A article from a working mom on a comprehensive new Cambridge study of the UK education system. More play, more freedom for teachers, less tests.
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/10/20/should-children-start-school-at-6-instead-of-5/#
The Afterschool Alliance just released state data from their America After 3PM national survey.
The AZ After 3PM Fact Sheet, news release, and a Top Ten report can be found here: http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/AA3PM_states.cfm?state_abbr=AZ&level=1
Posted in Advocacy, General, Resources | Tagged afterschool, arizona, linkedin | Leave a Comment »
In an effort to make the Office of Child Care within the AZ Dept of Health Services self-sufficient, Interim Director Will Humble is proposing rate hikes of up to 8800% to take effect in less than three months, on January 1, 2010.
Public Hearings will be held in Tucson and Phoenix, more information about the proposed fee increases is available on the Departments website: http://www.azdhs.gov/diro/admin_rules/licensingFees.htm
The Sonoran Alliance for Youth, an association of school-age child care providers in Pima County, is advocating for a more reasonable increase in fees and implementation timeline. You can read their letter to Governor Brewer, Legislators and Director Humber here – Sonoran Alliance for Youth Concerns and Solutions Regarding Child Care Licensing Fee Increases and Timeline
Links to news articles:
Arizona Republic – Child-care sticker shock, Oct. 8, 2009
Arizona Daily Star – Child-care centers’ state fees to surge, Oct. 8, 2009
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Are you looking for an opportunity to promote and expand an after-school science or technology program?
The Coalition for Science After School has partnered with Time Warner Cable to create a national directory of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning opportunities. This directory will be widely marketed and can rapidly increase the visibility of your program! The best news? There is no cost involved, it is FREE! There is, however, a cost to not participating: missed promotional, funding, and partnership opportunities.
http://directory.scienceafterschool.org/signup/
Are you interested in increasing the number of kids participating in your programs? The promotion of this Directory will increase interest in opportunities to participate in science after school and in other informal settings, and it will direct interested parents and students to the programs entered in our database.
Are your programs full? Do you need support – funding, volunteers, partners – to open up your programs to more students? Our Coalition is committed to working with policymakers and funders and will ensure that the Directory is used for increased advocacy in support of informal science education.
All that is needed to become part of the Directory is to visit our website:
http://directory.scienceafterschool.org/signup/
Spend a few moments entering information on your organization and its programs and events. If you have any questions about the Directory, the Coalition, or informal STEM education, please contact our team at info@directory.scienceafterschool.org.
I would like to thank you in advance for your participation. The larger we are able to grow this database the more effective the Directory will become! If you know of any colleagues who might be interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, please feel free to forward this message along.
—
Jason Freeman
Director
Coalition for Science After School
Office: (510)642-8106
Cell: (617) 270-8729
Are you in the Directory?
http://directory.scienceafterschool.org
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Sponsor: Learn and Serve America
Deadline: 12/31/2010
Amount: varies
Type: Health, Social & Economic
Description: Usher’s New Look, a nonprofit organization founded by entertainer Usher Raymond IV that supports underprivileged youth in using their talents to become community leaders, has announced the launch of Powered By Service, a new initiative to encourage young people around the world to become involved in addressing the most pressing problems facing their communities – from preventing malaria and stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS to ending gang violence and increasing access to clean water.
Young people all over the world can participate in Powered By Service. Participants will have access to online toolkits and opportunities to apply for financial resources to support their projects. Grants will be awarded for exceptional service ideas.
Powered By Service currently has two grant opportunities available for youth volunteers.
Sponsored by the United Nations Foundation, the “Nothing but Nets” grant is designed to help youth create projects that increase awareness and funds for the purchase of bed nets to prevent the spread of malaria in Africa.
Sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service’s Learn and Serve America, the “What’s Your Power?” grant opportunity offers funding for projects that address any issue. Youth are invited to design a project around the cause that interests them.
For complete program information, visit the Powered By Service Web site.
