Boys & Girls Club closed for good

The La Conner Boys & Girls Club closed last week and will not reopen for the next school year.

Ron McHenry, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County, said that as of June 16 the club no longer offers after-school programs for local children.

In September that job will fall to the La Conner School District, which intends to have a new program up and running on the first day of school.

McHenry said the La Conner site of the Boys & Girls Club was costing too much to staff in keeping with the national club’s requirements. “The associated expense has driven the cost per student to three times what it is in other communities, making us incredibly inefficient,” McHenry said.

Bonnie Haley, La Conner Schools’ finance director, said the school district expects to hire an after-school programs director, who will start next month to begin planning the new after-school program, which will be housed in the same location as the La Conner Boys & Girls Club.

“We have to literally start from nothing, in a way,” Haley said. “It’s unfortunate the Boys & Girls Club is leaving, but we’re excited to have the opportunity to serve the unique needs of our individual students.”

The program hopes to incorporate tutoring, robotics, career-advising fieldtrips and even collaborate with the Parent Teacher Student Association to take over enrichment programs, Haley said.

Haley is looking for those who supported the Boys & Girls Club to consider donating to the new after-school program, which, after the district covers the initial costs, they hope to make self-sustaining. She hopes donations will help keep the tuition costs for the program low for students attending the program.

Haley also said this program will be considered an expenditure for the district and thus will be increasing its cost-per-pupil.

According to a resolution adopted by the La Conner School Board last month, “The afterschool program should strive to be self-sustaining with funding from tuition, donations from individuals and community organizations. However, it is acknowledged that some local funds may be necessary to create the program and in its early years of development. In addition to afterschool care, this programs primary goal should be to also provide academic support, enrichment and extracurricular opportunities to support ‘whole child’ development.”

Local funds are property tax levies.

McHenry said that La Conner kids will still have access to club programs at other Boys & Girls Club locations in the county as well as during school breaks.

He hopes to be a collaborative partner moving forward with the school district after-school programs, and has offered access to training, curriculum and technical assistance.

“They’ve been a wonderful partner to work with, and we celebrate their proactive approach, and working with us, to ensure La Conner youth have a safe, fun and positive place to go after school,” McHenry said of the school district.

Haley said she hopes to use those resources the Boys & Girls Club offered moving forward.