afterschoolnetwork

From the Mott's Afterschool Network page, there are links to each state contact & their newsletters. Some great website content -- including some I'm hoping to translate into actionable items here in Ohio & Kentucky! If you have difficulty finding it, please shoot me an email at rkelley@cincinnatiymca.org. Thanks!

Calculating the cost of afterschool – hot topic

Data is across the board on “per student” cost

Most cost of afterschool is staff

Get program budgets or talk to people who run large programs

3 kinds of staff – executive director, “lead teacher”, and others (admin., part-time, etc.)

What should it cost vs. what does it cost? - Political question; cost of quality program

Find someone with data/budget experience

Cost savings – we know the cost of juvenile justice, repeating a grade, etc; afterschool saves these costs

Need anecdotes – find kids who can speak to change in their life

Goal 3: Support statewide systems to ensure programs are of high quality.

1. Approaches to quality: utilizing state tools

Two states and two consultants discussed standards documents and learning outcomes for school-age programs. Many indicators are not school-focused; the field needs more professional development opportunities and program-planning and evaluation tools.

2. Infusing high quality core content into afterschool

This workshop focused on a study conducted by the Southwest educational Development Lab on elements of a quality after school program. This organization and its partners are in the process of creating an online training toolkit for providers. The toolkit contains research-based information and resources about quality after school programming. The toolkit’s quality programming components are broken down into the following categories; Literacy, Math, Science, Technology, Arts, and Homework Assistance. Parts of the toolkit are available on-line at this time. The Literacy and math sections are currently available. Science will be available in May, Arts in July, Technology in October and Homework assistance will be available by Spring 2007. The website address for toolkit access is http://www.sedl.org/afterschool/ .The toolkit is Free.

3. Aligning state childcare licensing systems and afterschool standards

This workshop was facilitated by representatives from Minnesota and Maine. Both representatives presented their state’s licensing standards in regards to school age programs. Minnesota does not have state standards for licensing after school programs. Their network established some quality guidelines that programs can voluntarily choose to follow. Maine has licensing standards for school age programs, but they are mixed in with early childhood at this time. There is one section dedicated to school age programs.

At the end of the workshop, there was a group discussion about how other states dealt with school age programming and licensing or state standards. Many shared that their states lacked of standards for school age programs. We shared that Ohio recently changed state standards and input was taken from providers at regional meetings regarding requests for changes in drafted rules.

4. Data collection and program evaluation

5. Technical assistance and the statewide afterschool networks

This session looked at a variety of ways that states delivered technical assistance

- Washington – Split state into 6 regions – each region received seed funding to accomplish TA goals

- Created and Infrastructure called WRAP – Washington Regional Action Project –

§Diverse lead agencies

§Outreaches others within the region to form team

§Bring key stakeholders together

§Accreditation grants

§Challenges to structure – distance, ½ time staff

- Strategic Direction – created a state plan – prioritized direction of movement

§Network goals

§Part of structure was a Quality rating system – a tiered reimbursement structure

- New Hampshire – Started with advocacy focus - 6 full time consultants; provided grant training, TA on licensing

· Have a formalized Consulting agreement with sites

Challenges – Most effective method is most expensive – which is 1 on 1 consulting and TA

6. Quality 101

Indicators of effectiveness – attendance; enriching, structured experiences; cognitive, social, emotional, physical development

Service delivery area – quality is relevant when children are present long enough to promote individual growth; conditions allow children/youth to develop in individual ways

Features of afterschool setting to promote success - positive participant relationship w/adults and other children/youth; learning activities build cultural awareness, leadership, and relevant structure

Expected outcomes – improved capacity to form relationships w/adults; increased rates of program participation; higher levels of achievement motivation (class attendance, homework completion, etc.)

*Children in unsupervised afterschool environment has lower academic outcomes

Kansas –

• Network provides grant writing workshops
• Sustaining programs is their primary focus
• Network brings in consultant to help school/district leaders understand their role and impact
• Emphasize economic impact of afterschool programs on the state to business leaders
• Use graduate students to write curricula for afterschool programs

Session talked about the vital components for a program to possess to be of high quality

- South Carolina – Has excellent Quality Kit – J.D. Beiting has a e-copy

- Input from Liz Reisner from Policy Studies Associates

-From her studies – Lack of adult supervision is devastating to child outcomes. Afterschool sites with positive staff/child interaction is the greatest sign of high quality

Kansas view on quality:

-60 active partners who have signed a partnership agreement dedicated to raising the quality of afterschool in the state

-They have buy in at the local level – with a 1.25 million bill at legislature

-Quality of leadership – instructional leadership – is a key quality component

-Quality of assessment to validate work

Kansas Continual Improvement Rubric– allows

Developing systems of quality

local programs to assess quality and local needs

Quality reflected in partnerships

The workshop started off with a staff member from Policy Studies Associates speaking about her evaluations in school age programs. She spoke about the definition of quality School-age care. She stated that results from quality after school programming begin to appear in children after 1 year of participation. It is hard to get results prior to 1 year of attendance. She then reviewed the different program levels that are responsible for program quality, i.e. Operational Level, Service Delivery Level, Initiative Level and System Level.

