Staff are trained and the kids are back in school. The program has been running for a week or two now, and the summer planning you did to start the year is already beginning to take shape. Staff understand the expectations and implement the program activities with enthusiasm and fidelity to the why of what […]
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As the summer winds down and sights start to get set on gearing up your afterschool program, many of the staff that worked those long hot days will be back for the school year. Summer provides the opportunity for staff to develop skills and build confidence in their work, connecting these to the afterschool program […]
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When I used to work in the West Haven Community House summer program we would go on field trips five days per week. These trips kept the staff engaged, and while sometimes repetitive (like Indian Wells and Wadsworth Falls State Parks at least 4 times over the summer), everyone enjoyed their time with one another […]
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As the out-of-school time research base grows demonstrating the benefits of afterschool and summer programs, opportunities for growth and advancement in the field as a viable career have become reality. Organizations that were either small or non-existent 25 years ago are now major parts of the support system. These include the 50 State Afterschool Network […]
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The word quality comes up all the time, but we seldom take the time to reflect on what it means. When we think of quality, it could pertain to any number of things. The quality of a doordash delivery, the quality of the roads in your neighborhood, the quality of the air we breathe, or […]
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Teaching the children we work with the importance of giving back to the community is a cornerstone of the work we do. This could be intergenerational programming, service learning projects, or the performing or visual arts. Creating community connections has positive benefits not only for the children served, but also for the larger community. When […]
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The cold winter months have given way to moderate temperatures over the last few weeks. Children and staff want to get outside, to run around, play games, and get some sun and muddy shoes. While we take in the warmer days, we know summer is not far away, fall remains off in the distance. Just […]
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People talk about spring as a time of renewal, early spring flowers poke sprouts through the thawing ground. Days get a little longer and, after months of playing board games and basketball in the gym, going outside is finally more than a 10 minute option. While the winter season allows for more and varied small […]
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As the mid-winter approaches, and the February cold starts to set in we are reminded of spreadsheets and budget projections for the coming year. Out-of-school time programs large and small need balanced budgets that both maintain what is necessary, and at the same time foster innovation and growth in programming. Resoundingly, Afterschool Professionals have risen […]
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The term unsung heroes is commonly used when referring to afterschool professionals. A workforce that shows up everyday from 3:00 – 6:00, sometimes later. It is often a job that requires you to think on your feet, come up with a project using only cardboard, some tape, markers, and imagination. We stay in the field […]
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