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Afterschool Focus: The Arts > Afterschool Focus: The Arts“We don’t have time to offer arts activities.” We’ve all heard this statement, and some of us may have even said it ourselves. Instead of seeing art as something that takes time away from academic enrichment, try using the arts to reinforce it. You will likely find students to be enthusiastic participants in music, theater, and visual arts projects related to core content areas like English language arts, math, and science, and you will also be using research-based strategies that can help them learn. Program Profile: Peoria Public School District 150If you visit the Peoria Public Schools District 150’s 21st CCLC program, you are likely see students meeting with a local artist or choreographing a Chinese dragon dance to perform at an upcoming showcase. These are just a few of the activities students participate in as part of the 21st CCLC’s arts integration programming. News from the Field: Chicago Youth Center Shows Fashion FlareLast Fall students from the Young Women’s Leadership Charter School of Chicago had an opportunity to participate in the Chicago Youth Center’s fashion design club. Over a period of 10 weeks, students in the program designed and created beautiful dresses. Their work culminated with participation in FashioNext, a fashion design competition hosted by the Chicago History Museum and Ebony Fashion Fair. The garments from the Chicago Youth Center’s team, Mode Reines, were on display at the Chicago History Museum exhibit Inspiring Beauty. January 22 Webinar: Arts and Creative Learning in Afterschool and Summer ProgramsThe Illinois Quality Afterschool team is excited to announce our upcoming webinar, Arts and Creative Learning in Afterschool and Summer Programs. Register for this engaging webinar to learn about the power of arts integration and how to integrate the arts into your afterschool activities.
Spring Conference Call for PresenationsThe 21st CCLC Spring Conference will be held on Thursday, May 1, 2014 at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, with a networking reception at the convention center scheduled for the evening of April 30, 2014. The conference will provide a forum for 21st CCLC grantees and their partners to learn about using high-quality practices and the successes afterschool programs, have experienced in supporting student learning and achieving other program goals. Presentation proposals are due on February 28, 2014. Recommended ResourcesAfterschool Training Toolkit for the ArtsSEDL’s Afterschool Training Toolkit for the Arts has several tools to help professionals integrate the arts and academic enrichment. The toolkit outlines six promising practices in afterschool arts and includes professional development videos and lesson plans for afterschool instructors. If you would like additional support in using the toolkit for professional development, download our free publication, Arts in Afterschool: A Guide to Using the Afterschool Training Toolkit for Professional Development. This publication provides one or two professional development activities for each promising practice in the toolkit. The PDF is available for free. Something to Say: Success Principles for Afterschool Arts Programs From Urban Youth and Other ExpertsThis publication from the Wallace Foundation explores how high-quality arts programs can attract and retain low-income urban tweens. The report draws on hundreds of interviews with young people, their families, leaders of exemplary programs and others nationwide and outlines 10 principles for developing effective programming. An infographic illustrating key findings, a report “knowledge-in-brief,” a video introduction, and video profiles of six outstanding arts organizations offer compelling supplemental reading and viewing. Gaining the Arts Advantage: Lessons from School Districts That Value Arts EducationPublished by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and Arts Education Partnership, this report explores how school districts have made the arts fundamental to the education of all students. The report answers practical questions about staffing, program, and resource needs and includes information from 91 school districts that were nominated by state and national education and arts organizations as having outstanding arts programs. Findings include a list of critical success factors for arts education and district case studies and profiles. The Common Core Professional Learning SeriesIllinois joined more than 40 states in a collaborative effort to raise learning standards and improve college and career readiness for all students, regardless of where they live. The new Common Core State Standards establish clear expectations for what students should learn in English language arts and mathematics at each grade level. The standards are high, clear, and uniform to ensure that students are prepared for success in college and the workforce. By emphasizing depth over breadth, the Common Core ensures that students have comprehensive understanding of key concepts. Illinois adopted the Common Core in 2010, and teachers and administrators across the state are fully implementing the new standards during the 2013–14 school year. Many schools have already begun to incorporate elements of the new learning standards into their curricula. The Common Core determines what educators should teach, not how they should teach. Teachers will continue to have the freedom to tailor lesson plans to the individual needs of their students. The Common Core’s higher standards and emphasis on applying knowledge to real world situations will better prepare Illinois students for the challenges facing them after high school graduation. Illinois has developed The Common Core Professional Learning Series, which is a repository for professional development resources and tools to assist with the various aspects of Common Core implementation. There