Weekly Media Roundup: August 26, 2020

Where Atlanta Parents Turn When Children Can’t Do Online School at Home, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Georgia)

Afterschool providers throughout Atlanta, Georgia are stepping up to provide safe, supportive environments for students to do distance learning while their parents are working. Girls Inc., the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, and the YMCA of Metro Atlanta all launched remote learning sites in recent weeks where students can connect with mentors, get help with remote schoolwork, and interact safely with peers. Programs are taking extensive precautions including masks, keeping students in small groups, extra sanitation and more. “There’s obviously a need, and there’s a lot of programs taking this really seriously and figuring out how to do it safely,” said Katie Landes, director of the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Luzerne County After School Program Goes Virtual Amid Pandemic, PA Home Page (Pennsylvania)

Through the SHINE afterschool program in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, students take part in physical activity, get help with homework, explore their interests through project-based learning and more. SHINE has chosen to serve children virtually this fall, building off its successful virtual summer learning program. “We hope to step in and fill that gap as much as we can virtually for 21st century skills. Collaboration, communication and creativity; all those [are] things that we think we can try to work on,” Director Carol Nicholas told PA Home Page.  “I think we saw, over the summer, how much that hands-on learning meant to them.”

Boys And Girls Club Offers Affordable Option To Virtual School Supervision, CBS Miami (Florida)

Each weekday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., students ages 5 to 17 are taking part in virtual learning and programming through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami. The Club incorporated lessons from its fun, socially-distanced summer learning program to design the fall program, which aims to keep students safe and engaged while parents are working. “I know that [my son is] going to be in a safe environment and at the same token going to be with counselors and advisors that are going to help him throughout the class day and if he has questions they will be able to answer,” parent Melissa Sires told CBS Miami.

Valley Shore YMCA Opens Virtual Learning Space for Children, Zip 06 (Connecticut)

The Valley Shore YMCA in Westbrook, Connecticut is offering before- and afterschool programs as well as all-day programming for students whose schools are opening remotely this fall. At the program, students will complete science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) projects, participate in physical activities, work on art projects and more. Valley Shore YMCA is implementing daily health screenings and social distancing in all its programs. “Throughout this crisis, we have looked for ways the Y can best serve everyone in our community. As we look to the upcoming school year, we are pleased to partner with our local school districts to provide an equitable, safe learning environment for children to grow and thrive,” Executive Director Chris Pallatto told Zip 06.