The phone has been ringing off the hook for the past month as understandably parents want to know about their options for the summer. And options are limited this year. The FRC and the City will not be running their programs. LTCC have a fantastic selection of summer programs, and the Presbyterian Church will be running their summer camps, but the Club is the only program running for all school age groups for full days.
Parents can apply for one of our limited places at www.bgclt.org/membership. The deadline for applications is May 21st 2021 and successful applicants will be notified on or before May 28th.
Below are the answers to some frequently asked questions.
Why can’t you take on more children?
Safety and quality are values we hold first and foremost. As a youth club we are still bound to restrictions around social distancing and a recommended ratio of 14:1 per current CDC guidance for youth clubs. Over the course of the past year we have also noted that a smaller ratio ensures better social distancing, enables staff to more easily enforce mask wearing, hand washing and the many tasks they do in addition to leading, teaching and mentoring.
We are also limited in space; though we are purchasing tents for activity spaces to allow us to take on additional members. And we are limited by our staff numbers. We are actively recruiting but Tahoe is currently experiencing a staffing shortage in all industries and so we have to be conservative to ensure we can meet our ratio goals.
How will applicants be prioritized.
Throughout the pandemic we have prioritized essential workers and families who have to be at their place of work in order to earn. And especially those who don’t work in child-friendly spaces. For the summer, we also gave priority to the families who had already been with us during the school year. Many have taken on considerable extra financial burdens, worked collaboratively with our COVID policies and procedures and been supportive of the Club through at times a very challenging year; they deserved first refusal.
What age groups have the most availability?
We have a limited number of spaces in all age groups, however 2nd and 3rd grade (currently our 1st and 2nd graders) will be our largest groups and we will allocated more staff to age groups with high demand.
What if I only need the occasional days.
The $650 summer membership is inclusive and therefore it will be cheaper for you to arrange for a sitter on those days than pay our membership fees. Plus, it is better that you leave that place at Club for a family who needs daily care.
What activities will we be doing.
The Club focuses on 5 key areas, art, STEM, recreation, health and wellness, and social and emotional development. Every age group will do 1 hour of ‘Brain Gain’ (academic work) each day to prevent summer learning loss. Activities will be inside and outside. During quiet time/nap time we put on movies for those who don’t want to rest and will run water days and other fun activities that we can under our COVID protocols.
Staff and members wear masks at all times.
Hours of operation.
8am to 5:30pm Monday through Friday. We will close for recognition of the National Holiday on Monday 5th July. The first day of summer is Monday June 21st. Our last day is Friday August 20th.
Food and snacks.
Members will be provided with a FREE breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack. Parents may pack additional snacks in disposable wrappers if they like, however NO nuts please.. Our food is made on site and follows USDA guidelines for nutrition. We pride ourselves on providing great food that the kids enjoy.
What if I don’t get in?
Those not allocated a place immediately will be offered a place on the waitlist and we will open up spaces as our ratios/staffing allows.
I also want a place in the afterschool program next year.
We will start enrollment for the afterschool program once LTUSD has announced their format for the 20/21 school year. We anticipate that will be in August. Please monitor our social media and website for updates.
We are sad that this will be our second summer with reduced numbers and that so many in our community are struggling to obtain the childcare they need. We are committed to helping all the parents we can, and to advocating to reopen our Bijou site next school year. Thank you for your continued support.
