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Professional Development Catalog
All trainings can be adapted to meet your specific needs and can be presented in person or virtually.
Amplify Family Engagement and Student Success through Communication and Collaboration
Parents and families are a crucial component of children’s lives. Effective guidance from afterschool professionals enhances the academic and social-emotional support they provide their children. Research shows that children do better in school, improve their attitudes and behaviors, and are less likely to drop out of school when parents are involved in their education. Afterschool professionals can build parents’ knowledge and confidence and serve as an important liaison between families and regular school day staff. Join us as we discuss strategies for encouraging open, two-way conversation between parents and afterschool staff and providing essential resources by connecting families to community services and supports. Celebrate what is good about your current family engagement framework and discover how you can amplify it to a new level!
Being Strategic in the Midst of Conflict: Conflict Resolution and Bullying Prevention
“The quality of our lives depends not on whether or not we have conflicts, but on how we respond to them.” (Thomas Crum) This session will provide tools and strategies that youth and staff can use when conflicts arise. We will share activity ideas that promote cooperation and respect to help youth interact in positive ways. We will also talk about creating anti-bullying policies and communicating those policies and expectations clearly and concisely with youth, families, and staff.
Beyond Burnout: Rebooting for the New Challenges of Life for School-Age Providers
The world of afterschool is currently facing unique challenges. With staff shortages, hiring challenges, and returns to COVID safe practices, afterschool educators are beyond burn out. This training will provide information about practical considerations for refueling and rebooting. Self-preservation and staff care continue to be critical elements of daily success. The stress level of afterschool providers can affect their health and well-being as well as their job satisfaction and teacher retention. It is essential that educators take time to tackle ongoing burnout, promote health, and protect themselves from the negative effects of stress. Discover strategies and practices to continue to take care of self and staff and create a positive environment for your program.
Bolster Executive Functioning Skills to Prepare Kids for School and Beyond
Do you have students who struggle with self-regulation and impulse control? What about organization and time management? These and other executive functioning skills are important aspects of early learning and development. Join us as we share practical, age-appropriate strategies for promoting and coaching the development of executive functioning skills for children of all ages, thus setting students up for social and academic success.
Boosting Brain Skills through Play: Executive Functioning in Action
Looking for practical ways to help kids build focus, memory, and self-control? Join us to explore how everyday play activities can strengthen executive functioning skills—essential for school success and lifelong learning. Learn how to spot these skills in action and use easy-to-implement games and strategies to coach and support children as they build and improve their executive functioning skills.
Bridging the Gap with Parents
Parents and families are a crucial component of children’s lives. Effective guidance from childcare and afterschool professionals can enhance the academic and social support they provide for their children. Research shows that children do better in school, improve their attitudes and behaviors, and are less likely to drop out of school when parents are involved in their education. Afterschool teachers can serve as an important liaison between families and regular school day staff. Join us as we discuss strategies that encourage open, two-way conversation between parents and childcare/afterschool staff and ways to provide essential resources for families by connecting them to services and supports in the community.
Build a Positive Culture: We are Better Together!
Positivity is powerful! Recruit and retain well-prepared and committed staff to serve our children by building a positive culture, or personality. The culture of an afterschool program can have a great effect on youth development. Establishing an effective communication plan keeps all stakeholders informed and can clarify and unite for a common goal. Building trust and collaboration is beneficial to fostering a caring staff. Creating positive relationships with stakeholders, establishing a shared vision, and setting the tone are essential. Join us to review and discuss the three C’s of positive culture: caring, communication, and collaboration. We are certainly better together!
Build Your Dream Team! Recruiting, Hiring, and Retaining Outstanding Educators
Skilled and knowledgeable program staff are the key to having a quality program that leads to positive youth outcomes. In this session, we will discuss effective ways to use local resources to find and attract talent that fits the culture and needs of your program. We will also provide tips for improving the effectiveness of your interviewing process and ensuring that your onboarding practices prepare your new staff members for success.
Building Capacity from Within: Shifting from Leadership to Buildership
Building on a previous session, Building Teams and Relationships, this session will help turn your center/school into a success story with the people and resources you already have. We will discuss your purpose, people, plan, pathway, and pulling it all together so that you can begin to write your success story today!
Building Connections: Engaging Ideas for Teambuilding and Get-to-Know Activities
Children who feel safe and secure are more able to focus their energy on learning. Co-workers who enjoy each other’s company and feel a sense of belonging often experience a boost in morale and motivation. Join us for this interactive session as we explore a variety of engaging activities designed to foster teamwork, enhance communication, and deepen interpersonal relationships. Try these activities with children or with colleagues to promote collaboration and strengthen your program culture!
Building Resilience for Lifelong Success
Educators can help children build resilience by encouraging a growth mindset, teaching problem-solving skills, and providing emotional support. Join us to discover practical strategies for building resilience in our children so they can thrive academically, socially and emotionally!
