Fireside Chats
Fireside Chats
The California AfterSchool Network hosts interviews with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division, to better help the field navigate the current state of Expanded Learning, including what guidance means for your programs. These chats include policy updates as well as interviews with partners elevating current topics and promising practices.
If you are interested in developing your own virtual fireside chats check out our post: Communicating During Crisis – Video “Fireside Chats”
Final Chat of 2020: Looking Back in Service of Looking Forward
Fireside Chat: December 14, 2020
Join us for our 21st and final fireside chat of 2020. In this chat, Tiffany Gipson and Heather Williams from the California AfterSchool Network are joined by Michael Funk from the Expanded Learning Division at the California Department of Education to reflect back on 2020 in service of looking forward. 2020 has been a challenging year for all of us but has also presented many moments for learning, opportunity, and hope. Join us as we discuss this journey and how we might move forward differently in 2021.
Update on Waivers and Interview with BACR
Fireside Chat: November 16, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting near weekly interviews with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division (EXLD).
The 20th Fireside Chat includes some minor updates on the Department of Social Services waiver requirements. We are also excited to be joined by Mariana Lopez Quintanilla, Program Director – Marin County, for Bay Area Community Resources (BACR). Mariana shares with us how BACR has been supporting their students during COVID, in particular with Learning Hubs and Hybrid Learning.
Waiver Guidance (As of October 20, 2020)
The California Department of Education, Expanded Learning
Division in collaboration with the California Department of
Social Services has updated guidance for those expanded learning
programs that operate more than 60 hours or for students that
attend for more than 30 hours.
- Please see the guidance located at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ex/ellicensewaive.asp.
- If you have any questions about this information please contact your Regional Consultant. The regional contact information may be found at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ex/exldcontacts.asp.
Update on SB820 and Interview with BGCGG
Fireside Chat: September 23, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting near weekly interviews with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division (EXLD).
The 18th Fireside Chat includes some updates on the signing of SB82 and the Department of Social Services waiver requirements, and how each of these impact Expanded Learning Programs. We are also excited to be joined by the Boys & Girls Club of Garden Grove as they discuss their clubs work on equity and racial justice and how they provide services that support whole child and community health and wellness during these challenging times:
- Mark Surmanian
- Christina Sepulveda
- Justin Kalolo
Interview with Fontana USD – Serving Students In Person
Fireside Chat: September 8, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting near weekly interviews with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division (EXLD).
In the 17th Fireside Chat we are excited to be joined by Fontana Unified School District (FUSD) an ASES grantee and their sub-grantee, the City of Fontana:
- Yubleni Cazares, Project Manager, ASES Program, FUSD
- Sergio Barragan, Community Services Coordinator, City of Fontana
- Cleo Upshaw, Site Coordinator, City of Fontana
Yubleni, Sergio, and Cleo discuss with us how they serve the needs of their community through their in-person services for students.
Update on CDSS, CDPH Guidance, Interview with OUSD
Fireside Chat: Aug 27, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting near weekly interviews with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division (EXLD).
In the 16th Fireside Chat we discuss the recently released guidance and FAQs from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the California Department of Social Services (CDSS).
This week we are also excited to be joined by Curtiss Sarikey, Chief of Staff at Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and Martha Pena, Afterschool Programs Coordinator for OUSD. Curtiss and Martha go deep into the authentic partnerships with the school day and out out of school programs within the district to integrate their programs to serve youth in their district with a whole child framework and lens.
Update on CDE EXLD FAQs & Interview with Woodcraft Rangers
Fireside Chat: Aug 10, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting weekly interviews with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division (EXLD).
In the 15th Fireside Chat we discuss the recently posted FAQs from the EXLD in light of the release of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Pandemic Plan for Learning and Safe Schools.
This week we are also excited to be joined by the team at Woodcraft Rangers. We are joined by Julee Brooks – Chief Executive Officer, Danny Salas – Director of Expanded Learning, and Helen Santos – Director of Digital Learning. They share with us how they have built connections and engagement with family, their ever-improving quality virtual engagement opportunities with students, and how they are supporting staff while addressing health and safety issues. Learn more about Woodcraft Rangers: https://woodcraftrangers.org
Update on Recent Governor Guidance & Interview with EDMO on Virtual Learning
Fireside Chat: July 23, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting weekly interviews with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
In this 14th Fireside Chat Michael discusses the most recently approved guidance from the CDE and Department of Finance in light of the release of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Pandemic Plan for Learning and Safe Schools last Friday. Written guidance will be forthcoming.
This week we are also excited to be joined by the wonderful co-founders of Edventure More (also known as EDMO) – Eduardo Caballero, Co-Founder & Executive Director and Sharon Mor, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer. They share with us how they quickly pivoted to providing quality virtual opportunities, their emphasis on equity (and expanding access to their programs), student engagement strategies, and more. Learn more about EDMO: https://campedmo.org
Expanded Learning This Fall – Interview with Sacramento Partners
Fireside Chat: July 14, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting weekly interviews with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
In this 13th Fireside Chat we are excited to be joined by some of our outstanding partners here in Sacramento – Jason Smith and Monik Vega from Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center and Dr. Gema Godina-Martinez, Principal for Washington Elementary School. This week, and over the coming weeks, we will be using this platform to highlight programs that are engaging and leading in conversations around what school and Expanded Learning look like this Fall and over the next school year, and how they serve their students and communities.
Interview with Michael Funk, CA Budget Protects Afterschool
Fireside Chat: June 30, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting weekly interviews with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
In this 12th fireside chat we briefly discuss updates on the signed CA Budget and Budget Trailer Bill Language. We will continue to dive deeper into these issues over the coming weeks. See CAN’s most recent newsletter for more details.
Updates on the CA Budget, the Executive Order Extension, and Reopening of Schools
Fireside Chat: June 16, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting weekly interviews with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
In this 11th fireside chat we discuss updates on the CA Budget, including potential Budget Trailer Bill Language, the extension of the Governor’s Executive Order impacting Expanded Learning programs, and CDE Guidance on the Reopening of Schools, including the impacts on Expanded Learning. We will continue to dive deeper into these issues over the coming weeks.
Links to documents referenced during the video:
Think Together On Black Lives Matter and Expanded Learning as Social Justice Work
Fireside Chat: June 3, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting weekly interviews with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
In this tenth interview, we are joined by Tommy Brewer, Cindy Martinez, and Angelina Hernadez with Think Together. The conversation is centered on the events of the last week, Expanded Learning as a form of Social Justice/Social Change work, and critical advocacy efforts to support this work. A special thank you to all of our guests for showing up raw, unscripted, and human during these challenging times.
You can read CAN’s full statement in solidarity of Black Lives here.
Interview with Sweetwater Union High School District
Fireside Chat: May 27, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting weekly interview with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
In this ninth interview, we are joined by Esther Parrenas, Site Coordinator for Southwest Middle School and Cesar Fernandez with Sweetwater Union School District to share how they have been engaging with their students and families during the COVID-19 school closures, as well as how they are engaged in the planning for re-opening of schools.
CA3 on the Governor’s Proposed Budget
Fireside Chat: May 21, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting weekly intervieww with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
In this eighth interview we are joined by Jen Dietrich from California Afterschool Advocacy Alliance, also known as CA3, to talk about the Governor’s May Revise Budget that was released last Thursday and the potential impacts for Expanded Learning in California. We are also joined by CA3 members Malia Villarreal and Mike Snell from the California Teaching Fellows Foundation to speak to the potential budget impacts at a programmatic level.
Everyone can take action to protect our programs: Text “Afterschool” to 52886
For more details visit www.saveafterschool.com.
Interview with Michael Funk on Expanded Learning Services Offered During COVID-19
Fireside Chat: May 13, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting nearly weekly interview with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
This seventh interview provides a quick update on the services being provided by the Expanded Learning field during COVID-19 and the field survey to collect this data.
The Expanded Learning Division (EXLD) is surveying all grantees to discover what services are being offered to students and families during the period of school closures due to COVID-19. The EXLD would also like to understand how expanded learning programs will be engaged with students and families when campuses reopen.
This survey should be completed by organizational staff that are familiar with the funding streams and services provided.
The survey is fairly brief and can be found here.
Interview with Healdsburg USD and Healdsburg Community Services Dept
Fireside Chat: May 6, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting near-weekly interviews with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
In this sixth interview, we are joined by Healdsburg Unified School District and their CBO partner – the City’s Community Services Department. They share what they have been doing to respond to COVID in the immediate, and also how they are partnering around plans for reopening schools in the Fall.
Interviewees include:
- Erin Fender, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Healdsburg USD
- Mark Themig, Community Services Director, City of Healdsburg Community Services Dept
- Dave Jahns, Recreation Manager, City of Healdsburg Community Services Dept
- Grace Guerrero, Afterschool Program Director, City of Healdsburg
Interview with Marcus Strother & Malik Ibarra from SCUSD
Fireside Chat: April 29, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting near weekly interview with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
In this fifth interview, we are joined by Marcus Strother, the Director of Youth Development from Saacramento City Unified School District, and one of his students Malik Ibarra a senior at West Campus. This conversation focuses on what is happening at a district level, how districts in partnership with their community organizations can continue to serve our youth and communities, and what some of our students are experiencing during this time.
Interview with Michael Funk on Grant Extensions
Fireside Chat: April 27, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting near weekly interview with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
This fourth interview provides a quick update on the status of extending Expanded Learning grants. The California Department of Education will be extending all ASES, 21st CCLC, and ASSESTs grants by six months. Instead of ending on June 30, the closeout date for the grants will be December 31, 2020. This also includes ASES Frontier Transportation grants and the grants that support the System of Support for Expanded Learning. Check out the video for more information and the EXLD Guidance on Extending Expanded Learning Grants and Attendance and Expenditure Reporting.
Interview with Teresa Ayon of Anaheim Family YMCA
Fireside Chat: April 23, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting near weekly interview with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
This third interview mostly focuses on a conversation with Teresa Ayon from the Anaheim Family YMCA, digging into what our program providers are doing to continue to serve our communities during the COVID-19 crisis, including keeping workers employed and staying connected to the field.
Interview with Michael Funk on Governor’s Executive Order and EXLD Guidance Memo
Fireside Chat: April 13, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting a weekly interview with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
This second interview primarily covers the Governors Executive Order that was released on April 4, 2020 and the subsequent guidance from the Expanded Learning Division that was released on April 10, 2020.
CAN Interview with Michael Funk on CDE Expanded Learning Division COVID-19 Guidance
Fireside Chat: April 1, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network will be hosting a weekly interview with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
This first interview covers recent questions in response to guidance sent out from the Division on March 13 and March 27, 2020. If you have questions for future interviews please email the CAN team.
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