Weekly Media Roundup: August 9, 2023

Local Boys and Girls Club After-School Program Begins, Helping Working Parents, KXXV (Texas)

This week, the Boys & Girls Club of the Brazos Valley afterschool program opened its doors for the new school year, serving about 200 students and providing peace of mind for working parents. The program offers tutoring, meals, and opportunities to build social connections. Parent Leann Lennie-Bachmeyer told KXXV, “Last year, it was really difficult because Lyla would get home first, and [my husband and I] would both still be working, and we had to struggle going back and forth trying to find care — it’s going to be a tremendous help. Instead of me having to rush home and try to figure out dinner and try to help with homework and not get to bed until 9:30 or 10:00 p.m., it’s going to make our lives a lot easier.”

Family Y to Offer Afterschool Programs in Louisville and Wadley, The Augusta Chronicle (Georgia)

Thanks to a partnership with the Jefferson County Board of Education, the North Jefferson Family Y will offer two new afterschool programs this year at Louisville Academy and Carver Elementary. The first month of each program will feature hands-on activities with rockets, boats and planes, and students will explore careers at NASA, from engineering and science to accounting and human resources. “Before COVID we saw a huge need for afterschool programs, and post-COVID we saw a gap and learning loss,” Y Executive April Parker told the Augusta Chronicle. “So we’re looking to not only meet the needs of the community as far as afterschool care, but also help to bridge that gap in the learning loss. We want to have tutors at each site, a teacher who will come a few times a week.” 

Newark’s State Test Scores Dropped Last Spring. What’s Helping Students Get Back on Track? Chalkbeat (New Jersey)

In response to low standardized test scores last spring, Newark public schools doubled the number of students participating in their summer learning program. Just over a quarter (27 percent) of Newark public school students passed New Jersey’s English standardized test. “The effort to close the achievement gap and accelerate learning is a collective effort,” Newark Public Schools Assistant Superintendent José Fuentes told Chalkbeat. “And hopefully we’ll see robust gains from this summer.” The full-day summer program includes comprehensive reading, math and writing lessons in the morning and enrichment programs in the afternoon with community partners.

Affordable After School Programs, WTXL (Florida)

In Tallahassee, Florida, Life Deliverance Ministry is partnering with the Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend to provide more affordable before- and afterschool programs to families living below the federal poverty level. “Child care is their biggest bill,” the Early Learning Coalition’s Megan Glasgow told WTXL. “It’s something that they have to consider working maybe two or more jobs, having their family members watch their children. This program allows them to have a smaller child care bill.” Program fees will be on a sliding scale based on income level and include transportation from area schools.