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Board approves Boys & Girls Club MOU to open site at Zephyr Cove Elementary
Summary
Trustees approved a shared-use memorandum allowing the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe to operate at Zephyr Cove Elementary; presenters said donor funding and club operations would not be a general-fund expense and would include rental payments and classroom upgrades.
The Douglas County School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe to operate a club at Zephyr Cove Elementary.
Ron Olling, representing a donor, told trustees the donor established funds at the Tahoe Community Foundation—he described an endowment of about $5 million earmarked to create a Boys & Girls Club presence at Zephyr Cove. Kathy Jensen, president of the Lake Tahoe Boys & Girls Club board, and Larry Sydney, a board member and parent, described the club’s programming (academic support, STEM, arts, sports), said the club is self-sustaining, and said the organization would pay rent and invest donor funds to upgrade leased classrooms rather than draw from the district’s general fund.
Presentation highlights included a proposed initial enrollment target of about 153 students at Zephyr Cove (129 in grades 1–5 and 24 in kindergarten/pre‑K), proposed operating hours for before- and after-school use and summer programming, and an offer to pay a year’s rent upfront under the draft MOU. Trustees expressed concerns about hours of operation, whether club participants must reside within district boundaries, space separation between elementary and middle-school programming, insurance and the potential for overlap with existing community services (KO Kids Club and county recreation programs). District staff and presenters said insurance naming the district as additional insured is in the draft MOU and that the parties plan monthly coordination meetings to guard against programmatic encroachment.
Trustee Miller moved to approve the shared-use agreement with amended hours; Trustee Jansen seconded the motion and the board approved it unanimously.
Implementation steps The board asked staff to amend the MOU to correct the hours listed in Exhibit A and to identify specific spaces in the old wing; staff will return the revised document for the district record and begin joint planning sessions with the Boys & Girls Club and community partners to finalize facility logistics and enrollment outreach.
Speakers quoted "We're coming over and doing everything with our staff. It isn't going to be a financial burden on the district," Kathy Jensen said, describing the club’s operational model.
The board’s approval authorizes staff to finalize the agreement and proceed to joint planning and facility preparation.
