Picking the right after school program comes down to one question: will my kid actually be safe here? At GMA Academy in Gallatin, TN, we’ve spent 33 years answering that question — first for Sumner County families looking for an alternative to drop-off daycare, and now for hundreds of parents who trust us with their children every afternoon.
A safe after school program isn’t a marketing line. It’s a daily practice built from staff training, facility design, clear policies, and a culture that prioritizes the whole child. Here’s exactly what safety looks like inside our 6,000 sq ft campus — and how we keep it that way.
Background-Checked Staff Who Actually Know Your Kid
Every adult who interacts with your child at GMA is background-checked, fully credentialed, and trained to work with kids. That includes our drivers, our floor staff, our instructors, and our administrators. No exceptions, no shortcuts.
Our team is led by Joanne Spillmann, our Director of Child Development, who holds a B.S. in Child Development from Cal State Fullerton and brings over 16 years of experience working with children with disabilities. Grand Master Konrad Spillmann (9th Degree Black Belt, Kukkiwon Certified) has 57 years in youth development and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
You can meet the full team — three generations of the Spillmann family plus 16+ certified staff who’ve collectively logged tens of thousands of hours with children. When a parent walks into our campus for the first time, they almost always notice the same thing: the staff knows every child by name, by mood, and by what they need that day. That’s not luck. That’s what 33 years of low staff turnover and intentional hiring builds.
Medical Readiness: CPR, First Aid, and a Red Cross Medical Assistant On Site
Kids fall. Kids get tummy aches. Kids occasionally have allergic reactions. A genuinely safe after school program plans for all of it — before any of it happens.
Every member of our staff holds current CPR and First Aid certification. That’s not a one-time training. We recertify on schedule, and the entire team practices emergency response procedures regularly so that on the day something actually goes wrong, the response is fast, calm, and rehearsed.
We also have a Red Cross certified Medical Assistant on-site as part of our regular rotation. If a child gets hurt or sick, a trained set of hands is in the building — not down the road, not on call. Right there.
Our facility is also peanut-free. We made that decision a long time ago because peanut allergies in children are common, severe, and avoidable. No peanut products are allowed in the building. Daily snacks are screened. Parents whose kids have additional allergies talk directly with our team during enrollment so we can flag and accommodate.
A Bully-Free Zone, Backed by Daily Practice
Bullying is one of the top fears parents bring up during their first consultation with us. The trust strip on our after school program page says “Bully Free Zone,” and that isn’t just a sign on the wall — it’s a daily practice.
Our approach is simple: we use martial arts and life skills training to teach kids how to handle conflict before it escalates. Discipline, respect, and self-control are part of the daily curriculum. Older kids mentor younger ones. Staff intervene early, every time, and follow up with parents the same day so nothing gets buried.
Because every child trains together in physical education, the social hierarchy that drives most playground bullying — who’s strong, who’s not, who’s “in,” who’s not — gets flattened. By the time a new student has been in the program for a few weeks, they’re part of the group. We’ve seen kids walk in withdrawn and walk out a year later with friends, confidence, and the tools to stand up for themselves and for others.
Safe Pickup, Safe Building, Safe Snacks
Safety isn’t just about staff and policies — it’s about the physical infrastructure your child moves through every afternoon.
Pickup happens at 14 local schools across Gallatin and Sumner County. Our drivers are background-checked and trained on our specific routes. Kids are checked in by name when they board the vehicle and again when they arrive at our campus. Parents are notified if a child unexpectedly isn’t on the route — no guessing, no waiting.
Our 6,000 sq ft campus at 509 Garnet Ct in Gallatin was designed with kids in mind. Two dedicated training rooms with anti-bacterial floors and tatami matting. A purpose-built enrichment zone with arts, crafts, and a reading nook. Lockers, bathrooms, and shoe cubbies sized for kids. 360° parking on all sides so parent pickup is fast, contained, and visible.
For the full lineup of safety policies — pickup procedures, late fees, attendance rules, and more — our FAQ page goes deeper than most program brochures.
How a Safe After School Program Builds Real Resilience
The safest after school programs don’t just lock the doors and call it a day. They build the kind of confidence in kids that translates into safer behavior in the rest of their lives.
That’s where our martial arts program comes in. Every GMA after school student gets free physical education through Taekwondo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu — two disciplines specifically chosen because they teach kids how to stay calm under pressure, how to set boundaries, and how to handle confrontation without escalating it. Our instructors are Kukkiwon certified, IBJJF registered, and Safe Sport certified, with decades of experience teaching children of every age and ability level.
Combined with daily homework support, leadership training, and a community of kids and adults who genuinely care about each other, the result is a program where children feel safe enough to take healthy risks — to try a new skill, to make a new friend, to ask a question they’re afraid is dumb. That’s the kind of safety that actually changes outcomes.
If you’re still curious what an afternoon here actually looks like, read our walkthrough of what your child’s first day at GMA looks like — from school pickup at 2:30 PM to parent pickup at 5:30 PM.
See Our Safety Standards in Person
Book a free consultation and tour our 6,000 sq ft campus in Gallatin, TN. Meet the team, walk the building, and ask every safety question on your list.
Book a ConsultationOr call us at (731) 324-3850
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Every staff member who interacts with children at GMA — instructors, drivers, floor staff, administrators — is background-checked, CPR and First Aid certified. We also have a Red Cross certified Medical Assistant on-site as part of our regular rotation.
All staff hold current CPR and First Aid certification, and we recertify on schedule. A Red Cross certified Medical Assistant is on-site during program hours, so a trained set of hands is always in the building if a child gets hurt or sick.
Yes. Our 6,000 sq ft campus in Gallatin, TN is a peanut-free facility. No peanut products are allowed in the building, and daily snacks are screened. Parents whose children have additional allergies talk directly with our team during enrollment so we can flag and accommodate.
Bully-free isn’t a slogan — it’s a daily practice. Our staff intervene early and every time, follow up with parents the same day, and use martial arts and life skills training to teach every child how to handle conflict without escalating it. Older students mentor younger ones, which flattens the social hierarchy that drives most bullying.
Our drivers are background-checked and trained on our specific routes from 14 local schools across Gallatin and Sumner County. Kids are checked in by name when they board the vehicle and again when they arrive at the campus. Parents are notified if a child unexpectedly isn’t on the route — no guessing.