindergarten students are welcome to participate in Beyond the Bell, but the best time to enroll a kindergarten student is starting in the second session.

There will not be TPS staff or nursing services available. ELO staff will not administer medications or provide health services to students. By completing program enrollment, families certify that their student has no medical or physical conditions which could interfere with or compromise their safety in participating in ELO programs. 

In the event of an emergency involving a student, every effort will be made to contact families. If they cannot be reached, TPS and ELO staff have permission to seek emergency medical treatment for the student.  Neither TPS nor ELO staff members assume financial liability for the expenses incurred because of the emergency circumstances.

Student participation in an ELO is voluntary. The ELO is responsible for supervision of  students. By completing enrollment, families understand that their student has no behavioral concerns or needs that would prevent them from successfully participating in ELO programs independently.  The ELO reserves the right to terminate student's participation for any reason including that the needs of a student cannot be met by the services provided, when the program guidelines are not adhered to or that the safety of others or the program are compromised.