Afterschool Quality Standards Project

Quarterly Newsletter

Truman Pierce Institute

July - September 2022

Alabama Afterschool Quality Standards

Using Voice and Choice in Afterschool Programs

by Tara Donahue

Different strategies can be employed to introduce the concept of voice and choice to afterschool programs. Of course, there are always a variety of factors that need to be taken into consideration, such as program size, budget, and grade levels. Click the link below for some strategies that can be used to increase student voice and choice at the program level while teaching youth invaluable skills that will help them throughout their lives.

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How to Safely Manage a Student in Crisis

by Matthew J. Bowerman

A trauma-sensitive, proactive plan for safely managing disruptive behavior includes knowing when to call for support and how to help a student de-escalate.

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Making the Most of the First Five Minutes

by Braxton Hall

Think of the first

five minutes of your workday. Maybe you hit every green light on the way in, and one of your coworkers surprises you with coffee. Or instead, you hit every red light and spill your coffee as you get out of the car. These situations are vastly different and set up two very different types of days. We can have the same impact on our students within the first five minutes of their walking into our buildings.

Spending the first five minutes with our students, creating a positive, meaningful moment for them, greatly improves their overall experience.

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Free Sun Safety Programs for Pre-K through 5th Grade

As a free community resource, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center developed Ray and the Sunbeatables®: A Sun Safety Curriculum for PreK – 1st graders and Be Sunbeatable™ for 2nd – 5th graders. These fun, engaging lessons and resources are great for the classroom, after school programs, or summer camps. They’re also full of practical tips for parents! You can access the full program for free through the CATCH.org platform.

Access the Programs Here

Beat the heat with these fun water STEM challenges!

Create a water xylophone and compose a song. Encourage children to experiment with different containers, different amounts of water, different colors, etc.

Construct boats or rafts using materials found outside or recycled materials. For an added challenge, see how much weight they can hold and remain afloat!

Design and build a water slide for a marble or a ping pong ball. Read this blog post to get ideas about challenges you can add: Wicked Fast Water Slide. Possible materials:
interlocking pieces of PVC pipe
paper, plastic, or styrofoam plates and cups
cardboard tubes and foil

Attention School Leaders: Listening is Essential.

Here’s How to Get Better at It.

by Megan Collins

In the age of Twitter Instagram, emails and texting, means of communication are constantly at our disposal. But the act of listening has become a skill we use less and less and school environments are no exception. Listening allows us insight about each other and about ourselves. When used wisely, thoughtful listening can transform schools and help educators work more collaboratively. And with some deliberate and thoughtful practice, school leaders can improve their listening capacity.

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