CAN Newsletter – In Peace and Love
June 17, 2025
Hello, and welcome!
Let’s be real—things are rough, heavy, heartbreaking, overwhelming, and scary in many of our communities right now. Though we celebrate Pride Month and Juneteenth, we would be remiss not to acknowledge the immigration raids and inhumane acts of violence, especially in our brown and marginalized communities. We recently shared a message with our Partners, which you can access here.
In a crisis, it is important to breathe. We invite you to join us and take one minute to give your body and brain a wellness break. Whether you choose to practice with music or in silence, you can follow the guided steps below
- While standing or sitting (even leaning with your back against a wall is fine), be aware of your feet grounded on the floor. Close your eyes.
- Take a deep breath in, scanning your entire body up and down, from your toes to the top of your head, then back down again while breathing out.
- As you inhale and exhale, breathe deep into your chest so your belly fills with the air. When exhaling, control the air as it leaves your lungs.
- Make breathing in and out your only responsibility. Listen to your breath as it goes in and out of your nose. Feel it as it fills your lungs. Control it as your lungs empty.
Do this for one minute. At the end of this breathing exercise, open your eyes.
We hope this has given you at least one minute for yourself despite the challenging circumstances you may be navigating. Peace to you. This breathing exercise is shared from Healthy Monday.
CAN is Committed to Equity and Justice.
We stand in solidarity and celebrate Pride Month every June to honor the LGBTQ+ community’s triumphs, present struggles, and ongoing fight for equality. Additionally, we amplify and celebrate Juneteenth, a testament to and celebration of a people’s unyielding spirit and honoring the enduring legacy of freedom through the vibrant traditions of the African diaspora in the U.S. and the Caribbean.
Resources
- Check out the resources from Human Rights Campaign for how you can celebrate Pride.
- The Trevor Project has resources for how to show allyship, even when faced with a hostile environment.
- Explore resources in a digital toolkit from the National Museum of African American History & Culture.
- Access a Children’s Guide on how to talk about slavery and freedom in age-appropriate ways, an activity to inspire hope and activism, and a children’s book and online resources list.
In This Newsletter:
Join Us for EXL Office Hours – Summer 2025!
Select Fridays in July & August
The California AfterSchool Network (CAN), in partnership with the California Department of Education (CDE) Expanded Learning Division (EXLD) and other members of the System of Support for Expanded Learning (SSEL), is co-hosting virtual Summer 2025 Expanded Learning Office Hours this July and August.
Save the Date for the 2026 Site Coordinator Symposium!
February 4, 27-28, 2026
We are excited to announce the 9th Annual 2026 Site Coordinator Symposium in Long Beach, CA! Presented by the California AfterSchool Network, in partnership with the Site Coordinator Network, and supported by the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division and the System of Support for Expanded Learning.
Co-Conspiring Wishes for the Ecosystem Plan
June 2025
The Ecosystem Plan Update
In times like these, where our communities are being threatened by the very institutions that are supposed to protect them, the Ecosystem Plan becomes more than just a strategy, it becomes a collective commitment to building community, care, and power from the ground up.
As we continue to deepen our understanding of the work we must commit to as a youth serving ecosystem, what is beginning to emerge is that the Ecosystem Plan will be a living framework that maps out how we show up, not just in crisis, but with intention. The design process for the Ecosystem Plan invites us to imagine and co-create something different, something uniquely ours, rooted in co-conspiring wishes for a shared vision, and a network of care that no institution can take away.
Welcome Crystal-Jo Blanchard!
CAN Team Member Welcome
We are so excited to welcome Crystal-Jo Blanchard to our team! Crystal-Jo joined the CAN team in April 2025 as a Specialist for the Equity & Quality team.
Crystal-Jo brings more than 15 years of experience in the Expanded Learning field and will be supporting our workforce bucket of work.
Welcome Peter Alton!
CAN Team Member Welcome
We are so excited to welcome Peter Alton to our team! Peter joined the CAN team in April 2025 as a Specialist for the Equity & Quality team.
Before joining the CAN team, Peter worked in the after school field for six years, with experience as a site coordinator, a trainer, and a regional manager.
Happy 5th CANniversary to Nat Rosales!
June 29, 2025
June 29th is Nat’s CANniversary! Nat joined the CAN team in 2020 as a Student Assistant and became a full-time team member in 2022 as a Coordinator for the Policy & Outreach Team. Nat is now a Specialist for the Policy & Outreach Team and leads our social media and graphic design work. You can always find them brainstorming ways to share the story of the work authentically and as accessible as possible. (Can you tell what their favorite color is?)
Thank you for being your authentic self, Nat!
CDE Important Information, Reminders & Due Dates!
The California Department of Education (CDE) Expanded Learning Division (EXLD) has recently shared multiple communications with important information on reports and items due. Please review each post below to stay informed and up-to-date on the following:
- Open: ASSIST Fourth Quarter Expenditure and Second Semiannual Attendance Reporting – DUE JULY 31, 2025
- 2024–25 Annual Outcomes-Based Data for Evaluation and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Report – DUE SEPTEMBER 31, 2025
- Fiscal Year 2023-2024 ELO-P Expenditure Report – DUE SEPTEMBER 31, 2025
- New 2025−26 Data Collections for Attendance Recovery Program and EXL Programs
Seeds to Solutions
FREE Empowering Lessons on Environmental Solutions
Ten Strands, in partnership with the San Mateo County Office of Education has developed Seeds to Solutions free instructional resources on environmental challenges and solutions for grades K–12.
