Check Out our new OregonASK website look &
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Launching Million Girls Moonshot
OregonASK is joining the Million Girls Moonshot, a collective impact initiative designed to increase diversity and equity in STEM. As all 50 states join the launch, the Million Girls Moonshot aims to help close the persistent gender gap in STEM fields by engaging 1 million girls across the United States in STEM pursuits through high-quality, innovative afterschool learning opportunities over the next five years. The Intel Foundation has joined with STEM Next Opportunity Fund, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to launch the Million Girls Moonshot.
This initiative is more important now than ever as the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered learning opportunities and exacerbated the impact of the digital divide and the engineering skills gap among school-age children and youth of color. OregonASK looks forward to helping programs provide transformative programming that will equip and inspire young people throughout Oregon.
A big thank you to the partners who have already begun this work with us; Saturday Academy, ORTOP, PCC STEM Center, STEM Academy at OSU, and Oregon MESA. Please contact bethany.thramer@oregonask.org for more information about getting connected.
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Oregon Afterschool Conference Going Virtual
Like so many things this year, the Oregon Afterschool Conference will look a little different. From October 13th through 22nd, conference 'sessions' will be offered at various times of day. The conference will also include the first-ever 9 state, one-day virtual conference experience on October 16th, Open. Programs from across the western United States will be joining for 2 youth panels, 12 sessions, a keynote, and extended networking with peers from various states.
REGISTER HERE for $99/person and select as many of the 'sessions' as you'd like. You will then be directed to make your own profile for the multi-state day where you can RSVP to build your day's agenda.
This year's sessions include guest presenters providing insight and expertise heavily focused on social, emotional, and mental supports. We are looking forward to offering several opportunities for participants to gather information and ideas on dealing with the current reality we are all experiencing, both in supporting youth and taking care of ourselves. Here are some highlighted sessions for this year's virtual conference you won't want to miss!
Melinda Benson, Program Coordinator at Inclusive Partners facilitating, Is Inclusion Still a Thing, a Set 1 in Special Needs category of Core Knowledge Categories offered at 2 different times the week of October 12th.
Mark Jackson, the Executive Director of REAP, Inc in Portland will be facilitating a session titled, Supporting Youth With Anti-Racist, Trauma Informed Approaches on October 22nd.
And one of our presenters from last year, licensed psychologist Dr. Rick Robinson will be presenting on October 21st on Adopting Resilient Strategies for Youth and Adults. Dr Robinson will be emphasizing strategies we can use today as youth and adults alike continue to deal with trauma daily in the wake and ongoing COVID pandemic.
We also have 3 sessions being facilitated by Lines for Life including Mental Health 101, a Youth Panel on YouthLine, and a district staff focused session on Responding to Adi's Act.
Register Now to reserve your 'seat' in one or all of these sessions!
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Lights On Afterschool Celebrating Afterschool Rising to the Challenge
Lights On Afterschool is an annual event where more than a million people nationwide gather to shine a light on the importance of afterschool programs in keeping kids safe, helping working families, and inspiring learning.
Pre-Lights On Afterschool Multi State Virtual Town Hall October 21st
RSVP now to join us on October 21st from 3-4:30pm as we hear from leaders and afterschool champions as we recognize what afterschool is doing for youth, celebrate the afterschool workforce, and stand with champions from 10 states across the West.
Join us for the Open Minds Open Spaces Virtual Town Hall Celebration for Afterschool!
Oregon partners and afterschool champions will be joining to speak about the role expanded learning programs play, particularly in helping youth develop skills and explore career paths.
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How is COVID-19 affecting your program this fall?
We need your help to continue to tell the story of the ways in which COVID-19 is impacting your program and the kids and families you serve. By taking Afterschool Alliance’s short survey, you are lifting up challenges programs face as the pandemic continues, and, more importantly, your answers will raise awareness of the short- and long-term effects of COVID-19 on the afterschool field.
Take the survey now and have a chance to win a $50 gift card! Five winners will be selected at random each week the survey is open.
This is Wave 3 of the Afterschool in the Time of COVID-19 tracking survey, with findings from previous waves shared with federal policy makers and featured in publications. across the country. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes of your time and your responses will be anonymous. The survey will close on Monday, Oct. 26.
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Word of the Month: Aligning & Defining Expanded Learning in Oregon
To continue thoughtful discussion on how we use language when discussing expanded learning, equity, and quality in Oregon, we want to help ensure we have the same understanding about the terms we are using. This month's Word of the Month is:
Systems Change: A process designed to address the root causes of social problems and fundamentally alter the components and structures that perpetuate them in public systems (i.e. education system, child welfare system, etc.).
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National Preparedness Month Demonstrated Our Need to Prepare
At the start of September, we could not have predicted what an important month it would be to help make sure we were all prepared for the unknown. Wildfires swept across our state, claiming lives and devastating entire communities. While heroes of all sorts stepped up to support individuals, families, businesses, and our hard-working fire fighters, it also became clear that NOW is the time to prepare. OregonASK hosted our final 2 Weeks Ready Community Conversation this month in preparation for a final report analyzing feedback from child care and community partners in order to provide more tangible supports and recommendations for care providers to be equipped and prepared for the uncertain future. The 2 Week Ready Interim Report is out now, outlining some of the information we've been able to gather over the last year.
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Resources & Supports to Share with Families |
Pandemic EBT was officially extended until September so families can apply now to receive additional food support while students are not in school. Find out more HERE about how much families are eligible for. If you need more information about 'applying' or the process of receiving CLICK HERE.
Oregon Department of Education is working on providing more information to families in their primary language. See the most recent clip from Univision on school reopening and helping keep students healthy in Spanish HERE.
Find more information about Wildfire Food Relief through Oregon Food Bank HERE and more comprehensive information about how individual communities can access or provide support, check out this article from The Oregonian in September. |
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Mizzen by Mott Quality Systems Professional Development Series
This 3 part series will help afterschool leaders understand how the Mizzen by Mott app is being utilized and how we can more comprehensively use it within a continuous improvement model as we strengthen program quality systems across Oregon. Afterschool and expanded learning network leaders from across the country will be joining to share and discuss.
- October 5th, 11am
- October 29th, 12pm
- November 16th, 11am
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2020-21 Save the Dates!
October 13th - 22nd: Oregon Afterschool Virtual Conference including
October 16th Open Spaces, Open Minds 9-State Conference
October 21st: Multi-State Virtual Town Hall Celebrating Lights On Afterschool
October 22nd: Lights On Afterschool
December 4th: OregonASK Partner Meeting
February 19, 2021: OregonASK Partner Meeting
May 14, 2021: OregonASK Partner Meeting
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OregonASK Expanded Learning Partnership
Wilsonville, OR 97070
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