Stoneham To Shift Childcare Program Supervision To Boys & Girls Club

STONEHAM, MA - The Boys & Girls Club of Stoneham will soon take over elementary before- and after-school care for Stoneham Public Schools, Superintendent David Ljungberg announced Thursday.

The nonprofit Boys & Girls Club will handle supervision of childcare programming beginning on Feb. 27.

This change, Ljungberg said, comes as increasing demand for service has strained district abilities to keep up.

Before- and after-school programming, Ljungberg said, currently serves 250 students from Stoneham’s three elementary schools.

"As the years have gone by, more and more families have had a need for before- and after school care, and the numbers continue to climb," Ljungberg said. "The Boys & Girls Club has expertise in really providing fun and engaging activities, and they're also community-based."

New Boys & Girls Club-managed childcare programs will provide what Ljungberg on Thursday described as “a well-trained, state certified team” working to run activities and learning opportunities for students.

Families will be eligible to receive financial aid if they cannot afford the cost of childcare under this new format.

The Boys & Girls Club will have a director on site at each of Stoneham’s elementary schools overseeing childcare services, Boys & Girls Club of Stoneham CEO Adam Rodgers said in this week’s announcement.

New programming will add music, arts, craft and STEM offerings, officials said.

Morning programming will run from 7:30 a.m. until the beginning of school daily. Afternoon care will begin at dismissal and continue until 6 p.m.

This, officials said, will offer more care and more flexibility compared to existing Boys & Girls Club programming, which is only available five days a week. Under the club’s partnership with the schools, parents have the option to sign their children up for one or two days of care per week.

"If parents only need care one or two days a week, that option will be available," Rodgers said.

Program costs will remain level.

Current school staff working in the existing childcare program will be able to continue working if they chose to do so.

While adding this new childcare partnership, the Stoneham Public Schools and the Boys & Girls Club have worked together in the past, running various academic, social and emotional support programs to help families and students particularly since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.