BOOST NATION Town Hall meetings are informal public meetings scheduled throughout the conference with national leaders. Everybody in the out-of-school time community is invited to attend, voice their opinions, share issues and challenges, share promising practices and hear the responses from public figures and elected officials about shared subjects of interest in your community.

Thursday, May 2

10:30am-12:30pm
Town Hall: The State of After School in California
Dr. William Ellerbee, Jr., Deputy Superintendent, Student Support & Special Services Branch, California Department of Education, Sacramento, CA; Michael Funk, Director, After School Division, California Department of Education, Sacramento, CA

Improving the impact and reach of California's after school/expanded learning programs represents a major priority for State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. To help further realize the potential of California's investment in these program areas, nearly a year and a half ago, the Superintendent created the after School Division at the California Department of Education and named Michael Funk as its Director. In this participatory session, Mr. Funk will share the progress that has been made by the Division since he has stepped into this role, including an update on the strategic planning process to date.

2:45pm-4:45pm
Advocating Afterschool: Building A Case for Policy Makers, Your Community and the Public
Alexis Steines, Field Outreach Associate, Afterschool Alliance, Washington, DC

The elections are over, but afterschool and summer learning programs continue to play key roles in education discussions. Are you building support for these programs in your community? This workshop will outline federal afterschool policy developments and advocacy opportunities, including the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization, key federal legislation and the recent elections. Using this information, we'll help hone your messaging and outreach to advocate in your community

Friday, May 3

10:00am-12:00pm
Health Benefits You Can Afford: New Program Offers Big Opportunity for Afterschool Staff, Student & Families
Dr. Ruben Ingram, Executive Director, School Employers Association of California, Irvine, CA; John Glynn, President, J Glynn & Co, Oakland, CA; Adriana Robles, Afterschool Consultant, Yorba Linda, CA

Join us for this Town Hall session to find out all about the new Affordable Care Act and how it can help everyone in California get health benefits! The new law offers free benefits for more Californians, plus subsidies to make health insurance affordable for everyone. Sign-ups start later this year, so come learn all about it so your afterschool staff--and your students and their families--can be ready to take advantage of this great opportunity!

1:15pm-2:30pm
Updating California's 21st CCLC Law: Using Practice to Inform Policy
Jennifer Peck, Executive Director, Partnership for Children and Youth, Oakland, CA; Katie Brackenridge, Partnership for Children and Youth, Oakland, CA

California has unmatched resources and infrastructure for out-of-school time (OST) programs with both the state (ASES) and federal (21st CCLC) investments. There is growing interest in updating California's current 21st CCLC statute to put in place policies that better support the quality and effectiveness of programming for kids. This interactive discussion will provide background on the OST landscape and seek input about how this law should be reformed to improve quality and access of programs.

3:45pm-5:15pm
Safe Schools Panel
Moderator: Alison Haynes, Administrator, Riverside County Office of Education, Riverside, CA
Panel Members: Arthur Cummins, Administrator, Orange County Department of Education, Costa Mesa, CA; Nancy Wilkey, Sergeant, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Santa Ana, CA; Heather Williams, Program Director and CRT Coordinator, Community Service Program, Victims Assistance Program, Santa Ana, CA; Anthony Ceja, Coordinator, Student Support Services, San Diego County Office of Education, San Diego, CA

Discuss new initiatives and funding for school safety, where federal dollars will go, and what they could mean for out of school time programs to coordinate safety planning with the school day.

Have a suggestion for a Town Hall meeting?  Please contact Tia Quinn This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it