The second half of the workshop was a presentation form a representative from the South Carolina Statewide Network. She gave us a lot of information about how they got started, who they involved, the collaborations they formed and the resource tools that they created. This presentation was very beneficial and introduced the participants to valuable information and tools to help us establish our network goals.

There were a few unique features about the S.C. Network; they had established and secured grant funds for programs to apply for and utilize for on-site quality. A program that received the funds was required to recruit at least 5 more program representatives into the Network. The network also established college coursework called School-Age 101, in collaboration with a variety of technical colleges throughout the state. This is a professional development tool that is valuable to their providers. In addition, the Network published a Tool Kit called, “Creating Quality Out-of-School Programs in S.C.”. The tool kit will be distributed to after school programs throughout the state. The tool kit has a training that goes with it. Therefore, anyone who receives the tool kit also receives training for implementation. The kit and training are free to providers in the state.

Beyond bake sales: raising money to support the network

This session focused on fund-raising for the network via individual donors

-Concepts revolved around the University of Indiana’s ‘Raising more money model’

-‘Raise more money model’ consists of holding monthly info sessions and small events, one large annual event, and several ‘specialty events’ such as lights on and service days. The ‘ask’ for funds is not during the small monthly events, but takes place at the annual event

-Goal is to have a donor give multi-year pledges

-Specifically looked at holding events that raise money for the network

-Are you ready? – what to have prepared to hold such events

-Constituency and environment

-Vision and use – case, needs, goals

-Communication materials

-Development team – don’t do it alone

-Stewardship

Commitment to build an individual donor base

• Sustainability planning clinic; advanced

• Afterschool and school finance policy considerations

This session brainstormed on how to access funding opportunities by positioning the afterschool movement as providing value to the hot issues happening in your home state

Steve Fowler from Afterschool Alliance looked at 25 Governor’s state of the state addresses, they stated:

i. The Economy has recovered

ii. Economic growth can only be sustained by being competitive – so math and science is a hot topic and priority

iii. Obesity

iv. Methamphetamines

v. Can do spirit – we can make it happen

1. How to engage business - Illinois – engaged Abbott to support network – Abbott in turn got others to be involved; Opportunity return regions – a system in IL that spurs business in selected areas – afterschool can be part of that equation
2. Obesity – Vermont Governor had a summit on obesity -Fit and Healthy Kids initiative; Standards – used SPARK in 29 sites – regionally spread

Comprehensive communications planning for your network

• 3 key issues have been identified that resonate – safety, learning, working families (healthy living is an emerging issue)
• Takes discipline to stay on message
• Worksheet with “audience/goal/message is starting point for communicating
• Audience can be one person; messenger is as important as the message
• “Hooks” to slogans are easy to remember
• Iowa – gift box for legislators: packets of seeds w/picture of kids, directions on how to plant, preparation of soil, etc.; pair of gardening gloves

Across the country people are willing to pay for:

-Safe place

-Good environment

Oregon – politics is local, work close to home first; be concise; how does it impact close to home; use staff persons; keep legislators aware of what you are doing

Arizona – know staff if a term limited state (they may stay when elected official is gone); be vigilant, know who your champion is; influence elections, recruit persons to support your agenda; don’t rely on a politician un understand data

Missouri – find people who know someone to talk to legislators; keep lines of communication fluid in all ways; consider that you are providing information; identify a key legislator; be prepared to take any route to get in budget

What does conversation look like?

