Monday, March 1 – Supercharging Academics and Enrichment in the Summertime
Co-Presenters: Afterschool Alliance and PBS Kids
Watch the Recording | Download the Presentation Slides
A recent New York Times headline reads: “Summer School is a Hot Idea Right Now, Could it Work?” In the words of NSLA’s founder, Dr. Matthew Boulay, “Summer learning is not summer school. In fact, the most successful summer experiences often feel as different from formal schooling as possible.” With CARES Act Relief funding trickling down to states and widening COVID-19 disparities, all eyes are on summer as a strategy to accelerate learning, particularly in reading and math. This “basecamp” session dives into the data on learning loss, a new vision for summer school and offers a blueprint for harnessing the power of summer to support critical reading and math skills in fun and engaging ways.
Featured Speakers:
- Karl Alexander, Academy Professor and John Dewey Professor Emeritus, Sociology, Johns Hopkins University
- Kurt Klynen, Apple Distinguished Educator
- Wing Yi (Winnie) Chan, Director of P-12 Research, The Education Trust
- Kurtis Donnelly, Chief, Arts & Learning Academies, Young Audiences Maryland
- Emma Dorn, Education Practice Manager, McKinsey and Company
- Lauren Kellner Rudolph, Managing Program Director, Breakthrough Miami
- Megan Kuhfeld, Researcher, NWEA
- Kate Barrett, Editorial Director, PBS LearningMedia
Tuesday, March 2 – Powering Healthy Minds and Bodies
Co-Presenters: American Camp Association and Alliance for a Healthier Generation
Safe places to learn, healthy food, rich community resources, and access to boundless opportunities…every child, regardless of zip code, deserves a joyful, safe and healthy summer. How do we achieve this in a COVID-19 era? With the rollout of vaccinations and new C.D.C. guidelines for school reopening, experts will share the latest health and safety protocols for summer programs and offer best practices to power healthy minds and bodies for learners and leaders alike.
Featured Speakers:
- Tom Rosenberg, President and CEO, American Camp Association
- Laurie Browne, PhD, Director of Research, American Camp Association
- Daniel Hatcher, Director of Community Partnerships, Alliance for a Healthier Generation
- Carlos Santini, Executive Vice President of Programs, After-School All-Stars National
- Laura Blaisdell, Pediatrician & Medical Director, Camp Winnebago
- Katarina Corda, Director of Program Development, Girls on the Run International
- Jessie Emmons, Director of Youth Development & Innovation, Frost Valley YMCA
- Hannah Smith, Senior Youth Director, YMCA of the Triangle
Wednesday, March 3 – Strength and Conditioning in Program Operations & Partnerships
Co-Presenters: National Afterschool Association and Every Hour Counts
Time: 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Quality is well-defined in summer programs — whether in-person, hybrid, or virtual, certain elements around high-quality, small group instruction, physical and emotional safety, and family involvement hold true. An intentional and impactful program design begins with great vision, leadership, and a solid operational plan that strengthens and conditions your program for the long haul. How will your team build a caring, safe culture and sense of community among students, staff, and families? In what ways will you weave together funding and find community partners to serve more students during the COVID-19 era? Let our “endurance coaches” show you the way.
Featured Speakers:
- Christine Cray, Director of Student Services Reforms, Pittsburgh Public Schools
- Melanie Claxton, Coordinator of Out-of-School Time, Pittsburgh Public Schools
- Dawn Hill, Manager of Youth Programs & Business Partnerships, City of Charlotte
- Mary Paranac, Senior Director of Program Design, Springboard Collaborative
- Jennifer Peck, President and CEO, Partnership for Children and Youth
- Chris Smith, President & Executive Director, Boston AfterSchool & Beyond
- Gina Warner, Chief Executive Officer, National Afterschool Association
- Laura Zahn, Founder and CEO, Generation Teach
Thursday, March 4 – Raising the Bar on SEL and Cultural Relevance in Summer Programs
Co-Presenters: MENTOR, SCOPE, PASE (Partnership for Afterschool Education)
Time: 1:00 – 3:00 PM
According to the C.D.C., mental health-related hospital emergency department visits, between March and October 2020 rose 24 percent for children ages five to eleven and 31 percent among adolescents ages 12 to 17 when compared to the same period in 2019. With a pandemic, a recession, and national racial unrest, the social-emotional health of America’s students has never been more important. Explore how out-of-school programs are uniquely positioned to develop a common vision and quality practices for social-emotional learning, along with what it looks like in advancing equity and culturally relevant teaching and learning experiences.
Featured Speakers:
- David Shapiro, Chief Executive Officer, The National Mentoring Partnership, MENTOR
- Dawn Ewing, Executive Director, Project Morry
- Jon Fortt, Co-anchor, CNBC’s “Squawk Alley” and Founder of The Black Experience in America: The Course
- Roberto Gil, Deputy Director of Camping, Fresh Air Fund
- Pam Gregory, President & CEO, Princeton-Blairstown Center
- Lauren McCabe, Assistant Director & Emotional Learning, Boston After School & Beyond
- Deborah Moroney, Vice President, American Institutes for Research
- Sam Obeid, Program Director, ANYTOWN®, Community Tampa Bay
- Kim Howard Robinson, Managing Director, Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality
- Bernadette Sánchez, Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago
Friday, March 5 – Meet the Experts: Office Hours for One-on-One Summer Consultation
Time: 1:00 – 3:00 PM