Noozhawk’s ParentNooz After School Activities Guide is officially here and we made sure to make things easy when planning your child’s after school activities! Our 2020 After School Activities guide provides you and your child with all the necessary information when deciding on which after school program is the best fit during these difficult times of distance learning and COVID-19 restrictions.
To give parents the tools to help make informed decisions about after school programs for their kids in Santa Barbara, Noozhawk has conducted a series of interviews with representatives of local programs still holding after school programs for this year’s After School Activities Guide.
In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with Kristen Weaver, Director of Communications at Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara Learning and Enrichment Center to learn more about their after school programs here in Santa Barbara.
Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara Learning and Enrichment Center
Question: What is the name of your After School Activity/Program? What is its mission?
Answer: Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara’s long-standing After-school Program has transformed into the Girls Inc. Learning and Enrichment Center to support girls’ remote learning during the pandemic.
Q: Describe the activities involved in your After School Activity/Program.
A: At the Girls Inc. Learning and Enrichment Center, girls and teens bring their remote learning devices and school materials each morning and log on to their online classes while their parents are working.
In contrast to the three-hours per day traditionally spent at the after-school program before the pandemic, youth now spend full days at the center in a physically safe and positive, pro-girl environment amidst the disruption and uncertainty students face in their learning routines.
Girls are assigned to learning teams with dedicated facilitators for the duration of the program. In these smaller learning groups, trained Girls Inc. staff – many of whom are already familiar to and trusted by the girls and teens – guide students through their remote learning, making sure they log on to their classes and helping them focus and complete their work throughout their virtual school day.
In addition to providing technical help and academic support, Girls Inc. facilitators emphasize physical movement activities and creative “brain breaks” for youth throughout the day. Strong (healthy), smart (educated), and bold (independent) programming supplements the remote learning as the various school schedules allow.
Girls benefit from learning in a physically safe environment and receiving consistent support to help them succeed academically.
Q: What are the hours of your after school activity or program?
A: Monday-Friday 8 AM – 3 PM
Q: What is the age range for children to take part in your after school activity or program?
A: Ages 5-18
Q: When was your program started and what was the inspiration for creating it?
A: Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara has been offering after-school programming since it was founded in 1958 to give girls in our community a safe place to go after-school for homework assistance and enrichment activities. During the pandemic, that need still exists – even more so. Girls Inc. has modified its program model to provide safe space for girls to learn remotely while having access to academic support that may be limited at home. Parents appreciate the peace of mind that their children are learning and being supported while they are working.
Q: Describe what makes your after school program unique and worthwhile.
A: Girls Inc. provides a safe space for girls – physically, socially, and emotionally – within a pro-girl environment. Our trained facilitators guide students through their remote learning activities each day, making sure they log on to their classes and helping them focus and complete their work.
Additionally, thanks to a grant from United Way of Santa Barbara County, Girls Inc. is able to help serve the city’s most vulnerable populations. As a partner in United Way’s Learning and Enrichment Centers Collaborative, Girls Inc. can provide an additional 25 spaces at its Goleta Center and 14 spaces at its Santa Barbara campus (531 E. Ortega St.) to support remote learning for girls with critical needs including homelessness, financial hardship, and parents who are essential workers.
Q: Following COVID-19 restrictions, what parts of your program have changed to comply with Santa Barbara County guidelines?
A: Earlier this summer, Girls Inc.’s Health & Safety Coordinator Stephanie Lopez Lozano (a former Girls Inc. facilitator) led the implementation of several COVID-19 protocols for the modified summer program, which began in July. These protocols for staff, girls, and families remain in place for fall and continue to be enhanced as needed, or as mandated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Girls are assigned to learning teams by grade, with dedicated facilitators for the duration of the program. Each learning team is self-contained to its own classroom and has its own assigned lunch spot on the campus. Because of the reduced interaction between all girls at the center, girls and staff came up with the idea to write and deliver daily letters to each other – like an internal pen pal system! That has been a great way for girls to keep in touch.
Parents will notice new processes that include curbside drop-off and pick up, reconfigured classroom spaces that respect social distancing guidelines, mandatory mask requirements, reduced service capacity, and daily staff and girl health checks before entering the center. The center is also disinfected throughout the day and undergoes a thorough sanitizing cleaning each evening.
Q: What is the average program size or class size for your activity? Teacher to student ratio?
A: Our ratio for fall is 10:2 to maintain the implemented COVID-19 protocols.
Q: In what ways is your program educational?
A: In addition to daily remote learning support and enrichment, Girls Inc. has themes for each month this fall that tie into more traditional Strong, Smart, and Bold programming. In September, girls and teens are participating in Lady Gaga’s national initiative to promote kindness in #BeKind21. In October, all youth will participate in the Girls Inc. She Votes program, where they learn about civic engagement and the political process, their voting rights, and how to study issues of importance to them during an election. They will also learn about how to become a candidate for elected office themselves! In November we study STEMinists, trailblazing women working and leading in the STEM fields. And in December, girls get creative as they become Imagineers.
Q: What is the cost/tuition? Are scholarships available?
A: Fees range from $125-$250 per week. Financial assistance is available. Girls Inc. also offers a 10% sibling discount.
Parents who are able may contribute an additional $50 per week to help cover the program fees for families who have been significantly impacted economically by the pandemic.
Click the links below for more information about Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara and their after school programs!