Welcome from Ms. May Sagbakken, Executive Director of NMOST – Afterschool and Summer Learning: Connecting Schools and Communities
Welcome to this edition of the NM Community Schools Newsletter. An increasing number of communities are using the community school model and its reliance on partnerships to provide expanded learning opportunities—before, after, and during traditional school hours, as well as on weekends, over holiday breaks, and during summers. Quality after-school and summer learning programs work with communities to connect children and youth with resources, community-based organizations, volunteers, and mentors. In many places, the after-school program serves as a hub of activity for children, youth, and families by offering an array of community activities.
School closures caused by the pandemic have taken a significant toll on the well-being of our state’s children and youth. This year, young people faced the challenges of learning loss, hunger, and disconnection from their peers. As we start to emerge from the pandemic, community schools can offer solutions to address families’ basic needs, like access to programs that help children thrive.
Community schools are a natural venue to assist families with a safe place after school and during summer months. Both necessitate adopting strategies for engaging in an open dialogue among school staff and leaders, families, and community-based organizations—mobilizing all assets in the community to identify gaps and create engaging opportunities that motivate students to learn and expand their experiences so that they can be successful in their lives and careers.
Unfortunately, programs are not currently available in many New Mexico communities. Many parents report that they cannot afford summer programs, that they don’t have access to transportation, or that summer programs simply don’t exist where they are. A national survey by the Afterschool Alliance found more than 20 percent of providers across the U.S. cannot run programs this summer, and 30 percent said they might need to raise parent fees to compensate for the lost revenue due to COVID-19. With the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act, New Mexico has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to use federal funding to dramatically affect the lives of New Mexico families by increasing access to and affordability of after-school and summer enrichment programs in community schools over the next two years. Community schools that partner with neighborhood organizations provide an excellent strategy to assist families to overcome barriers to access, such as transportation and fees.
Research shows that after-school and summer learning programs help close the opportunity gap for students from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. By 8th grade, low-income youth have 6,000 fewer hours of enrichment and extracurricular activities than youth from higher income families. Children and youth, who participate in these programs, experience a number of positive social and emotional impacts:
- Gain new experiences & skills
- Have a safe place to be
- Express themselves
- Explore their passion
- Find their voice
- Stay connected to school
- Feel positive about themselves
- Develop leadership skills
- Improve academic achievement
After-school and summer learning programs that involve community-based organizations have the unique ability to reach at-risk children and youth who are disenchanted with school, are hard to reach, or are isolated from their communities. Enrichment activities tap into children’s interest, sparking their imagination and igniting a fire within. Research on childhood resiliency, development, and prevention of high-risk behaviors confirms the importance of positively connecting youth to their communities.
With the emerging number of community schools in underserved communities in New Mexico, we have the opportunity to make a difference for families, children, and youth throughout our state. As a network we stand ready to assist—please visit our website www.nmost.org for resources and professional development.
May Sagbakken
Executive Director
New Mexico Out-of-School Time Network (NMOST)
NM PED celebrates our educators!
The NM PED created several social media posts for #TeacherAppreciationWeek, May 2nd–6th, that highlighted favorite teachers and featured those finalists for Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math. We also shared the posts from districts around the state in celebration of our teachers!
TGRCNM
TGRCNM is a community-based nonprofit providing advocacy, education, and direct services in support of transgender, gender nonconforming, nonbinary, and gender variant people and their families.
Learn more by clicking here.
Eagle Nest Elementary and Middle School Doing Project-Based Learning RIGHT!
The first thing to know about Eagle Nest Elementary and Middle School is that Active Family & Community Engagement and Extended & Enriched Learning Time & Opportunities are not just pillars of this community school, they are its very foundation. For nearly 15 years, the school has prioritized collaboration with families and the community, from classroom curriculum to community partnerships.
The school’s trademark project-based learning experience is called “Character Ed”. Dr. George Otero, co-founder of the Center for Relational Learning and longtime collaborator, says that well before becoming a state-funded Community School, Eagle Nest was already a “community school” in the purest sense of the words: a true rural school with a relationship-based approach to engaging with families and the inhabitants of the village of Eagle Nest and its environs. He says that, while receiving a PED grant has given the school needed structure and benchmarks by which to track their success, the Eagle Nest journey has been an organic process started by the simple premise that the school belongs to the community.
