Making a Shift for the Better&#8230; 
“It’s always just been done this way.” Have you ever caught yourself repeating this to someone? Sometimes it’s easy to fall back on old practices, especially when dealing with difficult changes and larger workplace shifts. perfecting an effective workplace culture requires constant reflection, action, and implementation. Factor in the 
complexity of quality school age development, and crafting a strong workplace culture can quickly feel like a 
mammoth undertaking.

School Age Workplace Culture Part II

Crafting Your School Age Workplace Culture Part II:  Implementing Your Workplace Culture

Virgin Records founder Richard Branson says it best, “Create the kind of workplace and company culture that will attract great talent. If you hire brilliant people, they will make work feel more like play.” 
Fostering a positive and effective workplace culture is fundamental to the success of your school age program. A strong, well defined workspace culture secures innovative staff, builds community connections, and keeps your 
program goals funded and defined. Just like a ship out at sea, a strong workplace culture acts as a rudder that steers the success of your program.

Crafting Your School Age Culture Part I

Crafting Your School Age Workplace Culture Part I:  The Foundations of a Workplace Culture

Academic retention is hard for school age children during summer breaks. As a parent, guardian or school age support professional, you have the opportunity to stop the Summer Slide for the children in y our life. Below are three easy tips that can help turn summer into a robust learning opportunity.

SUmmer Slide

Surviving the Summer Slide

<a href="https://cms.childcarerrnc.org/wp-content/uploads/Getting-Your-Green-Thumb-Resource-Guide.pdf">Getting Your Green Thumb Resource Guide</a>

Getting Your Green Thumb Resource Guide

Getting Your Green Thumb School Age Resource Guide

Part 2 of the School Age Project&#8217;s Homelessness in Afterschool is a fantastic resource geared to help providers and CCRR staff craft quality school age spaces for struggling students and families.

Homelessness-Part Two

Homelessness in After School Part Two

Homelessness in Afterschool

Homelessness in Afterschool Resource Guide Part 1

Why Questions Matter

Why Questions Matter: NC School Age Initiative

Maximizing School Age Literacy

<a href="https://cms.childcarerrnc.org/wp-content/uploads/NC-CCRR-School-Age-Initiative-Supporting-School-Age-Food-Insecurity-Resource-Guide-1.pdf">NC CCR&amp;R School Age Initiative Supporting School Age Food Insecurity Resource Guide</a>
<img decoding="async" src="https://cms.childcarerrnc.org/wp-content/uploads/Supporting-SA-Food-Insecurity-e1654281730358.jpg" />

Supporting SA Food Insecurity

Supporting School Age Food Insecurity Resource Guide

High quality activities are the heart of a successful school age program. After sitting for hours, students yearn to move, play, socialize, and communicate.
This resource guide is designed to help you understand the process of creating and implementing a successful activity for school age students. As you go through this guide, make an effort to reflect on how you currently plan activities and the steps you can take to strengthen this valuable skill.

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North Carolina School Age Guide to Planning Activities

For many students in North Carolina, hot weather and thunderstorms mean the end of the school year and the start of summer camp. Current research from the American Camp Association states that over 14 million US students participate in some form of summer camp experience each year (2013 ACA Camp Compensation and Benefits Report, 2013). As school age professionals, you are in a strategic position to help mold summer camp learning into a time of growth for students and their families.
This guide has five key ways to help you and your program create a successful summer camp program year. Take time to stop and reflect on each of these tips and assess how they are implemented on a daily basis.

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Five Ways To Create A Successful Summer Camp

