By Janet Frieling, Network Director

I read with interest the article in the Seattle times the other day saying that Washington school superintendents are pushing for a shorter school year as a budget fix. In a recent study published by The Education Trust-West, and other groups such as RAND, The National Center on Time and Learning, shortening the school calendar has dramatic impacts on those children and youth who are already struggling. Yes, times are tough and budget decisions need to reflect these unique times, but do we really want to sacrifice the ability of thousands of Washington’s children to make a livable wage?

Low income children and youth and children of color are more likely to suffer if this approach is taken. Not all families in our state will be able to supplement additional learning opportunities for their children and youth if the school year is shortened. For many, this extra time may translate to more time in front of a TV or video game, or more time hanging out at the mall with friends. Is this really the best that we can do for our kids when research clearly shows us that more quality learning opportunities need to be made available to all children and youth to allow for experiential learning, increased social and emotional development, and more time to practice putting academic theory into daily practice.

The current school year calendar is already woefully inadequate in both of these areas-do we really want to reduce learning opportunities even more? Low income families will have to make tough choices and finding high quality activities for their children if the school calendar is shortened for extra learning options will not rise to the top of their list of “must fund” items.

Other states are actually looking at increasing school schedules by partnering with community based organizations to offer quality learning time in multiple settings-especially during the summer months. Across the world, the United States' instructional calendar is already one of the shortest. This solution will only cause our kids to fall further behind and the persistent achievement gap to widen at an even greater rate. Let’s look for other solutions to our budget crisis.
 

As part of the 2011 Lights On Afterschool celebration, the Afterschool Alliance released Afterschool Progress Reports and Consumer Guides for each state.  Washington State has made progress since 2004, with a 12% participation in afterschool programs in 2009 versus 8% in 2004. However, we still trail the national average of 15% participation.  We still have work to do despite the some progress being made.  According to the Afterschool Alliance:

Based on the FY2011 funding level and an average per student cost of $1000, 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) can serve 14,597 students in Washington. However, that is only a small fraction of the 298,973 kids in Washington who are eligible to participate in a 21st CCLC program, if more funding were available.

The full progress report can be accessed from the Afterschool Alliance’s website.

We all know that a barrier to accessing high-quality afterschool programs is funding, and this is becoming even more of a harsh reality every year.   In just a couple short weeks, Washington State legislators will be convening in Olympia for a special session.  The focus will be on passing a budget for the 2012 session.  Cuts already proposed by Governor Gregoire will impact working families who rely on afterschool programs to keep their kids safe, learning and engaged after the school bell rings.  We’re facing further cuts to the Working Connections Child Care program, cuts to K-12 education funding and other social and health services that will only create more challenges for children and families in our state.

Every year, advocates for children’s issues gather in Olympia for Have a Heart for Kids Day in February, but this year due to the special circumstances, the advocacy day will be held December 2nd.   Learn more about this important event and join the Change Direction: Raise Kids Up campaign to send a message to legislators that cuts are not the answer.

We just wrapped up the second year of our Washington Afterschool Network Healthy Youth Healthy Futures initiative and have posted accomplishments from this past year on our website.  Take a moment to review some of the Washington Afterschool Network highlights including increasing our focus on summer learning and developing a summer learning policy brief; continuing our Healthy Youth, Healthy Futures mini-grants; involving the afterschool and youth development field in common core standards discussions; participating as a partner in the ending childhood hunger initiative; and more. 

This month we start out on the final year of our 3-year Achievement Grant from the C.S. Mott Foundation which supports much of our work to mobilize the afterschool and youth development field through the Washington Afterschool Network.  We look forward to again awarding mini-grants to support public will building efforts around the importance of afterschool programs in supporting healthy youth behaviors as part of our Healthy Youth Healthy Futures initiative.  We also are continuing to strengthen our focus on building a professional development system in Washington State and developing quality standards to support this work. 

It’s not too late to get involved with WAN.  Our next meeting is December 2 from 10-3pm in Federal Way.  Visit our website for more information or contact Janet Frieling if you’re interested in learning more about WAN and how to get involved.

The 12th annual Lights On Afterschool celebration is TODAY!  What are you doing to celebrate the importance of afterschool programs in your community? Did you remember to register your event? Would you like to find an event already happening in your community? Visit the Afterschool Alliance’s website for a listing of registered events (and to register your event) – there are currently over 50 events registered across Washington State.   And we’d love to hear about how you celebrated Lights On Afterschool.  Email Danielle with your event summary and/or pictures that captured your experience.

School’s Out Washington will be celebrating Lights On Afterschool on Monday, October 24th at an event in Yakima hosted by Northwest Community Action Center and Yakima School District.  We will hear from some great speakers including Nicole Yohalem with the Forum for Youth Investment and Yakima County Sherriff Ken Irwin as well as present our Afterschool Hall of Fame Awards to this year’s champions who include:

• Yakima County Sheriff Ken Irwin
• City of Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland
• City of Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson
• Tulalip Tribes Charitable Fund
• Pam O’Brien, Educator from Olympia
• Joanne Benham, Community Leader from Spokane
• Jack Albaugh, Community Leader from Fife

Take a moment to read a news story including an interview with Sheriff Irwin about Lights On Afterschool.  

