The Bemidji Area Boys and Girls Club will reopen June 8, but only 54 1st through 5th graders will be allowed in the building at a maximum, and the drop-in-style program is still suspended.
According to a release, the all-day, fee-based summer program will comply with the latest COVID-19 guidelines and procedures.
“Many health and safety requirements are now much more challenging, so we have had to revise our plans to meet new guidelines and expenses,” said Andrea Kent, executive director.
“Instead of a drop-in program, we will begin with a full-day, fee-based program that limits group sizes to comply with COVID-19 guidelines.”
Groups will be kept at a 1:9 staff-to-member ratio, all in separate spaces, and members will be screened as they enter.
There are no plans as of yet to reopen the Tween or Teen Center, which Club staff anticipates will not happen until the fall, at the earliest.
“We have had to make a lot of difficult decisions to comply with new guidelines and meet new expenses,” said Kent.
“We are opening with children 1st through 5th grade who are most in need of supervision and a safe place to be as parents and guardians return to work.”
The full-day program is eligible for the Child Care Assistance Program for families who qualify.
The full-day program will run June 8 through Sept. 4, the start of school, with a one-week closing, June 29-July 3.
Registration priority will be given to those who commit to a five-day program and to current Club members.
For more information, visit the Boys and Girls Club website.
