Greetings
Wonderful Afterschool Program Providers:
 Each
month I try to share something informative and/or inspirational. This month
proves to be one of the busiest of my six years in the Afterschool Movement. Planning two regional professional development trainings in less than 28 work days in lieu of one statewide
event due to fiscal and political constraints even as a seasoned event planner
is lofty. When pondering what message I could quickly pull together I thought
about the importance of professional development and what it means to the
field. Given that the New York State Education Department, our funder, has
outlined a blueprint for high-quality professional development for educators to
improve instruction and student achievement, it makes sense for me not to 're-invent
the wheel' but to tap into what exists. So here you have New
York State's
Professional Development Standards which emphasize aligning with New York State
Learning Standards and are based on contextual factors from converging research
about effective professional development and its ultimate impact on student
learning:
The
Ten Standards for High Quality Professional Development
-
Designing Professional Development: Professional development design is based on data;
is derived from the experience, expertise and needs of the recipients; reflects
best practices in sustained job-embedded learning; and incorporates knowledge
of how adults learn.
- Content Knowledge and Quality Teaching:
Professional development expands educators' content knowledge and the knowledge
and skills necessary to provide developmentally appropriate instructional
strategies and assess student progress.
- Research-based Professional Learning:
Professional development is research-based and provides educators with
opportunities to analyze, apply and engage in research.
- Collaboration: Professional development ensures
that educators have the knowledge, skill and opportunity to collaborate in a
respectful and trusting environment.
- Diverse Learning:
Professional development ensures that educators have the knowledge and skill to
meet the diverse learning needs of all students.
- Student Learning Environments: Professional development
ensures that educators are able to create safe, secure, supportive, and
equitable learning environments for all students.
- Parent, Family and Community Engagement:
Professional development ensures that educators have the knowledge, skill, and
opportunity to engage and collaborate with parents, families, and other
community members as active partners in children's education.
- Data-driven Professional Practice:
Professional development uses disaggregated student data and other evidence of
student learning to determine professional development learning needs and
priorities, to monitor student progress, and to help sustain continuous
professional growth.
- Technology: Professional development promotes
technological literacy and facilitates the effective use of all appropriate
technology.
- Evaluation:
Professional development is evaluated using multiple sources of information to
assess its effectiveness in improving professional practice and student
learning.
As
we prepare to attend The After School Experience Professional Development
Training and look at "Educating the 21st Century Student: A Broader,
Bolder, Brighter Approach," let's keep the aforementioned standards in mind as
we seek to positively impact student learning.
For the Youth, 
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The After School Experience (TASE)
14th Bi-Annual Professional Development Training
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Theme: "Educating the 21st Century Student - A Broader, Bolder, Brighter Approach"
Regional TrainingsDecember 2 & 3 2009Holiday Inn Syracuse/Liverpool
441 Electronics Pkwy
Liverpool, NY 13088
315-457-1122
December 14 & 15 2009
New York College of Technology
300 Jay Street
New York, NY 11201
718-260-5250
Registration is $65*
Effective professional development is vital to the success of your afterschool program. TASE is a statewide, recognized afterschool professional development opportunity where the afterschool program provider participates in quality training.
Day One of the regional training will include an expert panel and keynote sessions. Day Two will provide each participant the option to attend one of three intensive expert institutes and one of three concurrent workshops by leaders in the field who will provide the participants with the latest trends and research in out-of-school time. This is a great way for you to enhance and build upon your afterschool knowledge and experience.
DAY ONE
* EXPERT PANEL: 'SOLID FOUNDATION' *
Moderator: Mary Grenz Jalloh
New York State Center for School Safety
21st CCLC Focus
Lorraine Lopez
New York 21st CCLC Statewide TAC
Lisa Herlihy
New York State Center for School Safety
Elizabeth Whipple
Research Works, Inc.
