Upcoming Trainings
Module 4: Positive Relationships & Youth Engagement
Apr. 2 - Apr.26
Supportive relationships with schools, families, communities, students and staff can make a program thrive. Join us as we examine the critical components to positive relationships and how they can dramatically impact the quality of the program and positive outcomes for students.
10 hours Set Two CKC: LEC
Cost: OASK/NAA Members: $100 Non-members: $125
Quality Programs Series Module 5: Measuring Program Success Apr. 30 - May 31
Being accountable for program outcomes is crucial for measuring quality. Internal and external evaluation methods measure program efforts, provide data for future planning and create powerful messages when communicating with schools and communities. We will discuss methods for evaluation and the challenges that can exist when a program begins to be accountable for their goals and objectives.
10 hours Set Two CKC:
PM
Cost: OASK/NAA Members: $100 Non-members: $125
Register Here!
Do you work in a program in Clackamas County? Contact Lynn Kneeland today to find out about scholarship $$ available through the CCRR!
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All OregonASK trainings are linked to the Oregon Registry!
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Afterschool Day at the Capitol in Review
A special thank you to those who participated in this year's Day at the Capitol! We appreciate you for bringing your program activities and performances to share with us all, as well as taking time to speak with legislators regarding the importance of afterschool and summer learning. Dr. Hilda Rosselli, one of our guest speakers, said of the day, " Initiatives like OregonASK exemplify the very type of collaboration that we are looking for. It involves public and private and community organizations, all working together wisely, smartly with limited resources and with a passion that we all share---supporting areas of literacy, arts, STEM, connection to the world of work and post-secondary education." View Dr. Roselli's remarks to the right:  In addition to Dr. Roselli, we would like to thank:
Mayor Kitty Piercy from the City of Eugene, and Vanessa Barajas
the Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year, for sharing with us their experiences with the impact of afterschool, as well as:
My Voice Music for leading us in harmony, Self Enhancement Inc. for rockin' the drumline, Rainbow Dance Theatre, for DANCING their tails off ( click here to see their performance), YoChiFu for bringin' out the "fusion" to wrap it all up! We appreciate your flexibility with the weather and the fun you brought to the day! Also thank you to the programs that brought activities to share:
Salem Child Development Center
Mad Science
Woodburn After School Club
Saturday Academy
Salem Keizer Education Foundation
Ted Brown
Marion County 4H
Chess for Success
LEAF program
You all do great work. Thank you for your dedication to high quality afterschool and summer programs that make a difference in the lives of children in Oregon!
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 Faces & Places - What are we putting FIRSTŪ in education?
by Mary Masla, OregonASK Field Correspondent What are we putting first in education? Students? Test scores? Life after school? On a Friday morning this March, Beth and I were lucky enough to see some amazing High School students in action at the FIRSTŪ Robotics competition being held at Portland's Memorial Coliseum.
The adventure began when we were captured by pirates, Scalawags to be more specific. A band of ten youthful (despite some Sharpie facial hair) pirates stole us from the world of networking and policy discussion, captivating our attention with a tech treasure - a robot designed to scale ancient pyramids, cliffs and walls, but only after forming Alliances to fling disks of treasure into shoots hidden throughout the land. The "Scalywags" were from Lebanon, Oregon (a landlocked place making the inhabitance of pirates somewhat intriguing), and they were in Portland to show off their tech treasure at the 2013 FIRSTŪ Robotics Competition: The ULTIMATE ASCENT.
Sixty high school teams from Washington, Oregon and California gathered in Portland to battle it out. After a fast and furious six weeks of designing, programming, constructing and testing the top teams from the Northwest met in Portland to contend for a chance to compete at the national level competition known as "The Superbowl of Smarts" in the NFL Rams Stadium in St. Louis. I have spent many hours watching sporting events in my life - from middle school to professional games in sports ranging from basketball to water polo - and this competition, although quite unique, created an atmosphere synonymous with any other sporting event. Lines had been drawn on the field in the form of 12-ft tall metal pyramids and baskets, loading zones, and Frisbees. Mascots and costumed players (representing pirates, tigers, robots and more) roamed the stadium, started chants and creating an electric energy.
During the opening ceremonies something was clear to all players and spectators: we are here to create engineers and innovators.
We're not tricking kids into enjoying and pursuing engineering, FIRSTŪ is up front and honest in their intentions behind these programs - we need to be raising a generation of engineers in order to fill the 39,000 STEM jobs that will be available to Oregonians in 2020, and be competitive on a national and global playing field.
The field of afterschool and summer programs has been well positioned to fill this gap because of the ability to create low-risk, fun environments for students to explore new ideas. As Dr. Michael Seelig, Strategic Initiatives Director for the Oregon Education Investment Board quipped, "Just like the arts creates a third space where students learn to express themselves through singing, drawing, painting, poetry or by banging on a drum or mashing the keys on a piano just to see what it feels like, STEM too needs spaces where students can play, tinker and experiment, break, blow-up and repair, and experience firsthand just how cool science can be."
