Summer
Programs
Dear Boys & Girls Club parents and guardians,
The Summer Programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Appleton and Menasha are a popular choice for children, youth, and families in the Fox Cities, and we are thrilled to make summer a fun learning experience for so many! We believe that summer is a great time to give kids opportunities to develop new friendships, play, continue to learn, and experience new things.
Registration is now open!
Summer Program Information
Our Summer Programs will once again feature a wide-ranging array of fun and exciting programs and activities. These include sports and recreation, fine arts, small group discussions, leadership and community service, field trips, STEM, Summer Brain Gain, and much, much more will be among the many opportunities.
Both Clubs will also once again offer breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack through the Summer Food Service Program.
- What: Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley’s 2023 Summer Program
- Who: Youth ages 6-12 (Teen Centers available for youth age 13-18)
- Where: The Boys & Girls Club of Appleton (160 S. Badger Ave) and Boys & Girls Club of Menasha (600 Racine St., Menasha)
- When: June 5 – August 17th between 7:00 am – 5:30 pm (Monday – Friday)
- CLOSED: June 23rd, July 3rd, 4th, 21st
- Other Important Dates:
- 2023 Summer Registration (Opened March 13th)
- Field Trip Registration (Opens April 3rd)
- NEW Club Families Orientation (Mandatory – select from one of these dates: April 13, 25, May 9, 25)
- Open House for ALL Club Families (BGC of Appleton and Menasha) – May 25th from 4:00 – 6:00 pm
How do I register my child?
We are excited to share that we have launched our Caregiver Portal! The Caregiver Portal is a part of our new member management system that will enhance the registration process, be intuitive and easy to use, help connect Club staff with parents more easily, and provide timely data.
Families who have attended the Club within the last two years will receive additional communication the week of March 6th with more details about the Caregiver Portal to help make the transition a smooth one. We’ve also created a Caregiver Support page to help you navigate this new system, which is inclusive of additional information, support, and FAQs for the Caregiver portal.
Registration for the 2023 Summer Program for all youth ages 6-12 is open!
The registration process has changed so you will need to create a Caregiver Portal account before you can register for Summer Program. Please select from the two options below to get registered for Summer Program:
Option 1 – Create a Caregiver Portal account! Once you’ve created your account you’ll be able to login and register for Summer Program.
Option 2 – You’ve already created a Caregiver Portal account? Great! You’re ready to login and register for Summer Program. Please feel free to refer to the Caregiver Portal Resource Guide for more information on how to register for Summer Program.
Scheduling & Attendance Requirements
Your child’s participation will be limited to either the Appleton or Menasha Clubhouse throughout the course of the summer so please only submit one enrollment form per child. For families who will be attending both the Appleton or Menasha Club and one of our school-based locations, please sign up through the Appleton or Menasha registration and select the BGC Summer School site during the add-on portion of registration. More details on how to do this will be provided on the Caregiver Support Webpage (going live the week of March 6th).
Frequency of attendance is an important component of a quality and impactful Club experience, we want to make sure that the children we enroll are going to use the program on average at least three days per week throughout the summer. This includes attendance at any of our school-based Boys & Girls Clubs as well. If your intention is to have your child participate at a lesser frequency, it is possible that we may not be able to enroll your child or may have to put them on a waiting list.
Enrollment Criteria
The Boys & Girls Club’s mission is to serve all young people, especially those who need us most. Enrollment decisions are therefore not made on a first-come-first-served basis but instead are based upon the needs of the child and the family for our services and frequency of attendance. Please contact Kayla Liesch, BGC of Appleton Branch Director at (920) 750-5836 or Josh McQuillan, BGC of Menasha Branch Director at (920) 750-5856 if you would like us to know more about your child’s needs.
Fee Information
It is our mission to ensure that we serve the youth in our community and that a family’s income level is not a barrier to participation. Thanks to the generosity of many friends and supporters of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley we can ensure that families of extremely low to middle income will still be provided a substantially subsidized program fee. Families of upper income who utilize the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley will be charged the full cost of service for our Summer Program. As always, we understand that families face various challenges outside of income level and we ask that you reach out if you need help managing the cost of your child’s participation. The fee structure for the BGCFV 2023 Summer Program is outlined below for your reference.
Fees only apply to youth ages 7 and older. Youth who turn seven before July 17th will be charged the full rate and youth who turn seven after July 17th will be charged 50% of the full rate.
Bussing from Menasha Summer School to the Boys & Girls Club of Menasha will be available again this summer at no extra charge.
What if registration is full?
If we have reached maximum capacity, we will place your child on a waiting list and contact you if space becomes available. Children in certain high-needs situations, such as those who are homeless, will not be placed on a waiting list and will be allowed to participate immediately.
How do I get help with the cost of participation?