• It’s a workforce issue
• Connect any hot topic in your state to afterschool
• How you use data can make a difference
• Make sure you know what afterschool is all about & relate it; use a common vocabulary
• Know issue that is important to legislator and relate to what is important to him/her
• Start during campaign, call on both parties; engage staffers
• Make plans to work w/legislators when they aren’t in session; invite the spouse
• Be sure to know your agenda – what is the “ask”
• Pay attention to superintendents who are being hired – during interview ask where he/she stands on topic
• “School improvement” may be language to use
• Funding can go through several state agencies – health, human services, education – complement NOT compete
• Find out from legislators how they spent their time afterschool – what did they do as youth?
• Agencies that have school age monies – how you can be helpful in their afterschool program; department of natural resources, conservation, etc.
• Expand partnerships in your community
• Don’t take things for granted
• Slow cooker, not microwave - long process
  

Decision making should be equal process – a level playing field
Similar levels of position
Value everyone
Solid communication, transparency
“We are serving the same kids” mantra
Use “alliance” language rather than “partnership”
Explicit goals and mission – focus on coordinating role
See the benefit – relationship building
Look for frameworks to pull people together
Chairs of work teams are NOT persons on SLT
Review Rhode Island by-laws
Federal Child Care Bureau and Finance Institute
Putting together a governance structure
On-line draft form (check with Sharon Deich)
Partnership guide on CD rom

These sessions focused on Goal 1, 2 & 3.

1. Time, Learning and Afterschool – Opening speaker

This workshop focused on the need to make school personnel and policy makers aware of the opportunities for learning beyond the traditional school day. The workshop facilitators engaged participants in a discussion around how after school programs can enhance the school day learning of children. We also discussed an essay written by Christopher Cross called “Time Out”, which focuses on the under use of time in a child’s learning day. In addition, Christopher Cross discussed his book “Political Education”.

2. Network 101 – Basics of a statewide afterschool network

3. Network Plan Clinic

Network goals are/should be a customization of the Mott goals

First goal is greatest challenge

Plans will be posted on website

Common pitfalls in theory of change

Logic behind the element is key to clarity

Activities are part of the work plan

Short term outcome – measurable and observable

***Network can’t be responsible for program outcomes, only systems outcomes

Definitions –

Outcomes – observable, measurable

Elements – strategies to get to goal

Activities – daily, weekly, monthly “things” to do, tasks

The Ohio Afterschool Network Coordinator, Elaine, combined reports from the other team members. I'm posting them here (They'll appear above this posting) for your review. Thanks, J.D., Elaine, Stephanie, Becky, Amber & Warren!

I attended Friday's session of the National AfterSchool Association conference in Louisville, KY.

I joined the school/community leader focus group in the first session. Representatives from Louisville, National League of Cities (Bela Shah), Coalition for Community Schools & many other school districts across the country discussed the latest trends and ideas in school-community partnerships. Louisville's unified city-county structure has resulted in some wins related to afterschool tracking and evaluation. The Office for Youth Services, which funds some $2.5 million annually, began using KidsTrack to measure impact. Starting with the Salvation Army & Boys & Girls Club, the program now is mandated for every funded agency. Cincinnati's community learning center movement was mentioned several times as a model for widespread community development through schools.

A fantastic panel discussion on Public Policy and Advocacy featured the following representatives:

• California's SchoolAge Coalition - using workforce development strategies to fund professional development, recruitment, training, etc. for afterschool personnel; CA identified 14 different categories for youth professionals (therefore difficult to show need/demand for workforce improvements & economic impact of the field -- both valuable data items for securing resources and attention)
• YMCA of the USA - Activate America, obesity prevention
• Afterschool Alliance - using data, Lights On Events, candidate surveys before elections, and coalitions to shine the spotlight on afterschool
• SchoolAge Notes/NAA public policy - update on 2006 budget.

The Exhibit area was fantastic & full of resources. Who knew speed-stacking cups would be a phenomenon?

The J.C.Penney Afterschool Fund was recognized at the Luncheon. Slideshow was filled with bouncy music, cute kids, and inspirational quotes. Unfortunately, the keynote speaker was not.

Author Linda Perlstein's book, Not Much Just Chillin', and the accompanying workshop on serving middle school kids are fascinating. The website's not bad either. Lots of food for thought--- still percolating, especially in the context of the YMCA Dayton Teen Center where we reach over 100 teens and tweens.

Finished the day at the Speed Stacking workshop... fascinating.

Afterschool can effectively complement school by providing enriching and exciting learning environments that engage youth. The Atlanta Public Schools provide extended day programs in 41 elementary schools and feature partnerships with cultural institutions and other community partners.

