AGOURA — In response to the closings of area schools, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley (BGCGCV) has announced that some of its Club sites will remain open, with adjusted hours and limited space, to accommodate school closures and meet the critical childcare needs of the community.
BGCGCV made this decision in alignment with the recommendations released by the State of California Health and Human Services Agency, Labor and Workforce Development Agency, and Department of Education, entitled “COVID-19 Guidance for Child Care and Student Supervision in the Event of a School Closure”, published on March 17, 2020 (available at: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/guidance.asp), along with consideration of the impacts of school closures as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) entitled “Considerations for School Closure” (available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/considerations-for-school-closure.pdf).
This decision was not made lightly. In fidelity to its mission to serve those that need the organization the most, BGCGCV determined that it would remain open as a critical service for the care of children at high risk of being impacted by school closures. These include economically and physically vulnerable children and children of families for whom telework and paid sick leave is not available. The BGCGCV also remains open to support the children of healthcare works and other essential workers, so that school closures do not impact their ability to serve the wider community.
“We are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to operate as long as we are able to provide a safe environment for our members and the community,” stated Dr. Crystal N?one, President/CEO of BGCGCV. “As part of our mission, we provide a place of safety for youth and staff and we have put strict guidelines in place to maintain health, safety and cleaning precautions at each of our Clubs,” she continued.
“Our aim is to provide continuity of education, enrichment and academic support, and social emotional assistance to youth and their families during these unprecedented times, while contributing to social cohesion and the long-term ability of our communities to provide the essential services necessary for all members,”
“Unfortunately, people are reading only the headlines and not delving into the research and guidance being provided by experts globally, nationally and locally. This has created an unprecedented panic where dramatic decisions are made without full consideration of the multitude of impacts that will be felt in the community far into the future. We need leadership now and there is no room for conjecture”, added N?one.
While restrictions on non-essential gatherings are important to adhere to, and BGCGCV is doing so through the postponement of a variety of gatherings the organization had planned, the provision of childcare is considered an essential function within our communities. The elimination of all childcare options during times such as these, especially for high risk populations, can have disastrous consequences.
The joint guidance released by the State of California Health and Human Services Agency, Labor and Workforce Development Agency, and Department of Education states: “In current times, schools play roles supporting their community needs beyond education … the lack of supervision of students during unexpected and prolonged school closures can have a major economic and productivity impact on families and communities. In addition, school closures can create an even greater negative impact on the healthcare field whose critical workers during a pandemic depend on school time for their children’s supervision.” The document further recommends that schools work with government and community partners, such as BGCGCV, to provide supervision of children during school hours.
Other Boys & Girls Clubs across the country are also providing these essential services to community, including Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco, Boys & Girls Clubs of San Diego, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley – Arizona, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware, to name just a few.
Two BGCGCV Club sites are currently available for full-time care:
Morton Club @ Sequoia Middle School
Phone: 805-375-5635
Address: 2855 Borchard Rd., Newbury Park
Hours: 7AM – 6:30PM
Capacity: 75 Youth
Johnston Club @ Colina Middle School
Phone: 805-449-1309
Address: 1450 E. Hillcrest Dr., Thousand Oaks
Hours: 7AM – 6:30PM
Capacity: 75 Youth
Once those sites are at capacity, BGCGCV will open two additional sites:
Anderson Club @ Los Cerritos Middle School
Phone: 805-493-2917
Address: 1980 E. Avenida de las Flores, Thousand Oaks
Hours: 7AM – 6:30PM
Capacity: 75 Youth
Notter Club @ Redwood Middle School
Phone: 805-371-4045
Address: 231 W. Gainsborough Rd., Thousand Oaks
Hours: 7AM – 6:30PM
Capacity: 75 Youth
In previous announcements BGCGCV noted that it was going to be open in Clubs that it owns on LVUSD school campuses, based upon approvals originally received from the district. LVUSD has since rescinded that authorization. BGCGCV is hopeful that the State guidance, and community need, will change their mind.
Programming at the Clubs will include enrichment activities, academic and social support, and the provision of packaged healthy snacks. Priority will be given to healthcare, public safety, and other essential workers. Space is limited based upon each location’s capacity. Weekly rate is $165 and the daily rate $45, scholarship available to any qualifying family.
BGCGCV’s decision to open is subject to change on short notice, based upon continuous monitoring of guidance at the county, state and federal levels. Clubs will continue to operate as long as they are able to provide a safe environment for young people, always placing the safety of youth and staff first. The intention is to stay open unless the National Headquarters, Health Department or the CDC or any authorized government agency deems it unsafe.
In addition, the BGCGCV continues to monitor all updates from the CDC and the California Department of Health Services for updated information. The BGCGCV advises all staff, families, and youth members to take precautions as recommended by the CDC, which provides additional resources such as handwashing guides, and information about how to talk to young people about the spread of COVID-19.
For more detailed information such as health & safety standards, club maintenance, policies during the COVID-19 outbreak, and Club hours visit the website at www.bgcconejo.org.
About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley: The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley (BGCGCV) are open before and after school, during lunch, on weekends, for summer camp, and all-day during school vacations. Tours of the Clubs are available upon request. The Boys & Girls Clubs also offer a variety of employment positions with excellent benefits and ongoing professional development. For more information about employment opportunities, supervised youth programs, to donate, volunteer, or register online, log onto www.bgcconejo.org or call 818-706-0905.