ASAPconnect e-bulletin - April 23,2010

In this e-bulletin:



The Buzz at ASAPconnect!

ASAPconnect is now on Facebook!

Join our online community by stating that you "like" ASAPconnect on Facebook. Connect with other assistance providers, share strategies, ask questions, upload photos of assistance in practice and more on our new facebook page. Become a fan by May 1st and be automatically entered into a drawing to win one of two $50 Amazon gift cards!

Come and see us at BOOST!

ASAPconnect staff will be at the BOOST Conference being held at the Palm Springs Convention Center April 28-May1, 2010. We will have a booth in the exhibit hall, so make sure to stop by and say hi!

Assistance Provider Directory Tip of the Month

Without logging-in to the website, do a search for your profile. Were you able to easily find your profile? Is your profile appealing? Does it represent all your expertise? Did you mark all the counties you serve? Review your profile from the perspective of a potential client and then edit your profile to attract more clients. Take advantage of this free advertising opportunity!



Opportunities for Presenters!



Rev Up! Region V 14th Annual After School Conference

Region V After School Partnerships, in partnership with the YMCA of Silicon Valley, are gearing up for another successful after school/school-aged care conference on Sept 25th in Gilroy. This one-day event, which draws close to 600 participants, is packed with outstanding speakers, tons of resources, and hands-on standards based activities for all ages. If you have a special area of expertise, and like to share your knowledge with others, WE WANT YOU! A $75 stipend will be given to presenters per 75 minute workshop.

Please see the RFP for more information. Should you have questions, please call Mara Wold, Regional Lead, at 408-313-6059.



Additional Opportunities!



Materials Review Board

The California After School and Healthy Kids Resource Centers (CASRC and CHKRC) are accepting applications for the 2010-2011 Material Review Board (MRB).
Experienced teachers, after school program staff, site directors, coordinators, health educators, and university faculty are encouraged to apply. Selected MRB members will evaluate preschool to grade twelve instructional materials to help us determine which instructional materials to make available via the centers' Web sites and circulating libraries. MRB members participate in a one-hour Webinar on the evaluation process, use the centers' review forms to evaluate six to 15 materials, receive a $150 honorarium for their service, and serve for a year. To apply, please complete the Online MRB Application by May 21, 2010. Past MRB members may contact the centers to submit a Returning MRB Application.

If you have any questions, contact the centers toll free at (888) 318-8188, and ask to speak with Nora Zamora.
The link to CASRC and CHKRC are administered for the California Department of Education and the California Department of Public Health.



Check Out These Resources!



Professional Development Information from New York State

In March 2010, New York State Afterschool Network (NYSAN) published a Guide to Afterschool Professional Development in New York State to offer detailed information about learning, development, and training opportunities for afterschool professionals. Afterschool providers are strongly encouraged to read through this Guide, which includes:

  • Standard professional development definitions.
  • Distinction between individual professional development and overview of three frameworks for professional competencies.
  • Opportunities for professional development.
  • Resources and research on professional and workforce development.
  • School-aged child care licensed programs: staff qualifications and training requirements.



Teacher Professional Development Evaluation Guide

M. Bruce Haslam from Policy Studies Associates has prepared a Teacher Professional Development Evaluation Guide for the National Staff Development Council. This invaluable resource can be found at http://www.nsdc.org/news/evaluationguide.pdf.

New Research Briefs from Child Trends

Incorporating Technology Into Out-Of-School Time Programs



Technology and technologically-based learning environments are extending student learning beyond the conventional classroom. A new Child Trends brief, Incorporating Technology Into Out-of-School Time Programs, draws on results from research and from practitioners' insights to outline the benefits, challenges, and strategies associated with using technology in out-of-school time programs. Among the uses of technology found to be especially beneficial in out-of-school programs:

  • Computer-based reading intervention programs have been used to successfully supplement children’s in-class reading and build comprehension.
  • Program participants can use computer-based programs to follow developments over time, whether it is how plants are growing or how a community service project is progressing.
  • Video technology can involve program participants in the exploration of their world through filmmaking, digital artwork, and online instruction.

The brief also provides additional resources for programs interested in incorporating technology into their activities and profiles a technology-based out-of-school time program.



Evidence-Based Programs in Action: Insights from a Success Story



A great deal of attention recently has focused on evidence-based programs - interventions that have been found through rigorous evaluation to have positive effects or impacts on targeted outcomes. So, what do evidence-based programs in action look like?



A new Child Trends brief, Evidence-Based Programs in Action: Policy and Practice Insights from a Success Story profiles the Partnership for Results, a model of local governance designed to implement a broad spectrum of evidence-based programs for the benefit of youth at risk. For a decade, it has operated in Cayuga County in Central New York.



Since the Partnership was established, outcomes for children and youth and their families have improved dramatically over time and compared with neighboring counties. The brief describes the Partnership and its results; the elements of its model; obstacles to creating a continuum of evidence-based programs; and principles for replicating the Partnership's governance model.