Shared Youth, Shared Strategies -- An Update (March 2011)

This letter updates the work done in Out of School Time since Nancy Tauber and I co-chaired the Mayor's Blue Ribbon Commission on Middle School Youth last term.  Nancy and I wrote it to inform members of the City Council on this important effort -- an importance which has only grown since the recent decision by the School Committee to restructure middle schools in Cambridge.

Sam Seidel

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March 3, 2011


Dear Members of the City Council:

More than  a year ago, the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) on Middle School Youth issued a plan, Shared Youth, Shared Strategies, which outlined a city-wide approach to enhancing out-of-school-time (OST) opportunities for middle school youth and families in Cambridge.   The plan grew out of a strategic goal adopted by both the City Council and the School Committee that would “ensure broad participation of Cambridge middle school youth in quality out-of-school time experiences that foster both their present and future learning and life success.” 

This goal was adopted because research points to the enormous benefits to students who engage in quality out-of-school time activities in terms of academic success, social and emotional competence, and physical health.  Data also documents a decrease in less risky behaviors among youth who are participating in programs beyond the school day as well as during the summer time.

In the report, we noted that only approximately one-third of Cambridge middle school youth participate regularly in out-of-school-time programs and activities.   That number has, and continues to increase over the past few years, in part due to three successfully launched Middle School Partnership (MSP) Programs:  Kennedy-Longfellow/East End House MSP, King Open/Frisoli MSP and Peabody/Gately MSP.  Still, we know that more needs to be done.   That said, the plan outlined some next steps regarding this important work. 

Our work has also progressed on a systems level thanks in part to a follow-up grant of $117,000 from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation to continue some of the work outlined by the BRC.  Staff from the Department of Human Services, the Cambridge Public Schools (CPS) and many community agencies have focused on the three systems-level strategies to achieve stated goals and objectives.  These strategies include: community awareness and outreach; service delivery and coordination; and quality improvement.  Current efforts include:

Community Awareness and Outreach
A pilot OST placement system program with 7th grade students at 3 schools began in the spring of 2010.  At the Kennedy-Longfellow,  King-Open and Peabody Schools staff from Human Services, community-based youth programs and the schools work with 7th graders on a mapping exercise where students list summer activities.  The objective is to increase and enhance support of students by increasing access to summer opportunities through better collaboration between schools and OST programs.

Service Delivery and Coordination
Last year, a network of Middle School OST program providers was started.  The Network aims to connect providers with one another to learn about best practices and improve outreach efforts to middle school youth and families.  One of the major findings of the BRC report was that there is less need for more out-of-school-time programs, but there is a definite need for improved coordination of existing resources.  

Also, a city-wide data system has been implemented on a pilot basis at the Peabody School/Gately Middle School Program.  YARDS (Youth and Resource Development System) will eventually be expanded district-wide to collect and analyze year-round enrollment data for all students.  Through better data collection and analysis, the information gathered into YARDS will help document the impact of OST activities on student success. 

Quality Improvement
To promote the critical work of strengthening existing and emerging structures within the schools, the City’s Human Service programs and other community providers/agencies  continue to foster both policy-level and program-level collaboration between schools, after school and summer programs in support of middle school students.  Staff at schools and middle school OST programs  worked together to learn about school curriculum and OST programming to give a broader understanding of a middle school student’s development – both in and outside the classroom.

Out-of-School-Time programs also continue to work with Quality Coaches to continue to conduct program assessment and develop improvement action plans.  An example of a summer initiative to enhance quality is the summer RAYSE program (Reinforcing Academics for Youth through Summer Enrichment) which embedded enrichment teachers to teach project-based-learning units into summer programs targeting middle grade students.

Funding from the Nellie Mae grant will end by June 30, 2011, but work will continue.  Additional funding, however, is being sought because there is much more work to be done in this area.

Finally, School Superintendent Jeff Young’s “Innovation Agenda” a proposal for the Cambridge Public Schools, highlights similar points to those made in the Shared Youth, Shared Strategies report.  We are encouraged by the recognition of the importance of middle school out-of-school time activities to the overall success of middle school students.  Specifically, one of the six components of the Innovation Agenda includes an expansion of “out-of-school time opportunities supported by consistent school start/end times.”  Dr. Young has already met with out-of-school time providers to understand the number of current program offerings as well as identify ways in which middle school-based programming could be enhanced.  There clearly are exciting opportunities for collaboration between CPS, Human Services programs and non-profit providers to reach more students.   Please see the Innovation Agenda if you’d like more information of this particular plan component. 

Attached you will find a print-out of a recent presentation made to Superintendent Jeff Young, Deputy Superintendent Carolyn Turk and Assistant City Manager for Human Services, Ellen Semonoff,  which provides a summary of recent BRC work.  In the meantime, please feel free to contact either one of us if you have any questions or would like to discuss further.

 Sincerely,

                   
Sam Seidel                Nancy Tauber
Co-Chairs, Blue Ribbon Commission on Middle School Youth