Illinois Quality Afterschool (IQA) Quarterly

Fall 2020

girl making chalk drawings on pavement


In This Issue

  • Afterschool Focus: The Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC Program, From Day One to Present Day
  • Program Profile: SPLASH 21st CCLC Keeps Students and Partnerships Central to Program Mission
  • News from the Field: Jones Center 21st CCLC Supports Students in Person and Online

Afterschool Focus

The Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC Program, From Day One to Present Day

Those of us who work in afterschool know that the Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC programs play a special role in our communities. In this issue of Illinois Quality Afterschool Quarterly, we are revisiting the history and purpose of the 21st CCLC program and showing how programs are supporting students, schools, and communities today.


Program Profile

SPLASH 21st CCLC Keeps Students and Partnerships Central to Program Mission

Since it was launched in 2005, SPLASH 21st CCLC has grown from a single site to a total of five. Even as the program has grown and changed, student-centered programming and strong relationships have remained a central part of the program.


News from the Field

Jones Center 21st CCLC Supports Students in Person and Online

Like 21st CCLC programs across the country, the Harold Colbert Jones Memorial Community Center 21st CCLC program in Chicago Heights has changed its afterschool programming as schools and communities continue to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 21st CCLC has offered online programming, modified in-person activities, and collaborated with schools and other projects to continue providing the supportive environment and academic enrichment that students need.


Recommended Resources

Supporting Students with Disabilities During Virtual Learning

Students with disabilities may face unique challenges during school closures or virtual programming. The CEEDAR (Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform) Center has developed resources to help educators support students with disabilities. These include a virtual toolkit to support online learning and a family guide to at-home learning for parents of students with special needs.

Citizen Science

Citizen science, or scientific research conducted by amateur or nonprofessional scientists, has become a popular form of virtual or hybrid programming. This blog post from the U.S. Department of Education's You for Youth (Y4Y) 21st CCLC resource portal provides an overview of citizen science with links to free training and several project ideas to get your team started.


Information for Grantees

Important Dates and Events

Grants and Other Opportunities

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)/Candlewick Press “Light the Way” grant awards $3,000 to assist a library in conducting exemplary and replicable outreach to underserved populations through a new and innovative program or expansion of an existing program. Applications are due on December 1. Learn more on the ALSC website.



Join Us Online

Do you have a question for your afterschool colleagues? Would you like to know what’s going on in other Illinois 21st CCLC programs? Join the Illinois Quality Afterschool Facebook Group.

 

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Copyright ©2020 by American Institute for Research. This publication was developed by AIR in 2020 and was funded by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) with support by the U.S. Department of Education. The content does not necessarily reflect the views of the AIR or any other source. This publication is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce and disseminate it in whole or in part is granted as long as appropriate acknowledgment is given.