Building public will and raising awareness around the importance of afterschool programs in keeping kids safe, engaged and learning when not in school is more critical than ever.  Yesterday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee began marking up the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as part of the reauthorization process.  Included in this bill is language that would drastically alter funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Center program by allowing these funds to be diverted to support the whole scale redesign of the school day. 

Senator Murray serves on this committee and it’s critical that she hear from her constituents here in Washington State about the key role that 21st CCLC funds play in supporting Washington’s kids, families and communities.   Visit the Afterschool Alliance’s website for more information on what you can do to help support 21st CCLC programs.

The National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education and Families has issued new research findings highlighting progress in 27 major U.S. cities in building comprehensive, citywide afterschool systems. Commissioned by The Wallace Foundation, “Municipal Leadership for Afterschool: Citywide Approaches Spreading across the Country” identifies cities that are among the most advanced in their efforts to coordinate afterschool opportunities for children and youth.  Included in the 27 cities are Seattle and Spokane.

The report cites that cities are paying more attention to the needs of children and families during the afterschool hours because such programs can help city leaders confront pressing local challenges such as public safety while providing additional learning opportunities that support school success. Each of the cities in the report have made progress on six "action elements" defined as central to the sustainability of a coordinated out-of-school time approach based on a Wallace Foundation report.  These six elements are:

• Committed Leadership
• A public or private coordinating entity
• Multi-year planning
• Reliable information
• Expanding participation
• A commitment to quality

We were happy to see two of Washington’s cities included in the report!  The outgoing co-chair of the Washington Afterschool Network, Joanne Benham works for the City of Spokane as the Director of the Spokane Regional Youth Department.  In her role, she has worked closely with Mayor Mary Verner to promote quality afterschool programs.  Despite the tough economic times, Spokane leaders are committed to doing what they can within limited resources to work towards creating a coordinated and sustainable system of afterschool and youth development programs. 

The Seattle profile highlights the Youth & Families Initiative launched in 2010 which sought input from Seattle residents to help shape the Seattle Families & Education Levy which is now up for a vote in November. The levy has funded essential services for children and youth including afterschool, youth development and summer programming.  If approved, the proposed levy will double the funding from the past levy and secure resources for children and youth for the next seven years.  

School’s Out Washington is a supporting organization of the campaign to renew the Seattle Families & Education Levy. We believe this funding is critical to provide expanded learning opportunities before and after school and during the summer in the city of Seattle. 

We know there are other Washington cities doing great work to support afterschool and youth development programs.  We are busy working on planning a Mayoral Summit in 2012 to bring together mayors and municipal leaders to learn and become inspired to create more citywide systems of support for afterschool programs across our state.  We are lucky to have great models already out there to help lead the way.  For more information about the mayoral summit planning process, contact Janet Frieling and be sure to take a moment to read this informative report.
 

Please read this enlightening blog entry by our own Janet Frieling who yesterday was honored with receiving the Non Profit Leadership Alumni Community Impact Award.

Have you ever wanted a “do over’? At three in the morning, I delivered the best thank you speech ever-alas, no one was inside my head to hear it but me!! Last night I had the honor of getting the first ever Non Profit Leadership Alumni Community Impact Award from my alma mater, Seattle University. My dear friend and colleague, Mari Offenbecher, nominated me for my work here at School’s Out Washington over the past several years.  I did give a brief thank you speech but was not really prepared to remember all things that should have been said. So here is the do over part-this is what I wish I would have said:

I can still remember the first day of class with the Master of Non-Profit Leadership Program at Seattle University in August of 1996. The first class assignment was to visually represent why we chose to pursue this degree and what we hoped to gain from the program. I remember thinking that my goal was to be the best team member at SOWA and to support Mari in her leadership of the organization to my fullest potential. What was different from my classmates was that all of them were hoping to secure a different job or career. I had no desire to leave my role at School’s Out, I just wanted to learn and grow and be the best I could be where I was. The program provided me with immense skills, challenged my way of thinking, and helped me to be more strategic in the questions I posed along the way. It gave me a foundation that I had not previously had and gave me confidence to lead at multiple levels.  I would encourage others to investigate the MNPL program if you are seeking to broaden your skills, knowledge and network in the non-profit sector.

During the MNPL program, I was a full time team member at SOWA, a full time Mom to a high school senior and an 8th grader, and the conference coordinator for the 1998 National Afterschool Alliance Conference for 2000 participants. A full plate to be sure! With the support of Mari, and many others along the way, I persevered and both my son and I walked in ceremonies to celebrate our accomplishments in 1998. How wonderful to have a program designed for working folks who want to obtain more education!

