Summer is just around the corner, and you are likely right in the middle of planning unique and amazing intersession opportunities for your students. Summer matters, and it is a prime time to offer enriching, powerful experiences to students. High quality summer programming is supported by extensive research, and this report from the Partnership for Children and Youth outlines specific promising practices to consider. In addition, the California Department of Education (CDE) has published outstanding tools that support thoughtful summer program development within the Jumpstart Toolkit: Summer Learning Program.

From planning tools like Creating a Summer Learning Program Schedule and Staff Development Survey to resources that help assess the needs of the community through services, opportunities, and support mapping, the Jumpstart Toolkit provides a variety of resources that lead to intentional program design. Whether you are wrapping up your summer plans or just getting started, check out the toolkit for some new ideas and resources.

The team at the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) is here to support you as we inspire and lead innovation in education together. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team.

Better together,

Brittany Mabe, Ed.D

Expanded Learning and Community Engagement

As a reminder, commencing with the 2023-24 school year, local educational agencies shall be subject to an audit to determine compliance with specific program requirements (Education Code Section 46120(c)(1)). The audit guide is forthcoming. For additional information, please reference California Education Code for the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program.

For more information and support, join the SDCOE team at the Expanded Learning Programs: Getting Started session on April 18!

Within the 2022-23 state budget, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond shared several key priorities enacted to transform California’s schools. It is important to look closely at the connectedness of these priorities in order to strengthen a culture of engagement that results in structures and systems that create pathways for students and families to thrive. Two of these priorities include the ELO-P and universal prekindergarten. Universal prekindergarten strives to increase access to quality, joyful early learning experiences as a piece of a child’s preschool to 3rd grade educational journey. At SDCOE, the Expanded Learning and Community Engagement and the Child and Family Success teams have partnered closely to draw intentional connections between these initiatives and explore possibilities. Please see the following updates and information; for more information, please contact Dr. Erin Dare, and Jena Kubiak.

For local educational agencies that did not previously create a universal prekindergarten plan by June 30, 2022, any school wishing to submit a plan, must use the "Revised" Universal Prekindergarten Planning and Implementation Grant Program Template and was required to present to their governing board for consideration by March 30, 2023.

There are no requirements for re-submitting an updated universal prekindergarten plan. The CDE will be sending out the required program report link to local educational agencies this summer to collect data around the required questions from the updated 2022-23 universal prekindergarten templates.

Universal Prekindergarten Planning and Implementation Expenditure reports for the reporting period of Nov. 1, 2022, to April 30, 2023, are due to the CDE on May 31.

SDCOE's Preschool to 3rd Grade Team invites you to a workshop designed to support school districts and charters with the Revised Universal Prekindergarten Planning and Implementation Grant Program — Planning Template that was released in February 2023.

This session will highlight the key changes to the revised 2022-23 template and provide on-the-spot guidance on what to expect when the universal prekindergarten reporting survey is released. As a result of the newly revised planning template, local educational agencies and charter schools will be required to provide information to the CDE, via survey, in the summer of 2023. This workshop will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. on two dates: April 25 and May 18. Please see the flyer for more information.

Interested in learning more about project-based learning? Here are additional resources that will help elevate your expanded learning practice.

The System of Support for Expanded Learning team is part of a statewide regional structure to support STEAM learning during out of school time, such as before-school, after-school, intersession, and summer. STEAM learning is a pivotal way to strengthen a culture of engagement in your expanded learning program.

Monthly STEAM Hub resources provide expanded learning staff access to STEAM activities, professional learning opportunities, and inspirational stories from role models and mentors in STEM careers. You may register to receive free monthly resources, or access past archived monthly resources. Additionally, as a participant of the Million Girls Moonshot Initiative, the System of Support for Expanded Learning team exposes expanded learning staff to transformative practices, by using a culturally responsive and equity lens to foster inclusive STEM learning spaces for all youth, particularly girls.

