Celebrate Lights On Afterschool (and have some fun)!

This October marks the 26th year of the nationwide Lights On Afterschool celebration. Each year thousands of programs and tens of thousands of children take part in events, recognitions, and…

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Keeping Current to Get Ahead: Accelerate Staff Impact with Summer Momentum

As the summer winds down and sights start to get set on gearing up your afterschool program, many of the staff that worked those long hot days will be back…

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Keeping Current to Get Ahead: Creating the Climate for Retention

When I used to work in the West Haven Community House summer program we would go on field trips five days per week. These trips kept the staff engaged, and…

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Keeping Current to Get Ahead: Creating Pathways for Advancement

As the out-of-school time research base grows demonstrating the benefits of afterschool and summer programs, opportunities for growth and advancement in the field as a viable career have become reality.…

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Keeping Current to Get Ahead: Giving Back to the Community

Teaching the children we work with the importance of giving back to the community is a cornerstone of the work we do. This could be intergenerational programming, service learning projects,…

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Keeping Current to Get Ahead: Spring Forward with Fall Planning

The cold winter months have given way to moderate temperatures over the last few weeks. Children and staff want to get outside, to run around, play games, and get some…

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Keeping Current to Get Ahead: Sowing the Seeds of Interest

People talk about spring as a time of renewal, early spring flowers poke sprouts through the thawing ground. Days get a little longer and, after months of playing board games…

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