Speaker: Dr. Beverly Hall, Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools

- Providers are required to annually achieve 3 NSACA standards & document how they supplement of school achievement plan.
- Principals must submit proposals to District reporting provider compliance with the standards & school achievement plan

Audit established baseline:
- 1800 students in Extended Day programs
- 5 school-run
- 42 independent contractors (8 USDOE, 18 local cultural institutions, zoo, arts, science museum, etc.)
- Average partnership length 5 years
- Average weekly fee under $30
- Tutorials (in addition, min. 1 -2 hours; free academic support)
- High school - college access, tutoring, sports


Measure student engagement --- not just more school during extended day... --- via annual surveys at each program site (NSACA standards)

Transportation --- Title I funds, collaboration with CBOs; District Gen'l Fund insufficient.

Overview: How can cities leverage their power, leadership, and resources to advance the policy of the network? Many cities are investing significantly in local afterschool programs and mayors and council members are becoming champions for afterschool. Some cities are thinking broadly to create citywide systems for afterschool?

Quality Afterschool Connection - Denver established a program quality initiative, established standards, created professional development plan

Assets for Colorado Youth - free trainings offered; 300 teachers/principals --> mandatory training; once there, win them over!

Denver has unified city-county system, including office of community education in Denver Public Schools. Mayor of Denver visits one school each week!

National League of Cities has toolkits, APAN, & other resources available related to afterschool, including model ordinances!

I attended the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce dinner last night & gained a new word for all the ideas that I've been posting: Snowflakes! Background: John Pepper, former CEO of Procter & Gamble, was honored as a Great Living Cincinnatian. In the intro video (think "This Is Your Life" in 5 minutes or less), several of his colleagues mentioned that John produces volumes of ideas, often on small pieces of paper or Post-It Notes. They are so frequent that someone decided to call them "snowflakes." I think I'll adopt that!!

Anyway, here are some more "snowflakes":

- Add representation to network from cities, United Way, PTA, school boards, existing coalitions, dept. of ed, job & fam. services, funders, etc.
- Establish Conversations for Kids -- community connection luncheons, regional recruitment
- Braid "Arts, Academics & Athletics" - Develop synergistic partnership around shared issues

Overview: Youth-led Youth Panel (ages 10-17), Youth mixed with adults at dinner

Youth Focus Group Questions:
- What do you do afterschool?
- How do you usually hear about afterschool activities?
- What prompts you to get involved?
- Discuss cost of afterschool programs.
- What types of programs interest you but are not available? (National Rocketry Club, "meaningful, hands on work projects", college access/help filling out applications, field trips -- "Get OUT!")
- What would you be doing if you weren't in an afterschool program?
- If you could create any afterschool program, what would it be like?

Overview: DeKalb County community learning center site visit (www.ftrc.org)

Ideas:

- Work with police department to determine local impact of afterschool opportunity & juv. crime stats; DeKalb: 911 calls typically high afterschool are now falling
- Explore relationship between afterschool & foreclosure rates
- Cardiac Teen Program - Nationwide, 4/100 teens possess a certain hereditary heart condition; local testing done after a tragic teen death found 50/300 in DeKalb County had this condition --> awareness, testing, prevention
- Require 15 hrs of service in exchange for free community programs in the arts, technology --> just passed millionth hour of service
- Coca Cola offers parents 24 hours (3 days off) for parents to participate in school activities.
- Metro Voices, Metro Choices Atlanta community visioning process included youth voices

Overview: Data is critical for making the case for increased resources for afterschool. Understanding why, when & how to use data is as important as having the right data to share.

Paint the picture: Who is served? What income(s)? Family make-up? Costs? Benefits? What difference does it make?

Know your audience: What do they believe? How can you match their beliefs via tailored afterschool messages? Resources: see MN focus group study, think 6 degrees of separation from afterschool, i.e., What's the connection between AVIAN FLU and AFTERSCHOOL? keep kids healthy, teach good habits/hand-washing, etc.

Ideas:

- Local Afterschool for All effort (with APAN, NLC, etc.)
- Partner with professionals in gov't relations/advocacy to see who might be friendly to an afterschool policy/legislation, etc.
- Partner with event planners to leverage ideas!
- Recruit interns!!
- Policy & Advocacy Tasks: Facilitate meetings; Blog progress; Summarize policies online; Develop Strategies, Prepare Briefings; Establish appointments; Plan events, like Lights On Afterschool
- Add questions to existing surveys conducted in the community
- Study economic impact of afterschool (WA, CA) similar to ECE community brain research work (MN High School Redesign, Success BY 6)
- Use short survey bites to follow-up on key issues
- Obtain quotes regarding afterschool from varied local audiences, individuals, opinion leaders in business, gov't, non-profit, philanthropy, faith-based, police, school board, etc.
-

Overview: Understand how to use & engage business partners as active members of the coalition at both the network and local level.

