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Partners Afterschool @ Oakland (Garrett County FY17 and Beyond) - Annual

Partners

Garrett County Public Schools, The Garrett County Health Department, Department of Social Services, the University of Maryland Extension Office, Garrett Community College, Garrett County Parole and Probation Office, United Way, Deep Creek Pottery, Maryland Coalition of Families, and Outdoor Leadership and Adventure (OLA) of Garrett County.

Who We Serve

The Partners After School @ Oakland program serves third through eighth-grade students from Broad Ford Elementary, Yough Glades Elementary, and Southern Middle School.  The program priorities for the Partners After School program include:  Reducing Childhood Hunger, and Increasing Trauma-Informed Services, and Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The program also prioritizes families affected by the local indicator of out-of-home placements including grandparents caring for grandchildren, Foster Care, Kinship Care, and Adoption. The program is held at Southern Middle School (SMS) four days a week from 3:15 PM - 6:00 PM. 

 

Strategies to improve these indicators

Two-Generation Strategy changes for PAS @ Oakland FY21:

Health Rocks

Health Rocks! The curriculum is a healthy lifestyle choice program for youth ages 10 to 16 sponsored by the National 4-H Council.  It helps youth learn skills such as decision-making, critical thinking, and stress management with an emphasis on the prevention of tobacco, drug, and alcohol use.  This program helps youth take control of their choices and addresses the impact of peer pressure, stress, and other emotional factors.  This program also includes a video "mentoring" series for the parents/guardians.

“Just Like You” Campaign

A campaign about the importance of adults as positive role models (developmental asset #14). After school participants and parents complete an interactive activity being copy cats then took selfies promoting healthy behaviors to post on the Health Department social media outlets.

Financial Literacy

Education/lessons from the University of Maryland Extension Office

Stress Management

Education/lessons GCHD

Nutrition

Food Education/lessons GCHD and University of Maryland Extensions

Snack preparation

GC public school partnership and GCHD

Copy Cats

Positive Role Modeling - GCHD

Parenting skills - ACEs Education

GCHD

Adventure Sports- Physical Activity

Walking Club - GCHD - AmeriCorps

Program Summary

Partners After School @ Oakland is administered by the Garrett County Health Department and operates Monday through Thursday during the school year from 3-6 PM.  The program serves students from Southern Middle School, Yough Glades Elementary School, and Broad Ford Elementary School who struggle with depressive episodes, ACEs-related issues, and hunger. The program population is made up of approximately thirty (30) third through eighth-grade students. Participants engage in a variety of activities to foster positive mental, social, and physical growth by exploring new hobbies, interacting with members of the community, and educational field trips all while learning to make healthy life choices. Education and interactive activities are provided by the Garrett County Health Department centered around food insecurities and mental health with an emphasis on physical activity and healthy life choices.  Program participants engage in nightly "Mindfulness" activities including meditation and breathing exercises as well as prevention and food sustainability lessons.  The program offers recreation time and at least forty-five minutes of homework assistance daily.  A meal is prepared by the SMS cafeteria personnel and provided each day.  Enrichment activities occur in partnership with the Garrett County Extension Office and Outdoor Leadership and Adventure of Garrett College.  Family events are held to help parents/caregivers connect to community resources and help provide lessons revolving around food preparation, selection, and sustainability.  Families are made aware of food resources available within the community as well as self-help programs, ACEs information, and child care subsidy programs during family dinners which include guest speakers from local service providers.  Participating students must meet one or more of the following strategic goals:

  • Governor's Office of Crime, Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services:  Reduce Childhood Hunger
  • Maryland's Child Well-Being Result: Healthy Children 
  • Indicator: Percent of Public-School Students in Grades 6-8 Reporting Depressive Episodes 
  • Local Indicator:  Children involved with foster care, kinship care, adoption, and out-of-home placements

Target Population

The Partners After School (PAS) Program of Oakland serves at-risk students in grades 3-8 from Southern Middle School, Broad Ford Elementary School, and Yough Glades Elementary School in Garrett County.  Enrollment in the PAS Program is limited to students from the priority populations of Reducing Childhood Hunger and Increasing Trauma-Informed Services and Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and the local indicator of out-of-home placements.  In an attempt to increase and maintain enrollment, directly related to students meeting one or both of the priority areas, program staff provides outreach to the following agencies: 

  • The Garrett County Extension Office
  • Food Stamp Nutrition Education (FSNE)
  • Garrett County Public Schools
  • Garrett County Local Care Team
  • Garrett County Parole and Probation Office
  • Garrett County Health Department 
  • The Dove Center

The Partners After School Program for FY23 served 30 students throughout the year.  

Governor's Strategic Goal

Reduce Childhood Hunger

Increasing Trauma-Informed Services and Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

 

Local Highlight

For School Year 2022-2023 End-of-Year Data: 

  • A total of 30 students were enrolled in the program for FY23.
  • At the end of the program year, 18 students were actively enrolled in PAS attending 82% of scheduled days.
  • Of the 29 scheduled days in April and May, 27 days provided enrichment activities including Adventure Sports, Prevention lessons, STEM Activities, Kid Grit lessons, creative art activities, library visits, mental health awareness activities, and cooking lessons.
  • Nine (9) field trips included nature excursions, swimming at the CARC, a family adventure, and a family picnic.
  • Other notable activities include tie-dye, an un-birthday party for January through June birthdays, cooking, a color run, and mental health awareness activities.
  • Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention lessons were shared with both parents and students through the Health Education and Outreach Department at the Garrett County Health Department. 

For School Year 2022-2023 Half-Year Data:

  • A total of 21 students are currently enrolled in the program; 5 from Broadford Elementary, 4 from Yough Glades Elementary, and 12 from Southern Middle School.  
  • 18 students report food insecurities, 11 children are impacted by incarceration, 5 students are in kinship care and 3 are homeless with temporary accommodations from extended family members.
  • Two back-to-school nights were held for the program allowing a formal dialogue between guardians, students, and staff prior to the start of the program.
  • Mentor leaders and team leaders allow students to take an active role in the direction of the program and help to welcome and accept new students to the group.
  • The Oakland and Grantsville PAS programs enjoyed Cove Run Corn Maze for a Lights on After School event.  
  • The program introduced the Kid Grit curriculum which is a social-emotional program focusing on mind, body, and community connection as well as digital consciousness.

 

Data Discussion

For FY23:  The Partners After School program for FY23 is fully staffed with offerings of recreation time, mental health activities, mindfulness, a hot snack, help with homework and nightly activities.  Monthly, these activities include prevention lessons, UMD Extension Office lessons, Kid Grit, team activities, crafts, creative arts, recycling, visitors from the community, and field trips.  Three (3) parent-child activities were offered in the 2nd quarter and two in the second half of FY23.  Nine field trips included nature excursions and swimming at the CARC

Data for the "Better Off" measures including #/% of participants who report a reduction of food insecurity, and #/% of participants who report an increase in self-sufficiency will be collected through a survey developed by PAS staff and distributed in the 4th quarter of the program.  The survey is distributed at the end of the program in order to accurately measure program effectiveness for participating families.  

Measurement Tool Used

Report Cards; MCAP; Strategic Goal Population Questionnaire; CSQ-8 Survey; Free and Reduced Meal data for each school.

Clear Impact Suite is an easy-to-use, web-based software platform that helps your staff collaborate with external stakeholders and community partners by utilizing the combination of data collection, performance reporting, and program planning.

Scorecard Container Measure Action Actual Value Target Value Tag S A m/d/yy m/d/yyyy