January  2019 Newsletter
What's In Store for 2019...

Welcome to the new year of 2019, a time full of new opportunities and growth! OregonASK has is honored to be there to help support Afterschool and Summer programs across Oregon. Part those efforts encompass the Access and Equity Survey . Dedicated to removing barriers to after school and summer programs, this survey targets important issues of what keeps kids from accessing programs. OregonASK staff have been busy traveling across the state to places like Klamath Falls, Independence, Coos Bay and more. Let us know if you're interested in this opportunity to help serve more kids all around Oregon. 

Along with the Access and Equity Survey, keep an eye out for OregonASK's Quest for Quality Campaign! It will be an integral part of this new year with all the events we host and support. 
2019 Line Up

January 22nd-  Legislative Session
 
February 15th- OregonASK  Partner Meeting
 
March 15th-18th- NAA Conference
 
April 12th-13th -  "Minding the Gap" 
Hosted by ORAEYC & OregonASK

April 22nd-26th -   Afterschool Profession Appreciation Week

May 1st -  Day at the Capital
 
May 10th - OregonASK Partner Meeting
 
June 11th-12th- Afterschool for All Challenge
 
July 11th-  National Summer Learning Day

October 11th-  OregonASK Partner Meeting

October 24th- Lights On Afterschool 
 
November 2nd & 3rd  - Oregon Afterschool Conference "Quest for Quality"
Upcoming Training with OregonASK 

It's the beginning of New year, and we're ringing it in with new and updated trainings! OregonASK Trainers have been busy preparing and creating engaging materials to share with our partners! 

Leadership in Afterschool Series 
This training series will be geared toward Management level staff who can apply trainings to their work with students as well as colleagues. The trainings will be based on our previous Program Management series where you can drop in on one or take them all, with some adaptations thanks to feedback from the field. Topics may include; professionalism, emotional intelligence, goal setting, giving and receiving feedback, family engagement and more. For more information about this Winter 2019 series content or getting signed up, please contact  Susan Zundel.

Leap into Science: Wind & Air
Oregon was picked as one of six pilot states to work with The Franklin Institute and National Girls Collaborative in spreading Leap into Science content and kits to communities around the state. We have just finished our final training for Year 1(balance themed workshops) but will be starting with a new content focus in March 2019:  Wind & Air. If you have questions about Leap into Science, please contact  Rachel Kessler .   

Web Literacy
Read more about this opportunity here. If you have any questions about this training contact Rachel Kessler. 

Service to Careers: Health Occupations
OregonASK is expanding our Service to Careers pilot to include a specific focus on health occupations. Kassy Rousselle will be working to adapt tools and resources and recruit programs interested in participating. If you are interested in having a club this winter or spring, please contact Kassy Rousselle for more information.

Employee Wellness- Coming Soon Winter 2019!
In this session participants will explore the importance of taking care of oneself, physically and mentally and how it can look different in different people. Participants will examine the effects of what we do for ourselves on a chemical level and how it translates to how we function in the afterschool environment with additional stressors of children, parents, and overall situation. If you have any questions about Employee wellness please contact, Kassy Rousselle.

Hero Elementary - Coming Spring 2019
Read more about this opportunity here. To set up or if you have questions about trainings with us, contact Katie Lakey. 

New Perception of Adolescent Development

Frameworks Institute has released three new reports that refocus the topic of adolescent development to a time not only full of dangers and risks but of opportunity and growth! The Framework institute has done a deep dive into how Americans perceive adolescents and it led them to three recommendations: 
  1. Define the term "adolescence" 
  2. Rebalance the narrative
  3. Bring equity into the discussion

Read about these key recommendations and other findings they discovered in Building Opportunity into Adolescence, One Half of the Story, and Amplifying Positive Frames. 
Rise In Demand For Quality Afterschool Programs

The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) recently released a new report on participation in Afterschool meals over the past year. They found that 1.2 million low-income children benefited from after school suppers on an average weekday in 2017, an  11% participation  increase from 2016. However, even with the 11% increase only 1  child per every 19 low-income children who participated in the National School Lunch Program in October 2017 received 
an after school supper.  

According to Jim Weill, President of FRAC, "To increase participation, we need to invest more in after school  programs in low-income communities and ensure that both new and existing programs serve after school suppers."

To read the report click here.
Access and Equity Survey & Focus Groups

Hosting an event in your program and interested in finding out more about what the parents and youth think and feel about your program? OregonASK has been driving around Oregon to ask youth and parents about their experiences (or lack of) with afterschool programs to help us answer several big questions around barriers, equitable practices and youth-reported program impact. Last month, we traveled to Gold Beach and Independence to hold surveys and focus groups . We received great feedback from both places and even saw the fun and creative gingerbread houses build in Gold Beach. We are looking forward to hearing from more youth and families around the state in the coming months, including trips to Woodburn and Salem. Please let us know if you are interested in hosting a focus group to amplify the voice of youth and families in your community. 



If you haven't already, please take a look at the Afterschool Access & Equity  tools   to determine if you should take the  Program Management  or  Site Staff Survey. If you are interested in having 4th-12th grade youth in your program take the
Youth survey, please contact  Juan Soto f or a physical copy or link to online version for your program. 

Don't forget, keep an eye out for the interim report on  Access & Equity in Spring 2019!
Openings to Join OregonASK!!!

OregonASK has two open VISTA positions ready to be filled by dedicated and driven professionals. The openings are both full time, one year positions: 

Health, Wellness & Safety VISTA - Work to increase access to high quality after school and summer programs through the OregonASK Health, Safety, and Nutrition Initiative. Work with established partners to connect out-of-school time programs to potential partners and resources. To see more or apply for this position click here.

My Brother's Keeper VISTA  -  OregonASK will develop strong links to communities of color, community partners (community colleges/universities and workforce boards) and after school and summer learning programs to increase access to high-quality educational, enrichment and mentoring opportunities for youth of color. 

For any questions regarding these positions , contact Bethany Thramer.
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