Families who need financial assistance or to set up a payment plan should reach out to Kayla Liesch, BGC of Appleton Branch Director (920) 731-0555, kliesch@bgclubfoxvalley.org, or Anneliese Berndt, BGC of Menasha Membership Coordinator (920) 750-5860, aberndt@bgclubfoxvalley.org
Field Trips
Registration for field trips are now open in the Caregiver Portal. Details on the field trip opportunities and how to sign up will be sent directly to enrolled families via email. Field trips are only available for members ages 7-12 years old. There is a non-refundable fee for each field trip. If a Club member is having trouble following expectations prior to or during the field trip, they may not be eligible to travel and/or caregivers may be contacted to pick up their child from the field trip or the Club. If a youth expresses that they are not interested in attending the field trip they are signed up for the day of they will not be forced to attend and will be allowed to stay at Club. Please contact Kayla Liesch, BGC of Appleton Branch Director at (920) 750-5836 or Josh McQuillan, BGC of Menasha Branch Director at (920) 750-5856 with any questions regarding field trips.
New Family Orientation (Mandatory for NEW Summer Program Caregivers)
Caregivers of NEW Club members must attend a MANDATORY New Family Orientation at one of the following offered times at their Branch location:
- Thursday, April 13th from 5:30 – 6:30 pm
- Tuesday, April 25th from 5:30 – 6:30 pm
- Tuesday, May 9th from 6:00 – 7:00 pm
- Thursday, May 25th from 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Registration for New Family Orientation is open in the Caregiver Portal.
Open House (Open to ALL Summer Program Families)
ALL Caregivers and Club members accepted into the 2023 Summer Program are invited to join us for an Open House at their Branch location. The Open House will consist of formal tours of the facility, time to meet the staff, and hear about programs offered throughout the summer!
- Thursday, May 25th from 4:00 – 6:00 pm located at each Branch Location
What about my Teenager?
Advanced enrollment in The CLUB Teen Center’s summer programs is not required. Teen membership is $5 per year and there are no additional summer program fees. The CLUB Teen Centers of Appleton and Menasha will be open from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Any Club member entering 7th grade will be eligible for the Teen Center. If your child is transitioning to the Teen Center this summer, it is advised that you schedule an orientation with the Teen Center contact at your location to learn about the different rules/expectations for our teens. (Radoslav Wilke, Appleton Assistant Director Teen Center at 920-731-0555 or Josh McQuillan, BGC of Menasha Branch Director at (920) 750-5860.)
Page Turners Early Literacy Tutoring Program
This program is offered at the Appleton and Menasha branch locations in either a morning or afternoon session. Page Turners runs daily, June 5th – August 17th. Badger, Columbus, Edison, Foster, and Highlands Elementary Schools offers afternoon tutoring from 12:30 – 5:30 pm during the four weeks of summer school, on days the Club is open, June 12th – July 7th. Youth currently in Page Turners, or who have recently completed, K-3rd grades, are eligible based on a combination of need as well as tutor/ Club member availability.
This program provides youth with a tutor in a 1:1 or a small group setting, and meets 2 times per week in half-hour sessions. Sessions include time for a Read-Aloud book, student practice with leveled reading books, drawing/writing activities for comprehension, and developmentally appropriate literacy games. Page Turners will provide opportunities to build Club member’s home libraries by providing youth with their very own books to take home.
Registration for Page Turners during the summer program will open in the Caregiver Portal on April 3rd under the Programs tab at the top of the screen. If you have any questions about the Page Turners program, please reach out to Ann Dudley, Literacy Coordinator, at adudley@bgclubfoxvalley.org.
AASD Summer School Programs
We will again be offering programming after summer school each day at the following locations: Columbus/ABS Elementary, Edison Elementary, Foster Elementary, Badger Elementary, Highlands Elementary, Kaleidoscope Academy, and James Madison Middle School. Summer school programming will take place June 12th through July 7th (with no programming occurring on June 19th & 23rd, July 3rd & 4th). A snack will be provided daily.
- Badger: 11:30 am – 5:30 pm
- Columbus: 11:30 am – 5:30 pm
- Edison: 11:30 – 5:30 pm
- Foster: 11:30 am – 5:30 pm
- Highlands: 11:30 am – 5:30 pm
- KA-Roosevelt: 11:45 am – 5:30 pm
- James Madison 11:45 am – 5:30 pm
Kiel & New Holstein Summer School Programs
We are excited to offer new this year programming after summer school each day in New Holstein. Lunch or snack will be provided daily.
- BGC of New Holstein: will take place at New Holstein Middle School
- Who: Students going into Kindergarten – 5th grade
- When: June 5th – June 30th (no programming offered on June 23rd)
- Where: New Holstein Middle School
- Time: After Summer School to 5:30 pm, Monday-Friday