Want to get plugged in further? Join the San Diego STEAM Hub monthly STEAM Meetups! The Meetups are a community of practice for expanded learning staff to get connected and find inspiration to lead innovative and authentic STEAM learning that ignites students’ imagination and passion to decode challenges and thrive. Find registration information for in-person STEAM Meetups or virtual STEAM Meetups.

For additional information, please contact Liza Flowers or Melissa Minas.

The Alpine Union School District kicked off its first Expanded Learning Opportunities Program this school year, providing amazing opportunities to TK-6th grade students! In the first year of the new program, the district offered small group tutoring, enrichment, snacks, and more. Though the program, the district is committed to providing a safe, supportive, nurturing, and welcoming environment at all times to meet the various needs of all of the students, including social, emotional, and academic needs through the Alpine Academy.

SDCOE had the opportunity to visit with Alpine Union Superintendent Dr. Rich Newman, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Jenna Weinart, and Director of Expanded Learning and Student Services Natalija Worrell in March to collaborate with the team as they plan for their summer program and 2023-24 school year. They are excited to offer six weeks of outstanding services to kids over the summer that include opportunities such as engineering, theater, Spanish, sports, and music. The district has jumped full-steam into creating unique, meaningful programs for its students and continues to strive for excellence and growth!

The System of Support for Expanded Learning team promotes STEAM Education through various professional learning opportunities. This year, as part of our STEAMPower Series, one of our monthly workshops was presented at the San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering at Petco Park on March 4. Twenty-seven expanded learning program staff participated in a unique learning experience by attending the Math and Music workshop. The participants started their day with a musical performance by Music Notes at the main stage of Petco Park. Immediately following, they participated in a workshop conducted by Music Notes to learn how to incorporate songwriting, music, and STEAM in expanded-learning programs. This experience was sponsored by Generation STEAM, an affiliate of BioCom California.

This opportunity is one of many ways the System of Support for Expanded Learning team supports the California Expanded Learning STEAM Hub Initiative to inspire San Diego County expanded learning staff to lead innovative and authentic STEAM learning in their districts and charters that ignites students’ imagination and passion to decode challenges and thrive.

What is your district or school site doing that pushes learning and engagement beyond our traditional norms? We would love to learn from you. Please email Jackie Linenberger to share unique ideas or more stories from the field.

With all of the funding opportunities and initiatives that you may be planning for, it’s important to stay connected and collaborate with the field. Consider taking advantage of the following opportunities.

Purpose: The Expanded Learning Programs: Getting Started session will provide participants with an overview of California education requirements for expanded learning programs. This session is geared toward supporting district or charter school leadership with deepening their understanding of expanded learning programming and required programming components.

Purpose: SDCOE's web-based attendance tracking system allows ASES and 21st CCLC sites to register students and collect daily after-school attendance. The system also collects all the data necessary to comply with all reporting requirements set forth by the CDE.

Purpose: Join us for a virtual, two-part training series to set a strong foundation on brain development and why that matters, explore the importance of relationships, developmentally appropriate expectations, and instructional strategies.

Purpose: Be a part of a community and find inspiration to lead innovating and authentic STEAM learning that ignites students’ imagination and passion to decode challenges and thrive. Make connections with other expanded learning staff, while boosting your knowledge and skills in creating and delivering STEAM learning opportunities at your program site.

Purpose: Through May, the System of Support for Expanded Learning team will offer the STEAMpower Series to support expanded learning program staff in building their capacity to deliver engaging STEAM experiences in the expanded learning programs. Below is a preview of the opportunities available to expanded learning program staff in 2023.

Purpose: Join the SDCOE P-3 Network to learn and network with educators from across the county at regularly scheduled meetings geared toward district, charter, and early education leads.

For additional information and program contacts, please check out the Expanded Learning and Community Engagement webpage.

If you have any questions or comments regarding Expanding Possibilities, please contact Jackie Linenberger.