Lee Mills, former principal of Eagle Nest and current community school coordinator, believes firmly that “If kids are engaged, families will be engaged. If families are engaged, everyone does better.” His efforts to engage students have focused on community-based learning and real-life experiential projects. Examples include students running the community’s 4th of July parade, a horse nurturing program, and an aquaponics project.
Each step of the way, the school worked closely with families and the community to identify needs, brainstorm, and design projects that improve the relationship between the school and students, families, the community, and the land.
A few years ago, the school—working closely with community leaders—was able to obtain an abandoned ranch in the Gila wilderness. Since the ranch needed considerable work, students and their families were entrusted with taking care of the land. In the process, the ranch became something like a community campground, where families spend a weekend enjoying the local nature.
All projects are pursued in collaboration with the community—it’s “not an outcome-based approach” but rather one that seeks to prioritize cultivating positive relationships. Dr. Otero says that the key to designing Eagle Nest’s ground-breaking project-based learning has been reflecting on three questions: Who are we? What is worth learning? How do we learn that together?
With a return to normalcy on the horizon, students, staff, and community members are looking forward to returning to the school’s past projects and beginning a few new ones!
Lynn Middle School's Summer Program
This year, Lynn Community Middle School in Las Cruces designed and implemented their own Extended Learning Time summer program. While many schools opted for a traditional summer remediation program, the staff at Lynn was determined to try a different tactic than usual to engage and encourage students to collaborate and support those struggling with social isolation during this unusual school year.
School staff decided to use a project-based learning approach to the summer program and developed two 5-day programs at Lynn. Lynn students spent the first five days as “World Travelers” and the second five days as “Out of this World Travelers".
During the first five summer days, student learned about other countries (of their choosing), their cultures, and their climates. They finished those five days with a gallery walk of games, biomes, and tapestries celebrating these cultures.
The second five summer days included discussions of different planets and the atmospheric conditions for each planet (again, of their choosing). Students researched and created visitor travel brochures for each of their planets followed by a gallery walk of activities.
On the final day, Lynn partnered with the Army National Guard to get students up and moving with fun and engaging physical activities.
Summer programs are a great way to experiment with innovative approaches to learning and teaching, and we applaud Lynn's efforts to engage their students in new and exciting ways!
FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit
On Wednesday, May 12, the FCC opened its Emergency Broadband Benefit to households nationwide. This FCC program has been created in response to the disparity in internet service that the Covid-19 pandemic revealed, and it assists families and households to afford Internet services. Please pass along this information to students, friends, family, and neighbors.
Eligible households will receive a discount of up to $50 per month for broadband service from participating providers and up to $75 per month for homes on qualifying Tribal land. The FCC program provides a discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers. You can find a list of participating providers in New Mexico on the FCC website.
A household is eligible if they meet one of six required criteria. For more information on the requirements, the participating providers, and details on the three ways to apply, visit https://www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit
NMOST Network Summer Program Information
Summer Opportunities for students in Northern NM & Beyond
NM Early Childhood Care and Education Department Meal Sites
2021 Inspire Conference: AIR: Advocate, Innovate, Renew
The Inspire AIR conference encouraged educators and families to see their children and students through a shared lens—a lens through which children are validated for the historical gifts they contribute, the dynamic individuals that they are, and the genius they ignite within as they move through their educational journey.
This conference offered opportunities to cultivate shared advocacy skills, innovate on existing and best practices, and renew the spirits and minds of educators, families, and students. This gathering included celebrations of the diversity of our communities; promoted discussions and catalyzed activities around wellness and healing, equity, and inclusion; offered workshops centered on both adaptive and technical change in the classroom; and provided opportunities for educators and key stakeholders to network, share stories of success, and push one another’s thinking and practice in service of all children in New Mexico—with a particular emphasis on students and families most impacted by inequity.
