Newsletters

Overview

Newsletters

Stay up to date with all the exciting Expanded Learning and out-of-school time learning information by receiving the CAN newsletter. Check out recent and past newsletters, and don’t forget to sign up to be on our list serve!

CAN Newsletter

CAN Newsletter – Reflecting on Current Events
July 12, 2023

Photo of two hands holding pinkies

We hope that this July you are finding yourself in the midst of successful summer programs and that you had an enjoyable Fourth of July. As we celebrate America’s independence, we also reflect on the principles of freedom and dissent that were core to its founding. CAN is part of a national network of statewide afterschool networks. As such, we have the unique opportunity to see how policies and social movements impact the out-of-school time community nationwide. 

Our Executive Director, Jeff Davis reflected on this in a recent How Kids Learn publication, Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth in Afterschool Programs and Opposing Anti-LGBTQ+ Attacks

STEAM Newsletter

STEAM Newsletter – Celebrating Juneteenth & Pride
June 30, 2023

Photo of Emancipation Day celebration held on June 19, 1900

It’s the beginning of summer! The month held summer solstice, Juneteenth, Pride, and brain awareness month. There is much to celebrate as the school year ends and out-of-school activities move outdoors!

This month we celebrate Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Liberation Day, also known as Juneteenth. This marks the anniversary of Union troops landing at Galveston, Texas, with the news that the Civil War ended and enslaved people were now free.

CAN Newsletter

CAN Newsletter – Show up with Pride!
June 14, 2023

Join us in celebrating Pride Month and the end of another school year!

People celebrating and waving a Pride flag in the air California AfterSchool Network stands alongside our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community, celebrating their identity and whom they love. Pride Month serves as a beautiful reminder of the invaluable gift that the LGBTQ+ community adds to the diversity of our country, which strengthens us as we pursue equity, justice, and freedom for all. 

Health and Wellness Newsletter

Health & Wellness Newsletter – Mental Health Awareness Month
May 23, 2023

A colorful sign with the words "You belong"

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. As the arrival of spring brings blooming flowers and joyful moments, it’s crucial to take a moment to focus on our own mental health and well-being. Embracing self-care is not only essential, but also encouraging to witness more people prioritizing their mental health, breaking the stigma, and promoting awareness.

STEAM Newsletter

STEAM Newsletter – Flying High with Innovation!
May 16, 2023

Photo of Shyla Raghav posing in front of a wall with information about different types of birds

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI Heritage Month)! This year’s theme for AAPI Heritage Month is Advancing Leaders Through Opportunity. The Million Girls Moonshot and all of its partners will be celebrating the successes of innovative AAPI computer scientists, engineers, and other STEM professionals.

Explore some of the amazing work that has been contributed to the field of STEM by exploring this month’s IF/THEN ambassadors down below!

CAN Newsletter

CAN Newsletter – A Reminder to Take Care of Yourself
May 11, 2023

Human hands holding a heart

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! According to Youth.gov., “It is normal for children and youth to experience various types of emotional distress as they develop and mature. For example, it is common for children to experience anxiety about school, or youth to experience short periods of depression that are transient in nature.” However, when symptoms persist, it may be time to seek professional assistance. 

STEAM Newsletter

STEAM Newsletter – Exploring the World and Your Genes!
April 27, 2023

Photo of scientist looking at a microscope

April 25th was National DNA Day! Every year since 2003, scientists, biologists, and genetics enthusiasts come together to observe National DNA Day, celebrating the discovery and research into DNA and the scientific advancements that helped make progress possible. National DNA Day encourages people to learn more about the science that makes them genetically unique. Help youth feel unique and special with the following resources to use all month long! 

Health and Wellness Newsletter

Health & Wellness Newsletter – Celebrating National Nutrition Month!
March 28, 2023

Four elementary students examine plants

Welcome to this edition of CAN’s Health & Wellness newsletter! March is National Nutrition Month! National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and 2023 is the 50th year of celebration! During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.

