Archive - 2015 Illinois 21st CCLC Spring Conference

Rick McMaster, Industry Emeritus, International Society of Service Innovation Professionals–Central Texas Discover Engineering, Austin, TX

In this session, former IBM engineer and informal educator with 20 years of volunteer experience, Rick McMaster, will share his insights. Participants will see videos of students at work and learn about a wide range of resources that staff can adapt, inexpensively (or at no cost!), to the out-of-school environment. As part of this session, participants will see a fail–proof science demo and engage in two activities that will encourage creativity and innovation. Participants will learn about STEM activities they can carry back and do next week in their own programs.

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Sherry Geier, Project Director, East Richland Community Unit School District 1, Olney, IL
Tiffany Taylor, Principal Consultant, Illinois State Board of Education, Springfield, IL

This workshop gives an overview of the Illinois State Board of Education– supported English language arts (ELA) Shift Kits. Afterschool program staff responsible for supporting reading and language arts skills will appreciate the information and curriculum ideas shared during this presentation.

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• Three Tiers of Words
• Text Structures

Jessica Chung, Y4Y Lead Training Specialist, Foundations, Inc., Mount Laurel, NJ
Judy Ha, Y4Y Education Specialist, Foundations, Inc., Mount Laurel, NJ

Literacy plays a critical role in gaining academic and 21st century skills. Using You for Youth (Y4Y) resources, participants will improve their understanding of the building blocks of literacy and learn to implement literacy into program activities. Participants will take away research-based literacy strategies and activities geared toward building collaboration and critical thinking skills in literacy. Please bring a laptop, tablet, or internet-accessible device to explore Y4Y during the session.

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Jodee Craven, Project Director, The HUB Project, Rochelle School District 231, Rochelle, IL
Kristy Jones, Principal Consultant, Illinois State Board of Education, Springfield, IL

The early years managing a 21st CCLC are challenging, filled first with getting the program off the ground, and then with creating systems and procedures while you’re in the air! Jodee Craven, director of The HUB Project, is in her third year of piloting the Rochelle Elementary School District’s 21st CCLC grant. Learn from the mistakes she made in the program’s first and second years and the successes that she and the program have enjoyed during the third year. Discussion will focus on where to start, involving key stakeholders, program design, student attendance, family engagement, and staffing.

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Leslie Goodyear, Lead Evaluator, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), Waltham, MA
Sophia Mansori, Project Director, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), Waltham, MA
Sheila Rodriquez, Research Associate, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), Chicago, IL

This is a session primarily for evaluators to discuss and learn about evaluation approaches and methods being used with grantees. EDC will present on what was learned about grantees’ evaluation methods and findings from analyzing past grantee evaluation reports. Participants will discuss methods and instruments and share data collection strategies and challenges.

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Daisy Lezama, Director, Youth and Family Development Services, ASPIRA of Illinois, Chicago, IL

This interactive presentation will provide an introduction to the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets and their importance to building the traits shown to increase positive behavior in the lives of children and youth. The presentation includes strategies about how to implement “the assets” as part of your afterschool programming.

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• Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets
• Department of Health Chart
• Middle Childhood (Ages 8–12)

Fanny Diego Alvarez, Director, Community Schools, Enlace, Chicago, IL
Simone Alexander, Community Development Director, Enlace, Chicago, IL
Teresa Berumen, Community Health Promoter, Enlace, Chicago, IL
Hananne Hanafi, Francisco I. Madero, Resource Center Coordinator, Enlace, Chicago, IL

Enlace coordinates health resources and programming both during the school day and afterschool, using a health promotion model that engages families to connect to needed resources and services encompassing physical, mental, spiritual, and community health. This workshop will be led by parent and community leaders, promotoras de salud, or health promoters, who serve as liaisons to health and social services, contextualizing healthcare and wellness in a way that is community specific and culturally relevant.

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Jessica Chung, Y4Y Lead Training Specialist, Foundations, Inc., Mount Laurel, NJ

Project-based learning is an inquiry-based approach to learning that emphasizes student voice and choice. Students pose questions and explore answers through hands-on activities. Learn how the You for Youth (Y4Y) resources can support you as you work with students to craft a driving question, facilitate an investigation, and work towards a culminating event—while building students’ knowledge and 21st century skills. Please bring a laptop, tablet, or internet-accessible device to explore Y4Y during the session.

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Judy Ha, Y4Y Education Specialist, Foundations, Inc., Mount Laurel, NJ

How can 21st CCLC sites design programming and activities that are engaging and interactive while incorporating school-day content? This session will explore the six core elements that support and nurture strong alignment and partnerships between schools and 21st CCLC programs. Use You for Youth (Y4Y) resources to increase collaboration with school staff to align programming with school-day objectives. Please bring a laptop, tablet, or internet-accessible device to explore Y4Y during the session.

