Hannah Salvesen

Hello Parents and Guardians,

We would like to communicate an update about masking during the Summer Program. Following CDC recommendations and noting that COVID 19 cases in Howell County are currently low, masking while at the West Plains campus is now optional, for the duration of the Summer Program.

Hello Parents and Guardians,

We had a parent reach out last week about one of our employees, who is non-binary, introducing themselves as they/them to a youth group. I welcome this opportunity to reiterate to our Club parents the importance we place upon inclusivity for all people associated with the Club, including youth and staff. Our Club welcomes a diverse group of Youth Development Professionals into our program who align with our hiring protocols, program requirements, and background screenings.

The Boys & Girls Club of the Greater West Plains Area as well as Boys & Girls Clubs of America  are an LGBTQ+ affirming organization, and we strive to be kind and respectful to all. Research has repeatedly shown that if we accept people as they are and show kindness and respect regardless of identifying pronouns, gender, or sexual orientation, they are less likely to suffer from mental health disorders in life.  We model that respectful approach with our employees.

It’s important you know that at the Club, any discussion of LGBTQ+ information is limited. We know each home may have a different approach and we do not intend to encroach on a parent’s ability to discuss and explain these matters in a way that is cohesive with your family’s values system. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater West Plains Area will not be teaching a curriculum about gender identity, as we feel that is the parents’ responsibility.  What has been, and continues to be our mission, is to provide a safe, fun place for kids to learn.

If you are interested in learning more about LGBTQ+ matters to have age-appropriate discussions at home with your child, we’ve provided additional resources from various perspectives below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQALwv9UJxI – “How to explain LGBT to your Kids” – by the St. Louis Children’s Hospital

https://www.parents.com/kids/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-gender/ – “How to Talk to Kids About Gender”- an article and video by Parents.com.

The Boys & Girls Club of the Greater West Plains Area remains committed to our Club youth, staff, families, and our community. I am more than willing to answer any questions you might have about this topic; please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at [email protected].

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

Welcome to the Boys & Girls Club summer session! We are so excited to work with your Club members this summer! 

 

Our 2021-2022 calendar is attached. Please note we will be closed July 4, and our open summer hours are weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. As a beginning of session update, we wanted to send out the safety reminders below: 

 

We have a new security system and all Club Members and Guardians must be buzzed into the building at the front door for drop off and pick-up. Please feel free to ring the doorbell on the left hand side if the door does not open when you arrive.

 

In case of an emergency that would cause an unexpected change in scheduling we will make announcements via Facebook (@BGCWP) and Instagram (@boysandgirls_wp). We also plan to roll out a text message reminder and notification system called Remind 101 soon and encourage all guardians to sign up. More information will follow in the coming weeks. 

 

As the summer begins, we will be scanning (or rescanning for pick-up people already in the system from the school year) all pick-up persons’ state IDs to verify identity and update safety information for all our Club Members so we can continue to keep an updated safety system in place.

 

As a gentle reminder: registration for our summer session included a masking clause. All registered Club Members had their legal guardian agree to and sign the registration, including this clause. It is our policy that everyone who has not been COVID vaccinated and (if it has been 6+ months) boostered must wear a mask at all times while inside the Boys & Girls Club. When Club members are outside or engaged in physical activity, they are not required to wear a mask. If your child has been vaccinated, please present their vaccine card at the front office to be scanned into our records. This policy is to protect you, your children, and our staff.

We understand that some kids may prefer specific masks. While we do provide free masks, you may also send your child with their preferred mask. If masks are not provided and your child is unvaccinated, they will be required to wear our free masks. We also accept doctor notes for children who cannot wear a mask due to sensory issues, severe asthma, or another medical issue; we do not require that those children wear masks once their medical note is on file. This is our standing policy.

 

We are considering relaxing masking policies if the county COVID rates continue to drop and vaccination rates among our Club members continue to rise. If we were to relax masking policies, we still reserve the right to reinstate the full masking policy as described in the registration contract at any time. We would reinstate mandatory masking if COVID is present at the Club or if COVID rates rise to a dangerous number of cases in the county. This is because the safety of our Club Members and staff are tantamount. We can -at any time- have immunocompromised Club members and/or Staff, and we cannot in good conscience risk contributing to the over 20,000 COVID related deaths that have occurred in Missouri in the past 2 years. 

 

This potential change in masking policies can only work if we have your support as parents to promote following health and safety rules even when we don’t like them, as this would mean children would sometimes be required to wear masks in the club, and sometimes they would be optional. We have faith in the knowledge that you as parents are doing what is best for your individual children. As a Club, we must focus on what is best for all the Club Members as a group, making exceptions as medically necessary in order to promote everyone’s health and safety. We are extremely appreciative of your support and help in encouraging your children to follow Club rules while at the Club.

 

Our goal and desire is to workwith you as a team for the benefit of your children. We cannot work with parents who refuse to abide by a registration contract they signed, or who threaten staff or cause a scene in front of other people’s children. We understand there are differing views on masking and that masks are not comfortable. However, we are all adults and we are all doing our best to navigate a difficult situation and keep children safe during a pandemic. Please give us grace and support as we strive to be your children’s advocates, and continue to serve them in a happy, healthy, and safe environment. We welcome your constructive ideas and will keep you in the loop on all future masking and safety decisions. Please address frustrations, ideas, and more directly to our CEO at [email protected]. 

 

Thank you for your patience and understanding.