Afterschool Movement At Large
Sanjiv Rao, Jennifer Siaca
New York Statewide Afterschool Network (NYSAN)
John Albert, Rachel Sabella
The After School Corporation (TASC)
Lura Lunkenheimer
Peaceful Schools
* KEYNOTES *
(Syracuse and New York City)
 Greg Tang, The Art of Smart
Known for his out-of-the-box thinking and common sense approach to teaching, Greg raises the bar in taking on the ultimate challenge in education - making kids smart. Unlike current approaches that focus on teaching kids what to think, Greg takes on the much more difficult problem of teaching kids how to think. It is this crucial difference - teaching kids to think mathematically rather than teaching them to do math - that is the key to making our children smart. We invite you to join us for a truly remarkable time. (New York City Only)
 Duffy Palmer, New York State Deputy Secretary of EducationMr. Palmer was named one of the nation's seven "Afterschool Champions" at the Afterschool Challenge held in Washington, DC by the Afterschool Alliance, a consortium of public, private, and nonprofit groups committed to raising awareness and expanding resources for afterschool programs. Mr. Palmer also let the New York State Summit on Student on Student Engagement and Dropout Prevention, a collaborative effort between the Governor's office and America's Promise Alliance. Prior to government work, Mr. Palmer taught for 33 years in the Batavia City School District, Batavia, NY, where he gained experience in a variety of certified areas including learning disabled, emotionally disturbed, gifted and talented, social studies and remedial reading.  Richard R. Buery, Jr., President and CEO of Children's Aid SocietyBorn and raised in the East New York section of Brooklyn, NY, Mr. Buery dedicated his life to developing institutions that work to improve educational opportunity and life outcomes for young people. Mr. Buery formerly served as co-founder and executive director of Groundwork Inc., a nonprofit organization serving the children and families of Brooklyn public housing developments. This year, Mr. Buery was named one of Crain's New York Business's "40 Leaders of the Future under 40" in recognition of his contributions to the life of the City.
DAY TWO
* INTENSIVE EXPERT INSTITUTES *
 Financing & Sustaining Out-of-School Time Programs in Rural Communities (Syracuse Only)Funding rarely meets all program needs. Grants often provide only seed funding or are time-limited, leaving many programs struggling to sustain themselves. This is especially true for out-of-school time programs in rural communities, which typically have access to fewer resources and face additional barriers to sustainability. A description of the funding landscape of rural programs and highlights of the unique challenges confronting rural program leaders will be discussed. The institute will describe the different public and private sources that can support out-of-school time programming and identifies key strategies that can be used to finance and sustain these programs in rural communities.
 Jonathan Cohen and Joakim Lartey, Crisis Preparedness for Social-Emotional Dangers (NYC Only)Schools and organizations need to be prepared for crises. Crisis preparedness plans need to recognize socially and emotionally dangerous moments as well as the obvious physical ones. Schools need to anticipate crises and develop realistic and thoughtful plans to minimize trauma, and its effects on individuals, schools, and communities. This institute will focus on developing norms that offer opportunities to practice 'upstander' behavior in the face of socially and emotionally dangerous moments such as bullying. We suggest that this disposition and orientation is the most important and potent form of social-emotional crisis preparedness.
 Jan Coffey, STEP WRITE UP: 21st Century Skills for Creativity, Communication, and CollaborationThis institute, given by bestselling author and educator Jan Coffey (pseudonym for Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick), will provide participants with an inside view of collaboration without violence, creativity without medication, and communication without bullhorns. Within a lively and interactive session, we will unearth the creative writing spirit and provide you with tools to support building 21st century skills of creativity, communication, and collaboration with the young people in your programs.  ReadNex Poetry Squad, Get It Twisted!: Educating & Connecting with 21st Century Students through the ArtsReadNex is a group of four talented poets: Free Flowin, Cuttz El Colombiano, Decora, and Latin Translator, using Spokenword poetry and Hip Hop to raise awareness in urban neighborhoods. Since 2001, the ReadNex Poetry Squad have been performing on stages across the country. Through this innovative and interactive institute, ReadNex will demonstrate how to use Hip-Hop and Poetry as a foundation and medium of communication. The ties of Hip-Hop and Poetry to education are consistent and strong throughout. Activities include lyrical adaptation to school work, Hip-Hop oriented phonetic and kinesthetic learning, using poetic devices for writing English essays and using Hip-Hop and Poetry as a platform to understand academic subjects and convey sensitive topics in school.
* CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS *
Syracuse Only
Creative Enrichment
Sean McCrossan and Kim Luce, Northwest Buffalo Community Center, Inc.
Parent Participation
Helen Torres, Jewish Home Lifecare
Positive Behavior Intervention Services (PBIS)
Lura Lunkenheimer, Peaceful Schools
New York City Only
Community/School CollaborationChildren's Aid Society Expanded Learning Time
The After-School Corporation (TASC) The Road to College: Beyond Test Prep
Partnership for After School Education (PASE)
Visit the NY 21st CCLC Statewide TAC for registration, preliminary agenda and additional conference details.
TASE is a mandatory training for ALL 21st CCLC and ESD/SVP Grantees.
*Registration cost covers ALL training materials. All meals will be on your own.
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Bronx and Manhattan High Schoolers Support National Effort for the 10th Annual Lights on Afterschool
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NEW
YORK, October 30, 2009 -
Advocacy for others is just part of what high school students from the Bronx and Manhattan
are learning in an innovative after school program at Jewish Home Lifecare. On Thursday, October 22th
at 2:30 pm, decked in
handmade tee-shirts and specially designed hats, over 100 students in the Geriatric Career Development Program
(GCD) rallied and advocated for the need for after school programs as part of
10th Annual Lights On After School Alliance.
To raise awareness, students sent
light bulbs with their invitations to borough and local politicians, capturing
their attention and encouraging attendance. In addition to the Bronx rally, the GCD students are organizing arts and
crafts activities, performing skits and delivering original poetry that
reflects the need and value for after school programs.
GCD Program Director, Helen
Torres says "The Lights On After School
rally allows the kids' voices to be heard, not ours, about how important these
programs are to them. One student told me that if it weren't for her
participation in the GCD program, she'd likely be pregnant somewhere."
The GCD after school program,
which entered its fourth year this October, prepares Bronx
and Manhattan high
school students in grades 10th-12th for a career in
geriatric care. Students commit to the program for three years, with sessions two to three times a week
that include lectures and talks, internships, floor assignments and mentoring.
The program balances technical and academic training with the human side
of medicine.
Visit the Jewish Home Lifecare for information. |
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Funding Opportunities
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College Board: Bob Costas Grants - Bob Costas Grants support exceptional teachers, who through their innovative teaching methods, motivate their students to write. Winning teachers are awarded grants to enhance successful projects currently under way. Projects can be carried out in school (public or nonpublic), through an after-school writing workshop, or during a summer program. Deadline: November 20
National & Community Service - Summer Service Grants will support collaborative efforts to implement community-based, service-learning projects during the summer months. Programs will engage middle school students in community-based service-learning projects that are intensive, structured, supervised, and designed to produce identifiable improvements to the community. Service activities should address environmental and/or preparedness issues relevant to the community served. Deadline: December 10
New York Life Foundation - Six $25,000 grants will be awarded to nonprofits with existing programs in New York City and Westchester County supporting the Educational Enhancement focus of the Foundation's Nurturing the Children initiative. Educational Enhancement programs should prepare young people for higher education or the workplace and equip them to be responsible citizens. Deadline: December 15
AmeriCorps State and National Grants - Subject to availability of appropriations for fiscal year 2010, the Corporation announces the anticipated availability of approximately $363 million to award new, re-competing, and continuation AmeriCorps State and National grants. The Corporation's funding priorities are projects that address compelling, unmet needs in: education, clean energy/environment, healthy futures, veterans and opportunity. Deadline: January 26
The Wachovia Foundation - Each community has unique needs and opportunities. The Wachovia Foundation designates the majority of its philanthropic dollars to addressing these needs. Community Needs Grants are considered for organizations that meet the Foundation's criteria. Deadline: Ongoing
The Prudential Foundation - Each year, the Prudential Foundation invests over $25 million in grants in efforts that support the revitalization of communities. The foundation promotes sustainable communities by focusing its grant making on education, economic development and arts & civic infrastructure. Examples of funded projects are helping to improve schools, promoting neighborhood activities, and preserving parks and playgrounds. Amounts vary. Deadline: Ongoing
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Resources
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 Joint Family Support Assistance Program
There are 39,491 birth-5 years and 57,519 school aged military children in New York State. The Joint Family Support Assistance Program (JFSAP) is located at the Division of Military and Naval Affairs Headquarters in Latham, NY. The JFSAP team is available to travel anywhere in New York State. All services are funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and are offered at no-cost to military families, educators and community service providers. To receive support for the military children and families you serve, contact Alicia Russo at 518-265-2901.
