NEWS
from the West After School Center, Inc.

620 Garfield Avenue        Lancaster, OH  43130
740-653-5678  740-653-2402 FAX   Email:  westafterschool@westafterschoolcenter.org
Visit us at www.westafterschoolcenter.org

August 14, 2009

from the office of Dr. Paul G. Young, Executive Director

This weekly update is distributed via email to the WASC Board of Directors & Staff, Volunteers, School Staffs, Parents, State and National Afterschool Advocates, Providers, and Community Leaders

WE

ARE

A

21st CENTURY

COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER
 

Our mission to is provide programs and services that enrich the educational, social, and cultural opportunities of students in our community

The West After School Center will operate four (4) before and after-school program sites in collaboration with Lancaster Schools beginning in late August, 2009. We are in need of several part-time academic coaches and a variety of part-time program assistants at the Tallmadge CLC.  If you or someone you know is looking for work (or a part-time 2nd job) and can meet the basic requirements for the positions, most of which are part-time, please send us a resume via email or US mail, and check our website where job descriptions are listed and also an application for work can be downloaded.  Interviews are being scheduled and conducted with hopes of positions being filled by August 20.

click here for more information

You can help support the

West After School Center

every time you shop at your local Krogers.  It's simple.  Just sign up and every time you shop and have your Krogers Plus Card scanned, a portion of the amount comes to the West After School Center. Encourage your friends to help us - and support our mission!

TO USE THE KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM:

1. Pick up a copy of the registration form from the WASC. It has the scanbar code on it.

2. Simply take the form to the Customer Service Desk at your local Kroger store. They will scan it and your Kroger Plus Card, and with 72 hours a percentage of everything purchased at Krogers comes to the WASC - between now and April 30, 2010.

Waldenbooks in the River Valley Mall is conducting a book drive during which patrons can buy and donate children's books to the West After School Centers.  Support our local bookstore and our afterschool programs at the same time. It's easy and convenient at the cashier's check out center.

WANTED!!

A FEW GOOD PEOPLE
Experience not necessary
The school bell will soon be ringing and we need volunteers at all our locations (WASC, East, Cedar Heights and Tallmadge)

To learn more, contact Chris Kuttler at 653-5678
Our volunteers are key to our success.
One hour a week makes a difference in a child’s life.

PICK a SITE

JOIN US FOR LUNCH

and

EXTENDED SUMMER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

WEST AFTER SCHOOL CENTER IS THE AREA PROVIDER for the

FEED OHIO SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM

June (20 days) and July (23 days) Preliminary Statistics

                                                                                           Totals

1. West After School Center - June = 672; July =1453                                          2801

2. Robert K Fox Family Y - June = 833 (13 days); July 2261                               3094      

3. East Elementary School - June = 1521; July = 2007                                           3528

4. Tallmadge Elementary School - June = 806; July = 974                                   1780

5. Cedar Heights Elementary School - June = 551; July = 761                            1312

6. South Elementary School - June = 3000; July = 1605                                        4605

7. Medill Elementary School - June = 475; July = 535                                           1010

8. Lancaster Club Apartments (Sanderson) - June = 454; July = 659              1113

9. River Valley Apartments - June = 531; July = 509                                            1040

                                                                                                              Totals for 43 days     20,283  (10 days left in August)

lunch at Cedar Heights Elementary School Site - approximately 40 attend each day!

The West After School Center's Summer Lunch Program is supported by a Feed Ohio grant from the Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (GOFBCI), mini-grants from the Children's Hunger Alliance and Lancaster's First Presbyterian Church, the Lancaster Sherman Rotary, and the Ohio Department of Education.

Summer Food Service Program is the single largest Federal resource available for local organizations that want to combine a feeding program with a summer activity program for children.
     During the school year, nutritious meals are available for children through the National School Lunch

and School Breakfast Programs. But those programs end when school ends for the summer.
     Children in any community should not need to go hungry during the summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service Program helps fill the hunger gap.

Summer Lunch and Enrichment Program - South Elementary School (funded by the Governor's Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives Feed Ohio Grant)

We appreciate the many community agencies that help students and families with acquisition of their back to school supplies. Likewise, with a limited budget and four centers to provide for, the West After School Center is always in need of the list at the right. 

Donations are appreciated.

regular markers

tissues

Clorox wipes / hand sanitizers

Zip-lock bags (gallon size) 

glue sticks

colored pencils

erasers

Aime Azbell

ELI Teacher

West After School Center

Linda Bratton

ELI Program Assistant

West After School Center

Linda Bratton is a classroom assistant with the ELI program. She is also an AM Childcare Assistant for the WASC. Originally from Tennessee, Linda has worked for Lancaster City Schools, Guardian DayCare, and Head Start. She likes working with children and their families. She and her family live in Lancaster.

Unfortunately for these staff members and the preschoolers in their classrooms, continuation funding for the ELI Program was removed from the Ohio biennium budget. We are awaiting news whether Head Start can reorganize with other funding sources and provide preschool services at our center next year. Sadly, many of the kids and families who have benefitted from the work of these two individuals will lose further preschool and childcare services and become victims of the state budget reductions.

Plan now to join this national advocacy event 

October 22, 2009

These resources are becoming part of a training workshop being planned by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) to promote collaboration between principals and after-school program leaders and the development of extended learning opportunities for children across the country.

Dr. Young traveled to Washington DC this week to meet with and help prepare a small group of trainers from across the county who utilize these resources and others in the advancement of the workshop in states across the nation this coming school year.

published by School-Age Notes

click here to see more books and resources from SAN.

On July 31, Paul Young met with Chicago Public Schools Principal Tony Fisher and Illinois Afterschool Network Executive Director, Curtis Peace, at James N Thorp Elementary School to discuss collaboration with after-school programs and learn about programming needs and opportunities in Chicago and the State of Illinois.

The Goals for our Television Program:

1.  Create and sustain a community dialogue and awareness campaign that helps every individual learn to make healthy choices about what and how much they eat as well as how much daily exercise they get. 

2.  Encourage children to engage in healthy and productive extra curricular activities at home and at school.

3.  Teach families how to prepare foods and economical family meals and snacks.

4.  Showcase the wealth of community resources and personnel that can help kids and families develop healthy lifestyles.

5.  Demonstrate the positive impact and benefits that participation in before and after school programs can have on children's mental health and social development.

CHECK THIS OUT!
The "Eat Smart. Play Hard" website provides practical tools to help you motivate children and their caregivers to eat healthy and be physically active. Messages and materials are fun and based on MyPyramid and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

WASC Education and Vision Committee Meeting, Monday, August 17, 10:00 a.m.

Healthy Living for Kids Planning Meeting, Monday, August 17, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the OSU Extension

WASC Board of Directors Meeting, Thursday, August 20, 9:30-11:00 a.m.

WASC Education and Vision Committee Lunch with Principals, Tuesday, September 8, 11:30 a.m.

ELI Classes, Rm. 1 & 2 - 8:30-3:15

ELI Classes, Rm. 1 & 2 - 8:30-3:15

ELI Classes, Rm.1 &  2 - 8:30-3:15

WASC Board of Directors Meeting, 9:30-11:00

Childcare Program 

Healthy Living for Kids Comm. - OSU Extension

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Go Gales!!!!

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Labor Day

WASC is Closed

WASC Education  and Vision Committee Luncheon with Principals

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