Building Stronger Connections with Families
This training will empower teachers with tools and strategies needed to foster meaningful relationships with students' families. Create a supportive and respectful partnership through effective communication, cultural sensitivity, and collaboration. Learn how to engage parents and caregivers effectively, address concerns, and build a community that supports student learning and well-being.
Building Teams and Relationships
How can you build positive, productive, caring teams in the workplace? It begins with building positive relationships and setting clear expectations within your organization along with injecting a bit of humor along the way. Team building has several major objectives, one of which is enhancing good communication with participants as team members and individuals. There is also increased productivity and creativity which only supports the morale and positive rapport within your organization. Research has found when teams are at their personal best, they follow these five practices: model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encourage the heart. This training offers a powerful opportunity for you to reflect on each essential element, think beyond your personal agenda, and to involve others in the planning and the doing while having fun along the way.
Challenge Kids with Robots and Coding
Robots teach kids how to code while they play. Introducing school-age and preschool children to robotics and coding promotes creativity and logical thinking. Through coding activities, children learn and practice problem-solving skills, critical thinking, perseverance, and resilience. Join us for hands-on practice with our kid-friendly robots – Bee-Bot, Dash, and Ozobot. (Note: Due to the hands-on nature of the topic, we prefer to conduct this session face-to-face.)
Commit to Be Fit! Routines and Practices to Offer Physical Activity and Healthy Lifestyles
Be active! Be healthy! Be happy! These are habits we want to instill in our youth. Join us as we share ideas about how to encourage youth to be physically active by planning and implementing a variety of physical activities that can be integrated across programming. We will address meeting the needs, interests, abilities, and talents of all youth and even how to engage families in physical activity! We will also discuss strategies for promoting hygiene best practices and precautions and for protecting youth from spreading illness.
Communicate, Collaborate, Celebrate! How Out-of-School Can Support Regular School Day Learning
Challenge children intellectually, creatively, and physically by weaving learning into your programming and linking program activities to the school day curriculum. During this session, we will share ideas for offering deep experiential activities not usually available during the school day and how to foster regular conversations between out-of-school staff and regular school day staff.
Community: Building Partnerships for Sustainability
Would you like to see additional programs at your site without having to plan them? Or maybe get free treats for your students and staff? Join us as we discuss how to leverage partners in your community to create more successful programs. Topics discussed will include how to find partners, the initial ask for partnership, including your partners in planning, and more.
Connect, Collaborate, Conquer: Building Team Potential
In today's dynamic workplace, success hinges on building strong, collaborative teams. This interactive session will empower leaders to foster meaningful workplace connections and build supportive work environments. Fun, engaging activities will spark discourse about effective communication and meaningful team building. Through interaction and discussions, attendees will reflect on the value of beneficial leadership practices such as creating essential support systems, incorporating inclusive decision-making, and regularly recognizing staff and program strengths and successes. Participants will examine the characteristics of emotional intelligence and the important role it plays in establishing and repairing professional relationships. Learn about practical tools and strategies that will help you create a collaborative, resilient program culture that elevates both individual and team potential.
Connections that Count: Helping Every Child Feel Seen, Safe, and Significant
When children feel seen, safe, and significant, they’re more likely to thrive—emotionally, socially, and behaviorally. Join us to learn practical strategies, low-risk connection routines, and easy-to-use tools that build strong relationships and positive group culture. We will share simple yet powerful ways to foster a sense of belonging and help every child feel that they matter.
Conquering Challenging Conversations with Parents and Caregivers
Working as a team with parents and caregivers when students face academic or behavioral challenges can have a huge impact on helping students overcome obstacles and achieve success. But getting the conversation started can be a bit daunting. In this session, we will share strategies for engaging with families in a constructive manner and navigating through tough dialogues effectively. By fostering understanding and building strong partnerships, you can successfully address challenging topics so that students can thrive.
Creating Pathways to STEM for All
Early experiences often shape children's beliefs about who can succeed in STEM. These limiting messages can be unintentionally reinforced through daily routines and practices. By increasing our awareness of these messages and recognizing and respecting the unique backgrounds and perspectives of the students in our out-of-school programs, we can create an environment in which all students feel empowered, challenged, supported, and have full access to STEM opportunities. Join us as we explore ways to address the gaps that exist in STEM participation. By increasing excitement about STEM and improving opportunities for STEM engagement, we can boost student confidence and ultimately have a positive impact on their future life choices.
Creating Spaces that Support Positive Behavior
Looking for effective positive guidance strategies and practical ways to minimize challenging behaviors? This interactive session addresses how the physical environment can be a strong ally in behavior management and includes tips for using responsive guidance techniques that honor children's developmental needs. Participants will gain practical tools to transform both their guidance approaches and physical spaces to prevent challenging behaviors before they start.
Cultivating Empathy: Helping Sensitivity and Kindness Blossom
Empathy is a fundamental part of building positive friendships and relationships. Moreover, it significantly contributes to overall well-being and mental health. Join us as we share age-specific strategies designed to help children learn empathic skills. Build an environment in which sensitivity and kindness thrive, thus creating a positive ripple effect that will enrich your entire classroom culture.
