CHESAPEAKE — School may be out for the summer, but the halls of Chesapeake Elementary School are still filled with children and teachers.

The school has started offering childcare for school-aged youngsters — ages 4 to 12 — and is currently looking for participants.

Hours of the program are 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

There will be instructional time and a variety of activities offered, said Dannie Newman, administrator of the program. Breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack are also served.

There are certified childcare providers, licensed teachers and teacher’s aides staffing the program.

Newman said he and other school staff have been trying to get the program up and running for nearly two years. As far as he knows, there is no other district in the area offering summer care for school-aged children in one of their schools.

He said there is a great need for summer care for local children.

“There are a lot of working parents who need this,” Newman said. “We think it’s an important service to provide to the community.”

The program accepts payments from private individuals, as well as payments through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

For more information, call (740) 867-3448, ext. 1324.