The holidays have passed and the cold bleak of mid-winter is setting in. Staffing has stabilized for the most part and you are busy working on the new staff schedules to coincide with the changes that may have been made. January is a good time to reset. To rethink how...

As program leaders we have all been there. The rush of registration is over, the program is settling in, things are going smoothly, and you finally have a minute before the next wave of holiday parties and supplies are needed. Take a breath, you made it past Halloween and are...

Being a leader often means that you are the one that everyone sees as the organizer and planner of events. As we all know, it takes a team to pull off any large scale event or production. I remember when we used to do winter plays and each site would...

By now, mid-October afterschool programs are moving along at a good pace. Children and staff know established routines, relationships have been formed, and we are rapidly moving toward the holiday season. This is a time to bring together the community, create connections and opportunities beyond the program, and recognize the...

When we hear the terms “high-quality”, “impactful programming”, “standards of excellence”, “continuous quality improvement” they often sound like a far-off place we would like our programs to get to. An aspiration, something that takes time, effort, buy-in, and money. In the day-to-day of programming, integrating intentional quality improvement efforts are...

By now, most programming is moving along. There may be some bugs to iron out, schedules to adjust, and supplies to buy for the upcoming season. How are you orchestrating all of the parts of the program? Are there key staff that help make it happen? October is a time...

On Thursday, September 26th, Michelle Doucette Cunninham, Executive Director, spoke to one small part of the changes. Specifically, the Office of Early Childhood has changed the regulation for after school programs to allow 15 students to one teacher (instead of 10:1). Michelle spoke to the benefits this will provide families,...

As the new school year starts we have an opportunity to rethink old habits, start new ones, explore interests, and become engaged in the field beyond your program. The Out-of-School Time field has grown and evolved over the past 24 years since the start of the Millenium. The field offers...

Summer is a time for outdoors, water fun, and laughing with friends. However for millions of children across the country, summer is a time of isolation and choices that may have negative consequences for years to come in their lives. While middle and high income peers are provided a multitude...

In an effort to elevate the out-of-school time (OST) profession and enhance the well-being of OST professionals nationwide, the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) has proudly unveiled the Out-of-School Time Job Quality Standards (JQS). Developed in collaboration with leading experts and stakeholders in the field, these standards represent a pivotal milestone...