are more than 50 topics with over two hundred associated strategies, tools, and support materials. January 30 Webinar: Family Engagement Resources and Evidence-Based Practices in the Field The Family Engagement Framework Guide is a tool for school districts and schools to use in developing and expanding school–family partnerships to support improved student learning and healthy development outcomes. Developed by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) in partnership with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and the American Development Institute (ADI), this resource brings together research, promising practices, and a consolidation of key program requirements to provide districts, schools, and families with tools to assist with the planning, implementation, and evaluation of family engagement practices. More specifically, the guide helps districts, schools and communities with developing common language for family engagement; improving coordination within systems, communities, districts, and schools; and strengthening capacity to leverage resources and partnerships. Information for GranteesImportant Dates and Events
Grants and Other OpportunitiesCharles Stewart Mott Foundation. Through the Learning Beyond the Classroom priority area, the Charles Stewart Mott foundation supports opportunities for young people to experience academic support and enrichment in school, during summer, and in afterschool programs. The organization seeks sustainable, community-driven learning opportunities that support both academic achievement and positive youth development, especially for low-income and minority students. Grants support organizations and institutions providing research, evaluation, and documentation of effective practices; building systems and structures to support public policy and professional development of school-day and afterschool educators and leaders; and organizations raising public awareness and developing public policies aimed at increasing funding and implementing effective school–community partnerships. More information is available on the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation website. National Arts and Humanities Youth Award Programs. The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, is inviting applications for the 2014 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards. The 12 award-winning programs will receive $10,000 and an invitation to accept their award from the President’s Committee’s Honorary Chairman, First Lady Michelle Obama, at a ceremony at the White House. Eligible programs include afterschool and out-of-school time arts and humanities programs sponsored by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations, educational institutions, arts centers, community service organizations, businesses, and eligible government entities. To learn more about eligibility requirements and apply for the award, visit the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards website. Champions for Healthy Kids. The Champions for Healthy Kids program is a partnership between the General Mills Foundation, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation, and the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Each year, the General Mills Foundation awards 50 grants of $10,000 each to community-based groups, including schools and programs that develop creative ways to help youth adopt a balanced diet and physically active lifestyle. Eligible programs must incorporate physical education and nutrition education and have a registered dietician or registered dietetic technician to oversee the delivery of the nutrition education. The application deadline is March 15, 2014. Application information and complete eligibility requirements can be found on the Champions for Healthy Kids website. The Wallace Foundation. The Wallace Foundation supports its mission to improve learning and enrichment opportunities for children by supporting and sharing effective ideas and practices in five major initiatives: school leadership, afterschool, summer and expanded learning, arts education, and audience development for the arts. The organization rarely accepts unsolicited proposals but instead identifies prospective grantees and invites them to submit applications for grants; however, organizations may submit an inquiry by email to grantrequest@wallacefoundation.org. Additional information about grants and the foundation’s approach to giving is available on the Wallace Foundation website. U.S. Soccer Foundation. Through the Safe Places to Play program, the U.S. Soccer Foundation provides grants to help organizations build or enhance soccer field space in their community. To learn more about obtaining funding for a field-building initiative, visit the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s website. The next two deadlines in the 2014 grants cycle are February 1 and June 1, 2014. Illinois Arts Council. The Illinois Arts Council program provides grant funds and support to established not-for-profit organizations that make a significant local, regional, or statewide impact on the quality of life in Illinois. Grants recognize arts programming of high quality that is appropriate to and reflective of the communities served and that broaden opportunities for the public to participate in the arts. Successful applicants demonstrate strong operations, stable management, ongoing assessment and evaluation, and a strong commitment to making artistic programs accessible and relevant to a diverse range of participants. Organizations must also show that their programs and activities have artistic, educational, and cultural value. Learn more at the Illinois Arts Council website. Join Us OnlineDo 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. Would you like to receive the Illinois Quality Afterschool newsletter and resource brief? Fill out our online subscription form. |
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