 |
|
LOA & Virtual Forum Highlight the Importance & Need for Afterschool
|
|
|
Students from an afterschool program at Jefferson in Valley City celebrated LOA with a homemade fashion show.
|
|
October 22 was Lights on Afterschool Day. Launched in 2000, Lights on Afterschool celebrates the vital role afterschool programs play in the lives of children, families, and communities. North Dakota again joined the national celebration with Governor Burgum signing a proclamation declaring October 22, 2020 as Lights on Afterschool Day in the state of North Dakota.
Although many of the usual in-person celebrations were shifted to virtual events, thousands of afterschool supporters across the country and in our state used innovative ways to recognize afterschool programs. In North Dakota, programs celebrated by coloring light bulb artwork to send to Congressional district offices, having students draw their version of "Lights, Lights Everywhere" to be entered into drawings for prizes, created shoes & clothes out of newspaper & put on a fashion show (Jefferson in Valley City, pictured above), and asking communities to leave porch lights on to show support for afterschool.
|
|
The ND Afterschool Network hosted an Afterschool in ND Virtual Forum on October 28, featuring students, parents, and staff from programs in Bismarck, Grand Forks, and West Fargo. Joined by other programs, state legislators, and education leaders, the panel shared their experience and appreciation for the afterschool and summer learning programs available to them. The need for additional funding to ensure that all students across ND have access to these essential programs also emerged during the discussion.
To further celebrate afterschool and inform state and local policymakers and education leaders, the ND Afterschool Network will be hosting additional virtual forums this December 14-16. The regional events will share much-anticipated data from the soon-to-be released America After 3pm parent survey and highlight the voices of students, parents, and staff in afterschool, summer, and other out-of-school time programs from communities across ND.
If your program is interested in being a part of the events, please
|
|
Mizzen by Mott: Live Demo
|
|
Mizzen by Mott Live Demo exclusively for ND Afterschool Programs
December 15, 2020
11:00 - 11:30 AM CST
Mizzen by Mott is a powerful online tool that is designed to help you plan and deliver engaging courses, lessons, and activities. With high-quality content, organizational tools, and Pro Tips from education experts, Mizzen makes it easy to create learning opportunities for students in your afterschool program.
Through support from the Mott Foundation, the app and all of its content is available for free to afterschool providers.
|
|
|
Afterschool Funding Updates
|
|
A Senate bipartisan bill, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21CCLC) Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020 was introduced on October 26, which is designed to expand access to supervised learning for students through the remainder of the COVID-19 emergency. The legislation would provide $1.2 billion in additional funding and greater flexibility for the Nita M. Lowey 21CCLC program. Read more information on the bill. These funds are especially critical should Congress pass a new spending bill with limited, if any, funding increases to afterschool.
Kars4Kids Small Grant Program: Dedicated to supporting educational initiatives around the country, any 501(c)3 organization with a central focus on doing work on behalf of America's children is eligible to apply for grants ranging from $500-$2,000.
Good Sports Product Donations: School or community-based youth programs directly serving youth between the ages of 3-18 years old and are eligible to apply for product donations, including sport equipment, apparel, and footwear. Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
Justin J. Watt Foundation: After school programs serving students in 6th - 8th grades and have over 60% of students eligible for free/reduced lunches are eligible to apply for grants to receive sports uniforms and equipment.
Power of Youth Challenge: COVID-19 Response Grants: America's Promise Alliance has launched a new set of mini grants of $250 each as part of the Power of Youth Challenge. Young people (ages 13-18) across the U.S. can identify a need in their communities related to COVID-19 and apply for a grant to help them put a remote service project into action.
Strengthen ND: Working throughout central and western North Dakota, Strengthen ND focuses on building the capacity of nonprofit organizations, advancing regional issues, and facilitating community solutions. Technical assistance is available in the areas of board & staff development, fundraising planning, grant writing, strategic & organizational action planning, evaluation, and more.
BOOST Cafe Funding Opportunities: Comprehensive compilation of grants, scholarships, awards and contests for the out-of-school time field. Includes national and regional opportunities that can be searched by topic, award amount, and grade-level.
