JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Navigating the murky waters of the virtual learning environment, while being a full-time working parent, is a challenge many active-duty military members are facing due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.
The Langley Youth Program seeks to mitigate obstacles for service members by adapting its services to accommodate parents whose children are enrolled in an online school curriculum.
“We know the struggles of this ever-changing society, and since the onset of COVID we realized that our functionality and support of children would change tremendously,” said Chanda Misse, Youth Programs chief. “Besides providing our normal before and after school care and open recreation services, we are now playing a supporting role in the virtual schooling process for Hampton City and York County school systems.”
The program is providing adult supervision to school-aged students and providing assistance with school work when needed. The facility, located at 2424 Big Bethel Rd Yorktown, Virginia 23693, implemented strict COVID-19 safety measures to protect the safety and welfare of its faculty and students.
“Increased cleaning and sanitation measures are in place for safety reasons,” Misse added. “All staff and children who are unable to maintain a six-foot distance from one another are required to wear a mask. Hand sanitizer and sanitizing stations have been installed -- classrooms have been reconfigured to support the social distancing mandate.”
These services are offered to children between the ages of five to 12 years old, and eligibility for the program depends on the sponsor’s status.
Eligible patrons include:
- Active-duty military
- Department of Defense civilian employees
- National Guardsmen and/or reservists on active-duty orders
- Coast Guard members on active duty
- Combat-related wounded warriors in an active-duty status
- Gold Star spouses of military members who died from a combat-related incident
- Those acting in loco parentis, or assumed guardianship, for the dependent child of an otherwise eligible patron
- Eligible employees of DoD contractors
- Others who may be authorized on a space available basis
The Child and Youth Programs mission is to assist DoD military and civilian personnel in balancing the competing demands of the accomplishment of the DoD mission and family life by managing and delivering a system of quality, available, and affordable programs and services for eligible children and youth birth through 18 years of age,” Misse stated.
The facility is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, to suit the needs of its full-time working parents.
For more information regarding the Langley Youth Program, please contact 757-225-2606 or visit https://jbleforcesupport.com/langley/youth-programs.