View the recorded conference of June 16–19 here.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING COVID-19 VACCINES
Although the threshold of 60 percent fully vaccinated eligible New Mexicans wasn't quite met, the Governor has determined that the 59.4 percent achievement of June 17 was good enough. The color coded, "Red to Green" framework and many of the Covid-safe practices that have been guiding our lives will be removed, with everything reopening on July 1. The full press release can be found at https://www.governor.state.nm.us/2021/06/18/n-m-pandemic-restrictions-gone-july-1/
On a cautionary note, Health Secretary Tracie Collins, MD reminds us that the fight to protect ourselves, our family, and community is still on-going. “We are learning that just receiving the first of two vaccines in a series is not enough to protect you against some of the highly infectious variants. So if you have had only one Pfizer or Moderna vaccination, please, schedule your booster shot today. And help us keep moving forward and keep your family and your neighbors safe.”
How can you help?
- All New Mexicans, ages 12 and older are eligible and are encouraged to schedule a vaccination appointment today at vaccineNM.org or by calling 1-855-600-3453.
- Parents of New Mexicans ages 12–15 are encouraged to register their child for the approved Pfizer vaccine at vaccineNM.org
- Schedule your Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine today. If you still need to get vaccinated, consider asking for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine so you can complete your vaccine series in one shot, which will help keep New Mexico on track to reaching that 60 percent threshold by June 17. The vaccine is free, and the State is offering $100 incentives for folks who receive the J&J vaccine by June 17. Schedule your vaccine at your nearest event today.
- Schedule your booster shot today. If you received your first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine (either Pfizer of Moderna) but have not yet received your booster shot, you won’t be considered fully vaccinated until you get your second shot. If you receive your booster shot, you will help move New Mexico that much closer to that 60 percent goal, so we can fully reopen the state on time—and you will receive $100 if you get your booster by June 17. Schedule your vaccine at your nearest event today.
- Share this information with your district's families and others in your community. The New Mexico Department of Health just announced that those who complete their vaccine by June 17 will receive $100 (those younger than 18 will need a parent or guardian along with them in order to be eligible for the incentive). Find a vaccine event and register today.
THIS JUST IN: For those in the Albuquerque area, Presbyterian Vaccination Hub, 9201 San Mateo Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, is offering New Mexicans their second Pfizer shot or the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine all day Tuesday, June 15 and distributed the $100 cash incentive on-site.
AND FINALLY, don’t forget about the state’s Vax 2 the Max sweepstakes! In an effort to further promote and encourage the COVID-19 vaccine, New Mexico recently launched a statewide sweepstakes that will qualify New Mexicans for cash prizes, staycations, passes to state parks and museums, and many other prizes—all just by getting vaccinated.
Shout-Out to Sierra Mapel at RFK Charter in Albuquerque
Goodbye Sierra, until we meet again!
It is said that goodbyes are difficult, and this is no lie. Sierra Mapel has been serving as the Robert F. Kennedy Charter School Community Coordinator for the past year and a half. She exemplified greatness and rose to every challenge that RFK faced, during a year none of us will soon forget. She worked hard to make sure the families of RFK that had fallen on hard times during the pandemic had food, housing, and utility payments. She worked hand-in-hand with community partners and other schools to ensure that families in the South Valley had access to medical care and essential vaccines.
In a time when many of us wanted to operate in a silo because of the pandemic, she reached out to new and old partners to guarantee our families, as well as families at other schools, were served. Sierra went above and beyond to schedule a COVID-19 clinic with Lovelace Hospital and the New Mexico Department of Health so that any family in the South Valley could be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Sierra has been a true asset to RFK and the South Valley Community. She demonstrated many qualities and always came to work with a “can do” attitude. Sierra will be missed, and our next coordinator will definitely have some big shoes to fill. But in true Sierra fashion—she has made sure that our incoming community coordinator has the necessary tools and knowledge to be successful.
Thank you Sierra. You will be missed!
Sincerely,
The RFK Leadership
New Mexico Community School Leader Virtual Summit
Please use this link to register for this no-cost virtual event:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAscu2grD4tE9EY07ckP7kUnS0IkqShk2eB