Differences in You and Me: Embracing the Differences You See
This session will help out-of-school time professionals understand the importance of embracing the uniqueness of the students within their programs. We live in a society full of differing backgrounds and perspectives, and it is important that educators help students navigate the differences they see and understand how they shape our overall growth.
Do All Stakeholders Feel Safe? Creation of a Safe, Supportive Environment
Does your program have structures and strategies in place to create a safe and supportive environment for all? It is important to foster a safe physical environment coupled with a comfortable learning environment in which children feel safe, relaxed, and willing to take risks, especially for learners who may have had negative experiences. Children often describe supportive learning environments as places that expand their sense of family and in which they feel safe to take risks. We will explore routines and strategies to employ to provide a safe, supportive environment where children can grow.
Don't Reinvent the Wheel: Resources to Improve and Enhance Learning Opportunities
Great teachers and childcare providers are always reflecting upon lessons and wish to provide quality experiences for children. Finding resources and lessons takes time. Join us to discover strategies and resources to enrich your program. Working together sure makes us smarter!
Empowering Children through Voice and Choice
Sometimes it is difficult to let go, but if we want children to be independent thinkers and learners, that is exactly what we need to do. Allowing children to direct some aspects of their learning and giving them opportunities to learn the way they learn best will encourage them to be more invested in the learning process, which will result in more meaningful learning. In this session, we will share strategies for creating an environment that invites children to share their ideas and take ownership of their learning. Empowered students are engaged students!
Empowering Students to Own their Strengths and Unleash Individual Potential
In this interactive session, educators will discover powerful approaches they can implement to help students recognize and leverage their unique strengths. Learn practical strategies for identifying individual student capabilities and supporting students’ self-reflection. Through hands-on activities and collaborative discussions, explore ways to shift students' perspectives from deficit-based to strengths-based thinking. Investigate tools for helping students develop self-awareness, build resilience, and create personalized action plans that capitalize on their individual talents. Leave with concrete strategies to empower students to understand their exceptional qualities, embrace a growth mindset, and confidently chart their personal and academic paths. By focusing on strengths rather than limitations, help students own their strengths, develop meaningful, achievable goals, and unleash their full potential!
Engaged: Building Intentional Partnerships with Families
Successfully engaging families in your programs can result in positive learning and social emotional outcomes for children and their families, but it can also positively impact program staff and communities. In this session, we will focus on key points from the book Engaged: Building Intentional Partnerships with Families, from the Parents as Teachers National Center. We will look at family engagement as it relates to 10 key values including trust, compassion, and generosity. Through targeted discussions during this session, celebrate what is good about your current family engagement framework and discover what you can do to elevate it to a new level.
Engineering Tomorrow's Possibilities: STEM Design Challenges After the Bell
Today's youth will be the architects of our future's limitless potential! Through engineering design challenges, you can inspire them to imagine and innovate while building a strong foundation for future STEM learning. These engaging, student-centered activities open doors to exploration, learning, and growth, fostering essential skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication in youth of all ages. Join us as we share key strategies and insights for guiding students through the design process and helping them uncover capabilities they never knew they possessed. Together, we'll explore how afterschool STEM challenges can transform potential into tangible possibilities. Are you ready to unleash boundless possibilities and empower the engineers of tomorrow?
Everyone Can STEM!
In today’s world, it is important for children from preschool through adolescence to be regularly engaged in STEM learning. But facilitating STEM activities can be a bit intimidating for many educators. The goal of this session is to increase teachers’ confidence in their ability to incorporate STEM learning activities into their regular programming. Together, we will explore the basic guidelines for STEM learning and share several simple, inexpensive ideas that you can try with your students. Uncover the joy of exploration and discovery that you and your students can experience by engaging in the STEM learning process together!
Feel the Power of Positivity! Promoting a Positive Mindset to Achieve Positive Outcomes
Students and teachers alike will benefit when you boost the positive energy of your afterschool or childcare program. Join us as we discuss strategies for creating a culture of positivity among students and staff. Talking points will include the benefits of shifting from punishment to positive guidance, the importance of highlighting student and staff successes, and ideas for program activities that inspire positive behavior, cooperative learning, and positive peer-to-peer interactions.
Financial Literacy: Prepare Our Youth in Money Management
Financial literacy lessons teach children the basics of money management: budgeting, saving, debt, investing, and giving. That knowledge lays a foundation for our youth to build strong money habits early on and avoid many of the mistakes that lead to lifelong money struggles. Explore the benefits and importance of teaching financial literacy to our youth. Learn about resources to employ and steps you can implement to ensure an impactful experience to prepare our children for life.
Fostering Positive Relationships to Build an Effective Team
Part of being an effective team is forming and maintaining positive relationships among staff. Positivity is contagious, but so is negativity. In this session, we will examine strategies for engaging in important coaching discussions, tackling those difficult conversations when necessary, and breaking down barriers to communication. Creating a culture of collaboration will help you build trust and foster positive relationships among staff, which will positively impact the overall quality of your childcare or afterschool program.
