Summer
Programs
Dear Boys & Girls Club parents and guardians,
The summer programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Appleton and of 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.
Apply For Summer Program (Please Read Information Below Prior to Applying)
Program Information
The summer programs at the Boys & Girls Club of Appleton and the Boys & Girls Club of Menasha will once again feature a wide-ranging array of fun and exciting programs. Sports and fitness, art activities, small group discussions, leadership and community service, field trips, Trips for Kids, baseball, Summer Brain Gain, and much, much more will be among the many opportunities available again this year.
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 Summer Program
- Who: Youth ages 6-12
- When: June 7 – August 20th between 7:00 am – 5:30 pm (Monday – Friday) (Closed July 2 & 5th)
- Where: The Boys & Girls Club of Appleton (160 S. Badger Ave) and Boys & Girls Club of Menasha (600 Racine St., Menasha)
- Other Important Information: Accepting Summer Program applications March 8 – April 9, 2021.
How do I register my child?
Applications for the 2021 Summer Program will be accepted for all youth ages 6-12 between Monday, March 8th and Friday, April 9th. Summer Program Applications received after the April 9th deadline are not guaranteed acceptance into the Summer Programs at the Boys & Girls Club of Appleton and/or Menasha depending on each sites’ maximum capacity. For more information and to apply, click the button below for the location you want to apply to.
Scheduling & Attendance Requirements
When you complete the application, you will see that we want you to tell us the typical days your child will participate and that there are separate forms for each Club. 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. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic is it imperative that your child/ren attends on the days that you specify to ensure we can maximize our capacity to serve all the youth who need us most. Also, because frequency of attendance is an important component of a quality and impactful Club experience, we also want to make sure that the children we enroll are going to use the program on average at least three days per week through most of 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 Kelsey Fulmer, BGC of Appleton Branch Director at (920) 750-5836 or Jordan Derber, BGC of Menasha Branch Director at (920) 750-5856 if you would like us to know more about your child’s needs.
Weekly Fee Information
The financial impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our organization has required us to take a look at our weekly fee structure for our 2021 Summer Program. It is our mission to ensure that we serve the youth in our community who need us most and that a family’s income level is not a barrier to participation. This new weekly fee structure will 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 weekly fee structure for the BGCFV 2021 Summer Program outlined below for your reference. Any membership, participation, or summer fees only apply to youth ages 7 and older.
The annual Club membership fee remains $15 for 7 to 12-year-old children and $5 for teens ages 13 to 18. Bussing from Menasha Summer School to the Boys & Girls Club of Menasha will be available this summer at no extra charge.
How do I know my child has been accepted into the summer program?
We will contact you via email by Friday, April 16th with the status of your application. If you do not receive an email communication by April 18th, please contact Brytt Biesemeier, BGC of Appleton Membership Coordinator (920) 750-5802, bbiesemeier@bgclubfoxvalley.org or Brittany Wagner, BGC of Menasha Membership Coordinator (920) 750-5860, bwagner@bgclubfoxvalley.org.
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.
Outstanding balances
If your account is not current, you will also be asked to bring it up to date to finalize enrollment for you child upon acceptance into the 2021 Summer Program your child. As always, the Boys & Girls Club works hard to ensure all children can participate regardless of their household income levels. Please let us know if you need help managing and covering the cost of participation. We never want an inability to pay to keep a child from becoming a Club member.
How do I get help with the cost of participation?
Please indicate your need for Financial Assistance on the application and Brytt Biesemeier, BGC of Appleton Membership Coordinator or Brittany Wagner, BGC of Menasha Membership Coordinator will contact you.
Field Trips
Details on the field trip opportunities and how to sign up will be sent directly to enrolled families via email during the week of April 19th. 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 or during the field trip, they may not be eligible to travel and/or parents may be contacted to pick up their child from the field trip or the Club. It is important to know that if your child is signed up for a field trip, they will be at more risk of being exposed to COVID-19. 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 Kristin Griswold with any questions; (920) 997-1399 ext. 7758 or KGriswold@bgclubfoxvalley.org.
Club Member & Family Orientation
Parents/Guardians of Club members accepted into the 2021 Summer Program will receive a recording via email during the enrollment process with important summer program information. It is MANDATORY to view this recording.
NEW Club families who are interested in a tour or who have further questions can call their Club to set up a short 15-minute in-person orientation with their Branch Director at any of the dates and times listed below. (Kelsey Fulmer, BGC of Appleton Branch Director at (920) 750-5836 or Jordan Derber, BGC of Menasha Branch Director at (920) 750-5856)
In-Person Orientation (for new Club families)
- Tuesday, April 13th 9:30 am– 5:30 pm
- Thursday, April 22nd 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
- Tuesday, May 4th 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
- Thursday, May 20th 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
What about my Teenager?
Advance enrollment in The CLUB Teen Center’s summer programs is not required. Teen membership is $5 per year and there is no additional summer registration free. The CLUB Teen Centers of Appleton and Menasha will be open from 8 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. (Kelsey Fulmer, BGC of Appleton Assistant Branch Director Teen Center at 920-731-0555 or Jordan Hummel, BGC of Menasha Assistant Branch Director Teen Center at (920) 750-5809.)
COVID-19
The Club will assign Club members to cohorts of other youth of a similar age, the youth will remain with their same cohort throughout the duration of their day at Club. The number of participants in each cohort and program room will be limited to no ensure proper physical distancing is maintained in accord with the best practices recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.) Member cohorts will take turns using the outdoor spaces, gym, STEM Lab, Games Room, and Dance Studios.
All Club members and staff must wear face-coverings when on Club premises. Face-coverings are barriers worn over the mouth and nose to reduce viral transmission. Face shields will not be allowed unless approved as part of a health or IEP plan.
Club members and staff will be subject to a temperature scan upon entry to the program. If an individual reads higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, they will not be permitted to enter the program. Club members are not eligible to attend the Boys & Girls Club if they are unable to pass the screening process found here: Club Member Health Screen Checklist
Page Turners Early Literacy Tutoring Program
This program is offered at the Appleton and Menasha branch locations as well as at Badger, Columbus, Foster, Highlands and Little Chute Elementary Schools. Youth currently in, or recently completed, K-3rd grades, are eligible based on a combination of tutor and Club member availability.
This program provides youth with a tutor in a 1:1 or a small group setting that will meet at least 2 times per week for a half-hour session at each meeting. This session includes time for a Read-Aloud book, student practice with leveled reading books, drawing/writing activities for comprehension, and developmentally appropriate literacy games. This program will provide opportunities to build Club member’s home libraries by providing youth with their very own books to take home. Notification of your child’s placement in this program will be provided within the first two weeks of summer programming. 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, Foster Elementary, Badger Elementary, Highlands Elementary, Kaleidoscope Academy, and James Madison Middle. Summer school programming will take place June 14th through July 9th with no programming occurring on Friday, July 2nd or Monday, July 5th. A snack will be provided daily. Now accepting applications – click the button below to sign up.
- Badger: 11:30 am – 5:30 pm
- Columbus: 11:30 am – 5:30 pm
- Foster: 11:30 am – 5:30 pm
- Highlands: 11:30 am – 5:30 pm
- KA-Roosevelt: 7:30 – 8:45 am and 11:45 am – 2:30 pm
- James Madison: 11:30 am – 5:30 pm
