Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County launches eLearning program

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - School’s in session for Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County. On Monday, the local non-profit organization launched a new eLearning program to help working families.

“[We’re] trying to provide parents that full coverage they need to be able to go to their jobs to be able to continue to put food on the table and give them the place where they know their children are safe and taken care of,” said Jacqueline Kronk, CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County.

Teaming with the City of South Bend and the South Bend Community School Corporation, the Boys and Girls Club eLearning program serves students in grades K-12 at six locations across St. Joseph County. It runs 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided.

Along assisting students with eLearning, staff members offer mindfulness sessions in between classes during the stressful pandemic.

“We’re doing a lot of mindfulness, a lot of yoga, a lot of meditation, again, to give them the tools and a channel to articulate what they are experiencing right now,” Kronk explained.

Several pandemic safety measures are in place, including two temperature checks daily for staff and children; frequent hand-washing and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces; 10 children paired with one staff member in different rooms; and social distancing in small groups that don’t interact.

“These small cohorts really help us reduce the risk of exposure and help us still be able to deliver the one-on-one attention that we really think is necessary right now,” Kronk emphasized.

Currently, there is a waiting list for the eLearning program. More locations may be added to serve children safely.

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