The Afterschool Advisor
November 2016
21st Century Grants First Deadlines Approaching
The Iowa 21st Century Community Learning Centers FY17 RFA has been released. Funds are allotted through a competitive peer review process. To find out more about the grant, go to the Iowa Department of Education website here.

Letters of intent to apply are due on November 11, 2016. To complete the online LOI, go here.

The Iowa Department of Education will be hosting several workshops for potential applicants. The following events are open to the public: 

Reviewers and Facilitators Needed!

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant competition relies on citizen reviewers and facilitators to ensure the highest quality applications are funded. This is a great learning experience for afterschool and summer providers, as well as others in the youth development field. Please consider serving as a reviewer or facilitator!  

 

Reviewer/Facilitator Expectations 

Reviewer/Facilitator Application  

                    Iowa Department of Education Logo  
New Report Highlights Need for and Impact of OST
The Iowa Afterschool Alliance has released a key, statewide report on afterschool and summer learning titled the State of Afterschool and Summer Programming in Iowa. Released officially on October 20, 2016, at the Summit on Advancing Academic and Social Outcomes for Iowa Children and Youth, the report details current youth and community issues in Iowa and how afterschool and summer programming can help mitigate some of these issues.

Also included in the report are program profiles from across the state and a report on what afterschool and summer programming currently looks like statewide. Read it online on the Iowa Afterschool Alliance website at www.iowaafterschoolalliance.org.
Summit on Advancing Academic and Social Outcomes for Iowa Children and Youth a Great Success!
Thank you to all who were able to join us for a spectacular event! Over 60 advocates of high quality before school, after school, and summer learning came together on October 20 in Ankeny, Iowa, to celebrate Lights On Afterschool Day and the release of the Iowa Afterschool Alliance's new report, the State of Afterschool and Summer Programming in Iowa.

Jodi Grant The day started with a rousing call to action from Jodi Grant, Executive Director of the Afterschool Alliance based in Washington, DC. See hMajor Darren Grimshawer PowerPoint here. The Iowa perspective was provided by Major Darren Grimshaw of the Burlington (Iowa) Police Department, who described his  passion for working with kids in afterschool and summer settings. Thank you, as well, to others who presented at listening sessions: Amy Croll, Joe Herrity, Leslie Stonehocker, and David Welter.

 
 
Save the Date for IAA Legislative Events in 2017!
Attend a legislative event at the Iowa Capitol hosted by the Iowa Afterschool Alliance in 2017 to show lawmakers your love for afterschool! The IAA will host an Afterschool Snack the afternoon of Valentine's Day, Tuesday, February 14, then a legislative breakfast on the morning of Wednesday, February 15. More details regarding these events will be released in the coming months.

Iowa Afterschool Alliance Afterschool Snack Afterschool Snack: Valentine's Day, Tuesday, February 14; 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. Come show your love for afterschool and bring your program youth! The IAA will coordinate Capitol tours and provide a snack for all in attendance.

IAA Legislative Breakfast: Wednesday, February 15; 7:00 - 9:00 a.m. Visit with your legislators about the importance of afterschool and meet your fellow afterschool advocates in the Legislative Dining Room on the ground floor of the Capitol. Iowa Afterschool Alliance staff will be on-hand to help you meet with your legislators.
Survey Seeks Input on OST Experiences
The purpose of this research study is to identify both the experiences and professional development needs of out-of-school time (OST) educators for providing effective science and engineering programs to youth. If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to complete an online survey. This survey will ask about your background, your existing experience, professional development opportunities that are available to you, as well as your perceived needs for teaching effective science and engineering programs. It will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Upon completing the survey, you can submit your name in a drawing to win an Engineering is Elementary Teacher Guide (a value of $50). Participation in the research study is not required to enter the drawing. Entries are limited to one entry per person -subjects under age 18 must have written consent from a parent or lawful guardian. Participation is void where prohibited by law. Contact Nena Bloom for more information.

Click here to complete the survey.
Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame Nominations Sought
Volunteer Iowa is excited to release nomination materials for the 2017 Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame and Excellence in Mentoring Awards. Nominations must be submitted online or postmarked by January 16, 2017; honorees will be recognized during National Volunteer Week next April. Details and nomination materials are online at www.volunteeriowa.org. 

Induction into the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame is the highest state-level honor volunteers can receive; the people selected have changed the community, the state, the nation, or the world through the gifts of their time and talent.

The Excellence in Mentoring Award is the most prestigious honor that a youth mentor in Iowa can receive. The people honored exemplify both the spirit and positive benefits of mentoring.
Any Iowa individual, national service member (current or alum), family, group, organization, nonprofit, business, or corporation, who has made a long-lasting positive and meaningful difference in the lives of people through their volunteer service activities may be nominated for the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame. 