Ideas:

- Prepare kits (biz to biz; biz to community; comm. to biz)
- Read State of Corporate Citizenship in the US by Center for Corp. Cit. @ Boston College, funded by Hitachi & LISC
- Host Summit - invite editors of newspaper, business courier, workforce issue groups
- Ask companies to survey their employees (before summit).
- Publicize what companies have done (survey, results, changes)
- Corporate Voices for Working Families - use their resources
- Solicit letters of support from people businesses care about (track record); i.e. Pres. of Chamber of Commerce, pol. party leaders, Gov. & attach letter quote in body of email invitation
- Invite speakers who don't just provide lip service, but those who have a corp. plan
- Lots of time for Q&A (what's impt to them; dialogue among themselves, peer email network among people attending summit)
- Include employer-sponsored childcare providers, like Bright Horizons
- What do you want them to do? Balance telling & offering meaningful alternatives to cash, i.e. mapping, time off for employees to volunteer, tutors - e'ee's, spokespeople - legislative efforts; IT
- Commitment cards with suggestion opportunities
- Add more biz people on board (school bd members, regional networks/regional planning teams)
- Email invites followed by printed invites (peer to peer; CEO to CEO) followed by phone calls (come, suggest alt.)
- Press release to business reporter (survey of working parents)
- NC: 1/3 biz, 1/3 public sector; 1/3 nonprofit ---> synergy
- engage county commissioners, school superintendents

Overview: The theory of MI was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University. He noted that IQ tests measure primarily verbal, logical-mathematical, and some spatial intelligence. Believing that there are many other kinds of intelligences of human capabilities (thinking of them as different computers that come on at different times), he proposed that they also visual/spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligences. More recently, he added naturalist intelligence to this list and suggested there may be other possibilities, including spiritual and existential.

Ideas related to afterschool quality -
- Personalized MI curriculum, interdisciplinary
- Individuation aka individualization
- Ask questions, such as "How do you learn?" "What do you want to learn?" "How can you show us what you understand in ways that are comfortable to you?"--> proof is that kids like learning more when they influence HOW and WHAT they learn (Know your educational goals & how you know when you are making progress)
- Different windows for different intelligences, ie., hands on, group work, self-reflection, arts activity, act out physically/kinesthetically
- Each MI has its own trajectory (music & math rise & peak early; ling. & logic rise grad. over time)
- Cascading Leadership (older youth mentoring younger enhances connectedness)
- Emphasize self-selection, choice among diverse program menu
- Contact local education professors, experts in MI to advise
- Build MI matrix - academic stds, assets, & MI how to achieve

CASE STUDY: Young Scholars (NC) targeted struggling students, low income via MI effort.

- Peace Garden; Pond Project; Media/commercial - tech/math; Bowling alley - angles; Found Art Auction; Musical Heritage - from spirituals to rap; Summer Science Camp
- Pearl Buck's The Big Wave: post-tsunami customs & culture lessons via MI
- visual/spatial - construction model, drawings, dances, masks
- musical - Japanese koto, soundscapes (calm to tempest)
- linguistic - retold story, haiku, ltrs to adopted grandparents
- math/logic - timeline of events; bonsai trays - estimate how much trays would shrink after kiln firing
- interpersonal - interviews about trip; evaluations
- intrapersonal - pretend on mtn; self-reflection; desc. qualities successful after wave
- kin. - performed court dance
- naturalistic - pick out bonsai plants & where to put them -"Feel what the tree wanted you to do" lesson from bonsai master

"I only go to school so I can go to Young Scholars."

Doing, Reflecting, Connecting

//pzweb.harvard.edu - Project Zero

Mott will post teleconference in streaming video.

Overview: Support the development of policies to secure & sustain resources for new & existing afterschool programs.

Ideas:
- Resolution for Afterschool (who supports, define afterschool)
- Invite potential corp. & fdn funders/leadership to regional roundtables
- Present at traditional Legislator's events (orientations for new members, etc.)
- CT: 3 pilot programs/state; approp. $5M (money then disappeared, trying to get back)
- MT: map of the state - where programs are; data by community (the more local, the more interested the legislator); see if their office can request the data
- Develop "demand" data - state dept. of ed., KidsCount, working parents ratio, what resonates?
- NCLB perspective (IL)
- Emotion -- more stories needed, personal connections
- NH: funding guide, internal map --> resource coordination, gaps
- interagency
- Upload Finance Project hand-outs to library at http://my.cincyafterschool.org

Overview: Identify & strategize solutions to challenges networks face with regard to governance, i.e., partners with divergent viewpoints, network restructuring, geographic balance, buy-in.

