On Tuesday, August 15, Learn to Earn Dayton convened the first meeting of the Summer + Afterschool Collaborative (SASC) for the 2023-2024 school year. A group of more than 40 educational professionals who support students during out-of-school time gathered to set their goals for student success for the coming year.
We kicked off with a mindfulness moment hosted by Shamea Knight from Omega CDC (and our social emotional learning work group), followed by a fun and engaging ice breaker with laughs and valuable connections. We were especially excited to welcome nearly a dozen new professionals and community partners to join SASC, as the growth of the SASC means more young people are benefiting from best practices and support.
Getting into the vision, a key aspect of the program was recapping the previous year's work group activities and setting "SMART" goals for the SASC for the coming year. Work groups -- including potential dedicated efforts toward improving issues around social emotional learning, family engagement, STEM, community partnerships, elevating youth voice, professional development, data, and 21st Century Schools -- are beginning to convene as the Collaborative is determining its goals and impact potential with its dedicated focus on creating quality out-of-school time across Montgomery County.
The remainder of the meeting was full of valuable information from partners and resources, sharing tools and opportunities to enhance out-of-school program experiences.
Thank you to:
Nichelle Harris (consultant supporting Ohio Afterschool Network) provided exciting updates including:
FREE professional development for out-of-school staff and capacity building for agencies launching through OAN. Classes will be online and offered monthly from October through March. Learn more.
Details on "Lights on Afterschool," an effort to feature special events on October 26, 2023, to shine a light on the valuable impact of out-of-school programs, providing community leaders and elected officials with insights on the critical impact of afterschool.
Workshops specific to afterschool programs who benefitted from ESSER funding were announced and shared.
Michelle Ritchlin from the Ohio Afterschool Network introduced the work of the OAN as the statewide driver for out-of-school success and the many resources available, including the rollout of Moonshot Ohio. Sign up for the newsletter today to learn more!
Kelly Geers from the Montgomery County Educational Service Center shared the results of a partnership with University of Dayton MPA Capstone program who provided deep research into existing afterschool programs and connections.
Kelly Paull, the Childcare Licensing Supervisor from Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, shared a great opportunity for out-of-school partners to access sustainable funding through licensure.
Dr. Tom Lasley shared the new requirements around Science of Reading for schools and how out-of-school partners can align with these best practices for student literacy.
Tisha Lewis with Learning Circle provided an overview of the data management tool and how afterschool programs can demonstrate their outcomes and track their enrichments. The SASC is working to cover licensing costs for every member agency -- reach out to learn more!
The full agenda of the kick-off wrapped up as the team shared the community report and strategic vision. The work of the Collaborative is led by the professionals who serve students everyday and enhanced by regular data reporting and the sharing of researched best practices. THANK YOU to the dozens of professionals who serve area children through the SASC.
There is still opportunity to welcome additional members, if you represent an organization dedicated to supporting youth in out-of-school time, please be in touch with us to participate!
Questions about the SASC and out to get involved? Email Wes today.
