ACADEMIC COMPONENT

Every participant in the All-Stars program is required to attend an hour of academic support at least four times a week.  Students are divided into different “Learning Lounges,” each with a specific academic focus tailored to meet the students’ most pressing academic needs.  During the academic hour, each Learning Lounge has three primary objectives:

1.     Homework completion: per California state law, all students participating in an after-school program must have time to complete their daily homework assignments.  The All-Stars also understand the importance of students completing their assignments as part of our comprehensive academic approach.  In order to assist with homework completion, the All-Stars insures the following:

1. Homework supplies – all students are provided with the materials and supplies needed to complete their homework.
2. Environment – all students are provided a quiet place to complete their homework.
3. Completion Sheets – all students are required to fill out their weekly homework completion sheet, which includes a parent signature.
4. Supervision & Support – each Learning Lounge is kept to a 20:1 student-instructor ratio to insure that students can receive individualized support if necessary.
5. Additional Time – students, who do not complete their homework within the allotted time, will be given adequate program time to do so.
   

2.     Constant Engagement: if students have completed their homework before the allotted time has expired, students are provided with age-appropriate enrichment activities to complete.  These activities are designed to challenge students in an effort to keep them mentally stimulated throughout the academic hour, eliminating any “down time” during the program.  While we try to maintain consistency of materials across program sites, the exact materials provided will depend on available resources, grade levels, principal and faculty input and other factors.

3.     Foundational Skill-Building Tutoring: following the conclusion to the homework completion time, students will participate in direct tutoring in their Learning Lounge.  The following outlines the structure of the tutoring sessions:

1. Students will be separated into Learning Lounges based on the area of their greatest academic need (as determined by pre-tests and/or principal assignment), including: literacy, mathematics, ELL support, or enrichment (for students not requiring additional academic support).
2. Curriculum for tutoring will be selected through a process designed by each of our partner districts.  We aim for the selected program to be semi-self paced and aligned to the California Academic Standards.
3. The tutoring curriculum will be selected not to supplement coursework being taught during the school day, but instead designed to reinforce foundational skills needed to engage the core day curriculum.
   
   

Academic Coach: to enhance our staff’s ability to execute the academic program, All-Stars will hire and place a certificated teacher (generally one employed at the program site) at each site to act as the Academic Coach.  This three-hour/week position has three main objectives:

1. To provide direct training and coaching to the site staff on classroom management and curriculum delivery.
2. To observe site staff in the execution of the academic program.
3. To act as the official liaison between the All-Stars staff and the faculty of the school, supporting cooperation between the two.
   
   

All-Stars are prepared to pay for one Academic Coaches per site from the ASES grant.  However, if a school site or district has additional funding that could support this position, expand its reach, or hire additional Coaches, this arrangement is certainly something that the All-Stars would welcome.


ENRICHMENT COMPONENT

Every participant in the All-Stars program attends an hour of enrichment four times a week.  Enrichment curriculum is designed by the site staff, incorporating their personal passions and skills, and it considers input from the school and program participants. In order to increase the academic impact of the entire after-school program, all courses offered during the enrichment component align to the California State Academic Standards and the 21^st Century Skills. All enrichment sessions end with culminating events, where our students demonstrate their learning to school staff, the community, and their parents & families.

1.     Curriculum Design

• Youth Instructors complete a 4-step planning process that includes brainstorming & topic research, mapping, writing daily lesson plans for the session and a peer review.
• ASAS provides up to 4 hours of paid time each session for staff to plan their enrichment courses.
• Youth Instructors will also receive at least 20 hours of curriculum delivery training each year in addition to regular observations from the Academic Coach.
• All enrichment course plans include/consider:  21^st Century Skills, California State Academic Standards, and Multiple Intelligences (learning styles).
• Daily sessions must always include a time for reflection and a check for understanding.
• The ASAS Central Office provides a wealth of resources to assist our Youth Instructors, including: best practice collection (our sites’ best ideas over the years); curriculum books, internet resources, third-party presenter lists, and additional materials supporting their teaching training.

2.     Middle School Enrichment Structure

• 5 sessions a year based on the school calendar.  Sessions range from 5-8 weeks including showcase and culminating event weeks.
• Voice & Choice:  Middle school students begin each session with Showcases and Schedule Selection week.  Youth Instructors create mini demos for each course to “sell” their topic to the students.  Students choose two courses per session, attending each course 1-2 days a week. Students end up with a daily schedule much like they would receive during the school day, reinforcing structure, commitment, and organization.
• Middle school enrichment include exploratory courses (gives students a taste of a subject) as well as mastery classes (students have more time to practice and become “experts”)

3.     Elementary School Enrichment Structure

• 6 sessions accommodating the school calendar.
• 3-5 different courses each session; thematically planned each month, correlating to the month, theme, or school-pacing guides.
• Students rotate on a weekly basis through each course, and classes are differentiated to the different grade levels present.

4.     Culminating Events

At both the elementary and middle school program sites, every enrichment session ends with a culminating event.  These events occur at the school site, generally during the later program hours.  Families, faculty, and community members are all invited and welcome to attend.   In addition to sharing food (sometimes a full meal, sometimes a potluck sponsored by the Parent Leadership Committee) and meeting the All-Stars staff, guests are treated to performances and/or displays from each enrichment course completed during the session.

The All-Stars enjoy sharing not only what the students have learned, but also enjoy this opportunity to connect with the school and community at large.  We feel this connection is a key to our successful programs and their integration into the local school culture.

For more information, please email Terri Woolfolk at twoolfolk@bayallstars.org.