Columbus officials today announced an upcoming expansion of fall programs offered by the Recreation and Parks Department. Mayor Andy Ginther noted the pandemic's toll on the mental and emotional health of residents, and he hopes the upcoming offerings will help ease that stress
"Beginning September 8, a significant number of programs, classes and facilities will be offered with adjusted group sizes and formats," Ginther continued. "These expanded offerings will help residents connect with nature, wellness, and creativity to enhance their physical and mental health. One area we focused on is adapting our fall programming to better accommodate and serve children and students in the current remote-learning environment. We've adapted our operational model to better meet their needs, such as providing space for doing school work and adding pre-K programs. I'm also excited that we are able to offer physical activity opportunities."
The Columbus City Schools district begins the academic year next week with a full remote learning curriculum. The city will partner with the district on some of the expanded recreation and parks offerings. The collaboration will result in greater outreach to students and their families through the creation of learning extension centers according to CCS Superintendent Talisa Dixon.
"Safe, adult-supervised spaces where students can feel supported while learning virtually and parents can feel comforted knowing their child is in a safe, welcoming environment during the day," Dixon continued. "CCS has partnered with several community organizations to create these centers, including some of our larger faith-based partners. At these learning extension centers, students will have access to the internet and learning devices to assist them in remote learning. LEC's are not run by Columbus City Schools, but we are working to connect families and schools with centers closest to them."
The offerings will also serve a variety of age groups beyond students. City officials said many of the programs are free but require advanced registration and adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols. Here's a link to more information about the fall programming schedule.
