Florence families with middle schoolers have until Thursday, August 6, to sign up for a half-day babysitting safety course the city is hosting the following week.

The Safe Sitter Essentials Course runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, August 13, at the Kalb Gathering House in Florence Nature Park. The class is open to students in grades 6 through 8 and covers child care basics, first aid and rescue techniques, and what to do when home alone or watching younger siblings.

Safe Sitter is a national program founded in 1980 that offers instructor-led classes across the United States and Canada, according to the organization's website. The Florence course is one of the program's in-person Essentials sessions.

The city announced the course on its official X account on July 22, noting that registration was already open. To sign up, families should contact Gianna Pretelini at [email protected] or 859-647-5441 before the August 6 deadline.

The Kalb Gathering House seats up to 54 guests and is part of the Florence Nature Park complex, according to the city's park directory. The city did not list a fee for the course in its announcement.