Healthy workforce development is essential to dealing with the effects of trauma and toxic stress. Staff and co-workers employed by trauma-informed workplaces are more likely to showcase positive work behavior and exceed expectations. Current psychological research highlights that trauma-informed places of work record higher rates of staff retention, staff development, and employee work satisfaction (Davis Laak, 2014; Jackson, Firtko, Edenborough, 2007). 
For school age professionals, a trauma-informed work environment is necessary. Apart from dealing with the stress associated with early care, many North Carolina school age workers face the mental and emotional struggles tied to lower compensation and irregular work hours. Comparable early education salary data by the NC Institute for Child Development Professionals, shows that an average afterschool/summer camp group leader earns an average of $10 an hour &#8212; a wage well below the $14.72 living wage threshold in the state (NCICDP, 2015). The combined stress of under-compensation, early care fatigue, and pre-existing negative life events make school age professionals susceptible to traumatic induced stress. 
Section Three of The North Carolina School Age Trauma and Resilience Series looks at the importance of staff resilience and workplace mental health support for school age professionals. This section focuses on how you can help fellow school age colleagues approach, cope, and deal with personal trauma and stress in the classroom. 
The North Carolina School Age Trauma and Resilience Resource Series is developed in coordination with the NC Division of Child Development and Early Education, NC CCR&amp;R Council, and Southwestern Child Development Commission.

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NC School Age Trauma Resource Series – Section 3: Supporting Staff Resiliency

The effects of trauma are real, but they don&#8217;t have to be permanent. Trauma induced by adversity, abuse, hunger, and injustice stands as a roadblock for many students in our state; however, resilience is attainable when students are given the right tools to achieve success. Access to quality school age programming is one of the most effective tools in guiding students towards this road to resiliency. School age programs offer safety to the abused, food to the hungry, and comfort to those students who feel that all is lost.
Section Two of The North Carolina School Age Trauma and Resilience Series looks specifically at the foundation of student resiliency and trauma management. This section focuses on the importance of creating an effective school age program culture that is based on trauma-informed relationship building, family engagement, and environment set up.
The North Carolina School Age Trauma and Resilience Resource Series is developed in coordination with the NC Division of Child Development and Early Education, NC CCR&amp;R Council, and Southwestern Child Development Commission.

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NC School Age Trauma Resource Series – Section 2: Supporting Student Resiliency

Trauma is quickly becoming a topic of concern in our nation&#8217;s school age programs. Research from the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative highlights that over two-thirds of the nation&#8217;s youth face at least one traumatic event by the time they turn 16 years old (NCTSI, Understanding Child Trauma, 2015). Data from the National Council on Behavioral Health goes further and states that over 70% of American adults struggle with the effects of trauma in their daily lives (NCBH, How to Manage Trauma, 2018).
The North Carolina School Age Trauma and Resilience Resource Series aims to equip school age providers with tools to help students and staff manage trauma. Section One of this series addresses the indicators associated with trauma for both staff and students. It focuses on the root causes of school age trauma, and the ways traumatic stress affects student performance and group leader effectiveness.
The purpose of Section One is to help lead school age professionals to the resiliency tools found in Section Two and Section Three of the School Age Trauma and Resilience Series.
The North Carolina School Age Trauma and Resilience Resource Series is developed in coordination with the NC Division of Child Development and Early Education, NC CCR&amp;R Council, and Southwestern Child Development Commission.

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NC School Age Trauma Resource Series – Section 1: Understanding School Age Trauma

Successful school age care is important for North Carolina to thrive. Afterschool and summer camp programs provide students with a safe avenue to learn, play, and socially develop outside of traditional school hours. Additionally, school age programs are a critical infrastructure resource in times of emergency situations, natural disasters, and public health and safety concerns.
Data from the National Afterschool Alliance highlights that over 200,000 North Carolina students attended some form of out-of-school care in 2019; however, the organization reports a need for an additional 200,000 slots across the state (NAA, This is Afterschool in North Carolina, 2020). By starting or expanding licensed school age care, you are providing a fundamental service to the overall function and operation of our great state.
This guide will help you reflect on seven elements of school age care that are key for your program&#8217;s success. Take time to look over these seven points as you fine-tune your school age program&#8217;s direction.

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7 Keys to Starting a Successful School Age Program

This resource guide is intended for school age professionals seeking to improve the interactions between school age staff and students. The information presented in this guide is based upon the licensing requirements set forth by the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) and the School Age Care Environmental Rating Scale Updated (SACERS-U).
The creation of this resource guide and all materials published by the North Carolina CCR&amp;R School Age Initiative are sponsored by the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education, the North Carolina CCR&amp;R Council , and Southwestern Child Development Commission.