CAN Newsletter

CAN Newsletter – Celebrating Women’s History Month
March 14, 2023

Cartoon image of 3 women with the text "women's history month"

Happy March and welcome to the CAN Newsletter! If you are new here, we are happy to have you join the CAN Family! CAN celebrates the incredible women and folks who identify as women – who are youth developers and community educators! The strong, courageous, creative, intelligent, resilient, and inspiring women and sheroes who go above & beyond to support youth, families, and communities in being the best they can be. We see you, we hear you, and we stand in solidarity with you! 

STEAM Newsletter

STEAM Newsletter – Who Runs the World: Girls!
March 21, 2023

This historic 1965 photograph, depicted a laboratory technician, as she was measuring out various powdered chemicals, which would subsequently be combined in order to formulate reagents to be used in conjunction with an AutoAnalyzer.

It’s March, friends, and that means Women’s History Month! Women’s History Month is a wonderful time to honor the stories, achievements, and legacies of the amazing women who shaped STEM fields as we know them today. By educating ourselves about the past, we can create a bright future for women and girls to follow in their footsteps and forge new pathways to innovation.

CAN Newsletter

CAN Newsletter – Reflecting on the 2023 Site Coordinator Symposium
February 28, 2023

CA State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond and Symposium participants.

A few weeks ago, CAN had the pleasure of hosting the 2023 Site Coordinator Symposium! A huge thank you to our Partner Sponsors, Presenters, Participants, Volunteers, and Planning team who made it all possible! We offered a hybrid convening experience for 650+ Site Coordinators and Expanded Learning educators full of virtual and in-person learning opportunities, sharing of promising practices, community building, and tons of FUN!

STEAM Newsletter

STEAM Newsletter – Celebrating National Mentoring Month!
January 18, 2023

Three female math teachers collaborate

Happy New Year! Welcome to the first installment of the CAN STEAM newsletter for 2023! This January, we are celebrating National Mentoring Month, a national celebration of the role models and mentors that have made monumental differences in the lives of so many.

Listed as one of Moonshot’s four transformative practices, role models and mentors play a significant role in showing young women what is possible for them in STEM. 

CAN Newsletter

CAN Newsletter – Chapter 1 of 2023!
January 12, 2023

Happy New Year 2023

Happy New Year! A new year, a fresh start, and infinite possibilities! The CAN Team is looking forward to the next year and all of the awesome work, we, educators and practitioners in Expanded Learning / Out-of-School-Time will do together. As we jump into the second half of the school year and continue supporting children and youth in our communities, it is important we care for ourselves. 

CAN Newsletter

CAN Newsletter – Reflecting on the Year
December 15, 2022

Photo of students walking in the snow

Greetings CAN Community, and Happy Holidays! 

As we close this year, we want to take a moment and reflect. Making intentional time to reflect is not only helpful with Continuous Quality Improvement for programs, but it also allows an opportunity for self-reflection to identify areas to celebrate, areas to grow, and new possibilities. Every year brings its own unique set of victories and defeats, struggles and joys. Whatever season of life you’re in at the moment, it’s important to reflect on how the year went so you can adjust your sails. Below is a list of reflective questions for educators, children, and youth to consider.

Health and Wellness Newsletter

Health & Wellness Newsletter – Prioritizing Health this Season
November 22, 2022

Welcome to this month’s Health & Wellness newsletter! As we enter this holiday season, it is important to prioritize all aspects of your health: physical, mental, and emotional.

As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, check in with your community. Seasonal depression, or it’s clinical term: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is a type of depression that occurs with the changing of the seasons that affects up to 10% of the United States population.

STEAM Newsletter

STEAM Newsletter – Broadening STEM Access for All
November 15, 2022

A student looks for a chemical reaction in a beaker during an experiment.November is a busy month full of celebration. It is National Native American Heritage month and November 8th was National STEM Day. As a partner of Million Girls Moonshot, the California AfterSchool Network is helping close the gap to make STEAM learning more equitable and accessible to marginalized and all youth. All month long we honor the contributions of Indigenous peoples past and present to STEM.