ADA COUNTY, Idaho — The Boys & Girls Clubs of Ada County are helping children going back to school this year through a virtual learning program.
With most schools announcing they're going back to school virtually or are providing some sort of hybrid model, many parents may be worried about how they are going to deal with their children when they go to work.
This year, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Ada County are focusing their after-school care to virtual education by using "virtual education hubs." These hubs will offer a safe place for kids to complete their virtual learning from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, and will cost $35 a week, with scholarships available.
The goal of this program, according to a press release from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Ada County, "is to make virtual learning an option for families with parents who have to work during the school day, or without reliable internet access at home." The program will involve all seven Boys & Girls Clubs in Ada County, and will involve small groups to ensure social distancing.
"Children will have access to internet, meals, and a classroom-like setting where trained staff will be on-site to help with homework and studies. When students are not doing schoolwork, the Clubs will weave-in sports, recreation, arts, games and science activities to keep kids active and having fun," says Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Ada County, Colleen Braga.
Some of the safety measures being taken include:
- Wearing masks
- Temperature checks
- Small group settings
- Mandatory hand-washing
- Sanitization after each room change
- Social distancing
The Boys & Girls Club sites will be offering remote learning at the following locations:
- Moseley Center in Garden City
- Meridian Unit in Meridian
- Kuna Unit at 4th Street Gym
- Desert Sage Elementary in Southwest Boise
- Peregrine Elementary in Meridian
- Hawthorne Elementary in Boise
- Koelsch Elementary in Boise
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Ada County works with the calendar of three different school districts: Boise, Kuna and West Ada, which all have their own different back to school plans. Each location will operate differently based upon the needs of the various school districts.
For more information on the virtual learning program, click here.
