SampleProgramPlan(Outline)

Component1:Goals
I.
OVERVIEW:
A. clearrigorousandsupportedacrosstheprogram
B. basicallythefoundationandbackbone
C. withoutcleargoalstherewouldbenoclearsenseofdirectionorpurposefor
program
D. allowforstudentinput.whentheyareaskedforfeedbackanditisapplied
studentsaremoreexcitedandengagedinaprogramthattheyhadahandin
creating
II.
KeyFINDINGS:
A. writtengoalplanthatareclearandconcise
B. practicesalignedwithwrittengoals.Programisstructuredaroundgoals
C. goalshasspecificemphasis(ex:arts,technology,hwsupport,atriskstudents,
etc.)
III.
Exampletoimplementinmyprogram:
A. developgoalswithStaffANDstudents
B. ensurestaffareworkingtowardgoals(weekly/monthlycheckups)
1. evaluationvs.assessment
a) evaluationistoseewhereyoustand
b) assessmentistoseewhatyoucanimprove
C. fosteremotional,intellectual,socialandphysicaldevelopment
D. Teachresponsibility,criticalthinkingandproblemsolving
E. Developselfesteemandsocialskills
F. Encouragegoodhealthandsafetypractices
G. Developnewinterests
H. Havefun,makenewfriendsandenjoychildhood

Component2:Leadership
I.
OVERVIEW:
A. power,leeway,accountability,freedom,trust
B. highqualityleadershaveyearsofexperience
C. leaderssharetheirdecisionsandthedecisionmakingprocesswithstaffacross
theboard
II.
KeyFINDINGS:
A. promotepositiverelationships,opencommunication,andstaffproblemsolving
skills
B. ensurestaffandprogramhavebestavailableresources,adequatematerials
C. clearmission,visionstatementandprogramgoals
D. decentralizeddecisionmakingbottomsupleadershiptoincludeeveryone.
E. providestaffwithprofessionaldevelopmentandtrainingtoimproveskills
III.
Examples:

A. hirestaffthatwanttobethere.Positiveattitude=positiveoutcomes
B. provideresourcesandmaterialstogivestaffchancetoimprovetheirskillsand
trainthemtobeleaderstoo
C. asaleaderiamentrustedwithfindingthemostqualifiedstaffandgivingeach
avoiceandaspotforthemtosharetheircontentspecificskillsandexpertise

Component3:Staff
I.
OVERVIEW:
A. highqualityprogramshiredqualifiedstafftocreateenvironmentswheretheir
missionwassupported.
B. Whenstaffarerespected,supported,autonomous,andconfidentintheability
toreachthestudents,programswilllikelyretainstaffoveralongperiodoftime
andachievelowturnoverrates.
C. withlowerturnoverratescomemorepositiveandstablerelationshipsbetween
studentsandstaff.
II.
KeyFINDINGS:
A. stafffromqualityprogramshadhighlevelsofeducation(Bachelors,or
masters)
B. staffalsohadsubstantialafterschoolexperienceatleast2/3rdsofstaffhad3
yearsormoreofexper.
C. positiverelationshipsandinteractionsbetweenstaffcanleadtolowturnoverfor
highqualityprograms
D. technologyrelatedprofessionaldevelopmentavailabletothemintheirASP

III.
Examples
A. Keyqualitiesforstaff:
1. qualifiedforposition(credentials,experience)
2. Workwellwithkids,andworkswellinateam.
3. Respectful
4. canbetrustedtomakeproblemsolvingdecisionsontheirowngood
judgment
B. Democraticdecisionmakingapproach.anydecisionswouldbereviewedand
voteduponbyallstaff.
1. Staffandprogramleadersrepresentstudentsbestinterests.
C. givestudentsautonomyaswellandleadershiprolesintheirclassrooms/group

Component4:Program
I.
OVERVIEW
A. wellbalancedandwellroundedprogramsareequippedwithstaffthatexpose
theirstudentstonewideas
B. observationreportscanindicatewhetherstudentsaremostlyengagedand
attentiveandenjoyingtheactivities.

II.

III.

