The Value of the NGVSZ/NJ After 3 ELT Initiative: Two Thousasnd Words Worth of Pictures!

From our partners at Vacamas Programs for Youth:

"92 students from Vacamas Programs for Youth’s New Jersey After 3 Programs – including Sussex Avenue, 18th Avenue and Quitman Community - came to Camp Vacamas for an exciting weekend experience. In this first camp trip for Vacamas’ NGVZ students, activities included an egg drop, Family Feud, hikes and team building games."

High quality afterschool programs benefit students in myriad ways. Check out this article about the impact NJ After 3 programs like these have on the youth of the state:

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20110226/NJOPINION0201/102260310/Many-influences-drive-educational-success

What is the real world impact of budget cuts here and around the country? Check out this Huffington Post article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20110225/us-broken-budgets-economy-state-cuts-glance/

Support Afterschool in NJ - Sign the Petition Today

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Get Those Dollars!: Funding Alert

ATTENTION NGVSZ/NJ After 3 ELT Sites:

Turn your programming dreams into reality with some grant funding! We have just received a wealth (pun intended) of funding opportunities for your Service Learning programming. Have you developed an exciting new program that just needs a few more dollars to get off the ground? Would you like to take your program from small scale to BIG TIME? If so, then don't hesitate to read more about these opportunities HERE.

As always, you are always invited (and strongly encouraged) to submit your own posts by contacting your NJ After 3 Program Officer.

Advocacy Alert

-CALL TO ACTION!-

 Please take a few minutes to help New Jersey kids and nonprofits!

                  

Red Tape Commission Testimony

Take advantage of this opportunity!

The Center for Nonprofits has been encouraged to seek input from the nonprofit community for the Lieutenant Governor's Red Tape Review Commission.  This is an opportunity for the nonprofit community to highlight unnecessary red tape, bureaucratic duplication, government over-reach and micromanagement.  This is an excellent opportunity to remind the Governor's Office and the Legislature that nonprofits are an often over-looked segment of the businesses community and Government red-tape, duplication and over-regulation costs the sector millions in unnecessary administrative overhead costs.   To see the economic power of the nonprofit community check out this brief report.

Please consider submitting testimony and testifying before the panels (they request 9 copies of your testimony).  This effort will be coordinated by the CNP; you can reach Linda Czipo at (732) 227-0800 or Lczipo@njnonprofits.org.  You can register via email - but be sure to let us or Linda know if you plan on testifying.  Testimony should be less than 10 minutes and illustrate a bigger picture issue (shorter testimony is often better).  You may also submit written testimony that goes into more detail, specifies specific regulations/legislation, and/or proposes fixes to the problem.  Submission of comments beforehand is encouraged, or the day of the hearing (9 copies).   

Meeting Information

Venue: New Jersey City University

- March 2, Jersey City: Meeting will focus on permits and licenses.  This would be an excellent time to highlight some of the challenges afterschool programs face with licensing regulations.

- July 19, Trenton: Red tape issues for small businesses, including nonprofits.  Of course, feel free to attend that March 2 session if the topic also resonates with you.   

Save AmeriCorps and YouthBuild! Call your Congress Rep Today.

Across the country, thousands of service programs, including YouthBuild and AmeriCorps, are in danger of being entirely defunded by proposed budget cuts in the U.S. House of Representatives. Help make sure that service continues to be a national priority! Contact your member of Congress and sign this letter with the name of your organization. Click here for talking points when calling the House of Representatives.

Protect Preschool in New Jersey

Urge New Jersey legislators to support vital investment for our youngest, most needy students. Advocates for Children in New Jersey has issued an action alert on this matter - click here to read it and help save Preschool.

NJ After 3 Updates for NGVSZ Sites

-Training and Technichal Assistance-

CEO Meeting, March 9th - Register

The meeting is mandatory for New Jersey After 3 Partner CEOs, which will be held at the New Jersey Principal's & Supervisor's Association located in Monroe Township, NJ. 

