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Having students focus on their homework can be a challenging task. Here’s how we tackle homework at Sheridan Elementary:

We have extended the school’s incentive system to the After School Program to reward students who are attentive and focused during the after school program homework hour.

Students are given pink tickets which they can redeem for prizes.

At the end of the week, students get a chance to redeem their tickets and get personally congratulated by their school principal!

By Tinh Tran, Site Coordinator of Sheridan Elementary School

Students shown above, are from Sheridan Elementary School and are engaging in after school homework time.

Cohort Spotlight: ASK A LIAISON!

Interview with Academic Alignment Project Liaison, Ray Lie, Francis Scott Key

Q: Can you describe how you would set up a vocabulary activity that would appeal to multiple intelligences?

A: One vocabulary activity that

combines all or most of these styles of

learning is Pictionary. It’s a fun

activity to do the day before a spelling

test. Pictionary played with a small

group involves team work or

interpersonal learning, and the drawing

aspect of the game appeals to the

visual/spatial and body/kinesthetic

learners.

Academic Alignment @ Sheridan

Interview with Academic Alignment Project Liaison, Molly Eigenberg, AP Giannini

Q: In what ways does your program offer on-going opportunities for youth to learn diverse skills ?

A: The examples in our program include:

« A DJ club that exposes students to diverse music and assorted instruments beyond what they would learn in school.

« The B-Boy class offers physical discipline in a non-traditional form.

« Our Tech Corps. program builds logical skills and career development, it also fills the tech void as there is no shop or computer class offered in the regular school day.

December is World AIDS Awareness Month This month’s School Health Program campaign focuses on HIV prevention education. Schools participate in a variety of activities to commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1st including Names Project quilt displays, HIV prevention educational theater performances, and classroom presentations by community based organizations.

2 SHPD ExCEL ASP Newsletter, November-December 2006

Asset #35 Resistance Skills

Young people know how to plan ahead and make choices while learning to resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations. Schools can teach goal setting skills and refusal strategies.

November is Tobacco Free Awareness Month This month’s School Health Program campaign focuses on tobacco prevention education highlighted by the Great American Smoke Out, where students participate in school wide events like Adopt a Smoker to encourage and support individuals to quit smoking. Schools are encouraged to publicize the District’s Tobacco Free Policy and intervention protocols. High Schools are encouraged to promote tobacco cessation programs.

Asset #32 Planning & Decision Making Asset #35 Resistance Skills

Asset #32, #35- Help students develop their resistance skills by working with them to organize a Smoke Free Pledge Drive. Have students educate their friends and family on the dangers of second hand smoke. Students can brainstorm ways to make a home safer (smoking outside, not smoking in the car, getting air filters etc.) and smoke free.

Asset #26 Caring Asset #30 Responsibility Asset #31 Restraint

Asset #26- Foster caring relationships by creating a safe place where youth can share their own stories of family or friends who are living with HIV/AIDS. Brainstorm with youth how the school community can create a safe and welcoming place for people living with HIV/AIDS.

A young person places high value on helping other people while accepting and taking responsibility for his/her actions. Schools can provide opportunity for students to show empathy for others by displaying the names quilt, writing holiday cards or get well cards for others.

3 SHPD ExCEL ASP Newsletter, November –December 2006

Lights on Afterschool! 2006 On Thursday, October 12, SHPD ExCEL After School Programs around the city participated in Lights On Afterschool events. Students at Carver Elementary cleaned up trash around their school. Students at Sunnyside Elementary participated in a dance performance. Denman Middle School students joined in a scavenger hunt that ended in a barbeque. The events were as varied as the programs holding them, but one thing is clear: After School Rocks!

The after school programs at Ulloa, Sunset, and Francis Scott Key Elementary Schools got together to parade Sunset Boulevard for a massive after school rally. Cars honked in support of students who waved their brightly colored signs and shouted positive after school

messages at the passing traffic.

At Hillcrest Elementary School, students in the after school program participated in healthy activities, including games, yoga, and nutrition education centers where students learned about healthy eating habits.

Students from the after school programs at Marina Middle School, Francisco Middle School, and Galileo High School met at Marina for fun and games—and Karaoke!

Thank you to all participating sites for helping to keep the lights on after school! Gordon J. Lau Elementary School, Cesar Chavez Elementary School, Sunset Elementary School, Jean Parker Elementary School, John Yehall Chin Elementary School, Sherman Elementary School, Spring Valley Elementary School, Francisco Middle School, A.P. Giannini Middle School, Marina Middle School, Ulloa Elementary School, Sanchez Elementary School, Cleveland Elementary School, Visitacion Valley Elementary School , Glen Park Elementary School, Sunnyside Elementary School, Malcolm X Academy, Marshall Elementary School, Claire Lilienthal, El Dorado Elementary School, Miraloma Elementary School, Flynn Elementary School, Horace Mann Middle School, Francis Scott Key Elementary School, Monroe Elementary School, John Muir Elementary School, Bryant Elementary School, Starr King Elementary School, and Hillcrest Elementary School.

School Health Programs Department ExCEL 1515 Quintara Street San Francisco, CA 94116

Check out these cool educational activities website!

http://www.exploratorium.edu/ San Francisco's museum of science, art and human perception. Online exhibits, cool sites, archives, sport and

science, and the digital library (the Exploratorium A-to-Z). Visit the Exploratorium's Science of Baseball, Science of Cycling, Science of Hockey, and Skateboard Science. http://www.funbrain.com/

Interactive, educational math games for all ages.

The Department of Children, Youth and Their Families (DCYF) announces the availability of funds to support afterschool expansion, quality improvement, one-time capital expenditures and technical assistance. To Review the 2006-2010 After School for All Request for Proposal, please visit: http://dcyf.org/Rfps/20061012-afa/registration_form2.asp

For further information, visit www.dcyf.org or contact Al Smith at (415) 437-6174 or asmith@dcyf.org

Proposals are due to DCYF by 5:30 p.m. on November 17, 2006

Team-Up for Youth Grant Opportunities

Team-Up for Youth is offering grants in the $5,000-$75,000 range to programs that offer out-of-school sports activities to low-income children and youth in San Francisco or Alameda counties. Team-Up accepts applications year-round for the Small Grants program or the Pacesetter Grants program. Please find more details about the application process at:

http://teamupforyouth.org/pacesetter_grants.html