Seeds to Solutions focuses on California-specific environmental issues and is intended as a starting point. Developed with input from community groups serving disproportionately affected areas, it includes real-world topics like food waste, water use, and wildfire management. The resources are age-appropriate, trauma-informed, and designed to empower students to investigate environmental challenges and take action in their communities.
It Takes All of Us Expanded Learning Workforce Summit
Registration Extended until June 20, 2025!
Join us in San Diego for It Takes All of Us—California’s only statewide event dedicated to celebrating and strengthening the expanded learning workforce hosted by Partnership for Children and Youth, CalSAC, and Expand LA. This two-day summit brings together district and community-based organization leaders, higher education institutions, workforce development practitioners, funders, and others who are passionate about supporting the people who power expanded learning.
July 17-18, 2025; San Diego, CA
Enter the Lights On Poster Contest Today!
Deadline Approaching: June 30, 2025
The 2025 Lights On Afterschool poster contest is open for only two more weeks! Submit your artwork by June 30, 2025, for a chance to be featured on over 50,000 posters displayed at over 8,000 Lights On Afterschool events worldwide.
This year, the Afterschool Alliance is looking for artwork representing the spirit of afterschool. Think about how your program has opened doors to new opportunities, whether discovering something you love, learning new skills, or making friends. Show how your afterschool staff have inspired, mentored, or supported you. Let your creativity tell the story of what afterschool means to you!
Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainings
June 21, 26, and 28, 2025; 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM PST
Adults who work or interact with youth between the ages of six and 18 are encouraged to register for several upcoming Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) webinars that teach adults how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health challenges in youth. This training provides educators with the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to youth and connect them to the appropriate care. The YMHFA trainings are sponsored by the CDE with funding from the Blue Shield of California BlueSky Initiative and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education (Project AWARE) State Educational Agency Grant.
Register for the following dates:
CA High Impact Tutoring Solutions Sprint Application is LIVE!
Applications Due: August 20, 2025
In partnership with the National Student Support Accelerator (NSSA) and grounded in research commissioned by EdResearch for Action, teams from California local education agencies (LEAs) are invited to apply for an exciting 8-session virtual learning opportunity.
This program is designed for teams committed to advancing evidence-based high-impact tutoring in California schools and districts, and is offered in collaboration with the California State Board of Education, California Department of Education’s Expanded Learning Division, and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence.
Apply now to bring this proven strategy to your schools and improve outcomes for your students.
Early Learning Summer STEAM Symposium Opportunity!
June 27, 2025; 8:30 AM - 2:10 PM (PST)
Join Count Play Explore for the Summer Early Learning STEAM Symposium!
This free virtual event will offer attendees insights about early learning & STEAM through one-hour sessions and keynotes. Attendance certificates will be available.
This free virtual symposium will include sessions on:
Opportunity for High School Youth: Rail Innovation in Action 2025!
Deadline: September 22, 2025
The California State Railroad Museum is supporting another year of Rail Innovation in Action, a free virtual program for high school students nationwide created in partnership with Lemelson-MIT. Youth are invited to join their cohort of future rail innovators!
The Fall 2025 theme is Community Impact, and students will explore real-world, human-centered issues that shape a community’s relationship with the railroad industry in the past, present, and future.
Self-Care as Community Care
Self-care has become a buzzword in the mental health and wellness spaces. However, self-care is not always possible, particularly for individuals facing systemic barriers such as poverty, overwork, or marginalization. Healthline highlights the importance of interdependence and the human need for connection, as outlined in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. It suggests practical ways to incorporate community care into daily life, such as regularly checking in with others, offering specific support, and being present for those who may be overwhelmed.
Want more examples of community care? The Strategic Design Kick-off that happened in late March provides some examples on community care and healing. During the “Tides of Wisdom” Guest Panel, Nathaniel Wilson and Rosalina Mancillas spoke about how healing can happen in ExL programs with an emphasis on community.
Meet the CAN Team!
Social Media Campaign
The CAN team has grown over the last year and we want to highlight all of our amazing new (and existing) team members! We have started a campaign to showcase our team where you can learn a little more about our paths that have led us to CAN!
Check out the posts on our social media pages:
Check Out Our Other Newsletters!
Access the CAN newsletter archives to view past newsletters today! You may be interested in some of our other newsletters as well:
CAN Health and Wellness Newsletters
- Get informed on the connections between afterschool and Whole Child Health and Wellness.
- Subscribe today!
CAN STEAM Newsletters
- Get informed about the Million Girl Moonshot project and access other STEAM resources.
- Subscribe today!
CAN Policy Newsletter
- Get informed about policy-related content, including national, state, and local updates, that supports our Expanded Learning programs.
- Subscribe today!