C. Allprogramsshallprovidesubstantialtimeforrecreationalandcraftsactivities
keepingstudentsengagedwhileexercisingotherpartsoftheirbrain.
KeyFINDINGS:
A. manyASPsemployeduniqueandinnovativestrategiestoengagestudentsin
learning.Focusisonmakinglearningfun.
B. mostprogramssharedameansofcommunicatinginformationtoparentsas
wellasameansofencouragingtheirinvolvementintheASP
1. stillmanyprogramshadlownumbersofvolunteersandparental
involvementduetoparentalworkcommitments.
C. Programstafflackedaccesstotechnology,especiallycomputers.Site
coordinatorsandstaffalsonotedtheneedforadditionalspace
D. Socialorcharacterdevelopmentintheircurriculumaswellascommunity
involvementcomponent.
E. opportunitiesforfieldtripsinordertoenhancestudentslearningexperience.
Examples:
A. tokeepstudentsengaged,siteleaderscandisguiselessonsandlearningand
pushcreativeboundariestomakelearningfun.
B. Crosscontentintegration,diverseteachingmethods
C. FineArts(andcraftsactivities)usingtechnology,Handsonactivities
D. Art,drama,musicgivestudentschancetocollaborateandworktogetherto
createafinishedproduct

Component5:Evaluation
I.
OVERVIEW:
A. ongoingevaluationisnecessaryandimportanttocontinueimprovingandto
measureprogress.
B. Internal(formative)andExternalevaluation.Servesstudents,staff,parents,
andinvestorswholiketoseetheresultsoftheirfunds.
1. Internalevaluation=lowstakesandconsequences.Focuson
improvement
2. Externalevalbythirdpartiesresultscanaffectaccreditationorthe
continuingoftheprogram
C. Addressesstrengthsandweaknesses
D. Althoughdeepexaminationofdataisrare,nearlyallASPsconductinternaland
externalevaluations.
II.
KeyFINDINGS:
A. Internal(Formative)ex:Conversationswithparentsandstafftosurveysand
interviews,trackingoftestscores,grades,andattendancerecords
B. Externaleval.surveyssuggestthatmanyprogramsareevaldby3rdparty
organizations.Evalswereofentireprogramratherthanspecificaspectsand
elements
1. pre/posttesting,comparisongroups,focusgroups,surveys,and
observations

III.

2. ext.evalsprovetobepositiveaccordingtoprograminterviewees(lack
ofreportedevidence)
C. MathandreadingprogramsaremostlyevaldbyExternal
Examples:
A. Keyquestions:
1. Howisdosage(ofASPs)affectingstudentsoutsideoftheprogram(ie
attendanceduringschooldayimprovesvs.nochange)
2. Arethereanychangesinattitude/fewerdisciplineissuesduringthe
schoolday?
3. Whataretheeffectsoncriticalthinkingskills,readingandmathscores?
B. Tools:Rubrics,Surveys,datacomparisons
C. Synthesizingofdata.Datacollectedshouldbeinterpretedandreportedona
timelybasisinordertobemosteffective.Testscores/resultsshouldbe
returnedtoteachersassoonaspossible.Attendancetrackingshouldbe
continuousandconsistentlykeptuptodate.Numberofdisciplineincidents
shouldberecordedanddatacollected.
1. howdoweknowiftheprogramiseffective?Simple:wewantstudents
tohavetheopportunitytolearnandhavefun,developsocialskills,
innovateandexperiencetheworldinasafeandfairenvironment.If
studentsareabletohelpshapetheirASP,theybecomeexcitedabout
theirprogram.Whenattitudesbecomepositive,theyaremorelikelyto
beengaged.andstudentsthatarefocusedandengagedintheir
learninghaveahigherprobabilityofdoingbetterontestsdesignedto
measurecriticalthinking.
2. Safeenvironmentsareonesweremistakesareseenaslearning
opportunitiesratherthanchancestocreatepunishment.Exemplarystaff
andprogramleaderscanberolemodelsandencouragestudentsto
workthroughproblemsandresolveconflictsontheirown.

REFERENCES
Huang,Denise,andRonaldDietel.MakingAfterschoolProgramsBetter(2011):115.nCse.ucla.edu.
UniversityofCaliforniaLosAngeles.

Hansen,D.,&Larson,R.AmplifiersofDevelopmentalandNegativeExperiencesinOrganized
Activities:Dosage,Motivation,LeadRoles,andAdultYouthRations.
JournalofAppliedDevelopmentalPsychology
,28,3603374.Web.
Larson,R.W.TowardsaPsychologyofPositiveYouthDevelopment(2000).
AmericanPsychologist
,55,170183.


Vandell,D.L.,Simzar,R.,OCadiz,P.,Hall,V.,Karash,A.(2014).
ThePowerofDiscovery:STEM20132014Report.