Those attending the ceremony last night were my son Jeremy Frieling and his girlfriend Jennifer. Jeremy is currently working in an afterschool program with middle and high school youth who need a special mentor in their life-that is indeed Jeremy. Shelley Brittingham, who hired me for my first job in Washington, was also there. Shelley encouraged me early in my career here to go out and join others in the field and learn best practices. This provided the launching pad for me to get active and learn about School’s Out Washington. Mari Offenbecher who took the time to nominate me for the award and has been my strongest supporter over the years was there to wish me well. Mari has provided inspiration, encouragement, guidance, and opportunity to dabble in all things advocacy related over the years. Without her support and cheerleading, I would not have landed where I am today.

Also at the celebration last night was Laura Wells, now the Executive Director of Fight Crime, Invest in Kids. Laura and I have worked closely in many aspects over the years, but she provided the most inspiration and mentoring during our days as co-chairs for Child Care Works for Washington. From Laura I learned many skills including listening and diplomacy that continue to serve me well. Kathleen Pierce, my professor at SU for the advocacy class also shared the evening with me. She provided some technical skills and knowledge in her class and has continued to keep track of me and offer encouragement to my efforts through-out my career. Tim Sweeny, my current partner and strongest cheerleader helped to make the night even more special. 

Not in attendance, but very much a part of my being last night are both my parents whom have passed away in the last year. Both encouraged a life of community service and civic action. My Dad was a huge influence in my work to figure out ways around things when someone says “no”. He didn’t necessarily appreciate my learning at his expense, but supported me and gave me confidence to always question nonetheless.

Of course other class members and alumni from the SU MNPL program were there as well and wishing me well- thanks to you all. A special thanks to Michael Bisesi, the MNPL Director who continues to encourage and support my growth and career.

So that is my musing and “do over” from 3:00 am and much more succinct than what I delivered at the dinner last night.  Thanks again to everyone.

Lights On Afterschool is right around the corner on October 20, 2011.  On this day, communities across the country will celebrate the importance of afterschool programs in supporting young people.  The Afterschool Alliance has an event planning toolkit and other resources on their website to help get you started.   Some ideas of what you can do:

• Host an event to showcase your program to families, community members, local businesses, etc.
• Have youth performance with dance, music , poetry and other arts
• Hold a rally in a central area of your community inviting local leaders
• Engage students in letter writing campaigns to share why their afterschool program is important to them and send to local and state leaders

These are just a few ideas.  Be creative and work with the youth in your program to come up with a great celebration for your community.  It doesn’t have to be big; sharing with families, teachers or others involved with your program is a wonderful way to celebrate Lights On Afterschool.  It’s also a great opportunity to reach out to elected officials such as mayors, city council members, school board members, principals and superintendents, legislators, business leaders and other community leaders to help them see why investing in and supporting afterschool programs is critical to fostering healthy communities. 

School’s Out Washington hosts an annual statewide event and this year will be partnering with Northwest Community Action Center and Yakima School District to celebrate Lights On Afterschool at the Yakima Convention Center.  We’ll be awarding our Afterschool Hall of Fame awards to champions from across the state who’ve shown dedicated leadership in promoting the benefits and importance of afterschool programs in Washington State. 

As you start planning your event, don’t forget to register! The Afterschool Alliance tracks registration by state. So far, 25 events have been registered in Washington, but we lag behind other states like Arizona with 45, Wisconsin with 37, North Carolina with 64 and Missouri with 90.   An extra perk, if you register by Thursday, September 22, you will be entered to win 50 energy-efficient LED light bulbs thanks to Fulham Co, Inc. 

We hope you’ll celebrate Lights On Afterschool in your community – and don’t forget to register. If you’d like any assistance with ideas for your event or support with reaching out to elected officials and the media, please contact Danielle.  

Last Friday, folks from around the state gathered in Ellensburg for our Washington Afterschool Network Partnership Group Meeting.  We'll be posting the meeting minutes soon, but wanted to acknowledge the great work of our co-chairs Joanne Benham and Jack Albaugh who have completed their two-year term.  Joanne Benham, Director with the Spokane Regional Youth Department and Jack Albaugh, Education Manager with the Puget Sound Educational Service District have led WAN through exciting new terrain as we gear up to plan a Mayoral Summit, continue work around building a professional development system and engage our state agency partners and other local and state leaders on a variety of issues relevant to the afterschool and youth development field.

Thank you Joanne and Jack! We'll look forward to continuing to work with you as part of WAN and appreciate your dedication and commitment to ensuring youth have access to enriching learning opportunities that support their school and life success!  Here are our outgoing co-chairs accepting a little appreciation for their hard work.

With every farewell comes a new beginning. We are thrilled that Heather Elmore, Education Services Manager with the Northwest Community Action Center in Yakima County and Brian Brandt, 4-H Faculty with WSU Extension Pierce County have agreed to serve as our new WAN co-chairs for the next two years!  Heather and Brian have been involved with WAN for several years and will bring great knowledge, expertise and perspective to our work.  Join us in welcoming Heather and Brian in their new leadership role with WAN.