Fun in the Sun with STEM!
Want to add some sizzle to your summer programming? This session will introduce educators to engaging activities that can be implemented during summertime learning experiences, leveraging the unique opportunities that the summer season provides. Participants will explore a range of activities and will leave with a toolkit of creative and effective activities that will inspire and excite their students about STEM, both during the summer and throughout the school year.
Fun, Hands-On Activities
Children are naturally curious about the world. Embrace their inquisitiveness and spark their curiosity by providing enriching, hands-on activities. Join us to discover inexpensive activities that will spark interest and engage learners of any age in your program. Uncover the joy of exploration and discovery that you and your students can experience by engaging in hands-on learning activities together!
Growing Together: Teambuilding Ideas for Cultivating Connections among Staff
Strong teams start with strong connections! In this interactive session, participants will explore engaging teambuilding activities designed to foster positive relationships, enhance communication, and strengthen emotional intelligence among staff. Through hands-on exercises and discussions, participants will gain practical strategies for building a sense of community, improving collaboration, and creating a supportive work environment where educators thrive.
Growing Tomorrow's Leaders: Cultivating Habits and Skills for Success
Strong leaders aren’t born – they’re grown through intentional practice and supportive guidance. In this training, we’ll explore practical strategies for developing leadership skills among your staff members to build a more empowered and effective team. Discover how to foster habits of effective communication, responsibility and accountability, teamwork and collaboration, and creative problem-solving in your staff. By cultivating these skills, you’ll help your team members grow in confidence and capability, equipping them to lead with clarity, compassion, and innovation in their daily work and future roles.
Heroes Get Tired, Too! Caring for Self and Staff
Educators work hard to bring their best selves to the classroom every day while they juggle individual student needs, set ambitious goals, and often work long hours. Many providers also face escalating job demands with few resources while they work with students who face complex trauma, behavioral difficulties and learning challenges. The stress level of teachers can affect their health and well-being as well as their job satisfaction and teacher retention. It is essential for educators to take time to prevent burnout, promote health, and protect themselves from the negative effects of stress. Discover strategies and practices to take care self and staff, creating a positive environment for all.
How to Engage Your Parents in Your Activities
Have you ever had a family engagement activity where no parents showed up? This session will help educators learn different ways to engage with families in their programs. We will also discuss scheduling and partners who can help with providing these activities.
Imagine, Create, Innovate with Engineering Design Challenges
Today’s youth are the innovators of tomorrow who will shape our future! Through engineering design challenges, you can inspire children to imagine and create and build a foundation for future STEM learning. These engaging, student-centered activities are great opportunities for you and your students to explore, learn, and grow together and can help children of all ages practice important problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills. Join us as we share essential strategies and insights needed to effectively guide students through the stages of the design process and help them discover capabilities they didn’t know they had. Are you ready to empower the engineers of tomorrow?
Implementing Best Practices to Increase Engagement
Are you seeking new strategies to engage your school-age children? Let’s explore best practices to help increase achievement for struggling students, reduce disruption and allow a positive, productive environment.
It's All About Relationships: Build and Support Others
Building and supporting relationships is crucial for personal and professional growth. It involves effective communication, active listening, empathy, and being there for others. Strong relationships can lead to mutual benefits and a positive environment for everyone involved. How do you build relationships with colleagues? This session will offer ideas and allow participants to share their successes.
Keeping Kids Safe: Physically, Socially, and Emotionally
A safe environment is essential for children of all ages. The gap in time between the ringing of the school bell and when adults arrive home from work has long been a concern of families and community members due to the potential dangers and risky behaviors that take place after school. In this session, we will explore the revisions and additions to the “Health and Safety Guidelines, Requirements and Procedures for Out-of-School Time Facilities Participating in the Child Care Subsidy Program” that were made so that a greater number of children may be served in our state. In addition, we will examine strategies and best practices to address student needs and increase engagement to offer a better experience for all.
Leadership Series (3 Sessions)
Part 1 - Understanding Your Leadership Style - Learn about transformational, servant, democratic, autocratic, and laissez-faire leadership styles. Which type of leader are you?
Part 2 - Your Leadership Journey - Review main ideas from session 1 and discuss connections you have made as you have grown in your leadership role.
Part 3 - Developing Your Leadership Profile - Develop a deeper understanding of your leadership style, your strengths, and the supports you need.
Learning Styles to Engage and Support Learners
This session will introduce childcare providers to the various learning styles and inventories that are available to help differentiate information to help support and engage students in the classroom. Even our youngest learners have unique learning styles, and it is important to recognize those to help them continue to grow in their academic and social needs.
Letting Kids Lead: Voice and Choice in Summer Programs
Summer is the perfect time to give kids more ownership of their learning and play. This session explores simple, effective ways to incorporate voice and choice into your program. Discover how empowering children to make decisions can boost engagement, build confidence, and create meaningful learning experiences all season long.