Site Coordinator Meeting, March 9th - Register

This month, the mandatory Site Coordinator meeting will include a special training on the 21st Century Afterschool Science Project (21st CASP) This curriculum is designed to enrich student learning through inquiry-based, interactive science experiences with everyday materials. This free curriculum is perfect for the afterschool learning environment.

Focus on Observation

The best ELT and afterschool programs all hold one trait in common: careful and consistent observation of direct service staff that is connected to a well defined process of feedback and implementation. In order to fully realize the vision of a true expanded learning time experience for youth, we must work with staff members, supervisors and our partners in school administration to establish an observation and feedback system at all of our sites. Though there are many demands that compete for our time and attention, it is critical to the overall success of this endeavor that each site coordinator dedicate time each week to:

• observing staff interacting with participants in a variety of settings
• providing timely, consistent and solutions-oriented feedback to staff
• having intentional coaching conversations with staff that draw directly from your observation
• following up with support and resources based on the coaching conversations

To make the most of this investment of your valuable time, we would strongly suggest using one of the many readily available observation tools to guide this process. If your organization doesn't provide such a tool, or you feel you could benefit from the addition of another resource, here are a list of resources that have been tested and are aligned with the best practices in the field of youth development:

• The National Collaboration for Youth's Competency Assessment Observation Tool (also includes a brief listing of YDW Competencies for review with your staff and school partners) is ideally suited for classroom observation, and covers the competencies needed by our afterschool educators.
• Sponsored by the National Youth Development Information Center
• The Quality Self-Assessment Tool is produced by the California Afterschool Network, and has a broader focus than the COAT
• The California Afterschool Network also highlights a variety of other tools you may want to review
• The New York State Afterschool Network offers the QSA tool, a broader assessment tool that comes complete with resources that should help you implement a program development process.
• The Forum for Youth Investment offers a pamphlet that gives a brief overview of a wide variety of assessment and observation tools that may work for your program.

Of course, before you implement any observation regimen, you should make sure to connect with your school administration and fellow program supervisors to examine if the tool in question meets the needs of your program and community. And for course, once you begin (or especially if you've already begun, like over at Burnet Street), make sure to share your stories or resources with the rest of the cohort. Contact you Program Officer for posting information.

COLLABORATION ALERT: NGVSZ/NJA3 ELT Mentoring Program

We here at NJ After 3 received some FANTASTIC news from our partners at Vacamas Programs for Youth. Sebastian Rodriguez of VPY is working with staff from Central High School, a member school in the NGVSZ, to establish a mentoring program, pairing exemplary high school students with 7th and 8th graders from out NGVSZ/NJ After 3 Expanded Learning Time programs. This initiative gives our youth an amazing opportunity to look into the future and get a taste of what it will be like to make the transition from the middle grades to high school.

This is not just an excellent opportunity for the youth we serve, nut also a potentially transformative experience for the young mentors. This Afterschool Alliance issue brief highlights some of the benefits of mentoring programs:

• Improved health and self esteem
• Sense of accomplishment
• Insight into one’s own childhood or children
• Public recognition
• Inclusion in a volunteer community

As this initiative develops, we will strive to incorporate some key elements highlighted by the Afterschool Alliance and others:

• Close emotional bond based on empathy and authenticity, basic compatibility and opportunities for having fun.
• Youth-centered approach, focusing on the developmental needs of youth.
• Consistent, regular meetings, at least four hours per month.
• Enduring relationships that last one year or longer.

What have you been working on? Do you have any exciting announcements to share with our community? Are you looking for someone to collaborate with? Then you should be posting here! Please contact your Program Officer for more details.

NJSACC Training Alert: Train the Trainer

Here's another opportunity from NJSACC, this time aimed at those looking to deliver high quality, engaging professional development for their staff or organization. NJSACC Executive Director Diane Genco will lead this full day session (no worries about timing - it ends at 2 pm, leaving you time to get back to program). You'll need to enroll by March 11th, and registration is limited, so don't hesitate to sign up.

