BRENHAM ISD DEVELOPING AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM WITH BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
Brenham ISD is moving forward with plans for an after-school program hosted in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Washington County.
On Monday, the Brenham School Board approved a memorandum of understanding with the Boys and Girls Club to provide the program, which will be hosted on-site at each elementary school. Superintendent Dr. Tylor Chaplin said this will allow elementary students to stay at school to receive after-school care, while also allowing the club to focus more on middle school, junior high and high school students at its facility on East Tom Green Street.
Dr. Chaplin stated the school district is allowed to partner with outside entities to provide after-school instruction using ESSER III funding. He said once those federal funds go away, the district will work with the club’s board to determine how to keep the program running. He added that a focal point of his and of Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Stephanie Wehring is to provide curriculum and character building while “ensuring that young people still get the opportunity to be kids after school.”
When asked how the program would be staffed, Dr. Chaplin said the club will offer employment to district staff. He explained that district employees who are interested will be able to transition from Brenham ISD duties to club responsibilities, meaning those employees would be employed and paid by the club—not by Brenham ISD—while they are working in the after-school program. He said this could provide additional income for district employees.
Dr. Chaplin said the district was not satisfied with the services provided by Zenith, the for-profit entity that previously provided after-school care. He said the district did not feel its students were “getting the proper care they needed.” He noted that as the entity charged parents directly for care, the district only provided space for the program and did not allocate funds toward it.
With the board’s action on Monday, the club can now begin advertising the program. Dr. Chaplin said Wehring is expecting around 50 students per campus in the program, but it ultimately depends on the availability of staff.
So, Boys and Girls Club of Washington County will provide a curriculum for after school for elementary kids after school, using school facilities, utilities and resources. Are they going to charge for this service or is this going to be part of their “service” to Washington county, for which they get funding from local government? The Washington County Club will offer jobs for Brenham ISD staff to begin AFTER their obligations with Brenham ISD are completed. So for the thirty minutes or so after school, while Brenham ISD employees are still on the clock, instead of returning to their Classroom to tidy up, organize lesson plans and other things they usually do, some of them will return to a staging area to continue supervising children. The next 30-40 minutes these staffers will be on the Brenham ISD clock monitoring students or providing “enrichment” activities. Then the clock will start for those employed by Washington County Boys and Girls Club to supervise after school curriculum through The Club? And when will the supervision end? Probably 5:30 or 6 p.m. to allow parents travel time to get their kids? And what are the plans for parents that are late to picking up their kids? I assume the Principals will not be required to monitor and supervise activities since the Club is responsible. How about custodians? Will they be on call to clean up spills, bathrooms, trash for the Club’s activities? Or will the Club require their employees to clean up after the kids leave? Will they just bundle the trash up, because they will not have access to cleaning equipment, trash collection spots. These Club employees will not have keys, unless they are BISD employees. If conflicts between students or staffers occur, the Club will handle any discipline required? And the Club will have access to the gym, playground, and other facilities or will they be limited to one area? Are snacks going to be provided? By whom?
And what are the plans of Washington County Boy’s and Girl’s Club to provide the same opportunity for Burton ISD schools, also in the Washington County Boy’s and Girl’s Club service area from which they solicit donations and are serviced by Washington County funds?