Leveraging Partnerships through Afterschool
Partnerships are a fundamental part of the success of a community. Schools, businesses, organizations, and people are all pieces of a community. In this session, we will discuss key ways to leverage partnerships throughout your community through afterschool. Afterschool programs are a fun place to engage students, but they also are a gateway to your community. Be prepared to network and share resources with other participants, as well as learn new strategies to build a strong afterschool program and strengthen community partnerships along the way.
Make Summer Shine with Effective Staff Preparation and Communication
Set your summer staff up for success! This session will cover practical approaches to ensure your team is well-prepared, informed, and connected, so they can provide a positive and seamless experience for children and families throughout the summer. Learn how strong communication and effective planning lead to a more engaged, confident, and successful summer staff.
Morale - The Foundation for Building and Sustaining a Healthy Work Environment
A healthy culture boosts morale. Healthy interpersonal relationships, management styles, HR, and many more factors influence culture. Focusing on the 3Ts: Tone, Time, Talent Support and Development will help leaders/directors set the tone of the culture in their building and boost the morale of employees. This session will help leaders/directors understand the need to be welcoming and respectful to all and to create a voice for employees to boost the morale of their organization and in turn strengthen the work of their employees.
Motivate, Captivate, Educate! Strategies for Increasing Student Engagement
When children are engaged in the learning process, motivation and achievement increase. Keeping students engaged is a common challenge faced by educators at any level. Join us as we share best practices and strategies for increasing student engagement in out-of-school time, reducing disruptions, and creating a positive, productive learning environment.
Noticing, Naming, and Navigating Emotions
Children often have BIG emotions – both positive and negative. Learning how to acknowledge and label these feelings is a vital part of healthy social and emotional development. Join us as we discuss strategies for guiding students to better understand, express, and handle their emotions. Checking in emotionally with students and validating their experiences will move them forward on the path to stronger relationships and overall emotional intelligence.
Nurturing Problem-Solvers: Helping Children Learn to Navigate Conflict
Children experience conflicts every day—but with the right guidance, those moments can become powerful learning opportunities. Join us to explore simple, effective strategies for coaching children through conflict. Discover practical tools you can use to model problem-solving, encourage respectful communication, and help kids build the skills they need to navigate conflict resolution challenges with confidence.
Nurturing Resilience for Success in School and Beyond
Nurturing resilience is crucial for success in both school and beyond. Encouraging a growth mindset, teaching problem-solving skills, and providing emotional support can all help individuals bounce back from challenges and setbacks. Developing strong social connections and maintaining a healthy work-life balance also contribute to building resilience. Remember, setbacks are opportunities for growth! Join us to discover practical strategies to help nurture resilience so our children can thrive academically, socially and emotionally!
Opening Doors to STEM Learning through Literature
Afterschool and summer programs are tasked with building reading skills and incorporating STEM experiences into their programming. Why not combine the two? Let's talk about ways to use literature to get kids excited about STEM and use STEM activities to bring characters and stories to life. Blending STEM and reading will deepen students' reading comprehension and overall understanding of STEM concepts and help them make authentic, real-world connections. You are bound to see increased motivation, improved learning, and genuine teamwork!
Pathways to New Experiences through Service-Learning in Afterschool
Picture a room full of children reading books they have written and illustrated to smiling senior citizens, a vacant lot buzzing with activity as children work to transform it into a community garden, or groups of children developing a recycling plan for their school community. When children engage in service-learning opportunities such as these, they make a positive impact on their communities while experiencing great personal growth. Service-learning is a student-centered approach to community service designed around providing as much education as possible every step of the way. Join us as we discuss ideas for incorporating service-learning into your afterschool programming as a means of engaging the community and helping youth build new skills that will help them grow into responsible, caring citizens.
Perception vs. Reality - Are your mission, goals, and objectives aligned for quality improvement?
We often think that our mission, goals, and objectives are aligned for success, but have you taken the time to review these with your staff? This session will have participants review key documents (mission, goals, and objectives) to determine if alignment is there for overall quality improvement. It is also important that these items are truly a part of the overall culture and not just words on paper.
Planning Lessons for Afterschool (Part 1)
Need help with developing units of study or devising lesson plans? In Planning Lessons for Afterschool Part 1, we will brainstorm and share ideas for potential units of study and engaging lessons. We will also provide tips for writing effective lesson plans and connecting those plans to the state standards. Collaborating and sharing successes can indeed enhance the learning experience. Join us to discover strategies and resources to enrich your lessons and programs. We are better together!
Planning Lessons for Afterschool (Part 2)
Need help with sparking interest and planning activities to meet your objectives? In Planning Lessons for Afterschool Part 2, we will discuss techniques that will help you grab the attention of students and strategies for planning engaging lessons that will sustain their interest. Collaborating and sharing successes can indeed enhance the learning experience. Join us to discover strategies and resources to enrich your lessons and programs. We are better together!
