Welcome to the first issue of AfterWords, the newsletter of the National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning.

If you’re reading this newsletter, you already know that afterschool education is playing an increasingly important role in children’s lives. Three years ago, the National Partnership was created to identify afterschool programs that showed a positive effect on student achievement. As our research continues, we are working with afterschool professionals to continue to improve student performance.

We know that high-quality programs share many characteristics. They have clear goals, align the program to meet these goals, and conduct evaluations to determine if they are successful. These programs foster strong relationships with day-school teachers. They allow students to work both independently and in groups, creating an environment that maintains student engagement and offers opportunities for social development. Finally, these programs employ qualified staff who participate in effective professional development (see reference below).

With this newsletter, we hope to share what the National Partnership has learned about high-quality afterschool programs through our research. We also want to use this publication as a forum for the discussion of the issues afterschool professionals face and the successes they experience. In each issue of AfterWords, you’ll find some regular features. Learn more.

We hope you enjoy AfterWords and welcome your feedback.

Huang, D. (2006, May). Preliminary findings from promising practices site identification for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers. SEDL Letter, 18(1), 9–14.

Urban Gateways: Center for Arts Education
Chicago, Illinois

A successful partnership with a community organization can play an important role in an afterschool program. Just ask associate program director Marissa Reyes of Urban Gateways (UG), a nonprofit that plans and directs arts programs in the Chicago area. UG works with six Chicago-area community schools to organize afterschool arts activities such as mural painting, mosaics, theater, percussion, hip-hop dance, ballet folklorico, Web page design, and photography.

Recently, UG collaborated with Chavez Multicultural Academic Center to hold a street festival at the end of the afterschool program’s first year. Chavez is in a neighborhood with high poverty and crime rates. Reyes reported that the event was an unqualified success, serving to highlight the Chavez-UG partnership and promoting their program offerings so that the following year, participation in most classes was nearly at capacity.”