For more details, click here.

NJSACC Training Alert: Promoting Positive Behavior

NJSACC is offering a low-cost 90 minute training on promoting positive behavior in an afterschool setting. Here is a brief description from their website:

"Come on out to hear from Dawn Rannie-White,  a licensed social worker that brings more than 20 years experience effectively working in the area of youth development.   Dawn has extensive experience in the areas of conflict resolution, behavior management, parent education and not for profit management.   In addition to being a trainer she currently is working as the Out of School Time Coordinator for the East Brunswick Public Schools supervising  early morning and after school programs that serve over 1200 youth."

You can find details here.

Where We're Headed: TASC's Expanded Learning Time Year Two Report

Our friends at New York's TASC have recently released a report on the progress of their own ELT initiative, now in its second year. As we move forward in developing our own ELT programs, we would do well to learn from the successes and challenges of our friends across the Hudson. Please take a few moments to review and discuss this document with your leadership team; here are some of the central takeaways:

• "If school-community partners don’t build time into their standing schedules for joint planning and professional development, it won’t happen
• Editors Note: This includes the CBO, ASYD Lead Teacher, and the Principal.
• Community partners should be part of schools’ data inquiry and data-sharing teams. Using simple but formalized communications protocols will help prompt data-sharing.
• Compared to curricula typically offered in some after-school programs, ELT schools need stronger, more defined curricula for the late learning hours that is well-aligned with what happens in the earlier part of the school day.
• Change takes time. Schools are likely to see improvements in attendance and decreases in negative behaviors before significant academic gains are realized.
• When they are joined with strong community partners who are willing to share accountability for student outcomes, school principals will share responsibility and resources.
• When principals invest school funds in ELT, they can leverage external resources that help fill programmatic gaps."

Your NJ After 3 Program Officer is here to help you fully realize the ELT vision, so please don't hesitate to ask him for help as you work to deepen your collaboration with your NGVSZ partners.

NJSACC: Grant Writing Workshop - Register by Feb. 25th

NJSACC is offering a low-cost, 2-day grant writing seminar, to be held at their Westfield offices on Friday, March 4th and Friday, March 11th. For more information, click here.

Do you know of any relevant courses being offered by area providers? Do you have access to resources or information that can benefit other members of the NGVSZ ELT team? Then please contact your Program Officer, or check your NJ After 3 Weekly Announcement for additional information.

Focus on Alignment

The NGVSZ/NJ After 3 Expanded Learning Time initiative is in its third month of operation, and all programs should be focused on aligning curricula with not only NJ CCCS, but also school-specific curricula. This 2006 report by the Harvard Family Research Project pointed to four key steps in the process of alignment:

• Strategic Staffing: School day staff, from paraprofessionals to school aides, staffed this OST program.
• Focus on Communication: From homework completion logs to inclusion of OST staff in school day planning sessions, the most successful programs have been intentional about their communication protocols and systems.
• Aligning Content: Time and resources were dedicated to developing an afterschool curriculum that not only addressed the broad state standards, but aligned with the school's curriculum maps.
• Professional Development: The school and the OST provider intentionally created opportunities for shared professional develop, in addition to the traditional PD provided by the OST provider.

Find more information and resources related to alignment here.

Don't forget - your Program Officer is excited to accept your posts. Do you have a curriculum that you've already aligned? Pictures from a great collaborative activity? Contact your NJ After 3 Program Officer today!

Social Networking Can Work for Your Program! UPDATED

On this Valentines Day, perhaps it is time for you to "show some love" for social networking. Studies show that more than 73% of teens use some form of social media (and, for some, I'm sure your experience suggests that 73% isn't high enough of a number). Social networking is where our students are at (just ask the Gates Foundation), and embracing safe, tested, age-appropriate social networking systems can only help you build strong relationships - the kind of relationships that keep students coming to your program!

