Jefferson City Boys and Girls Club opens new site for after-school care
The Jefferson City Boys and Girls Club is opening a new site to offer more children after-school care in response to the school district’s new start and end times this school year.
The new site at the Knowles YMCA is focused on providing care to low-income families who have children attending West, Lawson, Belair or Pioneer Trail Elementary Schools, said Jefferson City Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Stephanie Johnson.
“We wanted to make sure children, particularly those on free and reduced lunch at school who otherwise would go home to an older sibling who might be there, now might be going home alone,” Johnson said. “We didn’t want that, so we opened up a new site.”
She said the site can offer care to 120 children and the cost of the program is $25 per semester for children on the free and reduced lunch program.
Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Jefferson City is hoping to get a grant to continue the after-school program at the Knowles Center for five years, Johnson said.
Lewis and Clark Middle School and Thomas Jefferson Middle School will provide before-school care for middle school students.
Jefferson City middle schoolers will begin school at 8:50 a.m. and dismiss at 3:50 p.m. Elementary schools will start at 7:45 a.m. and release at 2:45 p.m this school year.
