BRATTLEBORO — The Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro is making plans to reopen its doors on Sept. 14. The club has been closed since March due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“We miss our members and are so excited to reopen our doors. We have been working diligently to implement safety protocols, new policies and procedures, and staff training,” Executive Director Michelle Simpson said in a news release. “We are ready to welcome back our members.”
The health and safety of club members, staff, parents and volunteers is the top priority. The club is strictly following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Vermont Department of Health's guidelines to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all participants.
The club can have a maximum of 25 people in each contained space, and it anticipates accommodating 25 to 75 members at a time with the following precautions in place:
Prior to entering, everyone will be asked:
• Have you been in close contact with a person who has COVID-19?
• Do you feel unwell with any symptoms consistent with COVID-19? For example, do you have a cough, temperature, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell? If anyone has a fever, they will be sent home.
• Staff and members will be monitored daily for signs of fever using no-touch infrared thermometers at all points of entry, following CDC guidelines.
• Additional opportunities for hand washing will be added into the daily schedule. The club will install sanitizing stations throughout the facility and increase the frequency with which program areas and close-contact equipment are cleaned.
• Social distancing best practices will be employed, including maintaining a minimum of 6 feet of personal space, directed by floor signage in common areas.
• Disposable masks will be provided for all club members and staff daily. Participants are encouraged to use their own reusable masks if they are more comfortable with them.
The club will be open extended hours to accommodate school schedules - Mondays through Thursdays from 1 to 6 p.m., and on Fridays from 1 to 9 p.m.
Programming includes a two-hour “power hour” study hall in the computer lab, art with River Gallery School, dedicated skatepark hours, teen nights, and more.
A tentative schedule is available at bgcbrattleboro.com/programs/flat-street-schedule.