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Nearly all afterschool programs face the challenge of reaching new and existing stakeholders with clear and engaging messaging about their program. This blog post from the U.S. Department of Education’s Y4Y website offers strategies afterschool practitioners can use to refresh their messaging and reach target audiences. Links to tools and resources are also included.

The Voices for Illinois Children’s Illinois Kids Count reports examine the quality of life of children and families in Illinois. With a focus on education, the 2017 report includes indicators of education from birth through postsecondary and also provides an overview of how different counties fare. This is a helpful report if you want to illustrate the need for 21st CCLC programs in your community.

This report from the Wallace Foundation examines how three districts implemented lasting summer programs. Strategies included building awareness of programs and aligning them with district goals; including key stakeholders in planning; and using staff expertise and district systems to support the program.

The National Summer Learning Association has developed a set of tools to help summer learning program leaders conduct a quick comprehensive assessment of their programs. The tools include resources for a self-assessment, observation assessment, and a quality improvement plan template.

Join us for a webinar specifically designed for new project directors and site managers seeking more guidance in managing and operating a 21st CCLC program. Topics include the roles of Illinois Quality Afterschool partners, an overview of reporting requirements, a look at the Illinois Quality Afterschool website and resources, and an introduction to the six tracks to sustainability: program management, collecting and using data, programming, integrating K-12 and afterschool, communication, and collaboration.

The Illinois Principals Association and ISBE have partnered to provide access to Ed Leaders Network (ELN) for Illinois education leaders and practitioners. Experts from Illinois and across the country provide online professional development trainings, webinars, and discussions on topics such as family engagement, literacy, and restorative practices. Free access to this professional networking community is granted to districts, so afterschool programs may need to contact district leadership to explore this resource.

Online resources developed by ISBE content area specialists are available through Illinois Classrooms in Action. The web page serves as a portal to a range of offerings such as professional development workshops, content area guides, classroom resources, instructional supports, downloadable presentations, stakeholder communications, and recommended Illinois web pages.

Hosted by the U.S. Department of Education’s You for Youth 21st CCLC web portal, this webinar recording highlights tools and strategies that afterschool program leaders can use to support and coach grantees to design and implement programs with intentionality and fidelity.

When staff bring diverse backgrounds and experiences to a program, how can afterschool leaders ensure they all have a basic understanding of how to engage youth in learning, such as in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities? Positive youth development (PYD) is a pro-social approach to child development that supports youth in fostering positive relationships. This article from the National Afterschool Association explains how staff can benefit from a shared knowledge of PYD and its impact on engaging students in STEM activities. The article also links to additional resources on PYD and STEM professional development.

Developing and maintaining a data system is one way afterschool programs can ensure they provide high-quality programming. This research brief shares findings from a study commissioned by the Wallace Foundation on the interplay between technology, processes, and people. Findings from the initial two years of research focus on how programs in nine cities developed their capacity to use data to strengthen their afterschool programs.