October 21, 2011 * Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center * South Burlington, VT

The Vermont Afterschool Conference is an annual event that brings together hundreds of afterschool programs, partners, advocates, and educators from around the state for a full day of learning, networking, and celebration. The conference is a statewide collaboration of three organizations: Vermont’s Child Development Division, Vermont’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers, and the Vermont Center for Afterschool Excellence.

Workshop Sessions
The conference runs from 8am to 4pm and includes three workshop sessions. The conference aim is to provide those who work in afterschool with workshops and trainings that support meaningful and engaging learning experience for kids that extend beyond the school day.

• The 2011 conference offered 30 workshop selections led by an impressive collection of statewide and nationally recognized trainers and presenters. Descriptions of the 2011 Workshops:  Workshop Listings 2011
• Over 1/3 of the workshops in 2011 focused on science and math programming in the out-of-school time hours
• A principals’ panel featured Vermont school leaders sharing their strategies for building effective partnerships between school and afterschool
• Ray McNulty, President of the International Center for Leadership in Education, gave a keynote address on what we can do in programs to support children and youth in feeling connected, hungry to learn, actively engaged.
• Other workshops featured positive behavior supports, adolescent brain development, family engagement, and conflict management.
• In total, this statewide professional development experience offered more than 6 hours of quality training plus time for visiting with exhibitors, hearing from state leaders and special guests, and networking with other programs and providers from around the state.

Conference Schedule

• 7:30am-8:30am        Registration & Continental Breakfast
• 8:30am-10:00am        Welcome & Keynote Speaker
• 10:00am-10:15am       Break with Exhibitors
• 10:15am-11:30am     Workshop Session 1
• 11:30am-11:45am    Break with Exhibitors
• 11:45am-1:00pm     Workshop Session 2
• 1:00pm-2:00pm      Lunch
• 2:15pm-3:30pm       Workshop Session 3
• 3:30pm-4:00pm       Afterschool Café including Dessert & Raffles Prizes
• 4:00pm                        Conference Adjourns

Keynote Speaker
Raymond J. McNulty is President of the International Center for Leadership in Education, having previously served as Senior Vice President. Prior to joining the International Center, he was a senior fellow at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he worked with leading educators from around the country on improving our nation’s high schools. Ray believes strongly that we cannot wait for the children and challenges to arrive at our programs; rather, we need to reach out and help forge solutions. Ray is the author of It’s Not Us Against Them — Creating the Schools We Need, published in 2009 by the International Center.

Award Nominations: Afterschool Professional of the Year
Each year at the conference, the Vermont Center for Afterschool Excellence honors and celebrates an individual who has made a significant contribution to the afterschool field. Nominees must be an outstanding member of the profession whose work exemplifies afterschool best practices. His or her work must reflect inclusive understanding of the developmental needs of children, youth and families, continued professional development, and the highest standards of afterschool program quality.

Afterschool Cafe
The conference concludes each year with the Afterschool Cafe. The Afterschool Cafe is an open networking time where attendees come together for music, food, sharing, and fun. Raffle prizes are also awarded during the Cafe thanks to the generosity and donations of more than 20 programs, businesses, and organizations.

Exhibitors and Sponsors
Each year over 20 organizations participate in the Vermont Afterschool Conference as exhibitors and/or conference sponsors. The conference schedule is organized to allow ample time during the day and between workshop sessions for conference attendees to talk with exhibitors, collect information, and pick up order forms. For more information on how your organization or business can become involved either as a conference sponsor or as an exhibitor at the Conference please contact Holly Morehouse at hollymorehouse@vermontafterschool.org.

To find out more information about the conference or to learn how your organization can get involved, please contact Holly Morehouse at hollymorehouse@vermontafterschool.org.

Conference Sponsors and Supporting Organizations