Recent Afterschool Snacks
MAY
15
NEWS ROUNDUP
By Molly Tomlinson
At GRLZ Radio in Dorchester, a radio station and afterschool program run by St. Mary’s Center for Women and Children, teens learn radio production and communication skills while gaining an outlet for self-expression. GRLZ Radio is partnering with WERS and providing regular programming on its sister station
ETIN, and “soon the teens will be anchoring newscasts, assembling radio pieces, and handling production duties,” the
Boston Globe Magazine reports.
“Children in the Tag, You’re It! after-school program at Lincoln Elementary School in Wausau are having so much fun playing versions of the popular chase game that they might not even realize how many calories they are burning,” the Marshfield News Herald reports. The popular programs emphasize getting kids active and moving, playing well together and learning about healthy eating. At the end of the six-week session, afterschool students will take home a packet with how many calories they burned and other ideas for fun fitness activities.
A mentoring program that started with five teens in Angela Nash’s Columbus living room is expanding to an afterschool program that will eventually serve at least 50 at-risk youth. A Chosen Generation “matches volunteer mentors with at-risk youth as identified by teachers, school counselors and parents, and seeks to improve their performance in school and discuss problems the students are experiencing outside the classroom,” The Dispatch reports. It aims to reduce the academic achievement gap between minorities and low-income students and their peers, increase job readiness and employability and reduce risky behaviors for teens.
The Girls on the Run afterschool program at Roseboro Elementary School in Clinton was the inspiration behind the town’s 5K May Day run. One of the race organizers, Jessica Eason, told The Samson Independent that the program, “teaches the girls that it is okay to be yourself. You don’t have to be a follower. You can step out of the box and be who you are.” The proceeds raised from the race will help fund the afterschool program next year.
MAY
14
LIGHTS ON
By Sarah Simpson
We’ve gotten a TON of awesome Lights On Afterschool poster entries so far! (Shout-out to Albuquerque Public Schools YDI/Marmon After-School Program for the amazing banner!) One of these posters could be the winner—OR it could still be out there somewhere! Send us your entry by June 1!
MAY
10
FUNDING
By Sarah Simpson
A new grant competition will award $150,000 to libraries, museums, and other nonprofits to provide hands-on learning opportunities this summer for youth across the country to help make the online experience more civil, safe and empowering. The Project:Connect Summer Youth Programming Competition is administered by the Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Advanced Collaboratory (HASTAC), with support from the MacArthur Foundation through a grant to the University of California, Irvine, and in partnership with the Born This Way Foundation. Grants will support a series of local hands-on events July through September where young people collaborate and compete through activities such as hackathons, maker spaces, digital journalism and communications labs, and mentoring workshops. Programs must be based on the understanding that learning happens anywhere, anytime and should be equitable, social, participatory, and reflect kids’ interests. Applications are due June 10. More information can be found on the Digital Media and Learning Competition website.
MAY
9
IN THE FIELD
By Nikki Yamashiro
It seems these days that if you’re keeping up with what’s happening in education, you can’t help but hear about the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Last week, our vice president for policy and research, Jen Rinehart, wrote a stellar blog that not only walks you through what the Common Core State Standards are, but explains why they were developed, what they mean for education policy and the valuable role the afterschool field can play to support learning under the Common Core.
To keep up the Afterschool Alliance’s drumbeat of providing the afterschool field with helpful information connecting afterschool and the Common Core, I tuned in to “Leveraging Expanded Learning Opportunities to Support Common Core Implementation,” a webinar hosted by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and America’s Promise Alliance. The webinar featured Jenell Holsted, Ph.D. of University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, who discussed a recent brief, “Making the Connection: Next Generation Learning and Expanded Learning Opportunities,” and Sarah Cruz, director of expanded learning opportunities at the Statewide Network for New Jersey’s Afterschool Communities (NJSACC), who shared information about New Jersey’s statewide pilot training program that helps providers align their programming with the Common Core State Standards.
What stood out most to me during the webinar was just how well-situated afterschool programs are to support students’ learning and growth under the Common Core. Jenell highlighted afterschool programs in Wisconsin that are helping their kids achieve under the Common Core in innovative and promising ways. For example, The Goodman Community Center, one program she reviewed, excels at connecting the afterschool program to learning that takes place during the school day. The afterschool program has eight school day teachers on staff who help develop academic enrichment activities using the CCSS; the program sends monthly newsletters to teachers at each school; and program staff attend Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings for students enrolled in the program, attend school functions and also observe their students during the school day. The program also collects data on their students’ grades, test scores, behavior and attendance to develop a portfolio for each student that identifies their needs and helps assess their progress. This individualized analysis not only monitors students’ progress, but it allows staff to most effectively help students develop mastery of subject content in areas such as reading and writing.
