Vigo School Board approves after school programs, new calendars

WEST TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)– Monday was the final school board meeting of the 2023-24 school year in Vigo County, and much of the discussion centered around procedures for next year.

The school board unanimously approved a collection of after school, or latchkey, programs through the YMCA of the Wabash Valley. It includes several other community partners– the Terre Haute Children’s Museum, Chances and Services for Youth, and Camp Navigate. Other offerings at the Terre Haute Boys and Girls’ Club were also approved, and superintendent Chris Himsel said while this is a change in title, it won’t change how the program operates.

“Our legal counsel advised us to go ahead and go through the process because it fits the definition of a latchkey program, to do that as a vehicle to formalize our partnership with the Boys and Girls club located at the Learning Lab,” he said.

He said these approvals were important– as this information can be shared with families now.

“The fact we did this tonight so information could go out before the last day of school is important so they can also begin getting information out to parents, they can start registering kids who need to do so,” he said. “We know there are parents who are looking forward to continuing the arrangement we already have, and we’re excited to do so.”

While these programs are mainly staying the same– one change could come for families down the line.

Board members tentatively approved calendars through 2028 as well. That includes a possible change on election day, as the corporation is in talks with the county election board on closing to allow facilities to be used as voting locations.

“We were approached by them to make this possible, what we did tonight is we provided the opportunity for it to happen,” he said. “I’m confident, based on our conversations with the election board, that we will be approached about finalizing that and formalizing that agreement.”

An official with the school corporation said these changes would take place starting in 2026-27.

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