Welcome to 21st Century Community Learning Centers at Battle Creek Public Schools!
Mission statement:
The Mission of 21st Century Community Learning Centers is to provide:
- Quality before and after school care
- Academic instruction in math and reading
- Enrichment activities
- Homework assistance
- Nutritional meals, following USDA guidelines
- Field Trips
- Service Learning Projects
- Cultural activities
- Recreation and sports activities
- Safe environment before and after school
- Highly Qualified Curriculum Coordination
- Certified Site Coordinators
- Certified Teachers
- Experienced Staff Members
Message from Superintendent – Dr. Linda Hicks 
Battle Creek Public Schools is extremely fortunate to have 21st Century, an excellent before and after school program for our students. Quality after-school programs offer a vast array of learning experiences and include activities above and beyond the traditional school day. There is accumulating research that after-school programs, summer school, and extended school days enable children who are behind to catch up and also enhances their social and emotional development.
Our 21st Century program enriches the lives of our students. Battle Creek Public Schools is pleased and privileged to have such a great opportunity to meet the needs of our children.
Message from Program Director – Jennifer Bonner
Welcome everyone back to our 11th year of Battle Creek Public Schools 21st Century before and after-school programs. I would like to take this time to share with you some important facts regarding our program and programs across the country. We know that after-school programs are a crucial safety net for working families. They allow parents to be more productive at work because they know that their kids are learning and exploring their interest under the supervision of caring,
qualified adults. And students strive from the hands-on experiences that after-school provide. More than 15 million children in the United States are unsupervised after the school bell rings. Instead of getting tutoring and homework help, and learning to build robots, digitize music videos, tend community gardens, stitch quilts for nursing home residents, or take advantage of other enriching educational activities offered by after-school programs, many of these children are alone at risk. Studies have shown that between 3 to 6 p.m., juvenile crime increases and youth are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors including alcohol and drug use and sexual behavior.
Recently introduced by three strong after-school champion, the bipartisan After-school for America’s Children Act (S.1370) would strengthen 21st CCLC. This legislation supports innovation in before school, After-school and summer learning programs. It makes a commitment to federal after-school funding, which can be used to leverage state,local, private and philanthropic support, and it recognizes the significant unmet need for after-school programs by ensuring that local communities can make a choice about what after-school programs best meet the needs of the children and families. As we move forward in the coming year I will keep you posted and I will ask that you contact your legislators and let them know how important after-school programming is for this community and the country.
Thanks and Wishing you all a wonderful School year
Jennifer Bonner
21st Century Community Learning Centers
Program Director Jennifer Bonner
Director
Battle Creek Public Schools