Click here to read the rest of the story... |
VISTA Update 
March was a very successful month filled with events, but its winding up and we are hoping to see Mr. Sun a lot more often to help brighten the days of sustainability planning. We had a fabulous Afterschool Day at the Capitol, and thank many of our Sustainability Planning partners for showcasing and visiting their Legislator's - their support and participation was key to the success of the Day.
Here are a few highlights of what's happened in March, and what's in store for April:In just a few more weeks, Salem Keizer Education Foundation will be looking forward to their next big event, Shoot for the Stars. This will be their second year hosting the event in partners with the Law Enforcement for Youth. Adding a twist to this year's auction, they are including a casino night, Shoot for the Stars will take place at the Salem Convention Center on April 13th. Get your tickets and join the fun! Woodburn After School Program, in partnership with the Woodburn School District hosted an amazing and successful first annual STEM Festival in March. The egg drop contest, big-rigs, student projects and community displays made the evening fun and educational for the 100+ participants. Now, their afterschool program coordinator will continue to work with OregonASK on strategizing plans and writing grants to help fill the gap. Click here to read more of the exciting work that Oregon programs have been doing.
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Oregon Mentors' 2013 Conference
Identity and Equity in Youth Mentoring
May 2 and 3, 2013
Portland, Oregon
The event will create a space for open dialogue about the role of identity in positive youth development and how the field can work toward equitable practices through programmatic and organizational change.
They invite you to visit the conference web page to learn more. Day one will set the stage for the conversation and will include an extended session by keynote speaker Graig Meyer from Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate in Chapel Hill, N.C. Day two will offer participants the option to choose three of nine different sessions to address specific topics more in depth and a panel from the Multnomah Youth Commission will share their stories about identity and equity. Register Here! Space is limited and registration is required, so please encourage early sign ups. Feel free to contact Oregon Mentors with additional questions. |
From now through April 30th, youth and adults can visit generationOn's initiative site to access resources on how to take action against child hunger and report back on their work. For every service action reported, Arby's will donate a meal to a child struggling with hunger, up to 100,000 meals. |
A Special Edition Of
The Quality At Work Newsletter
For Partners In Oregon's Childhood Care And Education System
An excerpt:
"Increasing Quality Training: Oregon's QRIS" The field test of Oregon's QRIS is underway. What does this mean for programs in the four field test regions? The initial touch point for programs is to attend a QRIS Increasing Quality Training facilitated by the Quality Improvement Specialists (QIS) at the four regional Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. Programs can attend this free set one training and receive three hours of training. During the training, participants learn about the history of the QRIS in Oregon and nationally. They gain knowledge about the program standards for quality care and education. Detailed information about the application and portfolio process is included, and participants can obtain an application and self-assessment form at the training. The goal is for participants to have all of the information and documents they need to begin applying for a rating after the training.
The Quality Improvement Specialists will provide follow up trainings, information, and assistance as needed for programs who seek additional support during their application process.
Community partners are welcome to attend the trainings if they desire the detailed information on the QRIS field test process.
Upcoming Trainings
www.oregonchildcaretraining.org
Wednesday March 20: 6-9pm LaPine
Thursday April 4: 6-9pm Bend
Friday April 5: Florence
Saturday April 6: Roseburg
Wednesday, April 10: 6:30-9:30pm Albany
Thursday April 11: 6-9pm Multnomah
Saturday April 13: 9am-12pm Redmond
Tuesday April 16 6-9pm Bend
Wednesday April 17: 12-3pm Multnomah
Wednesday April 17: Eugene
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Check out the Spring Edition of "Wellness in School Environments (WISE)'s:
This short, colorful newsletter will help you support your wellness policies by providing information and links to all the great school nutrition and physical activity efforts that are going on around the state!
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The Wellness Impact: Enhancing Academic Success through Healthy School Environments
The report, The Wellness Impact: Enhancing Academic Success through Healthy School Environments, was just published by the National Dairy Council, American School Health Association, American College of Sports Medicine and GENYOUth Foundation. The report helps make the case that health is not a competing priority to academic performance; in fact, healthy behaviors, including good nutrition and physical activity, can help students learn better. The report will help compel school leaders and parents to take action about this learning connection. The report Executive Summary is here. Please use it to support all the good work you do! The full report is available: here. Take a look and use the report as supportive evidence for the excellent work you do in wellness. Our partnerships and collaborations are very valuable to help schools create and improve in-school and after-school wellness programs.     |
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6th Annual Summer and Afterschool Meals Roadshow
 Join Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon for our 6th Annual Summer and Afterschool Meals Roadshow. This event is a fantastic opportunity for meal program sponsors, partners, funders, and all other interested or curious organizations to learn more about how to serve Oregon kids through our invaluable federal child nutrition programs. To find out more about this event and to register, please visit our website. We're excited to see you all in Lincoln City! |
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