After its grant cycle ended in the summer of 2025, the Rochelle Elementary School District will be locally funding its HUB Program this semester through Dec. 12, district officials said Aug. 21.

Programming is running in a more limited fashion this semester. The HUB Program will not offer a morning option, and some of its enrichment opportunities will not be available. Students will still benefit from daily academic support, snacks, and door-to-door transportation as needed.

The grant-funded HUB Program is specifically targeted to support the district’s K-8 at-risk youths and has used a before and after-school model plus summer school. It provides educational activities for children and experiences such as field trips and members of the community coming in to do demonstrations for the students.

The HUB Program recently finished its third year of a three-year grant cycle following winning two five-year grant cycles, for a total of 13 years.

“This semester we are committed to keeping the HUB program available for our families,” said Yazmin Nambo, HUB Program director. “We will be locally funding a semester of the program that will run from Sept. 2 to Dec. 12. Families can feel confident knowing services will continue during that time, though programming will be limited. We will continue partnering with community organizations and maintain our family programming.”

The district has already begun reaching out to families who were referred to the HUB Program for the fall.

At the June school board meeting, District Assistant Superintendent Tony Doyle said work was underway on applying for the new grant cycle, with October likely being the earliest the district would hear back.

“The HUB program was created to expand access for students who may not always have these opportunities,” Nambo said. “By prioritizing at-risk students, we make sure those who need extra academic, social, or emotional support have a safe and enriching environment that sets them up for success. We will exhaust all possibilities and work hard to try to keep the program alive for our students and families.”

Little Hubs Learning Center, Rochelle’s daycare, announced plans this month to open a second location at Hicks Hall at the Rochelle United Methodist Church at 709 Fourth Ave. for school-aged children in September. The new location will be named Little Hubs Student Center.

At the new location, hours of operation will be before school from 6:30-8 a.m. and after school from 2:30-5:30 p.m. Little Hubs Student Center will be open most days out of school excluding major holidays and a one-week winter break. It will be open for early release days throughout the school year. It will offer summer care for children and hours will be 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. The location will serve breakfast and an afternoon snack to children before and after school, along with lunch on early release days. Summer will serve breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. All meals are included in the price of tuition.

Rochelle Schools Superintendent Jason Harper said that new amenity could help to fill the void left by a limited or nonexistent HUB Program.

“We continue to communicate with our local daycare and other organizations to keep them updated on the status of the grant program,” Harper said. “We understand that our families are looking for additional after school options and we want to help make those connections. We continue to encourage all of our families to make new arrangements for after school care starting in January of 2026.”