Posted in Funding Opportunities | Leave a Comment »
Sponsor: Microsoft
Deadline: 11/1/2009
Amount: varies
Type: Science & Technology, Education, Social & Economic
Description: Students, parents, and teachers across the United States are invited to help improve technology in classrooms by submitting a brief essay for the opportunity to receive a portion of over $1 million in technology from Samsung Electronics America’s Four Seasons of Hope campaign. The philanthropic initiative will reward winning writers with a Samsung Go Netbook and their local schools with Samsung products, Microsoft software, DIRECTV educational television programming, and cash grants as well as special @15 gift cards supplied by Best Buy.
Competition participants are invited to submit hundred-word essays on how the consumer electronics, computer equipment and software awarded through Samsung’s Four Seasons of Hope could benefit their school. Participants should nominate a public or state-accredited private school for grades K-12 in their community. Home schools, colleges, universities, and vocational/trade schools are not eligible for nomination.
Complete contest rules and online entry forms are available at the Four Seasons of Hope Web site.
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Do Something Awards deadline has just been extended through March 1st, 2010
Amount: $10,000
Type: Social & Economic
Description: Since 1996, Do Something has honored some of America’s best young “world-changers” (age 25 and under) with the Do Something Awards (formerly the Brick Awards).
The Do Something Award is for individuals. Partnerships or larger groups should select an individual they believe would best represent the project for the application. The applicant must be 25 or under, and must be a U.S. or Canadian citizen.
Award winners will have identified a problem and have devised clear and measurable methods for addressing the problem; made a significant long-term commitment to improving the lives of others; cultivated long-term and respectful relationships within their community; demonstrated that they have directly and individually fueled the success of their work; extensively and tangibly improved the lives of others (the award is not for ideas); created great awareness about their issues or causes; serve as program founders and/or leading activist/advocates; have a clear growth plan for their work that ensures sustainability and continued impact; and already be recognized as top leaders within their issue or cause.
The 2010 awards program will present four winners with $10,000 each, and one grand-prize winner with $100,000 toward their organization or cause. Each winner has the option of receiving up to $5,000 as an educational scholarship.
Visit the Do Something Web site for complete program information.
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Each afternoon across the U.S., 15 million children–more than a quarter of our children–are alone and unsupervised after school. The parents of 18 million would enroll their children in an afterschool program, if one were available. These are some of the key findings from the nation’s most in-depth study of how America’s children spend their afternoons. America After 3PM was sponsored by the JCPenney Afterschool Fund. The 2009 report, conducted for the Afterschool Alliance, surveyed nearly 30,000 households across the United States.
The survey finds that 8.4 million children participate in an afterschool program, an increase of nearly 3 million children over the past five years. While this is encouraging, there is still work to be done. The number of children left alone after the school day ends has risen to 15.1 million children – an increase of 800,000 children – since the 2004 edition of America After 3PM.
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http://www.sedl.org/afterschool/afterwords/sep2009/
The SEDL National Center for Quality Afterschool helps state education agencies and local practitioners develop high-quality programs for academic enrichment as well as youth development activities.
www.sedl.org/afterschool
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Hands-On Academics
Weave academic content into your program in ways that fit the
afterschool environment, and keep kids coming back for more. Learn
practical strategies to better plan and lead winning activities that
make learning meaningful and fun.
Event: Hands-On Academics
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13th
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 EST
Duration: 1-hour
Small Feehttp://foundationsinc.org/online-store/products/418www.afterschooled.org <http://www.afterschooled.org>
Click here to Register!
Foundations, Inc. is a certified provider of credits for professional
development and training in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Many states and
organizations accept the Foundations certification for continuing
education credit. Each training attendee receives a form that is to be
completed and signed by session presenters. That form may be used by you
to verify your attendance at the sessions to your credit granting
agency. In addition, at the end of the workshop, Foundations provides
each attendee with a Certificate of Attendance that you may be able to
use to receive credits.
Posted in Professional Development and Training | Leave a Comment »
Innovative Learning Solutions 