As a resource for afterschool programs that are looking to learn more about the Common Core and how to use it to complement their programming, NJSACC developed Supporting Student Success (S3). Sarah shared that NJSACC worked with 10 afterschool programs, providing webinar training and technical support to plan and implement program activities that support the Common Core, creating a community that facilitates peer-to-peer learning and administering assessment to look at the impact of the training. One example of an afterschool program taking part in the project was the 21st Century Community Learning Center in Pemberton, NJ. Through the project, the program created a reading program aligned with English language arts Common Core. However, the program made certain that the program content developed was engaging and looked different than reading taking place during the school day. For instance, reading groups were based on a student’s interest, rather than their reading level. The mixed reading level groups allowed students to help one another and become more enthusiastic about reading because it was tied to something relevant and meaningful in their lives. Sarah revealed that students in the program felt that participation made them more engaged in their classes during the school day and also helped them better understand what they were taught during the school day.
The webinar was one hour long, but I wish it could have been longer to hear more about these afterschool programs that show just how valuable the out-of-school hours are to the implementation of the Common Core and preparing students for success in school, college and career. On the bright side, there are a number of resources out there to learn more about the role afterschool programs can play to support the Common Core, and be sure to check back here as we continue to share more information related to the Common Core.
APR
30
FUNDING
By Jen Rinehart
While volunteering in my daughter’s kindergarten classroom recently, I noticed a stack of kindergarten math workbooks that proudly advertised, “Aligned with the Common Core State Standards.” It was a clear sign that the Common Core standards have arrived in classrooms across the country and a reminder to me that the Afterschool Alliance can help afterschool providers better understand Common Core and what roles afterschool stakeholders can play in supporting learning under the Common Core.
So what are the Common Core State Standards? They are a set of standards in reading/language arts and math that resulted from several years of collective thinking by teachers, researchers and leading experts in the education field about what students should know and be able to do in mathematics and English language arts. Prior to the Common Core, most states had their own individual sets of standards.
Why do the Common Core State Standards exist? Proponents of Common Core argue that with the adoption of the standards, students who move from state to state, and especially students in military families who might make multiple moves in a K-12 career, will have a smoother transition because the schools in each state will be working from the same set of high expectations about what kids in each grade should be able to do. They also point out that states can share instructional resources like textbooks and even assessments, which are currently under development and expected to be rolled out during the 2013-2014 school year. As you might imagine, there are alsoeducation leaders who question the value of Common Core, particularly since the Common Core were not pilot tested prior to roll out to nearly all states, and who view Common Core and the related assessments as costly (both for the country and our children’s futures) experiments in learning.
What does Common Core mean for afterschool? Whether you agree or disagree with Common Core, these standards are the reality for students, families and educators in nearly every state. While the goals of afterschool go well beyond academic support, given the importance of Common Core to educators and the ways in which Common Core will impact the learning experience for children and youth, the Common Core will surely affect afterschool providers as well.
How can you help prepare afterschool programs and staff to support learning under the Common Core State Standards?
- Educate yourself about Common Core and the role of afterschool. Achieve has a variety of resources on Common Core, including guides for elementary and secondary school leaders and guidance counselors. In addition, there are briefs focused on the role of afterschool that share examples of programs and recommendations for supporting learning under the Common Core.
- Help parents better understand the Common Core and what it means for their children. The National PTA and the Council of Great City Schools both have parent resources on Common Core available for download. Given the strong relationship that afterschool providers have with parents and families, programs are well positioned to help educate parents about the Common Core.
- Promote opportunities for professional development and sharing among afterschool staff and school staff. Expanding Minds and Opportunities includes an article on Common Core and expanded learning that features a couple of examples:
- In Wisconsin, district and local expanded learning programs are connecting with school curriculum online and directly with teachers. Programs include current and retired teachers on their staff to facilitate effective engagement with schools and the academic content students are learning.
- The New Jersey State Afterschool Network, NJSACC, in cooperation with the New Jersey State Department of Education, completed a statewide pilot training program on the Common Core for afterschool program leaders. Training sessions focused on how to align student activities and curriculum with the Common Core.
- Check out examples of afterschool providers who are helping students reach Common Core.
- The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and America’s Promise Alliance have an upcoming webinar on May 6 that will explore the ways in which afterschool and summer programs can help students achieve under the Common Core standards. Examples from New Jersey and Wisconsin will be highlighted and case studies, best practices and lessons learned will be featured.
As the recognition of the valuable role that afterschool and summer programs play in supporting student learning continues to grow, it is essential that afterschool providers demonstrate how they can expand on and complement the learning that happens during the school day. Throughout the rest of 2013 and beyond, we’ll be working to provide the afterschool community with resources related to Common Core and the role of afterschool in helping all students succeed in school and out.
APR
22
LIGHTS ON
By Sarah Simpson
We’ve gotten some great submissions for this year’s Lights On Afterschool poster, but we think there’s even more afterschool talent out there—and we want to see it! That’s why we’re extending the poster deadline to June 1, 2013.
