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Lights on Afterschool 2022

Every year, Lights On Afterschool highlights amazing expanded learning opportunities all over the nation! Programs invite families, schools, policymakers, the media, and others to see the important work happening after school to engage youth and improve academic and social-emotional learning outcomes. We have a goal of getting as many Washington programs registered as possible to show our state’s leadership when it comes to providing quality expanded learning opportunities afterschool and during the summer.  That’s why we need your help! You can plan an in-person or online event at your site. Go to the Afterschool Alliance website for a comprehensive list … [ ]

Erin Jones hosts Fireside Chat at Bridge

What does it look like to embody the past, present, and future? How do we hold our collective learning and embrace with honesty who we are and where we are going? These are the questions we asked with this year’s Bridge Conference theme, “Illuminating Becoming.” It was our hope to bring together a group of imaginative leaders from across Washington state to dive deeper into questions like these and share their learning along the way. The four individuals we are honored to give our stage to include those who are leading with anti-racist practices in education and youth development, taking … [ ]

Joy, Healing and Restoration highlighted at this year’s Bridge Conference.

While we continue to face new and ongoing challenges in Washington state and beyond, our team has held true to our Bridge Conference values of  Equity​, Nourishment​, Leadership​, Change​, Innovation​, Community​, and  Belonging. It is these values that inspired us to meet the needs of our community through carefully chosen workshops. We invite and strongly encourage each person to choose a session that is just for you and what you want and need, whether it is joy or healing or restoration. Here is a list of just some of the sessions we’ll be offering this year. Everyday Mindfulness & Self-Compassion Presenters … [ ]

Developing our Bridge Conference COVID-19 Protocols

As we prepare to return to an in-person Conference for the first time in three years, we are announcing our revised COVID-19 Protocols and Practices for our 2022 Bridge Conference, which will take place in Tacoma October 24-25.   SOWA leadership and the Bridge Planning team recognize the importance of honoring multiple truths, norms, and experiences, especially when deciding about the health and safety of our community. Our Bridge Planning team includes staff from across the state, is primarily people of color, and has a wide array of experiences in the field. Their perspectives and experiences helped shape our decision-making process.   … [ ]

Celebrating the 2018-2021 BSK Out-of-School Time Cohort

In 2018, SOWA implemented the first round of Best Starts for Kids (BSK) funding and support known as the Best Starts for Kids Out-of-School Time Initiative. We partnered with 32 organizations that provide access to consistent, high-quality, and culturally relevant summer and afterschool programming, infusing more than $12 million to underserved communities across King County. Grantees more than doubled the number of youth served to reach over 2,100 in their BSK Out-of-School Time programming in Fall 2021, according to Public Profit’s final evaluation. Some grantees dramatically expanded the number of youth they were able to serve, and other grantees created … [ ]

Response to Mead School District Board of Directors Draft Policies

Response to Mead School District Board of Directors Draft Policies: Draft Policy 2401 – Civics Education and Amendment to Policy 2021 – Library Media Center  School’s Out Washington (SOWA) remains committed to ensuring that all children and youth in our state feel welcome, safe, and can thrive. We join many students, families, school staff, and organizations in opposing two proposals before the Mead School District Board of Directors – Draft Policy 2401 and Amendment to Policy 2021.   As an intermediary organization that works with afterschool and summer programs all over the Spokane area and the state, we see the challenges … [ ]