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School Age Guide to Positive Interactions

This resource guide is intended for school age professionals seeking to improve approaches to school age space and furnishings. The information presented in this manual is based upon the licensing requirements set forth by the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) and the School Age Care Environmental Rating Scale Updated (SACERS-U).
The creation of this resource guide and all materials published by the North Carolina CCR&amp;R School Age Initiative are sponsored by the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education, the North Carolina CCR&amp;R Council and Southwestern Child Development Commission.

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School Age Guide to Space & Furnishings

Effective school age care environments require a diverse range of materials that must meet the needs of all enrolled students. Meeting these specific needs requires crafting activity areas geared for younger children, while simultaneously challenging older students in the group. For this process to flow smoothly, group leaders and program directors must think intentionally about how activity areas are set up, and what materials they present to students.
This toolkit is designed to help school age educators maximize the potential of their activity areas and materials while following best practice and developmentally appropriate care. Material in this guide will be sectioned off in accordance to the School Age Care Environmental Rating Scales Updated (SACERS-U) tool, that is currently used to assess quality in school age program care. This toolkit should be used alongside materials provided by the North Carolina Rated License Assessment Project (NCRLAP), the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE) licensing rule book Chapter 9, and the National Center for Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (NCASE) School Age Tip Sheets. Materials from NCRLAP can be accessed by website at ncrlap.org. Information from the DCDEE can be accessed by website at ncchildcare.org. Information from NCASE can be accessed by website at childcareta.acf.hhs.gov. It is important to remember that these tools and resources were specifically developed to enhance the school age program experience and should be approached with a mindset of ongoing quality on a daily basis.
Material in the Quick Tips sections will indicate licensing regulations or SACERS-U recommendations.

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School Age Materials Toolkit

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Child Care Resources Inc.
200-B Regency Executive Park Drive, Suite 240 
Charlotte, NC 28217
Phone: <a href="tel:(704) 376-6697" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(704) 376-6697</a>
<a href="https://www.childcareresourcesinc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.childcareresourcesinc.org</a>

Early Years Inc
1201 S. Briggs Ave., Suite 200 
Durham, NC 27703
Phone: <a href="tel:(919) 403-6950" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(919) 403-6950</a>
<a href="https://www.earlyyearsnc.org">www.earlyyearsnc.org</a>
&nbsp;

Southwestern Child Development Commission
1528 Webster Road 
Webster NC, 28788
Phone: <a href="tel:(828) 586-5561" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(828) 586-5561</a>
<a href="https://www.swcdcinc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.swcdcinc.org</a>

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The North Carolina School Age Initiative is a quality enhancement project aimed at improving the impact of school age programs and providing training to school age providers across the state.

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The North Carolina School Age Initiative was established in 2004 to improve the quality and availability of school age care services in North Carolina by increasing the number of licensed programs and the number of programs that voluntarily operate with a higher star-rated license.
The program also provides training to school age providers across the state through its online services, and technical assistance.
The project team consists of a Statewide School Age Project Manager and Statewide Professional Development Consultants to ensure that all 14 regions have access to project services.

Jon Williams

Statewide School Age Project Manager 
Southwestern Child Development Commission

The North Carolina School Age Initiative offers a range of services for school age children programs.

Apply Now 

Technical assistance through the Initiative is designed individually to meet the needs of the provider and can include consultation, coaching, mentoring and modeling on:
<ul>
<li>Room arrangement</li>
<li>Lesson planning</li>
<li>Positive discipline techniques</li>
<li>Transitional activities</li>
<li>Age-appropriate activities for both indoor and outdoor environments</li>
<li>Other needs as specified by the individual programs and staff members.</li>
</ul>

Learn More About TA Services 

The North Carolina School Age Initiative provides training opportunities for school age providers across the state, overseeing the Basic School Age Care (BSAC) training and Train-the-Trainer course for the NC Division of Child Development and Early Education (NCDCDEE).
These courses are required for all licensed group leaders and program coordinators in North Carolina and provide a foundation for developmentally appropriate school age care.

North Carolina School Age Initiative (NCSAI)