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| November 2010 | Vol 2, Issue 2
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 NJ Afterschool Action
News, Policy and Research
from NJSACC
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Welcome to NJ Afterschool Action!
|  This month, we are asking for your help in a number of ways. First, we hope you will take the time to fill out the first in a series of three surveys to review existing models of Quality Standards. Second, we hope you will join us on December 7 at Kean University for a symposium with a team of British educators. Finally, we hope you will send Governor Christie an email asking him to sign the newly passed "Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights". This bipartisan bill passed the NJ Senate and Assembly, with nearly unanimous support. Please read on for more information.
At this time of year, we turn our attention to what we thankful for. Thank you to all our readers!
Read. Learn. Get involved. Together we can make a difference.
Diane Genco
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Survey: Help Us Review the NYSAN QSA
| As part of our ongoing work to develop Quality Standards for afterschool programs here in New Jersey, we are conducting a series of surveys to review existing state and national Standards. The first survey will look at the Quality Self-Assessment developed by the New York Statewide Afterschool Network (NYSAN). These surveys are designed to help guide our work moving forward.
Access the survey by clicking here. Responses will be accepted until December 1, 2010. Everyone who completes the survey will be entered to win a free 2-day conference registration to NJSACC's 2011 Annual Afterschool Conference.
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| Invitation: A US-UK Symposium: Lessons Learned from Across the Pond, December 7, 20 10 | |
As the afterschool network in New Jersey, we are delighted to welcome you to a high profile symposium with strategi c leaders, school principals and designers from the UK and leading policy makers and strategic leaders from NJ to share learning, knowledge and practice from across the pond.
The symposium focuses on sharing knowledge between the UK and USA on a number of key themes: School Improvement, Extended Services; Extended Day; Summer Learning; School Design - all of which have close connections across the pond. Twelve leading educators, principals and designers will be available to share thinking and knowledge. The symposium will end with the launch of a UK-US network that will lead to practical collaboration on all of these issues, hosted by the British Council for School Environments (BCSE) and US partners.
This is event is free, but registration is required. Walk-in registration will not be accepted.
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Meet the Ambassador: Jane Sharp
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What do you love about afterschool?
What's NOT to love about afterschool? It's fun, and creative, and educational, and rewarding. If you're on staff you have an opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of children, without the confines of the typical school day. If you're a school day teacher, you know that the program is helping your students with homework. If you're a parent, you don't have to worry if your child is safe afterschool. If you're a kid, you get to make friends and do cool stuff. It's a win-win-win-win situation!
Why did you become an Afterschool Ambassador?
I started directing afterschool programs for the YMCA in Freehold in 1985. It was a new field and we had much to learn, so a group of people formed a school age coalition in Monmouth County. Eventually, NJSACC started offering more opportunities for afterschool providers at the state level, and the county coalition stopped meeting. From 2000 to 2009 I worked in the NJ Department of Human Services and lost touch with the local providers.
Being an Afterschool Ambassador for Monmouth County gives me an n opportunity to return to my roots. With the help of NJSACC I hope to be able to build a strong local network again. This time we would like to host bi-monthly virtual meetings with directors called "Communities of Practice". Please contact me if you're in the Monmouth/Ocean area and want to participate. We still have much to learn and share.
Click here to learn more about Jane and NJSACC's Afterschool Ambassadors.
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Child Nutrition Reauthorization Redux
| This article originally appeared on the Afterschool Alliance's Afterschool Snack blog. Written by Erik Peterson.
Why does child nutrition reauthorization matter?
Because even one hungry child is too many:
The statistics are alarming. One in four children lives in a family that struggles to get enough to eat. Lack of enough nutritious food impairs a child's ability to concentrate and perform well in school. Many children do not get enough to eat at home and arrive at school hungry and ill-prepared to learn. Children who eat breakfast score better on tests, show improved learning skills and memory retention, and have lower rates of tardiness and absenteeism.
Click here to read more
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NJ Legislature Passes 'Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights'
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The state Senate and Assembly overwhelmingly passed the "Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights" yesterday, a bipartisan piece of legislation. The legislation is the first in America to set firm statewide deadlines for incidents of bullying to be reported, investigated and resolved. Now that both houses have passed the bill, it simply awaits signature from Governor Christie before it becomes the law.
Click here to email Governor Christie to ask him to sign the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights into law.
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New Issue Brief on Health and Wellness in Afterschool
| Afterschool, before-school and summer programs stand perfectly positioned to step in and help promote physical activity and nutritious lifestyles for our nation's teens and pre-teens. Reflecting this notion, the Afterschool and MetLife Foundation have teamed up to release an issue brief entitled "Afterschool: The Key to Health and Wellness for Teens and Pre-Teens". The brief highlights the health crisis facing our nation's middle school youth and showcases how afterschool programs can play a major role in promoting healthy living. It also focuses on the challenges afterschool programs face in sustaining a health and wellness curriculum and provides a list of resources that aid programs in kick-starting a wellness curriculum.
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Thank you so much for reading this edition of NJ Afterschool Action. We always want to hear from you, so please send your questions, comments, and ideas to action@njsacc.org. Sincerely, Diane Genco
Executive Director
Lee McDermott Schaefer
Policy Director
NJSACC works to build lasting public support for quality afterschool programs across New Jersey. Led by a public-private partnership, NJSACC enhances public awareness and support; offers guidance for parents, providers, and advocates; strengthens relationships with policymakers, funders, practitioners, and parents, and shares best practices in the field.
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