The School Superintendents Association (AASA) executive director Dan Domenech shared with national advocates last month “you cannot do it alone with accelerated learning…you have to have partners.” He shared an exceptionally poignant description of “the moat” that sometimes exists around schools and how it’s time to bridge that. This is the opportunity to share with education leaders, superintendents and principals that Expanded Learning Partners are helping re-engage kids, rebuilding relationships, and helping youth emerge from this crisis strong, resilient, and hopeful!

The Afterschool Alliance and AASA will cohost a Powerful Partnerships webinar to help guide and encourage districts in working together to support students in continuing their unfinished learning. CLICK HERE to register now for the May 12th Webinar

Oregon Department of Education published a paper this spring titled, Student Learning: Unfinished, Not Lost. Within the paper, they discuss how learning happens everywhere for students every day. While we tend to think about the losses that many students may demonstrate in certain areas, they challenge us all to use a strengths-based lens that gives value to all that youth have learned this year; problem solving in the moment, navigating uncertainty, learning new technologies, and relying on the resilience and strength of family and community.

"Humans are born to make meaning, to synthesize, and to develop understanding through lived experiences. When students’ lived experiences are viewed through an asset lens and there is value assigned to their funds of knowledge, youth are able to authentically engage their whole self... When the focus is on looking for signs of “learning loss,” there is a risk of missing student strengths and negating the essential link between learning and culture." While so many prepare to support youth this summer, we hope this is a good reminder that every youth has unfinished learning that we can support.

*Read the full paper HERE to see how schools are being asked to shift the narrative

This one-time grant program, funded by the State of Oregon through HB 5042, will allow Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) to award $40 million for school-aged children to participate in community-based learning, enrichment, and recreation programs offered through non-profits and public agencies across the state during summer 2021. CLICK HERE to take a look at the RFP and FAQ information provided by OCF. View the PDF HERE or start your application HERE.

This training prepares educators to host Leap into Science: Light and Shadow workshops for children 3-10 and their families. This training introduces educators to the two workshops for children, as well as strategies for facilitating science and literacy learning in family workshops. Educators will practice facilitation techniques, and explore resources to lead Leap into Science programs. CLICK HERE to register

This training will provide participant an overview of the newly created Summer Nutrition Guides. Units include nutrition, physical activity & education, SEL, and environmental health. These guides will be available this summer in English & Spanish. Read more on our Activity Guide Flyer or CLICK HERE to Register Now for FREE.

Finding activity ideas and exciting curriculum can be difficult and cumbersome. Make sure to check out Mizzen By Mott app that includes hundreds of activities and curricula for everything from STEAM to Arts to Wellness.

Join the Summer Reboot Training Camp being organized by 5 State Afterschool Networks from across the country. At the end of May and throughout June, we will be supporting the launch of a website featuring a-synchronous Professional Development utilizing pre-recorded videos together with quizzes and other a-synchronous elements. With the anticipated hiring of many new staff, there is a need for a broad based professional development opportunity that can help staff understand the critical role they are playing this summer serving children and their families across the country. Content will include a variety of topics for a variety of roles such as; Hiring and Vetting, COVID-19 Safety and Supervision, Trauma Informed Programming, Planning for Fun, Summer Youth Employment, Self-Care and much more. More information coming soon!

In March and April, Washington County Kids hosted a 5-session Parent Speaker Series including a variety of topics of interest to parents and guardians such as supporting anxious or depressed kids, engaging in positive discussions about differences, and helping kids with homework without doing it for them. If you are interested, you can view each session on their YouTube channel HERE. Thanks to Washington County Kids partners and sponsors who continue to make opportunities like these possible to support expanded learning in Oregon.