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Kelley Talbot, Youth Development Director/Assistant Policy Director, Voices for Illinois Children, Chicago, IL
Sarah Ogeto, Principal Consultant, College and Career Readiness, Illinois State Board of Education, Chicago, IL

With the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the U.S. Congress is considering significant changes to the 21st CCLC program, including the possibility of eliminating dedicated funding for the program. Learn more about what’s at stake, how it could impact your program and the entire Illinois afterschool landscape, and how you can act to support afterschool in Illinois. Presenters from the Illinois ACT Now Coalition (ACT Now), which brings together afterschool and youth development stakeholders from across Illinois to join forces and ensure that all young people in Illinois have access to quality, affordable out-of-school time programs, will share tools and partnership opportunities.

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Leslie Goodyear, Lead Evaluator, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), Waltham, MA
Sophia Mansori, Project Director, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), Waltham, MA
Sheila Rodriquez, Research Associate, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), Chicago, IL

In response to grantee requests at the New Grantee Orientation in January, this session is designed to help program staff learn best practices for working with their local evaluators. Topics addressed will include choosing an evaluator, collaborating and communicating with evaluators, and working with evaluators on evaluation use and dissemination. Participants will have the opportunity to share their own strategies and challenges.

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Harvey Smith, Director, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL

This presentation provides a hands-on demonstration of tools available on the Illinois School Report website. These tools were specifically designed for 21st CCLC grantees to provide reporting analysis functions, program information, and a secure data system for reporting individual student performance. The discussion includes live use of the online tools and detailed instructions. Questions and suggestions are encouraged. Bring your laptop to access the website and learn more about these useful online tools.

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James Morton, Director, Achievement Transition Group, Inc., Cottleville, MO

Learn about effective use of adventure-based counseling activities to foster social and emotional learning with young people who are expanding pro-social behaviors and understanding emotions. Explore ways to engage young people to promote pro-social interactions, foster emotional awareness, and create socially safe environments. Bring pen, paper, and a spirit to play!

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• Handout

Fred Carter, Cofounder, The Black Oaks Center for Sustainable Renewable Living, Pembroke Township, Hopkins Park, IL

Applying STEM to sustainability issues has inspired a love of science, technology, and math among students engaged in an environmental program with rural and urban roots. The Black Oaks Center uses a science-based experiential education design that puts children in nature and prepares them to problem solve the challenges of resiliency in an uncertain climate and resource-constrained future.

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Arnold Fege, President, Public Advocacy for Kids, Washington, D.C.

Before- and after-school programs are not only a means of providing children additional learning opportunities but also essential vehicles for community and family engagement. Although these programs always seem to be under annual budget threats, they represent the leadership model for building partnerships, acting on data, and integrating community services in support of student academic performance. They also act as equity programs that provide essential learning supports for both teachers and families. If before- and after-school programs are going to continue to flourish, we all have to make the research and operational case that they work, make sense, and indeed meet the needs of the 21st century family and school.

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Aaron Cortes, 21st CCLC Project Director, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL
Brian Andrus, Educational Facilitator, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL
Shana Kachaochana, Educational Facilitator, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL

This session will demonstrate a variety of technology tools and STEM projects to engage students in grades 6–12 and improve academic achievement. In addition, presenters will provide an overview of technology tools to develop communication and data collection strategies for program effectiveness and efficiency.

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Jessica Chung, Y4Y Lead Training Specialist, Foundations, Inc., Mount Laurel, NJ
Judy Ha, Y4Y Education Specialist, Foundations, Inc., Mount Laurel, NJ

Literacy is at the heart of building essential skills to prepare students to be successful in college, careers, and life. Using You for Youth (Y4Y) resources, participants will explore a wide range of tools and strategies for developing and reinforcing adolescent literacy skills in your 21st CCLC programs. Please bring a laptop, tablet, or internet-accessible device to explore Y4Y during the session.

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Sherry Geier, Project Director, East Richland Community Unit School District 1, Olney, IL

What data do you need? What is the easiest way to collect it? How should it be organized? Is data driving your program or is data driving you . . . right up the wall? If you are operating a 21st CCLC program for the first time, come, sit, listen, and ask lots of questions.

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Leslie Goodyear, Lead Evaluator, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), Waltham, MA
Sophia Mansori, Project Director, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), Waltham, MA
Sheila Rodriquez, Research Associate, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), Chicago, IL

This hands-on session for program staff and evaluators will focus on the basics of logic models and how to develop one. Participants will learn about the purpose and value of logic modeling (with a case provided by Dr. Seuss!), important steps in the logic model process, and how to use logic models to support and guide implementation and evaluation. Participants will have an opportunity to develop their own logic models.

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Barbara Harris-Woodard, Project Director, Center for Community Academic Success Partnerships (CCASP), Chicago, IL

Nontraditional families require nontraditional approaches to address their concerns and increase their desire to participate with an afterschool program. This presentation will highlight the successes of the Center for Community Academic Success Partnerships (CCASP) in meeting the needs of the families of students who attend an afterschool program. What are extended and nontraditional families in your community? What do they look like? What types of services does your program need to provide for these families? What types of services do the families need and want? This session will provide strategies for program customization based on the needs of the families served.

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Illinois State Board of Education Staff

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