Planning Lessons for Afterschool (Part 3)
Need help with checking for understanding, closure of lessons and realistic timelines? In Planning Lessons for Afterschool Part 3, we will address strategies you can use to check for understanding and effectively close lessons, as well as setting realistic timelines for units of study. Collaborating and sharing successes can indeed enhance the learning experience. Join us to discover strategies and resources to enrich your lessons and programs. We are better together!
Planning Memorable and Engaging Family Nights
Interested in enhancing family involvement? In this training, we will offer practical tips and creative ideas for planning family nights that are not only enjoyable but also educational and foster strong connections between families, students, and the school community. We will discuss how to tailor activities to meet a variety of family needs, promote belonging, and create an atmosphere that encourages ongoing family participation. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped to design and organize events that will leave a lasting, positive impact on families and students alike.
Planting Seeds of Leadership: Growing Confident, Capable Youth
Building leadership skills in youth will create habits that will benefit them for life. These same skills can also significantly impact student self-confidence and belief in their abilities. Join us as we share practices for planting the seeds of effective communication, responsibility and accountability, teamwork and collaboration, and creative problem-solving to help your students blossom on their way to becoming well-rounded, successful adults.
Playing Nice with the School Staff
This session will help afterschool educators learn how to build and strengthen relationships with school day staff and administration and align afterschool programming with the regular school day. Learn how to form a true partnership between school and afterschool, show your organization is a positive for the school, and get data and other things your program needs.
Positive Behavior Supports in Out-of-School
Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) is an evidence-based approach for establishing the social, cultural, and behavioral supports needed to establish an effective learning environment for all students. Consistency is the key to success. The afterschool program can help improve the school climate and reduce behavior management issues by integrating PBS strategies beyond the school day.
The Power of Thank You: Promoting Gratitude to Enhance Your Program Culture
Gratitude has the power to increase optimism and joy, decrease anxiety and depression, and strengthen feelings of connectedness. In this session, we will share research on the benefits of expressing gratitude and recommend strategies and resources to help you promote thankfulness in your program. Small acts and messages of gratitude can ripple outwards in big ways, and the more you practice gratitude, the more powerful it becomes!
Preparation + Communication = Staff Success
Hiring and retaining quality staff is essential to achieving program excellence. Join us as we discuss strategies for preparing your staff for success. We will address topics that include how to plan effective orientation procedures for new staff and how to conduct a needs assessment in order to provide ongoing professional development that reflects individual needs and promotes personal growth. We will also share suggestions for how to provide constructive feedback regarding individual performance goals. Positive communication between program leaders and staff will help your program employ best practices to meet the needs of the whole child.
Proactive Strategies to Establish Positive Behavior
Description coming!
Project-Based Learning to Engage and Provide Voice and Choice
Voice and choice are an essential part of Project Based Learning that often gets overlooked. Voice and choice happen when the teacher relinquishes the leadership of the lessons and projects to students, allowing them to design their own projects that show off their learning in unique and individual ways. Join us to discover the facilitator’s role, to explore techniques for facilitating youth voice and to identify steps for incorporating youth voice in project-based learning.
Projects with a Purpose: Getting Started with Project-Based Learning
Add a sense of purpose and relevance to students’ summer learning experiences with project-based learning (PBL). In this session, we will discuss the basics of PBL and how to select projects that align with student interests and allow for authentic and meaningful experiences. We will also explore the benefits of PBL, including increased student engagement, deeper learning, and improved critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Promising Practices to Provide Positive Outcomes for Our Youth
With the growing need for afterschool, a large body of evidence exists that confirms quality afterschool programs help children become more engaged in school, reduce their likelihood of taking part in at-risk behaviors or acting out in school, and help raise their academic performance. Let’s explore promising practices that will provide a quality program for our youth, thus improving the chance that positive outcomes will occur.
Promoting Respect, Belonging, and Community for Lasting Impact
Every child deserves to feel seen and valued. Working to promote respect, belonging, and community can help develop a child’s sense of confidence in their personal and social identities and help them feel grounded in who they are, while also helping them comfortably and empathetically engage with people from all backgrounds. In this session, we will share strategies for creating a more welcoming classroom culture. We will also discuss ways to encourage children to understand, appreciate, include, and advocate for themselves and those around them. Join us for valuable resources and information that will help you improve your program and create a positive, lasting impact for children, families, and staff.
Protective Factors: Empowering Children to Thrive
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” (Desmond Tutu) Protective factors play a crucial role in promoting the health and emotional well-being of children and serve as a buffer to the potentially harmful effects of negative situations and events. In this session, we will discuss strategies that educators can use to strengthen protective factors and bolster the resiliency of their students. We will also discuss ways that programs can collaborate with families and support them in fostering attitudes and behaviors that empower children to thrive, even in the face of adversity.
