September 19, 2016

With the new school year about to swing into high gear, this summer already seems like a distant memory, and next summer feels ages away. But June always comes faster than you expect, so begin laying the groundwork for next year’s summer program today.

Start with the archived Summer Planning With Y4Y webinar, which outlines the importance of summer learning, helps you set program goals and highlights Y4Y resources that can support your summer planning. Next, check out the Y4Y Summer Learning page for ideas to engage students, parents and communities in summer learning. And at the National Summer Learning Association, you’ll find ideas to help you increase access to summer learning in your community and secure funding for your program. To really get ahead, start planning a community event for next year’s Summer Learning Day!

September 15, 2016

The 2016 Summer Institute (July 19-21) offered participants the chance to learn about the U.S. Department of Education’s current focus areas for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) programs. Practitioners found plenty of sessions to help them develop important skills and ideas to take home to colleagues and students.

If you couldn’t make it, it’s not too late to attend some sessions virtually. Y4Y’s Summer Institute page has video recordings of the plenary sessions that you can view anytime.

In the Opening Plenary, you’ll hear about the Every Student Succeeds Act and what it means for 21st CCLC programs in 2016 and beyond. Plenary 2 focuses on expanding learning beyond the classroom, with stories of successful strategic community partnerships from schools and state departments of education around the nation.

If you’re looking for information on innovative and ongoing professional learning opportunities for 21st CCLC practitioners, head over to Plenary 3. And, in Plenary 4, you’ll hear about how and why using data can help you plan and implement programming that aligns with the school day.

For more information from the Summer Institute, including PowerPoint slides and handouts from breakout sessions, visit the 2016 Summer Institute website.

August 16, 2016

It may still feel like the dog days of summer, but fall will be here any minute— and you’ll want to be ready! So before you get caught up in the new school year, take some time to reflect on the strategic partnerships you’ve developed. 

•    What worked well last year? What didn’t? 
•    Where can partnerships be strengthened or expanded? 
•    How can your program be a good partner to the community?

These are big questions that demand big answers, and Y4Y has tools to help.

Structure discussions with your staff using the Strengthening Partnerships Implementation Planner. This guide can help you assess which areas of your program need improvement, identify community resources that may help you meet those needs and consider how to bring your community and your program together. Once you’ve found willing partners, the Memorandum of Understanding Template and this example Memorandum of Understanding can help you draft effective partnership agreements.

Building and maintaining strong community partnerships are important ways to keep your program effective. Get started now, and keep working at it all year long!

August 2, 2016

Help your students succeed in life by building college and career readiness into your program. Find ways to fold this future-focused mind-set into activities for all grade levels. Like all Y4Y courses, you'll get research-based information; lots of ready-to-use, adaptable tools; and training materials for professional learning sessions. 

Select College and Career Readiness to start your learning!

June 14, 2016

Help students hold on to their literacy skills by trying some or all of these easy tips:

During a summer program:

- Build literacy into your summer program. For example, if your curriculum has a STEM focus, use the Y4Y STEM Vocabulary Builder. It can help students learn math and science language and reinforce understanding of the concepts. Get other ideas from the Literacy Everywhere tool.

- During one day of the program, hold a “book swap.” Invite everyone to bring used books and take different ones home.

Outside a summer program:

- Hold a family literacy event. Use this Y4Y checklist to help you organize.

- Enlist family members to lead read-alouds several times a week. One way to structure this is with a “family book review” activity. Learn about it on the Reaching Out to Families tool. 

- Partner with your local public library to help students sign up for library cards. Families get free access to books (including digital ones that download to a tablet or computer) and a professional librarian to help readers select ones they’ll enjoy.

- Find a local partner to help you send books home to your students and their family members.

For more ideas, visit Read Where You Are and keep learning alive all summer long!