Boys and Girls Club Back-to-School Signup

Ryan SkaithPublished: August 16, 2017

COURTESY OF SEDALIA SCHOOL DISTRICT 200 Skyline Elementary School has named its Character Kids for April. The character trait was dependability. Honored are, front row, from left: Jacob Porter, Anyta Ostapenko, Ashlynn Gaspard; Row 2: Chase Rialti, Alveena Izoita, Emmett Belnap, Alivia Washington, Gretchen Beard, Journey Turner; Row 3: Randy Stoermer, Piper Gerlach, Axton Martin; Row 4: Jake Wise, Vlad Izoita, Giovanna Martinati, Addisyn Hughes, Kinzer Chambers; Top Row: Marcuis Lamar, Isabella Thompson, Ava Herrick, Hailey Lynch, Andrew Novatskiy. Not Pictured: Hayden Hansell.

With the new school year approaching, the Boys & Girls Clubs of West Central Missouri are encouraging parents to sign-up their children early, due to new membership limits at Club sites.

“We are still going to hold afterschool programming at each of our 11 Club sites, but some sites will have to limit the number of students they serve,” said Director of Operations Tyler Hudson. “We will do our best to accommodate everyone but it’s important that if you want afterschool care for your child, you contact us soon to get your name on the list.”

Some of the area sites that are affected include Heber Hunt, Horace Mann, Parkview, Skyline, Washington, and La Monte.

According to the a press release from the BGCWCM, all other sites are expected to serve the same number of members as in previous years. Programming at all sites will be the same, students will receive a snack, homework help, and take part in learning activities.

The press release states, the change in membership limits is due to uncertain grant funding. BGCWCM receives two federal '21st Century Community Learning Center' grants that pass through the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. These five-year grants make up the bulk of BGCWCM funding and until they are secured, the Club is forced to limit the number of students served.

“Unfortunately this year the timing of the grant renewal was pushed back and so we’re in a holding pattern until mid to late September, when DESE releases the names of the grant winners,” Hudson said. “We are cautiously optimistic that we will receive these grants again, but until we know for certain we have to start the year out with membership limits. If we do receive the grants, we will be able to open membership back up to previous year levels.”

To ensure children are signed-up for the Boys and Girls Club and for more information, call 826-8331. Membership packets can be found on the Boys & Girls Club website, bgckids.com, or at the BGC Administration Office, located at 3100 Aaron Ave, in Sedalia.

COURTESY OF SEDALIA SCHOOL DISTRICT 200