July 9, 2020
Parents & Guardians –
We hope you are staying safe and well!
We wanted to share an update with you as we look toward reopening the Paulding Club and as we consider the future of this location. We are currently finalizing our reopening plan and working with schools in your community to support their overall strategy.
We are hoping to open our doors as close to your school’s in-person start date as possible. We will continue to offer afterschool care from 2:30pm – 8pm each day.
In an effort to be open and honest with you, we would also like to share some difficult news. We met with the Paulding County Board earlier this week to discuss the potential closure of your Club in December.
As the country is responding to COVID-19 and working through the ripple effects of the pandemic, we are facing tough funding hurdles for the rest of this year and into 2021. The Paulding County Boys & Girls Club needs major repairs which include installing a new roof and addressing extensive foundation issues. The location is also one of our smallest Clubs and is only able to serve just over 90 kids and teens per day.
We have challenged your Board to identify a new location for your Club that can serve more members, as well as secure significant additional funding to support its operation. They are leaning in and working hard, but they have a tough journey ahead. We will keep you abreast of progress and will make sure to communicate a decision to you by October.
Please know, as we move forward with reopening, the safety of your children and our staff is our #1 priority. We are closely monitoring recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, as well as federal and state guidelines related to COVID-19. By mid-next week, we will be sharing a comprehensive review of our safety policies, including new expectations for our members and parents.
Your Club will also be hosting a virtual Parent Orientation to welcome you back, review safety policies, and answer any questions you may have. Stay tuned for details…
We are finalizing our registration process now. Within the next couple of weeks, you will receive an update from your Club on next steps. For the foreseeable future, we will operate Clubs at limited capacity to ensure adequate space for social distancing measures. We are also increasing our staff-to- member ratios to give your child the best and safest experience possible.
Because of reduced capacity, we may not be able to accommodate all families interested in our programming. We will be giving preference to families who are current members and who sent their child(ren) at least 3 days per week during the 2019/2020 school year and who will be sending their child(ren) to school this fall.
Thank you for being part of our Boys & Girls Club family and entrusting us with your kids! We know it’s been a challenging year and we’re here alongside you and your families as we all heal, push forward, and grow stronger together. We have many fun and memorable experiences planned for the months ahead. In the meantime, we are continuing to plan for reopening and hope to see you and your kids soon!
Sincerely,
David Jernigan
President & CEO
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta
Djernigan@bgcma.org.