Rain or Shine, It's Playtime! Finding Fun on Rainy Days
Stuck inside on a rainy day? This session will fill your toolbox with ideas to keep kids happy, active, engaged, and learning while developing important social skills such as teamwork and cooperation along the way.
Re-Energize, Refresh, and Reboot: Remembering the WHY
With a new year comes new possibilities! Devote some time this year to focusing on self-care and establishing healthy habits so that you can offer your best self to your students. Reignite your passion for teaching by reflecting on the difference you are making in the lives of children. Re-energize your lessons by daring to try new ideas and by collaborating with colleagues. Join us as we take some time to celebrate successes, share ideas, and remember the why!
Reflect, Reset, and Recharge!
Before diving into summer programs or planning for a new school year, take time to pause, reflect, and recharge. In this interactive session, educators will look back on key moments from the past year, celebrate growth, and identify lessons learned. Through guided reflection and practical strategies for renewal, you'll leave feeling re-centered, re-energized, and ready for what’s next.
Reflect, Reset, and Recharge! Self-Care for a Strong Start to the New Year
Start your school year grounded and recharged. Join us to explore the power of self-care—not as a luxury, but as a foundation for showing up with purpose, presence, and positivity. In this interactive session, you’ll reflect, reconnect with your purpose, and discuss simple self-care practices to help you show up with energy and intention all year long.
Relationships with Children are Essential: How to Build, Maintain, and Strengthen
Creating, maintaining, and strengthening relationships with students involves building trust, showing respect, and fostering a supportive environment. A positive teacher-student relationship enhances learning and personal growth. How do you build relationships with your students? The session will offer ideas and allow participants to share their successes.
Relationships with Families are Crucial: How to Build, Maintain, and Strengthen
Building, maintaining, and strengthening relationships with families is essential for student success. Open communication, mutual respect, and genuine care encourage engagement and support working relationships. Celebrate milestones and be present during challenges. It takes a continual effort to nurture these bonds. Join us as we discuss strategies for encouraging open, two-way conversations. The session will offer ideas and allow participants to share their successes.
Responding to Conflict in Productive Ways
Conflict is a natural part of life, so it is important to help children learn productive ways to handle conflict when it occurs. In this session, we will share tools and strategies that youth and staff can use when conflicts arise. We will also share tips for helping children learn to express their emotions and ideas for activities that promote cooperation and respect. Everyone wins when youth and staff interact in positive, productive ways!
Robotics for Beginners
Coding is the future! Introducing children from preschool and up to robotics and coding promotes creativity and logical thinking. Through coding activities, children learn and practice problem-solving skills, critical thinking, perseverance, and resilience. This session is intended to help teachers who are new to coding feel comfortable leading robotics and coding activities and learning alongside their students. Get hands-on practice with our kid-friendly robots – Bee-Bot, Dash, Dot, and Ozobot.
Share Your Story: Marketing Strategies to Sustain a Quality Program
You work hard to make your program the best it can be. It’s time to let people know about the great things you are doing! In this session, we will discuss strategies for marketing your program through both print and digital campaigns and social media. The more they know, the more you grow!
Spark Curiosity and Interest through STEM
The curiosity and creative thinking of children produce natural STEM learners. Children construct knowledge through observation, exploration, and experimentation. STEM learning uses teachable moments and children’s long-term investigations to build knowledge through developing children’s inquiry, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. By cultivating these critical skills teachers can positively influence children’s learning in the STEM disciplines. Join us to discover resources and strategies to prepare children for school and beyond.
STEM Family Night: Why, How, and Activities to Include
A STEM Family Night is an evening of hands-on science, math, and engineering activities for families to complete together. The event includes a variety of activities covering different STEM topics and connections to exciting STEM careers. Join us to discover why and how to get started planning a STEM Family Night that provides a fun, learning opportunity for children and families.
STEM: Inexpensive, Easy Activities to Implement and Engage our Youth
“Why does it rain?” “Why do boats float?” “How does an elevator work?” If you have a young child in your life, you likely hear many questions like this every day. Children are naturally curious about the world. Let’s embrace their inquisitiveness and spark their curiosity by providing a STEM-rich environment. Join us to discover inexpensive activities that will spark interest and engage learners of any age in your program.
Strengths-Based Approaches: Unlocking Youth and Family Potential
Discover the transformative power of strengths-based approaches in out-of-school time. In this session, we will explore how focusing on strengths can transform afterschool programs, leading to improved outcomes and stronger relationships and unlocking the full potential of the youth and families we serve. Discover core principles of the strengths-based approach that shift perspective from deficits to possibilities. Learn practical techniques for identifying and nurturing strengths in both youth and families. Practice recognizing hidden strengths and creating strengths-focused environments through interactive exercises. Join us to start turning potential into reality!
Strong Relationships, Stronger Teams: Building Staff Success
"The best leaders are those who inspire and empower others to reach their full potential." (Oprah Winfrey) Discover how to transform your childcare center through the power of meaningful relationships. In this interactive session, we will explore the pivotal role of effective communication, authentic appreciation, and consistent support in fostering a workplace culture that thrives on collaboration and mutual respect. Learn practical strategies to strengthen your team by cultivating an environment where every team member's voice is not only heard but celebrated, leading to increased engagement, retention, and professional growth.