And to help afterschool artists explore their creative side, our friends at Discount School Supply are offering $500 art supplies to this year’s poster contest winner!
Win $500 in Art Supplies from Discount School Supply!
Enter to win $500 in Colorations Art Supplies from our valued partner, Discount School Supply! DSS salutes all the creative artists who participate in Lights on Afterschool and contribute their imagination and drive to the vital cause of increasing the peace in their communities.
We are Discount School Supply, where arts, crafts and creativity cost you LESS. You are the movers and shakers who change the world, one child at a time. Thank you for your business and for your inspiration. Anna Reyner, Director of Training, Discount School Supply. For free art ideas visit our Art & Creativity Blog at annareyner.wordpress.com
Receive a free copy of our Recreation or Arts & Crafts catalog by calling 800# 627-2829, or visiting our website at www.discountschoolsupply.com.
APR
18
RESEARCH
By Nikki Yamashiro
My youngest brother absolutely hated reading when he was in elementary school. And then he was introduced to the Harry Potter series in middle school. Suddenly he couldn’t get enough of reading. Harry Potter was his gateway into the world of books. When he finished with the series, he proactively looked for other books that he would enjoy. His teachers commented that he was more attentive in class and making gains in his studies. It seems too simple to be true, but sometimes introducing kids to interesting and engaging reading materials can get them hooked on reading—a skill that helps foster academic benefits and positive attitudes toward school, career and life.
The recently released joint issue brief by Scholastic Family and Community Engagement (FACE) and the Afterschool Alliance explores the role of reading in a child’s life, and the unique ways afterschool programs can incorporate reading into their curricula and start kids on the path toward a lifelong love of reading. “The Life-Enhancing Benefits of Reading in Out-of-School Programs” points to research that demonstrate the number of positive outcomes associated with avid reading, such as academic gains, increased drive to do well in school and improved self-esteem.
For example, the brief reviews a 2010 study by Richard Allington and Anne McGill-Franzen that found when students from low-income schools were given a dozen books of their choice to take home over the summer, their reading achievement increased and the “summer slide”—the reading achievement gap that appears during the summer between low-income children and their more affluent peers—was prevented. A chart in the brief illustrates how just 10 more minutes of reading a day can drastically increase the number of words one is exposed to. For a person who reads just under 10 minutes a day, an additional 10 minutes adds almost 650,000 more words read per year—a word exposure increase of 104 percent.
The brief also discusses the variety of ways afterschool and summer learning programs can incorporate reading, whether they are an academic program, a recreational program or an arts program. One strength of afterschool programs is their flexibility. Not only can afterschool programs offer students different reading options than those they may have in the classroom—such as books that allow them to reflect on their family, culture and community, and magazines and blogs that are relevant to their interests—but afterschool programs can also connect reading to creative writing outlets that encourage critical thinking, including poetry, spoken word, playwriting and online role playing forums.
The “Harry Potter effect”—the magical ability of a book to turn a person into a lifelong reader—is a phenomenon that all kids should experience. When kids are engaged and habitual readers, they become better at reading, are more enthusiastic about school, are more focused in school, improve their critical thinking skills and build their self-confidence. Afterschool programs play an integral part in connecting students to the enjoyment that comes from reading, as well as the many benefits of it. If you’re interested in learning more about the research that discusses the positive effects of reading or find out the different ways afterschool programs are encouraging kids to read, this issue brief is for you.
APR
17
NEWS ROUNDUP
By Molly Tomlinson
“Detroit Public Schools plans to provide preschool to all of the city's 4-year-olds, offer music and art after school and allow schools to house educational and social services for 12 hours every day as part of an ambitious effort to attract and retain students,” the Detroit Free Press reports. The new plan also calls for a longer school day and a longer school year and for turning some of Detroit’s schools into community schools. Detroit Public Schools has lost two-thirds of its enrollment in the past decade and has a deficit of about $76 million and long-term debt of about $400 million. The district is hoping its reform efforts will enable it to keep its students and its per-pupil funding so that it won’t be forced to close more schools.
The Herald-Standard reports that California State Rep. Peter J. Daley (D) recently visited the Charleroi Elementary Center’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers afterschool program to read to students from Brownsville, Connellsville and Charleroi area school districts. The afterschool program has partnered with California University of Pennsylvania. The program includes daily skill development, individual tutoring, physical education, cultural and technology enrichment.
Some students from Access 21, an afterschool program at Haverhill High, are spending two afternoons each week painting “images of native plants such as sumac trees, and cattails as well as animals such as deer, foxes, coyotes, great blue herons, eagles, seagulls, geese, beavers, turtles and turkey vultures” on 12 4-by-8-foot panels for the Merrimack River Rail Trail, the Haverhill Gazette reports. The panels will be mounted on the back wall of a hardware store abutting the rail trail, creating an 80-foot-long by 20-foot-high mural for all to see.
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