Funding and Sustainability: Afterschool Alliance offers funding tools including sponsorship tips, connecting with businesses in your community, in-kind donations & partnerships, expert funding advice and a funding database.
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Trainings & Events
|
|
Put Your Own Oxygen Mask on First- Self-Care for Afterschool Professionals
December 8 | Webinar
Join Dr. Jamie Freeny, Director of the Center for School Behavioral Health at Mental Health America of Greater Houston for a live conversation around recommendations on preventing burnout & compassion fatigue along with strategies & practices to ensure that those who work in service of others are also taking care of themselves. The ND Afterschool Network presents this opportunity in partnership with the National AfterSchool Association and Mental Health America of Greater Houston. Register here.
America After 3pm: Demand Grows, Opportunity Shrinks
December 8 | Virtual
Join the Afterschool Alliance for a virtual media & field briefing on the new nationwide data on demand for afterschool programs and parent views on afterschool opportunities. The report "America After 3pm" includes responses from more than 30,000 U.S. families. The new study reveals disturbing trends in access to afterschool opportunities, high unmet demand for afterschool overall, and paints a stark picture of grave inequities in terms of which families can access and afford afterschool programs. Register here.
Strategies for Effective Interactions Among Adults Supporting Students with Learning Differences
December 9 | Webinar
Presented by Teachsone CLASS, participants will learn about the benefits, challenges to, and strategies for effective interactions among adults involved in the education of students with learning differences towards the end of promoting high-quality interactions for learning & the prevention of problem student behavior. Register here.
Mirroring and Modeling Social Emotional Well-being for Youth
December 10 | Webinar
Live online training from Youth Intervention Programs Association (YIPA) to explore the four core elements of youth worker mental and emotional well-being to help you & the young people you serve manage stress. Learn more & register.
Virtual Engineering Design Challenge: Session 3
December 10 | Webinar
Get ready for hands-on building in this webinar with Technovation to become an expert in leading engineering design challenges online that help students develop the engineering mindset, work in teams, and persist & learn from failure. This session is for afterschool program staff working with students in 4-8th grades. Register here.
Afterschool Network Quality Committee
December 14 | Virtual Meeting
Open to anyone involved or interested in quality in out-of-school time programs across ND, at this virtual meeting we will dive into the development of quality standards for school-age out-of-school time programs, including identifying priority focus areas and create a shared vision among stakeholders. Contact the Network for more details & for a meeting invite.
Mizzen by Mott Demo for ND
December 15 | Webinar
Join us for a live demo of the Mizzen by Mott app to learn how this great resource can be used in your afterschool program! Mizzen by Mott is a new app built with and for afterschool professionals to provide high-quality, engaging learning content to the afterschool field. You'll find lessons, activity playlists, and multi-week modules that can be done whether your program is meeting in-person or virtually. Through support from the Mott Foundation, the app & all of its content is available for free to afterschool providers. Register here.
Implementing Project Based Learning with Y4Y
December 15 & 17 | Webinar
You for Youth is offering a two-part series to walk you through best practices for facilitating student-led projects, which are a great way to tap into students' interests, develop their independent & cooperative learning skills, and make learning relevant & fun for students of all ages. Register here.
Understanding & Preventing Youth Bullying & Peer Victimization during the Pandemic
December 18 | Webinar
Join CASEL to gain insights around what bullying & peer victimization looks like during the pandemic, who is most at-risk for victimization during the pandemic, and how SEL is being used to reduce isolation & victimization. Register here.
___________________________________________________
Find additional virtual professional development on-demand at:
CypherWorx - Contact the ND Afterschool Network for access to this online learning platform with courses for the afterschool field.
You for Youth - Contracted provider for the U.S. Department of Education and available as a free service to all out-of-school time programs.
National AfterSchool Association - National partner membership organization for professionals who work with children and youth in diverse school & community-based settings. Find resources, training, quality standards and core competencies.
|
|
Our Vision
The ND Afterschool Network promotes access to high-quality, safe, and affordable out-of-school time programming that supports positive academic and social outcomes for youth PreK-12 across North Dakota.
|
|
Kristin Knorr
ND Afterschool Network Lead
701-446-3195
|
|
|
|
|
