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El Rancho Unified highlights after‑school expansion as Boys & Girls Club touts teen leadership gains
Summary
District staff and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whittier/Pico Rivera described growth in after‑school and Leaders in Training programs, high participation and positive survey results; trustees pressed for better outreach, junior‑high access and space solutions.
El Rancho Unified School District presented an update on its Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) and heard a separate presentation from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whittier and Pico Rivera about its Leaders in Training (LIT) programming.
The district said districtwide participation in ELOP‑funded before‑and after‑school programs is about 1,620 students and highlighted offerings that include tutoring, robotics, gardening, culinary enrichment and a new esports rollout at three middle schools. "Over 95 percent of the students reported enjoying the program," a district presenter said, noting strong parent and teacher satisfaction as well.
Boys & Girls Club team director Alan Lopez and teen‑center staffer Eugene Sevilla described the LIT program’s growth and outcomes: large cohorts by age group, 845 community‑service hours reported, field trips and a driver‑education track that has supported more than 232 students through online permit preparation and behind‑the‑wheel referrals. Lopez said the clubs now see more seniors returning to mentor underclassmen and report a 100 percent graduation rate for last year’s senior members, with 95 percent pursuing postsecondary education or the military.
Trustees used the presentations to press for better outreach and clearer next steps. "Is there a way you can give us numbers just for the Pico Rivera Boys & Girls Club?" Trustee Contreras asked; Lopez agreed to provide site‑specific enrollment and attendance figures. Trustee Perez suggested exploring automatic student memberships to lower logistical barriers. "Maybe automatic membership removes that barrier," she said, advocating for options that would let students access the teen center without extra sign‑up work.
Board members also questioned capacity and equity: club staff reported the Pico Rivera teen center primarily serves high‑school students now and that space limits expansion to junior high. "It's a great problem to have, and it's space," Lopez said, and offered to explore options with district staff, including possible MOU revisions and grant supports.
District officials framed ELOP and partner programming as part of a coordinated approach to boost engagement and academic support. They emphasized that some services are funded from multiple sources (ELOP, Title I, partner grants) and that high‑dosage tutoring partnerships with Think Together will provide a 5:1 tutor‑to‑student model for identified learners.
Next steps included district staff sending requested enrollment breakdowns, continuing to explore ways to market programs through schools and social media, and discussing whether space or small MOU revisions could allow the Boys & Girls Club to serve younger students. The district also flagged a planned soft opening for middle‑school esports in spring pending final infrastructure approvals.
The board did not take formal action on ELOP or the Boys & Girls Club presentation; staff and partners agreed to follow up with the requested data and outreach plans.