Ideas:
- PTA, School board involvement
- Lobbying, advocacy alignment
- Learn & Link with ECE leaders
- Seek "quick wins" via Lights On, regional meetings, sub-grants, website marketing
- Indicator and self-assessment tools regarding quality improvements (do 1st set quickly, then keep working to refine); ex: Providence used local standards to matrix with state in 3-4 months
- SC 501 status, exec. dir., bylaws, database of providers, annual conference (include a youth track), involve OFCBSI
- Partner MOU - Kansas
- Annual Celebration of Afterschool
- RI: Sharepoint website, eBlasts, Survey Monkey
- Use Paid professional lobbyists donated from corporate partners (ask for 1 hr/wk for them to talk about afterschool issues)
- data & market info (Hillary/RI) - quick market study about what constituents want in terms of change (youth, gov., etc.)
- Colorado - passed law to okay youth under 18 on boards can vote on org. motions
- Michigan - council on MI foundations
- Youth Greet/Meet & give tours of local sites
- DC trip
- logo, Lights On info on website

Overview: In order to remain strong, coalitions need to continue building support with expected and unexpected allies. This session focused on how to generate partnerships and keep them growing.

Basic Coalition Principles:

1. Choose unifying issues.
2. Develop a realistic coalition budget.
3. Understand and respect institutional self-interest.
4. Agree to Disagree.
5. Play to the Center for tactics. Members must be comfortable with the tactics selected.
6. Recognize that contributions vary.
7. Structure decision-making carefully.
8. Help organizations achieve their self-interest.
9. Achieve significant victories.
10. Urge stable, senior board representation.
11. Clarify decision-making procedures.
12. Distribute credit fairly.

What Organizations are asking themselves when they are asked to join:

1. Who is behind the coalition?
2. What's in our organization's self-interest to join the coalition?
3. How can our members participate?
4. How will participating in the coalition build our organization?
5. Is it real or is it a letterhead coalition?
6. Are we interesting (beyond providers)?

-- also think about who can de-rail your agenda if they are not at the table.

Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership Example:

Issue: Governing Committee needed more, diverse participants.

Solution:
1. Developed and implemented regional networks across the state: gathered input to inform the Afterschool Commission, private funding requests, and MAP's strategic plan
2. Engaged more partners from different sectors; encouraged their leadership
3. Expanded Governing Committee to include regional network leaders
4. Began governance revision process to bring more non-traditional partners to the table

Lessons Learned:
- Get to the balcony (focus energy on real issues, take personality & leadership issues outside)
- Pursue diverse partnerships: providers, public agencies, private partners, and more
- Develop written governance and operating procedures (must be transparent)
- True collaborations are very powerful
- Talk to ATAC early and often

IDEAS:
- catalog of afterschool programs across the state
- bylaws, guiding principles in writing
- dues
- orientation, new member packet
- collective action (MAP $22M ask in state budget)
- culture of dialogue (decisions made around the table, not before or after meetings; do it in real time with all partners engaged)
- be informed by a fully inclusive process (geo, program type)
- rotate locations of meetings
- be clear about mission, vision
- recruit existing coalitions (NECC, etc.)
- promote OAN at conferences, meetings
- create listserv, improve website
- hold regional summits

The Mott conference that brought together 31 statewide afterschool networks lived up to my high expectations. An incredible menu of choices for clinics, workshops, plenary sessions, site visits did not disappoint.

The 2006 National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks Meeting brings together teams from C.S. Mott Foundation-funded statewide afterschool networks that are working to further afterschool policies and practices. Focused on leading and learning together, the national network meeting is an opportunity to learn, reflect, connect, and share ideas and strategies.

Three key goals unite the networks:

1. Create a sustainable structure of statewide, regional, and local partnerships, particularly school-community partnerships, focused on supporting policy development at all levels.
2. Support the development and growth of statewide policies that will secure the resources that are needed to sustain new and existing afterschool programs.
3. Support statewide systems to ensure programs of high quality.

The session summaries that will also note which goal the session is designed to impact.

I hope you find this to be a helpful resource. Even if no one else checks it out, the purpose of the blog for me is to document my thoughts, connections, and resources related to afterschool networks. As I chart the progress of local, state, and national afterschool networks, I hope that the web of support for all youth is strengthened. Your feedback is always welcome - so jump in!