 Achieving Graduation for All
A new report from the National Governor's Association (NGA) Center addresses the alarming rate at which students in the United States drop out of high school. The report identifies the root causes of the high school dropout problem and offers a comprehensive action plan for states to curb dropouts, help youth succeed and strengthen state economies. Currently, one in five students drop out of high school, and dropouts cost the United States more than $300 billion each year in lost wages and increased public sector expenses.
 The School Climate Challenge: Narrowing the Gap Between School Climate Research and School Climate Policy, Practice Guidelines and Teacher Education Policy
Research confirms what teachers and parents have claimed for decades: a safe and supportive school environment, in which students have positive social relationships and are respected, engaged in their work and feel competent matters. This paper targets school leaders regarding the gap between findings from school climate research and school climate policy and practice, including teacher education and community support and engagement.
Financing and Sustaining Out-of-School Time Programs in Rural Communities
This strategy brief describes the funding landscape of rural programs and highlights the unique challenges confronting rural program leaders. It describes the different public and private resources that can support out-of-school time programming and identifies key strategies that can be used to finance and sustain these programs in rural communities.
 Service-Learning and Hispanic Students: What Works in the Field
A concern about poor academic achievement among Hispanic students and the corresponding high dropout rate led the National Center for Learning and Citizenship (NCLC) at the Education Commission of the States (ECS), to convene a Thinkers Meeting about Service-Learning for Hispanic Students. Building upon the growing body of research indicating that service-learning is a critical pedagogy for student academic, civic, social and career development, the meeting concluded with a plan to conduct case studies to uncover best practices for engaging Hispanic students in service-learning. This brief presents those schools in the case studies that have demonstrated sound experience and commitment to service-learning.
GoToServiceLearning - America's Promise has partnered with Youth Service America and State Farm to present GoToServiceLearning.org. The website houses a database of extraordinary service-learning experiences. Each is a lesson plan submitted and implemented by teachers who know firsthand the value of service-learning. Plus, each of these plans are aligned to state mandated academic standards.
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The New York 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) Statewide Technical Assistance Center (TAC) is a government coordinating agency and information clearinghouse on issues related to 21st CCLC federally-funded afterschool programming.
Please contact Lorraine Lopez with ideas for types of articles and resources you would like to see in future issues.
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Disclaimer
Any publication included in this newsletter and/or opinions expressed therein do not necessarily reflect the views of the New York 21st CCLC Statewide TAC but remain solely those of the author(s). Such publications have been included only for ease of reference.
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Amnual Performance Report
(APR)
The NY 21st CCLC APR process is complete. Over 98% of NY 21st CCLC Grantees completed the data-collection process. The Profile and Performance Information System (PPICS) was built to help the US Education Department track 21st CCLC programming. The information is collected, compiled and reported by Learning Point.
Thanks for all your hard work in providing this information on a timely fashion.
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