June 2nd & 3rd: OregonASK Partner Meeting RSVP HERE

June 8th: Equitable STEM & CTE Committee, 9:30-11am Join HERE

June 23rd (Tentative): Commitment to Quality Committee

July 11th-15th: National Summer Learning Week

July 12th: Inclusion Base Camp training summer series starts

September 23rd: OregonASK Partner Meeting

OregonASK is hosting a physical gathering on June 3rd from 1-3 pm at the McMenamins Old Church and Pub in Wilsonville. We hope you can join us to catch up and reconnect over lunch.

We also invite all new and existing partners to attend our virtual meeting on June 2nd from 1-2:30 pm. Our virtual meeting will include updates on OregonASK and statewide work, as well as time to hear from several partners. Please RVSP here for either meeting. If you are new to OregonASK, click here to read more about our work and We hope to see you there!

Our new training management system has officially launched! OregonASK online allows us to share virtual synchronous and asynchronous training with programs across the state! We are very excited to be able to offer more on demand training to meet the needs of the continuously changing field. Experience our new and improved training platform by visiting our website at oregonask.org.

Registration Open Now for Inclusion Base Camp Cohort starting this July! This cohort is focused on providing an opportunity for expanded learning program staff to build confidence and capacity to successfully and meaningfully include children and youth with disabilities or additional needs. In this virtual six-session cohort, participants will create a cohesive vision of inclusion and behavior support, enhance their understanding of general behavior challenges, identify supports and resources available, explore inclusive best practices and necessary supports for youth with more complex inclusion needs using a strength-based approach, and dive into methods to foster positive family relationships and communication to support inclusion. Sign up Here or CLICK HERE to read Inclusion Base Camp participant requirements, scholarship eligibility, and session descriptions.

Visit the link for additional information about our Expanding Possible Futures summer incubators and fill out the form if you would like to be a part of our Possible Futures Cohort this summer. See more information about Innovative Incubator resources HERE.

OregonASK will also utilize the newly launched OregonASK online to release fun asynchronous videos and tips on topics such as youth engagement and voice, available any time! Arts Now will combine Process-based Art, SEL, and Youth-Lead learning to make programming fun and easily implemented through a whole-child approach! Save the date to join August 1st virtual training and contact [email protected] for more details!

Join us online November 17th & 18th for our 3rd annual joint virtual conference, Open Minds, Open Spaces in partnership with five other state afterschool networks.

We look forward to having Dr. Bianca Baldridge joining as our Keynote, helping us Celebrate Afterschool, especially the community of youth professionals that make it all happen!

OregonASK is collaborating with national partners to support the Power of Us Workforce Survey. Through this survey, youth-serving professionals and volunteers can contribute to a national effort to explore, define, and elevate their profession. We hope that the survey will yield actionable results to inform policy, practice, and further research. 

Please take a few moments to contribute this effort by completing the survey, or by passing the information along to your colleagues. In appreciation for your time, survey organizers are offering monthly drawings for $100 Amazon gift codes. 10 winners are selected every month! We look forward to hearing from you! 

Share this survey with young people 12-19 years old! The survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete, and helps us elevate youth voice as we continue to work toward the most relevant, accessible opportunities! Take it before June 10th! 

We are excited to see that the Early Learning Division is moving forward with the creation and release of School Age specific rules for licensing child care centers. You may read the proposed School Age Rules new language here.

They will be hosting a Public Hearing on June 21st for any additional questions or discussions about what is in the proposed rules. If you have anything you wish to see discussed or changed, Register HERE to join the Hearing. You may also submit public comment on the rules in Word or PDF format to Remy Watts, Rules Coordinator. Public comment closes Tuesday, June 28 at 10 a.m.

Family Health and Fitness day is June 11th and promotes the importance of parks and recreation in keeping communities healthy and active. Join in Family Health and Fitness day by attending virtual or in-person programs designed to improve your overall health and well-being! If you're looking for additional resources or activities that can be used in your program this summer, check out our Wellness Activity Guide HERE.

National Camping Month is the perfect time to make meaningful connections with nature and appreciate the outdoors. Our partners at Oregon Alliance of Camps offer year round and summer camp programs that provide safe, nurturing, and life-changing experiences for all youth in a welcoming and supportive environment. Visit this website to learn more about Oregon Alliance of Camps members or find yourself a local camp to connect with HERE.

The Oregon Association of ESDs posted an updated last week, knowing that there are insurance barriers present for many organizations who are applying to the Oregon Community Summer grant. As a result, there has been a lengthy delay in the process but they continue to work on a solution. OAESD is collecting feedback from programs about this delay to share with state officials and legislators: use this google form now. You may also view the presentation to Oregon Senate Education Committee today, June 2nd at 2:30pm HERE.

You can send additional questions to [email protected] and stay updated by signing up directly with OAESD.

National Summer Learning Week is a celebration dedicated to elevating the importance of keeping kids learning, safe, and healthy every summer, ensuring they return to school ready to succeed in the year. Some suggested themes that can be used to highlight activities during #Summerlearningweek include; Discover STEM and Soar, Winning at Health and Wellness, Make a Masterpiece, Celebrate Future Leaders, and Dive into a Book Adventure. Visit NSAL's website to learn more about this annual event and to find useful resources on how you can keep kids engaged during Summer Learning Week.

Make sure to sign up for our next EXTRAzone (Expanding Training & Resources Afterschool) coming later this month. Use THIS LINK to sign up Online Training to make sure you get added to our ExtraZone list.

Find our previous Monthly Newsletters Online HERE and make sure to visit OregonASK.org for more local resources!