Welcome to the Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line! This parent manual is intended to inform you about our Club and our policies, give you contact information and answer some frequently asked questions. Please keep this handbook somewhere easy to find, and use it often!

The Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line opened it′s doors July 1, 2002. At the time, we were hoping to have 250 members in our first year. We ended up having over 700 kids sign up in the first six months! The Club has become an important resource for many people in our community. We currently have over 650 active members and an average daily attendance of over 200.

One of our core beliefs is that the Club is a safe place to learn and grow. The Club is staffed by adult professionals trained in upholding positive standards of conduct with genuine care for each child. The activities at the Club are closely monitored by the staff during all activities at or away from the Club.

Club programs promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling:

• A Sense of Competence: the feeling there is something boys and girls can do and do well.
• A Sense of Usefulness: the opportunity to do something of value for other people.
• A Sense of Belonging: a setting where an individual knows he or she has a place and where he or she "fits" and is accepted.
• A Sense of Power or Influence: a chance to be heard and to influence decisions.

• Members must be respectful to everyone (themselves, each other, their families, and staff).
• Calls to arrange rides home may be made once per day and are limited to one call per family (i.e. one call for each household, not one call from each sibling).
• Members are allowed outside only under the supervision of Club staff.
• No running is allowed in any part of the Club (except as allowed in the gym).
• No gum is allowed in the facility. Food and drink are only allowed in the designated snack area.
• Shirts and shoes must be worn at all times while in the Club. Shoes with non-marking soles are preferred.

Members check in at the front desk and are free to check out and leave the premises whenever they desire. Because the Club is not a daycare facility, it can not legally prevent a child from leaving. The staff can only strongly discourage a child from leaving.

If a parent/guardian does not want their child to leave the facility, it is their responsibility to carefully and emphatically discuss that decision with the child. For this reason, the Club prefers that all parents come inside the building to pick up their children.

Once scanned out, a member may not "hang out" in the halls or by the front desk waiting for a ride, nor may they remain on the grounds outside the club once they have left the building.

Parents who do not pick up their child by the designated facility closing time will be charged a $5.00 fee per 15-minute interval that the parent is late.

At 15 minutes past closing time, the emergency phone numbers on the child′s membership form will be called.

If the parents or designated emergency contact cannot be located within 30 minutes of closing, a report may be made to Child Protective Services.

Eligibility: The Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line accepts any boy or girl age 6-18 as a member. An 18-year-old may join if he or she is a full-time high school student. Every eligible child is welcome to try-out the club for a one-time free visit before becoming a new member.

Nondiscrimination: Membership is open to eligible participants without regard to race, religion, color, disability, national origin, or gender.

Application Form: Parent or legal guardian of each member must complete and return a signed membership form or complete an oline application.

Dues: Membership costs $25.00 per child per year (July 1 - June 30). All memberships are renewed every July. Financial hardship can be worked out with the staff; a preferred option is for parents to volunteer for a few hours to cover the cost.

The Boys & Girls Club facilities are open from 12:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. during the summer months and 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. during the school year. The Club is also open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for teens during the school year. Special programming outside of regularly scheduled hours will be posted at the Club in advance.

It is important for parents to know that the club may be closed at certain times for maintenance, clean-up, or staff training. Again, these dates and times will be posted in advance. Facilities are always closed on the following holidays: 4th of July; Labor Day; Thanksgiving Day and the following Friday; Christmas Eve & Christmas Day; New Year′s Day.

To read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ'S) click here.

To Contact Us click here.

To download the entire Parent Handbook (with FAQ's & Contact Information) click here.