SUMMARY
- An article on the Idaho Ed News website profiles an afterschool program for low-income students in the Boise School District, which focuses on providing fifth- and sixth-grade students a number of important leadership skills that will benefit them for the rest of their lives, including conflict resolution, communication, teamwork, decision making and cooperation. There are 192 students enrolled in the program at six schools in the city.
- The program, called Everyday Leadership, began in 2013. At the beginning and end of the program, students take self-assessment exams, and program leaders watch the students’ grade point averages, attendance and behavioral incidents. In the last school year, 87 percent of enrolled students saw improved grades or a GPA of 3.5 or higher, and behavioral incidents among the students declined by 65 percent.
- The program has been hailed by district leaders as a way to put kids on the right path with the tools they need to become leaders. The district hopes to bring the program to every one of its Title I schools.
INSIGHT
This successful program in Boise is just one of many examples of afterschool programs setting students up for success, particularly students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. The extra time these students have to spend with their classmates and learn from positive role models pays dividends, both in and out of the classroom.
Having an afterschool program is an investment, but for districts who want to put their children into the best possible position to succeed and grow, it is an investment definitely worth making.
“Great Benefits Classroom Teachers Get as Flex Afterschool Teachers” – https://flexacademies.com/2016/05/04/3-great-benefits-classroom-teachers-get-as-flex-afterschool-teachers/