You've got so much on your plate, and you've got to prioritize to be successful. Why should you prioritize social networking? How can you integrate it into your program in an organic way? Here are some suggestions:

• Many social networking sites allow users to edit HTML code, so why not turn your technology/computer lab time into a beginners course on HTML coding? (Can't find a tech instructor? Try HTML for Dummies)
• You can have students create a program newspaper, but why have them emulate a dying industry? The new thing is hyper-local blogs, so why not create the first online hyper-local news blog club (please choose a different name)? Blogger.com (which hosts this page) is an excellent, free resource.
• Instead of spending money on journals or looseleaf, why not have your students post their writing on a social networking site?
• Want to be a resource for families, students and teachers? Why not post homework assignments to your preferred social networking site?

Here are some social networking links/resources you might find helpful:

• This CNET article advocates for the integration of social networking into schools, and has some great links for school-appropriate social networking sites.
• Twiducate is just what it sounds like - Twitter for Educators! 
• This Education Week article gives a bit more balanced look at the pros and cons of the social networking in an educational setting.

***UPDATE: When considering the use of social media in your program, avoid the "Creepy Treehouse" effect - make sure students have maximum possible voice!***


Has this post sparked your imagination? Have you been doing this all along? Then make sure to share that news with the rest of your NGVSZ ELT team by posting it here! Contact your Program Officer for details and posting instructions.

Need a Dedicated Phone Line? Use Google Voice & Gmail!

For those programs with an Internet connection, but without a dedicated phone line, Google offers an easy to implement, low cost communications solution that should allow you to stay in close contact with your families and school partners.

Google Voice (google.com/voice) gives users the chance to, without charge, establish a local phone number that will connect callers directly to multiple phone lines, including home phones and cell phones. Other features include free voice mail, customized call routing (ie - calls to this dedicated line will go straight to voicemail at night, or during the weekends) and more. You'll no longer need to give out your personal cell phone number to keep in close contact with your families!

If you don't have a cell phone available, or cell phone service is bad in your building, you can also have calls to your dedicated Google Voice number routed straight to your Gmail account, turning your laptop or desktop Mac/PC (equipped with speakers and a microphone) into an excellent landline replacement. All you'll need is a Gmail account, which you can get for free at gmail.com. It is our understanding that, even if you are on the district network, you should have access to a Gmail account, meaning that all of our programs should be able to establish their own free phone numbers!

Need help getting your Gmail or Google Voice account set up? Please don't hesitate to contact your NJ After 3 Program Officer!

Newark Welcomes New Interim Superintendent Deborah Terrell

From nj.com:

NEWARK — Deborah Terrell, a widely respected Newark educator, will assume the role of interim superintendent as part of an executive team that will lead Newark schools until a permanent superintendent is named.

Her appointment, announced by acting state Commissioner of Education Chris Cerf, fulfills a legal requirement.

Cerf said acting deputy commissioner Rochelle Hendricks will actually lead the team, which also includes Dan Gohl, the district’s executive assistant for innovation and change, and Valerie Wilson, the district’s business administrator.

Terrell, 56, a city resident and former teacher, was principal of the Harriet Tubman School in Newark for more than a decade. In 2007, the K-6 school earned the coveted national Blue Ribbon award for excellence from the U.S. Department of Education.

The transition team takes over for superintendent Clifford Janey whose last day is Friday. State and local officials hope to have a permanent superintendent named for the 2011-12 school year.

By David Giambusso and Jessica Calefati/The Star-Ledger

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Ms. Terrell has been on the advisory board for the NGVSZ, and we look forward to working with her to improve and expand this initiative.

Check It Out: Wallace Foundation Resources

The Wallace Foundation has great resources for you all to review; you can find links here.

Burnet Street Book Fair

Check out this awesome video of the Burnet Street RIF Event, supported by volunteers from Enterprise: