Your April VPOST News- Our 2025 Conference, Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week and more!

Subject: Your April VPOST News- Our 2025 Conference, Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week and more!

Save the Date: September 15, 2025

VPOST's 16th Annual Conference, The Heartbeat of OST: Relationships that Inspire, Empower, and Transform, will be held at the Virginia Crossings Hotel and Conference Center in Richmond, VA on September 15, 2025.

Request for Workshop Proposals Now Open

We're looking for high-quality workshop presenters for our annual conference! This year’s theme is The Heartbeat of OST: Relationships that Inspire, Empower, and Transform. It speaks to the profound impact of meaningful connections in out-of-school time programs. Does this theme speak to you? VPOST is looking for those who have insights, proven strategies, inspiration, and innovations in the field! Full details are in the Request for Proposal, including where to submit your application.

Sponsor or Exhibit at our Conference

VPOST is searching for partnering organizations to sponsor or exhibit at our conference. We welcome companies and organizations with products or services that support and provide solutions for educators, children, and families. Get the Sponsor and Exhibitor Info Packet here.

Share your Shoutout for Afterschool Appreciation Week

VPOST is celebrating Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week, April 21-25, to recognize, appreciate, and advocate for those who work with young people during out-of-school hours.

Join us by sharing your shoutout of a colleague or afterschool professional in your life here, and we will feature them in our communications!

Share your Shoutout!

Here are some other ideas on how to show your appreciation:

o Use the hashtag #HeartOfAfterschool to declare the difference Afterschool professionals make in the lives of young people.

o Give a hand-written card from you and/or your child to the afterschool professionals you know.

o Send an email to an afterschool professional's supervisor describing why that person is appreciated.

o Make healthy or non-food treats for the staff at your afterschool program.

The proposed budget for Fairfax County Government eliminates the Fairfax County Middle School afterschool and its summer programs for middle school students. This impacts 27 programs, 25 outside organizations, and more than 23,000 middle school students and their parents. If you live or work in Fairfax County, we need you to contact your representative on the Board of Supervisors and School Board and convince them that this is not the solution. Send your message here.

Policy Pulse Webinar Series

Every second Friday at noon, Afterschool Alliance Senior VP of Policy, Erik Peterson, will recap the latest policy developments, what we know (or don’t know!) about how they may impact afterschool and summer programs, and what may be coming up next. Watch recent webinars and sign up for the upcoming ones here.

Ready to be recognized for your STEM facilitation skills or to encourage your staff to develop and share their skills? Then you are ready for National Afterschool Association (NAA) STEM Facilitation micro-credentials! These micro-credentials are aligned to NAA’s Core Knowledge and Competencies and the PEAR Institutes' Dimensions of Success (DoS) Framework. They recognize facilitators who use practices that produce high-quality STEM programs and result in positive youth outcomes. NAA's STEM Facilitation micro-credential stack includes 10 micro-credential badges. A facilitator earning all 10 micro-credentials will be eligible for a Comprehensive STEM Facilitation Digital Credential.

As the state affiliate of NAA, VPOST will be hosting a lunch & learn where the ACRES (Afterschool Coaching for Reflective Education in STEM) team will give an overview of the STEM Credential program and provide information on how you and your staff can participate.

DATE: April 22, 12:00-12:30 PM

REGISTER HERE

Summer Meals Program

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is now being marketed as SUN Meals and SUN Meals To-Go. To provide free meals to your community, learn more about enrollment here.

Rev your Bev, April 21-25

Rev Your Bev is the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth’s campaign to encourage Virginians to drink more water. Rev Your Bev promotes water as the #1 beverage of choice as a key strategy for childhood obesity prevention and brings educators, health advocates, and community leaders together to change the way Virginians think about beverages. Learn more here!

Mizzen Education

Mizzen by Mott is a free app full of lesson plans and resources made by OST for OST!

Just in time for Earth Day, Mizzen has introduced five new STEM modules in collaboration with the City Parks Foundation. From shimmering leaf canopies to bustling waterways, these modules invite middle school youth (grades 6-8) to explore the wonders of nature while building confidence in STEM, leadership, and environmental stewardship. Dive into the Eco-Explorations series and more at Mizzen.org.

Thanks to your participation in the Afterschool Alliance Wave 11 survey we now have key insights into the state of afterschool programs in late 2024. The data are based on an online survey conducted by Edge Research between October 29-December 10, 2024.

Key Takeaways for Virginia

Compared to programs nationally, Virginia programs are more likely to be operating at a higher than pre-pandemic level
Students’ mental and emotional health, missed connections, and unproductive screen time are the top concerns for Virginia programs.
- 81% are concerned about students’ mental and emotional health
- 69% are concerned about students missing opportunities for social connections with peers and caring adults
- 67% are concerned about unproductive screen time harming students’ well-being
Staffing and sustainability issues for Virginia providers
- Related to staffing, 39% of Virginia program providers are very or extremely concerned about paying staff a livable wage and benefits
- To address staffing challenges, the most common measures Virginia program providers have taken include increasing hourly wages and/or salaries (81%), providing additional professional development opportunities (44%), and providing additional paid time off (22%).
A majority of Virginia program providers feel positive about their programs' future, with 72% reporting optimism.

Input Needed for Program Cost Calculator

The American Institutes for Research® (AIR®), with support from The Wallace Foundation and in collaboration with the Afterschool Alliance and National Afterschool Association, is conducting a cost study to better understand the current landscape of out-of-school time (OST) programs, including their practices, resources, and costs. The goal of this study is to produce an updated cost calculator that will help the OST field advocate for, plan, and secure resources for high-quality programs. A $50 electronic gift card will be sent to the first 500 eligible programs that complete the screener. Take the survey here.

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Subject: Your April VPOST News- Our 2025 Conference, Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week and more!