CAN Newsletter – May is Mental Health Awareness Month
May 13, 2020

CAN Newsletter
May is Mental Health Matters Month #EachMindMatters

Every year in May many promote mental health wellness and combating mental health stigma with Mental Health Awareness Month. This May, as we continue to experience the COVID-19 pandemic we have seen an increased focus on health worldwide, and recognition that health includes mental health. That being said, our field has long recognized the importance of supporting the social, emotional, and mental well-being of our youth, staff, families, and communities. Many of the young people served in our programs often experience toxic stress, trauma, and Adverse Childhood Experiences, directly impacting their mental health and well-being. Many of our staff come from these same backgrounds and have experienced trauma. In light of COVID-19 many of these challenges may be compounded. 

More than ever we need to ensure youth, staff, families, and communities are receiving the mental health and wellness supports they need.

We have compiled a quick list of resources to support your mental health and the health of your students and communities.

RESOURCES & TIPS

If there is more we can do to support you, or you just need someone to talk to, please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of our CAN Team Members. We also know that you are already doing a lot to support your communities and we hope you share your stories with us.

In Community,

The CAN Team

In This Newsletter:

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We Want Your Feedback

Field Survey Has Launched to Collect Data on Expanded Learning Services during COVID-19

The Expanded Learning Division (EXLD) of CDE in partnership with CAN and the Glen Price Group has developed a survey for California’s Expanded Learning grantees to discover what services are being offered to students and families during the period of school closures due to COVID-19. We would also like to understand how Expanded Learning programs will be engaged with students and families when campuses reopen, and are working with their school districts regarding plans to reopen.

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Coronavirus Upends After-School World
Education Week, May 12, 2020

The extended school closures caused by the coronavirus crisis have upended the nation’s after-school programs, leaving most with no children to serve and no schools to operate out of. Most organizations have shut their doors. But some, like ourBRIDGE, have pivoted to offer new services and extend their hours, doing what they can to help families struggling with food insecurity, lost jobs, and cooped-up children.

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Meet Mizzen by Mott

As champions for children, you’re doing everything you can during this time to keep youth safe and continue to serve them. We also know you’re doing all you can to support your staff. You have risen to the challenge in every way. 

In support of your efforts, we have a new resource to share with you.

Mizzen by Mott is a new app built with and for afterschool professionals to provide high-quality, engaging learning content to the afterschool field.

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Social Emotional Learning

CDE is Recruiting SEL Workgroup Members! Support SEL During Physical Distancing
Deadline: Friday, May 15, 4:00 PM

Relationships matter! Although our educators are practicing physical distancing from their students, it does not mean that students must lose social connections. As we begin our second month of practicing physical distancing, we see bright spots where educators have moved to creative solutions to remain emotionally connected. As Governor Newsom suggested, some of these practices may remain as we begin the 2020-21 school year. It is critically important that we place educator and student wellness first and foremost. 

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Attendance Works & IEL Connects

Webinar: Engaging Students & Families During COVID-19
Friday, May 15, 2020

Join Attendance Works & Institute for Education & Leadership for a free webinar! Connection with students and families is essential to having kids show up to learning whether it takes place remotely or in a brick and mortar building. This webinar will explore strategies for developing and strengthening relationships with students and families as part of distance learning, and how educators, school staff, and partners can use this time to tend to students’ social and emotional needs. Speakers will discuss how they are using data to monitor participation, and how they have intervened when connections are lost or need to be reestablished.

Register Today!

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https://www.extraordinarykidssummit.com/

Webinars: SEL & COVID-19
Friday, May 15 & Monday, May 18

Join SEL4CA for two upcoming events designed specifically to support social and emotional learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Connected Teaching While Socially Distant: “Maslow’s Before Zooms”
  • Extraordinary Kids Summit

Space is limited so register today! More details below.

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EduCare Foundation Logo

EduCare Virtual Workshops for Educators and Parents (SEL/Heartset®)
May 11 – May 22, 2020

EduCare invites you to sign up for one of their free virtual workshops for educators and parents:

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Logo: California School Aged Consortium

Virtual Trainings from CalSAC
Ongoing

In response to an overwhelming interest in their virtual training, CalSAC has scheduled more free training sessions! You can sign up here to attend a live virtual training on four of CalSAC’s most popular topics. These sessions are led by CalSAC Senior Certified Trainers and offer relevant youth development content and provide an opportunity for OST professionals to connect and build community.

Prefer to schedule a training for only your staff group? Learn more about our training topics and scheduling options, or reach out to CalSAC at training@calsac.org. You can also access more professional development hours through CalSACs self-paced eLearning modules. 

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Grant Opportunity: Educators for Equity
Deadline: Monday, June 1

The Educators for Equity Grant Program helps foster growth for students who face systemic barriers to academic opportunities. Every summer, we award grants up to $10,000 each to educators from eligible schools and non-profits so they can better support students and help eliminate inequity in education.

Help underserved students, and apply today!

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Summer Matters More Than Ever

Summer learning is now more important than ever! With school buildings in California closed through at least the end of the school year, what we do this summer to support youth to navigate learning loss, social disconnection, and mental health challenges will matter more than ever.

The article, Summer Matters More Than Ever, discusses creative ways to plan for success and how the Partnership for Children & Youth is building tools for educators and advocating with policy leaders to ensure as many students as possible can receive learning and social-emotional supports this summer. 

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Million Girls Moonshot
Resources, Webinars, & So Much More!

STEM Next in partnership with the C.S. Mott Foundation is thrilled to release the first Million Girls Moonshot resources! Be sure to access evidence-based resources for Networks to deepen your knowledge and to be distributed to your partners and afterschool providers each month. Resources will also include curated activities that provide meaningful engagement for youth and families. View the complete May Media Content Package. Get started today!

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Learning In Afterschool & Summer Blog

Check out the most recent blogs from LIAS!

Afterschool Changed Due to COVID-19
Temescal Associates and The How Kids Learn Foundation developed a survey to learn how afterschool programs were adapting to new COVID-19 developments. Find the executive summary and the full report with a detailed chart and listings of the responses.

Can Youth “Check-in” Remotely? There’s an App for That!
The HelloYello App is for strengthening student/staff relationships. It is a web-based app that students use to “check-in” with their teachers to express their thoughts and feelings and share their daily experiences.