Breakfast Club Blog

The BOOST Breakfast Club Blog is a curated space where bloggers from around the world contribute content on a continual basis about a variety of topics relevant to in and out-of-school time. The BOOST Breakfast Club blog is at the heart of an ongoing dialogue where expanded learning and education professionals share their personal thoughts and stories from the in and out-of-school time field. They also tell us what they ate for breakfast!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company. Enjoy the brain food.

The BOOST Breakfast Club Blog is Brain Food for In and Out-of-School Time Leaders!

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Partnerships and Building Relationships / Program Design, Development, and Quality / Staff Leadership and Management

The California School Dashboard – A Resource For Partnership

Katie Brackenridge No Comments

This year’s California School Dashboard was just released.  What does that have to do with you?  A lot. It has to do with forging a real partnership with your school district around the kids you care about. The California School Dashboard Since I left the Partnership for Children & Youth, I’ve been working with the school day, and have learned a lot about California’s emerging System of Support for K-12 education. Here’s what I know (I promise this is eventually relevant to you): The Califor...Read More

Partnerships and Building Relationships / Program Design, Development, and Quality / Staff Leadership and Management / Sustainability

What Can Expanded Learning Do To Improve College Access?

Rodrigo Arancibia No Comments

There you are. It’s June and you’re sitting at a graduation watching a former student from your program dressed in cap and gown ready to cross a stage into the future. Imagine, for a moment, all the people that went into ensuring those students cross that stage? An innumerable amount of hours went into looking at transcripts, meeting with students, and talking to parents. But what can expanded learning programs do to improve college access for their students? Here’s something to consider: what r...Read More

On-Site Staff / Partnerships and Building Relationships / Program Design, Development, and Quality / Staff Leadership and Management

Ode to the Expanded Learning Technical Assistance Provider

Bruno Marchesi No Comments

 Editor’s Note: Inspired by the original Ode to the Site Coordinator tribute by @diegoarancibia, today’s blog from Breakfast Club blogger @brunomarchesi is dedicated to the Technical Assistance (TA) Provider. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ With much respect & appreciation for the Ode to the Site Coordinator from my brother, Diego Arancibia, that served as an inspiration for these words… — The one who’s work...Read More

Opinion / Partnerships and Building Relationships / Program Design, Development, and Quality

Doubling Down: Parenthood Strengthened My Commitment To Children, Families & Communities

Jeff Davis No Comments

I was fortunate to find my way to youth development work. As a college student, I was an intern at a local preserve where I led groups of all ages. The director saw something in me and referred me to a local summer camp where I discovered my talent and passion for this work. In pursuit of that passion, I applied and was honored to be accepted as an Americorps Tutor in an expanded learning program. Within the first three weeks of my term, I lost my vehicle in an accident. To fulfill my service to...Read More

On-Site Staff / Opinion / Program Design, Development, and Quality / Staff Leadership and Management / Uncategorized

Sharing The Vision And Shaping The Future: A Message To The Next Generation Of Leaders

Andi Fletcher No Comments

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the passage of California’s first comprehensive afterschool legislation. Since then, the investment in California’s most vulnerable children and young people has grown to $630 million a year and redefined what quality expanded learning means and looks like. Those of us who were privileged to lead the way through uncharted terrain worked in complex organizational environments in cities, counties, school districts and nonprofit organizations. We explored new...Read More

Partnerships and Building Relationships / Program Design, Development, and Quality / Staff Leadership and Management

How Expanded Learning Can Expand Its Presence

Rodrigo Arancibia No Comments

Editor’s Note: This blog was originally posted on January 6, 2018 by BOOST Blogger @rodrigoarancibia on arancibia.org. With permission from the author, we are reposting.  — Part of my last post was speaking up for those who can’t in Trump’s America. So what are some ways Expanded Learning can speak up? Here are some ways Expanded Learning can speak for those who cannot speak or listen to what’s really going on. Keep in mind, there are lots of ways to expand your pre...Read More

On-Site Staff / Program Design, Development, and Quality / Staff Leadership and Management

Join In The 2018 Summer Of Mars!

Leslie Lowes No Comments

Need a unique theme for summer camp or afterschool programs this year? 2018 is the summer of Mars! In May, NASA’s InSight Mission launches from Southern California to Mars to study marsquakes! During InSight’s trip to a post-Thanksgiving landing, Earth and Mars are on the same side of the Sun, so Mars appears a bit bigger and brighter for the evenings this summer. Engage your youth with NASA and related activities about observing Mars, rocket launches, and marsquakes. Enhance summer learning opp...Read More

On-Site Staff / Partnerships and Building Relationships / Staff Leadership and Management / Uncategorized

10 Reasons Why You Should Thank Your After School Professional!

Brad Lupien No Comments

It is spring break for my own kids, so breakfast consisted of me cooking pancakes to order for two kids and eggs to order for two more.  I ate the leftovers…again! Today I want to use this forum to say thank you to all of you Site Coordinators and Program Leaders.  We all know the big things you do. Regardless of what organization you are in, what age young people you serve, or where in the country or world you live, we know you keep kids safe during critical after school hours, ensure grant com...Read More

On-Site Staff / Opinion / Staff Leadership and Management / Uncategorized

Youth Development’s Hippocratic Oath

Rodrigo Arancibia No Comments

Editor’s Note: this blog is used with permission from the author. It was first published on October 14th, 2016 at https://arancibia.org/rodrigoblog/2016/10/14/youth-developments-hippocratic-oath.  In 1964, Louis Lasagna, the academic dean of the School of Medicine at Tufts University, looked at the work of Hippocrates and crafted the modern version of the Hippocratic Oath that is used in many medical schools today.  This galvanizing text is used as a declaration for the medical field to ra...Read More

On-Site Staff / Partnerships and Building Relationships / Program Design, Development, and Quality / Staff Leadership and Management / Sustainability

Webinar 2: How to Inspire Youth Giving

Jill Gordon No Comments

Editor’s Note: A special thank you to author @jillgordon for sharing the second of four of Youth Philanthropy’s webinar series. Today’s post focuses on youth philanthropy models that can be implemented in your program too!  Click on the webinar link below “How to Inspire Youth Giving” for the full program.  And, keep your eyes open in March for the next special webinar from Youth Philanthropy Initiative of Indiana. The Youth Philanthropy Initiative of Indiana (YPII) created a 4...Read More

Together We Make a Difference – FREE DOWNLOAD Together We Make a Difference – FREE DOWNLOAD
Partnerships and Building Relationships / Program Design, Development, and Quality

Together We Make a Difference – FREE DOWNLOAD

Tia Quinn No Comments

Many years ago, I arrived at a middle school to evaluate an after school program. As with all site visits, I checked in to the school office and asked where the after school program was located. They were unsure of which “after school program” I was actually looking for. This school, like most, had over a dozen programs happening simultaneously throughout their campus during after school hours. I found the state-funded after school program (that I was on campus to evaluate) and quickly learned t...Read More

Site Supervisors Site Supervisors
Staff Leadership and Management

15 Messages of Encouragement to Site Supervisors

BOOST Collaborative No Comments

As the beginning of the school year is underway, safe spaces during the out-of-school time hours are open and serving children all around the nation. This piece is collaboratively written by our bloggers and includes wisdom, tips, and inspiration for all of our valued Site Supervisors of out-of-school time programs. You ALL matter, and we wish you a successful school year. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately about this quote from Faouzi Skali: “My friend, stop searching for the wh...Read More