Summer Memories: Creating Lasting Connections with Students through Engaging Programming
In this session, we will explore techniques for building meaningful connections with students, promoting positive relationships, and creating lasting memories that will extend beyond the summer months. Join us to gain practical knowledge and skills to enhance your ability to connect with students on a personal level through programming activities that promote student engagement, social-emotional learning, and community building.
Supervising Staff through Effective and Positive Practices
Retaining quality teachers and staff is an ongoing challenge. Program leaders set the tone for the environment! Join us as we discuss qualities that improve the effectiveness of supervisors. We will discuss tips for successfully building collaborative teams, supporting staff, conducting staff reviews, and determining which professional development opportunities would be most beneficial to your team. By supervising staff through effective and positive practices, you will create a safe, respectful, and rewarding work environment for all!
Taking Care of Staff
Childcare providers and educators work hard to bring their best selves to the classroom every day while they juggle individual student needs, set ambitious goals, and often work long hours. Many providers also face escalating job demands with few resources while they work with students who face complex trauma, behavioral difficulties and learning challenges. The stress level of childcare providers and teachers can affect their health and well-being as well as their job satisfaction and teacher retention. It is essential for educators take time to prevent burnout, promote health, and protect themselves from the negative effects of stress. Discover strategies and practices to take care self and staff create a positive environment for all.
Taming Troublesome Behaviors
Are you looking for effective solutions for managing difficult behaviors in your classroom? You are not alone! Disruptions and distractions can make learning difficult for everyone and often contribute to teacher burnout. In this session, we will discuss the benefits of being proactive instead of reactive and focusing on positive behaviors rather than negative behaviors. We will share practical strategies you can use to help minimize the frequency of challenging behaviors and will address methods for diffusing situations effectively when they do occur.
Time to Tinker! Nurturing Curiosity and Creative Problem Solving
Unlock the natural curiosity of your students through engaging hands-on exploration with a variety of tools and materials. Throughout this interactive session, you will have opportunities to first engage in tinkering from a child’s perspective and then reflect on strategies you can use to facilitate tinkering activities in your own program. Learn how to create an environment that sparks creativity and innovation and how to tailor your tinkering practice to the specific needs and goals of your program. It's time to tinker!
Trauma-Informed Practices: Nurturing Resilience for Success
Need strategies to respond to children who have experienced trauma? This session will review how trauma affects behavior and discuss how to respond appropriately to trauma-induced behaviors. We will share strategies for relationship-building and for nurturing the skills children need to be resilient after going through difficult circumstances, thus reducing mental stress, strengthening student outcomes, and creating a healthier learning environment.
Triumph with Teamwork! Be Connected and Build Community through Teambuilding
Want to strengthen your program’s sense of community and belonging? Join us for this fun, interactive session that focuses on leveraging teambuilding activities and games to create strong bonds among students, among staff, and between students and staff. Participants will learn a variety of age-appropriate, fun, and inclusive activities designed to promote cooperation, communication, and trust. The session will cover the theory behind effective teambuilding, provide hands-on experience with selected games, and offer strategies for adapting activities to different group sizes and dynamics. Help children feel safe and secure so they are more able to focus their energy on learning. Boost morale and motivation by helping staff feel more connected. Come ready to participate and make new friends. Leave with new ideas, effective strategies, and a smile on your face!
Unlocking Individual Potential by Supporting All Learners
In this training, we will share valuable insights and strategies for fostering a learning environment in which every student can thrive. Join us to learn about indicators that will help you identify the preferred learning styles of your students and practical teaching tips tailored to each learning style. We will also explore how to employ multimodal learning strategies to create a supportive and effective environment, thus empowering every student to reach their full potential.
Unlocking Student Potential by Building Executive Functioning Skills
Set students up for success in school and beyond by helping them build important life skills such as self-regulation, organization, and time management. Join us as we share practical, age-appropriate strategies for promoting and coaching the development of executive functioning skills for children of all ages.
We're All in this Together! Creating a Culture in which Everyone Feels Heard, Valued, and Supported
“The best leaders are those who inspire and empower others to reach their full potential.” (Oprah Winfrey) In this training, we will explore the pivotal role of effective communication, appreciation, and support in fostering a workplace culture that thrives on collaboration and mutual respect. Strengthen your team by cultivating an environment in which every team member’s voice is not only heard but celebrated.
What's Next? Make Memories!
Need new ideas to engage the children in your summer program? Share your plans for summer learning and gain ideas from others!
Work Smarter, Not Harder: Record Keeping and Financial Management
Organization a problem? Join us for ideas about how to streamline your registration and record-keeping using programs such as Excel and Google Docs. Learn strategies for tracking income and expenses and managing budgetary constraints in a systematic way.
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