This Girls STEAM Ahead with NASA webinar will provide a brief overview of the program and its free resources, including a range of computer-based and paper-based activities, print products, and a Program Cookbook for facilitators. Register HERE

Accessibility is about maximizing the potential of individuals with disabilities to make all communities, including the STEM community, more vibrant, diverse, and inclusive. Join in to learn more about strategies educators and program leads can employ in both in-person and online learning that can make STEM programming more accessible, engaging, and inclusive. Register HERE for FREE

Representation Matters! Highlighting the IF/THEN Collection on May 25th at 11am

Join IF/THEN Ambassadors in a conversation about representation and why it is important for girls to see role models in STEM.

In order to help summer programs amplify their impact, We Coach will provide a training to help youth development professionals, camp counselors, and coaches understand the impact of overwhelming stress, or trauma, on young people and equips them with skills to take action to support these young people. Their interactive training provides a foundation in trauma-informed practice and provides concrete strategies that adults can use immediately. The training explores three core ways that programs can maximize their healing potential: through the power of relationships, by encouraging physical activity, and creating manageable, resilience-building patterns of stress.

View all Voices of Summer Webinar Series upcoming and recorded webinars HERE.

The Office of Child Care (OCC) is pleased to announce that the Planned Use of Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act 2021 Funds Reports submitted by states have been posted on this OCC webpage. Tribal and territory reports will be posted in the coming weeks as well, and all reports are expected to be available on that OCC webpage by mid-April. See here.

Read the full review here.

Any youth 13 or older can apply to join the national ambassador program. The entry includes sharing the importance of afterschool and summer to you. If you know of any youth interested, please share this survey link.

You can subscribe to Oregon partners such as Oregon Children's Agenda or Oregon School Board Association, to keep posted on specific bills.

HB 5042, the legislative bill that allocates $250 million into Summer has been signed by the Governor. Find out more about all the Summer Grants HERE.

HB 3073 Child Care Reform had a public hearing on April 27 and a work session on April 29. The 4 amendments were adopted to fix some drafting errors when the content of HB 2503 was incorporated into the bill in the previous amendment. The bill passed out of committee with bipartisan support and is now in Joint Ways and Means for budget impact review.

Over 150 participants joined from around the state including superintendents, principals, administrators, instructors, managers, and coordinators from school districts, 21st CCLC programs, and community partners (such as Boys and Girls Clubs). OregonASK was happy to provide a space for so many district representatives and summer partners to be actively planning for the unique opportunity that this summer provides in creating infinite possibilities for so many youth across the state! Check out a few of the resources highlighted during the conference on our Summer Matters page.

In 2019, prior to the pandemic, OregonASK Expanded Learning Partnership and the Willamette Education Service District launched the Two Weeks Ready Campaign. Gauging emergency preparedness amongst childcare and afterschool providers was the initial focus of the campaign. Coinciding with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign goals were quickly reoriented towards a focus on emergency response and recovery--to better suit reality, and the needs of child care providers. 

We were excited to utilize focus groups and work group members to better understand the gaps that exist within Oregons’ child care emergency response systems. CLICK HERE to read our full report that includes actionable recommendations which can be added to the already existing framework of Oregon.

It is with a heavy and happy heart that OregonASK is saying farewell for now to our first-ever Equity Coordinator, Juan Soto. We've included a few words from him below and invite you to CLICK HERE to read his full remarks:

OregonASK is excited to continue or own journey of growth and change by opening this position to all our partners and friends across the state. The position will be posted HERE until filled with the position hopefully starting June 1st.

Join us May 14th from 9-11am for our Quarterly Virtual Partner Meeting

With Summer Programs just around the corner, we hope that as employers and employees, you are able to take advantage of OregonASK's new Jobs Board to help connect in preparation for this summer. As an organization, our goal is to enhance, support, and expand the fluidity of the work of our partners. We hope this addition to our website assists your hiring process . See the Listings page, plus more, HERE.

May 1st-31st: Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month

May 14th: OregonASK Partner Meeting RSVP HERE

October 22nd & 23rd: Open Minds, Open Spaces Fall Virtual Conference