Join ASAPconnect today by setting up your ASAP Directory profile

ASAPconnect links after school programs with assistance providers so you can partner more effectively, expand capabilities and improve program quality.

Connect to promote your services.
Our ASAP Directory empowers you to promote your services to thousands of out-of-school-time professionals. Set up your assistance provider profile with a description of your training, mentoring, coaching or consulting services. After School Program staff can search for help in any area of improvement, including academic and enrichment content, youth and staff development, nutrition, health and much more.

Connect to expand your capabilities.
Attend ASAPconnect Live Trainings and Seminars to get professional support and advance your learning. Search the ASAP Directory to identify underserved areas of focus so you can strategically plan new services.

Connect to share knowledge.
Exchange information with peers about promising practices so you can improve quality of service. Read and post articles or share helpful resources with others in the after school field. Build synergy, forge new partnerships and get peer-to-peer support.

Join us today. Set up your ASAP Directory profile at www.afterschoolconnect.org now!

ASAPconnect Awards REGIONAL LEAD ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS FUNDING GRANTS!

Recognizing that Regional Leads are central to Technical Assistant efforts across the state, the ASAPconnect advisory committee recommended a prioritization of ASAPconnect’s efforts to focus on building their capacity to effectively and efficiently serve the filed.  As a result of a preliminary discussion with RLs and with the full support of the California Department of Education, ASAPconnect secured funding support to provide the following resources to RLs:

• Professional Development
• Orientation of newly hired RL staff
• Facilitation of “best practices” discussions
• Connecting RLs to other TA providers and resources
• Posting learning tools online
• Customized one-on-one coaching
• Broker resources

To compliment these supports, ASAPconnect offered a funding resource of $253,000 statewide to the Regional Lead County Offices of Education with a maximum award of $23,000 per region to 1) build staff capacity and/or 2) increase effectiveness of their service delivery.

ASAPconnect is delighted to congratulate and be able to provide support to the ongoing efforts of the following Regions: Collaborative Work Group, Regions 3, 5, 10, 11; Alameda County Office of Education Region 4; Stanislaus County Office of Education Region 6; Ventura County Office of Education Region 8.

To read more and/or for additional information, please visit: http://www.afterschoolconnect.org/content/5278

New Release!

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Technical Assistance in the Afterschool Field
A Literature Review

Written by: Summer N. Jackson, M.A., Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Evaluation Fellow, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

ASAPconnect serves as California’s link to quality after school assistance providers.  In its effort to promote collaboration and advance excellence, ASAPconnect wishes to provide leadership to the after school technical assistance (TA) provider field, providing them with the best practices related to evaluation of the effectiveness of the TA services they provide.  By fostering evaluation...

Read more at http://www.afterschoolconnect.org/node/4576

ASAPconnect Seminars and Trainings

ASAPconnect strives to promote collaboration and advance learning for assistance providers in the after school field. We regularly host ASAPconnect Up Seminars and Training events so you can connect with others to develop your professional skills. Our Calendar of Events includes information about our ASAPconnect Live events. Information about our next upcoming event will be added to this page soon.

For more information our ASAPconnect Seminars & Trainings visit our website at:
www.afterschoolconnect.org/provider_resources/calendar

REGISTER NOW FOR THE STEP UP HIGH SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL SUMMIT!

The California Afterschool Network is excited to host the first annual Step Up High School Summit on November 3-5, 2009 in San Diego, California. Program administrators, high school after school practitioners and high school principals are encouraged to attend. The conference will feature engaging workshops and presentations focusing on successful strategies for high school after school programs. The conference will also provide opportunities for high school practitioners to network and share resources and successful practices.

Early-Bird Registration $275 ends July 1, 2009

Regular Registration $325 ends October 23, 2009

For more information, go to: http://www.afterschoolnetwork.org/step-up

National Institute of Out-of-School Time (NIOST) Trainings – Boston, MA

Are you looking to improve the quality of your afterschool program? Do you want to increase sustainability, forge strategic partnerships, and identify areas needing improvement? Do you need to track long-term program progress? Maybe you're interested in better understanding the changing landscape of out-of-school time and implementing systemic program improvements?

Whatever your afterschool objectives, chances are good that our NIOST Summer Seminars has a training that is right for you!

This July our course offerings include:

• The Afterschool Program Assessment System
• Advancing School, Afterschool and Community Partnerships
• Seminar for System Builders
• Quality Advisor Training

To learn more, go to www.NIOST.org and click on Summer Seminars 2009!

Registration closes Monday, June 30th, 2009. Continental breakfast, lunch, and snacks galore included!

www.niost.org
(781) 283-2547

MAKING THE MOST OF ARRA: A GUIDE FOR FULL-SERVICE SCHOOL LEADERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS

A new resource from The Finance Project and Coalition for Community Schools This guide is designed to help full-service school leaders and community partners, as well as state and local education leaders considering how to positively impact struggling schools, strategically target ARRA funding sources that hold the most promise for their initiatives. It addresses the following critical questions:

• Which ARRA funding sources represent the “best bets” for full-service schools?
• What are important considerations in accessing and leveraging these one-time resources?
• What types of short-term, strategic investments in full-service schools can ARRA support?
• How can decision-makers assess and prioritize which funding opportunities to pursue?
• What are some tips for preparing to secure ARRA funds?

The guide is available at: www.financeproject.org/publications/MakingtheMostARRA.pdf