Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Hybrid Meeting In-Person and via ZOOM
Minutes
Present: David Ambroz, Deborah Barmack, Peter Barmack, Carole Beswick, Greg Bradbard, Mike Burrows, Kevin Dyerly, Fran Inman, Mark Kaenel, Lowell King, Bill Lemann, Michael Lewin, Darcy McNaboe, John Mirau, Dan Murphy, Robert Nava, Vikki Ostermann, Catherine Pritchett, Dan Roberts, Dan Schenkel, Kristine Scott, Eric Ustation, Michael Wells, and Frank Zabaleta.
Announcements: 1) Please let staff know if you will attend the annual Holiday party which will be held on Thursday, December 8, 2022 from 5:30-7:30p.m. at the Magic Lamp Inn. 2) The meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 29, 2022, is for the Executive Committee, all others may sleep in. 3) KVCR has made a big investment and updated their studios which we will be able to tour on Tuesday, December 3, 2022. Please let staff know if you will attend.
Motion by K. Scott /Second/Passed: Minutes from November 15, 2022.
Kristine Scott introduced Michael Wells, CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Redlands-Riverside who joined us in person.
Michael Wells has been CEO for close to a year and has been instrumental in its recent growth while maintaining their commitment to serve through safe, inclusive environments, supportive healthy relationships, and meaningful experiences.
The Boys & Girls Clubs focus have a commitment to education and building resilience in the kids they serve. On a typical day 5,000 kids and teens enter the doors of a Boys & Girls Club with 62% of those Club members living in households that qualify for free or reduced-priced school lunches.
Their purpose is to inspire and enable all young people, but especially those that are economically disadvantaged to reach their full potential as productive caring and responsible citizens. The Clubs provide experiences that assures the members that success is within reach of every young person and makes sure that all members are on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future.
In the last 12 months, they have retained their 20 school contracts and more than doubled their footprint of impact from 30 sites to 62. Additionally, they are on track to increase to 75 sites by June of 2023. They have more than doubled the number of youth served from 2,350 to 5,000 which will increase in June 2023 to 6,250. As their growth has dictated, the number of team members jobs has also grown from 235 to 570 (which will increase to 700 in June 2023) and they have tripled their funding and increased wages for all roles.
Their commitment to Education was further reinforced with compelling statistics from “Doc” Erwin, the former Superintendent of the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) as seen below:
Elementary School– • In 9 of 52 elementary schools (which serve 1,850 total students per day), 92% are economically disadvantaged.
Reading levels for students at or above grade level:
38% in our district compared to 47% at the state level vs 45% of kids from Boys & Girls Clubs
Math levels students at or above grade level:
- 29% in our district compared to 39% at the state level vs 35% of kids from Boys & Girls Clubs
High School– In 6 of 10 high schools (which serve 1,850 total students per day), 92% are economically disadvantaged.
Reading levels for students at or above grade level:
- 36% in our district compared to 60% at the state level vs 46% of kids from Boys & Girls Clubs
Math levels for students at or above grade level:
- 16% in our district compared to 30% at the state level vs 15% of kids from Boys & Girls Clubs
Additional statistics equate to:
- Graduation rates: district 90% our schools 86%
- College readiness rank: district 22 our schools 26
- Science: at or above grade level: state 30%; district 14%; Boys & Girls Clubs kids 17%
- Math: Boys & Girls Clubs kids: 3% advanced; 61% far below basic
- Reading: Boys & Girls Clubs kids: 14% advanced; 27% far below basic
To help address those that will never “catch up” academically, the Club offers programs for high schoolers such as “Money Matters” which teaches practical math like budgeting and money management. They encourage them to think ahead and give them examples of many good paying jobs that do not need further degrees.
Kindergartners and Transitional Kindergarten (which uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally) are hosted at the Redlands Club House and offers before and after school services to 6 elementary schools today which will grow to 9 in January 2023. They counsel with the Redlands Unified School District for Educational Activities, Reference California’s Kindergarten Common Core State Standards, and will lead afterschool education at 1 middle school in early 2023. They are in the planning stages to lead afterschool education at 4 to 5 elementary schools next school year.
Character and character building has been an important and successful focus for the kids at the Clubs. The Clubs have found that even with a high percentage of economic disadvantage, strife and or difficult home life, when asked, 96% of their kids expressed that they will try to help when they see others in need and 89% believe they can stand up for what they believe in.
The Boys & Girls’ Clubs of Greater Redlands-Riverside is a non-profit and there are many ways to help such as:
- Giving Tuesday is on November 29th-$12.00 will feed an additional family, $25.00 will enable a child to be registered for a full year, and $250.00 enrolls a child in “Winter Camp”.
- Mentoring or volunteering is always welcome and the kids gravitate to new faces.
- Supporting their Annual “Chocolate Fantasy” fundraiser held in the spring
A Q & A period followed.
Meeting adjourned at 8:20 a.m.