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Keeping Current to Get Ahead: Prioritizing Your Own Learning from the Start

Keeping Current to Get Ahead: Prioritizing Your Own Learning from the Start

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...
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Summer for All Comes to Connecticut

Summer for All Comes to Connecticut

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...
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NAA Releases Out-of-School Time (OST) Job Quality Standards

NAA Releases Out-of-School Time (OST) Job Quality Standards

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...
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Ice Dye Color Theory

Ice Dye Color Theory

Back in February, Shawna shared a worksheet to help staff create activities based on their own interests, and as promised she’s back with her tie-dye inspired activity, Ice Dye Color Theory. Shawna found her love for tie-dye, especially using the ice dye technique, during the pandemic. We even hosted a...
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Teen Art Exhibition!

Teen Art Exhibition!

This month Shawna had the team help her demo a few Mizzen activities! They gathered to create a call for art for the fall conference using the Teens Curate Teens Collection. The collection is a series of 6 activities, empowering teens to curate their very own art exhibition. The activities...
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Making Comics!

Making Comics!

The Network surveyed the field recently, and found that you wanted more arts content, so Shawna’s answering the call with this month's PD Bite. She explored the first two activities in the Making Comics! Mizzen collection. A collection with 7 different parts, making it an easy to implement curriculum.  The...
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Creating Activities based on Staff Interests

Creating Activities based on Staff Interests

Are you struggling to keep students engaged during program time? Finding activities, a little dry, even for you? Have you ever thought about developing activities based on your interests? Shawna created a worksheet for you to explore just that. In this month's PD Bite, Shawna linked the worksheet so you...
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Activities for Indoors

Activities for Indoors

Now that the weather is cold, that means more program time is spent inside. It can be hard to keep kids engaged while they are all cooped up. I’ve explored the Mizzen App to find some activities that are great for the colder months.  One of my favorite activities I...
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The Network is Celebrating 35 Years!

The Network is Celebrating 35 Years!

The Network is celebrating 35 years of after school excellence...and more! In 1989, the Network was founded as the Connecticut School Age Child Care Alliance (CSACCA) at the first After School Conference. Since then, we changed names (2x), moved to several locations and employed over 20 people. In addition to...
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OST STEM Experience

OST STEM Experience

The Connecticut Science Center and CT Network for Children and Youth (CTNCY) are thrilled to offer a brand-new series of workshops centered around developing skills, expertise, and programming to assist afterschool providers in creating meaningful, fun STEM experiences and engagement opportunities for students. We know your time is very valuable,...
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Simply STEM (December)

Simply STEM (December)

Welcome to this month’s Simply STEM activity! Today, we are making snow dough! This snow dough is supposed to mimic the look of real snow. Your students will be able to play around with it and mold it because of its unique texture! Experience all the fun of snow without...
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Unpacking the Power of Us Survey

Unpacking the Power of Us Survey

The place of out-of-school time programming in supporting young people’s learning and growth is well established. Yet little is known about the staff and volunteers who support young people. In the latest issue of the Afterschool Matters Journal, these topics are unpacked not only through data, but practitioner stories. What...
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Simply STEM (November)

Simply STEM (November)

Welcome to this month’s Simply STEM activity! Today, we are going to test how different liquids react with marshmallows! This fun and easy activity is perfect for your students to practice their observation skills while using the scientific method. A bonus to this experiment is that you can eat any...
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Building 3D Sandwiches & Color Collages

Building 3D Sandwiches & Color Collages

Two years ago, I created a YouTube video highlighting the playlist feature on the Mizzen app. The playlist “Art Projects for K-5th Grade at Home or in Small Groups” included the “Building 3D Sandwiches” & “Color Collage” Activities. My 3D Sandwich is one of my most prized decorations in my...
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Simply STEM (October)

Simply STEM (October)

Welcome to this month’s Simply STEM activity! Today, we are creating our own spiderweb! This activity is a fun and creative way to teach your students about how spiders catch their prey. Your students will design and create their own spider web that is able to hold at least 3...
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Help Us Help YOU!

Help Us Help YOU!

Hi, I’m Ashley! I’m a graduate student in the Community Psychology program at CCSU and I’m interning with the Network this fall to help conduct a needs assessment project. In the spring, a group of my classmates and I worked with the network on a pilot needs assessment in which...
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Simply STEM (September)

Simply STEM (September)

Welcome to this month’s Simply STEM activity! Today, we are making paper leaf gliders! This fun hands-on activity will help your students understand concepts like aerodynamics and fine motor skills. It is also a great way for your students to utilize their observational skills. To help your students understand the...
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Get to Know Your Students Using Mizzen – Decorate a Notebook

Get to Know Your Students Using Mizzen – Decorate a Notebook

**Don’t know what the Mizzen app is? Check out the Mizzen website to learn more about the tools and resources it offers!** Last year I had the opportunity to demo this and a handful of other activities on the Network's Facebook Live. I started the series with this particular activity...
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Welcome Back to (After) School

Welcome Back to (After) School

As a new school year kicks off, we at the Network wish you all the best. We hope we can provide you with an abundance of resources and tools to help you throughout. After School is a place where the magic never stops, and the adventure never ends. Welcome Back!...
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Simply STEM (August)

Simply STEM (August)

Welcome to this month’s Simply STEM activity! Today, we are recreating a small desert! With just 3 ingredients, we will learn how to recreate the gritty texture of sand at home! This is a quick and easy lesson to introduce your students to different biomes and ecosystems! Time: 25 minutes ...
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