Program Plan

Component 1: Goals

Definition: Clear desired outcomes; it is essential to set goals

because they are the foundation of the program, and funding is
used to support the goals that are set

Key findings:
o A clearly written plan that was easily understood
o Activities and practices aligned to reach program goals
o Program evaluations (internal and external)

Personal plan:
o Program goals can be used in every aspect of the programgoals for leadership, staff, evaluation, and the program itself.
My goal for the staffing part of the program would be to hire
people that are not just qualified, but go beyond what is
asked of them. I would do this by setting the bar high with
the requirement of needing a Bachelors degree to even
apply, and by adding that a Masters degree could get you a
higher salary.
o I would make it a goal that my program has a specific
emphasis, regardless of if its on homework/study time,
collaboration, or individual progress, I want our emphasis to
be well known and spread all around the program.
o As for other program plans, I would leave the staff to
cooperate and put their input in at weekly meetings. We could

set goals for not only the staff, but individual students, and
this would be broadcasted on the bulletin board placed where
everyone can see it. The goals must be clear and well-stated
so that it achievable.

Source: Huang, D. & Dietel, R. (2011). Making afterschool programs better.

National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing
(CRESST), UCLA.
http://www.cse.ucla.edu/products/policy/huang_MAPB_v5.pdf

Component 2: Leadership

Definition: It is important that the leadership of the program is

well-educated, communicates efficiently, and is experienced. It is
also imperative that the program allow room for open
communication so that collaboration between leaders run smoothly.

Key findings:
o A clear mission statement (goals included)
o A requirement of highly skilled and knowledgeable staff
o Staff has the ability to make program improvements that are
both individual and communal

Personal plan:
o Leadership would be one of the strongest points of my
program. I feel that if leadership were weak, than the rest of
the program would be weak too. I would stress the

importance of having knowledgeable staff that is greatly

involved in the students school day. In order to do this, I
would make sure that our staff communicated with school
faculty and administrators to make sure that both the schools
way of teaching and the afterschools way of tutoring students
aligned.
o This was in accordance with Californias Quality Assessment
Tool, which also highlighted that there would be additional
education plans for struggling students. I think that this
would be one of the most beneficial parts of the program; if
mom and dad are working, the student might not be able to
find ample time to receive homework help. This type of
communication between the school and the program instills
leadership in not only the staff, but the afterschool program
itself.
o With the communication would come progress reports of the
students behavior at school- this way the afterschool staff
could track the students behavior and monitor their activities
when needed. This is a great attribution to the program
because there is no pitting both the school and afterschool
programs against themselves; they work together, not
against eachother.

Source: California After School Program Quality Assessment Tool (CAN-QSA)

http://www.afterschoolnetwork.org/sites/main/files/fileattachments/qsatool_0.pdf

Component 3: Staff

Definition: The staff employed by the program fosters positive

relationships with the students, is a positive role model, is
dependable, and trustworthy. The staff must also be able to work
well with not only the students, but other staff members, school
staff, and parents.

Key findings:
o High education standards
o Positive relationships between staff and students
o Low staff turnover rate

Personal plan:
o Hiring appropriate staff is something that I would take very
seriously. I would want to be them to be knowledgeable with
at least a Bachelors Degree, and I would want them to follow
the same criteria needed in working for a major business.
Similar to the way successful businesses keep in constant
contact with their clientele, I would want each and every staff
member to personally know every childs parents. A
relationship with parents among the most important parts of
the program for several reasons; for one, communication is

needed in assessing behavior and educational needs of the

student.
o Secondly, the parents are our best advertisers- they have the
ability to spread good word about our program, or not. All in
all, my staff must be able to good form relationships with
those involved in the program. Yes, this does include the
ability to get along with other staff members. This is also
essential, because by respecting eachothers boundaries and
reaching for a common goal, members are able to speak their
mind and voice opinions without judgment or punishment.
This was shown in the New York State Quality Assessment
Tool as in important asset to a successful program. This way,
staff members are able to contribute to the program both as a
group and individually.
o Positive relationships between the staff would be needed in
order to implement my weekly meetings; they would be held
once a week without fail to ensure that everything is running
smoothly, and to discuss any problems or concerns the
members have.

Source: New York Quality Assessment Tool http://www.nysan.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/03/file_NYSAN_QSA_Guide_Second_Edition-1.pdf

Component 4: Program

Definition: After-school program ties into the school day;

homework help is consistently available as well as developmental
activities such as the arts, sciences, and technology.

Key findings:
o Active communication between parents and staff
o Technology that promoted research-based activities
o Activities that promoted social and cognitive development

Personal plan:
o The program itself is what keeps kids coming back. If the
program doesnt include multiple stimulating activities, some
sort of homework help, and active communication between
the students and the staff, it is doomed to fail. My program
would include structured voluntary activities, such as Larson
mentioned in his article regarding positive youth
development. These kinds of activities are organized by the
staff and are voluntary to the students, yet they are
structured with rules and guidelines. This is important
because it allows the students the option to be challenged
with a new activity, but there are rules within them to keep
the activitys worth in tact.
o The program must also allow itself to be modified in
accordance to feedback and experience. Not all programs will
run smoothly their first time around, so it is essential that any
and all feedback is taken seriously to better the program. I

would ask for feedback from parents at the end of each

quarter/ semester session through an anonymous survey
online.
o Although the program needs to have activities that commonly
sparks student interest, such as sports do, there must also be
activities that are challenging for the students to increase the
motivation and participation needed to complete it. In
Larsons article, he mentioned how youth tend to coordinate
motivation and attention when engaging in challenging
activities. I would set aside a part of the room as a place for
these particularly challenging activities that would be lead by
a trained staff member; the kids would be highly encouraged
to participate.

Source: Larson, R. W. (2000). Towards a psychology of positive youth

development. American Psychologist, 55, 170-183.
http://www.yclc.ca/PDF%20files/toward%20a%20positive.pdf

Component 5: Evaluation

Definition: Evaluations can take place with the staff, students,

and/or parents. This is done to ensure that the program is making
steps towards becoming successful and to identify any weaknesses
that can improved

Key findings:

o Programs enforced both external and internal evaluations

o Exploring different evaluation methods, such as pre-testing
and post-testing the students
o Having an external evaluator research the improvement on
reading and math programs

Personal plan:
o Evaluation is important to the programs success because it
enables the staff and parents to be aware of the programs
strengths and weaknesses. As previously mentioned, I would
ask parents to participate in an anonymous survey concerning
the quality of the program, and any additional comments they
might have about it. This would also be brought about in staff
meetings; through meetings, I would be able to see which
staff members need more training, or future conferences
needed in order to implement future plans.
o Once critiques and feedback has been made, I would create a
chart such as the one used in the New York Quality
Assessment Tool to determine when the changes could be
made. Categories such as right now, this year, or next
year, would be listed. Unlike the tool, I would include a box
next to each topic that leaves room to write how we would
make those improvements happen.
o Improvement plans are imperative to the programs success,
and such plans discussed after evaluation would need to be

clear to all members. I would send out weekly bulletins and

even have a poster board letting everyone know when we had
reached those goals, or improved on certain aspects of the
program.
o Lastly, I would make sure that these plans were revisited
periodically to ensure that they are in the process of being
improved.

Source: New York Quality Assessment Tool http://www.nysan.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/03/file_NYSAN_QSA_Guide_Second_Edition-1.pdf

12/9/2014 6:54:00 PM

12/9/2014 6:54:00 PM