Mentoring programs-currently certified by the Iowa Mentoring Partnership-may nominate a mentor who has been mentoring for at least two years for the Excellence in Mentoring Award. Qualified nominees possess a compelling mentoring story that illustrates how positive experiences alter the life of a young person for the better.
 
For more information, contact Mary Sheka, Iowa Mentoring Partnership, mentor@iowa.gov or 515-725-3187. 
Pokémon Go... and Global Success Skills?
Author: John McCarthy, Education Consultant, Advocate for Student Voice in Learning

Pokémon Go is an open sandbox game that uses students' local, familiar community. Open sandbox environments give participants voice about what they want to do. For Pokémon Go, this poses many questions for exploration. Start with:
  1. Where do you find the more frequent spawn points?
  2. Do Lures bring more unique Pokémon than the natural spawn points?
  3. What might be the ideal situation for using Incense or an Egg incubator?
  4. Why were the existing PokéStops in our community selected? What is their significance?
  5. How can we create PokéStops that represent the history and culture of our community?
  6. How do you set up and maintain a competitive PokéGym?
  7. What are best strategies for quality powering up Pokémon?
  8. Why might the safety issues of playing Pokémon Go (i.e. crossing streets, exploring a parking lot, or driving with the screen open) be an important consideration?
  9. What is the strategic value of powering up and/or evolving a Pokémon?
  10. How could you use various tools, such as Eggs, Incenses, and Lures, to create the best Pokémon Go experience?
For more ideas, visit Edutopia.
Follow IAA on Facebook for Latest Updates
Facebook Follow the Iowa Afterschool Alliance on Facebook at www.facebook.com/iowaafterschoolalliance for the latest updates on the Every Student Succeeds Act (formerly No Child Left Behind), PD opportunities, IAA activities, and grant opportunities. Expect an update on an issue of interest every day! You can also follow us on Twitter by following @iowaafterschool.
SEDL Resources for Afterschool
Looking for resources on how to run a high-quality program? SEDL, an affiliate of the American Institutes for Research, has no-cost resources on lesson plans, practitioners' guides, and training toolkits. Visit the National Center for Quality Afterschool here: http://www.sedl.org/afterschool/.  
Professional Development Opportunities
Out of School Time Professional Development Center
The Out of School Time Professional Development Center provides Out of School Time training to OST professionals. The classes provide in-depth curriculum and certificates. If you or your staff are interested in signing up for courses visit the Out-of-School Time website. Check out the entire course catalog here. 
 
Great Content on Y4Y!
You 4 Youth is a free online professional development site that is designed to support 21CCLC program staff, but is a valuable tool for any afterschool professional looking to build their skills! Recently, Y4Y has rolled out a whole module on literacy. Click here to register.

Afterschool Alliance Webinars
The Afterschool Alliance offers webinars on a wide range of topics, from policy and the new Every Student Succeeds Act, to STEM and Social-Emotional Learning. Find out more on their webinars website.

Iowa Child Care Training Registry
Find professional development for school-age programming on the State of Iowa Child Care Training Registry on topics ranging from health and safety to developmentally appropriate programming. Find out more online

Beyond School Hours Conference
February 22 - 25, 2017; Atlanta, GA
Get big ideas for immediate results. Take home skills, tools and a renewed passion for improving learning outcomes for young people across the entire day.

For more information and to register, visit the conference website at http://www.foundationsinc.org/beyond-school-hours-xx.

Afterschool STEM Institute 
February 27-28, 2017; Silver Spring, MD
This event is designed for the Statewide Afterschool Networks who are actively focused on Afterschool STEM Systems Building. The Institute will offer interactive discussions on sustainability, communications, quality and policy. We encourage building teams for the Institute which will help enhance those conversations and strengthen your STEM partnerships.

For more information, visit this link.

2017 Social and Emotional Learning Conference: Building Skills for Lifelong Success March 13, 2017; Harrisburg, PA
This conference is designed to provide quality professional development opportunities for school administrators, school psychologists, school counselors, social workers, youth development workers, teachers, school nurses, SAP team members, alternative education teachers, homeless liaisons, foster care points of contact, early childhood professionals and other community partners.

Find out more at https://selconference.center-school.org/.

National AfterSchool Association Convention
March 19 - 22, 2017; Dallas, TX
NAA's Annual Convention delivers exceptional learning and networking opportunities for every participant. With inspirational keynote speakers, more than 150 engaging workshops and unique networking events, Convention is the premier event for afterschool and out-of-school time professionals. - See more at: http://naaweb.org/attend#sthash.M2U3vxZB.dpuf

For more information and to register, visit the convention website at http://naaweb.org/convention. 

Iowa Impact After School Conference
Save the Date! April 27 & 28, 2017; Des Moines
Watch for more information as it becomes available at our website www.iowaafterschoolalliance.org.  
 
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