Accomplishments:
- OAN participated in Asia Society’s Expanding Horizons work which is geared toward global learning.
- OAN became a member of the Midwest Afterschool Science Collaborative.
- OAN participated in Ohio’s Pioneering for Healthy Communities initiative, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In addition, the standards and quality committee chair and OAN director are co-chairing the early childhood and afterschool committee.
- OAN conducted quarterly membership meetings with average attendance of 100.
- OAN launched a Twitter account to disseminate timely information to members and other followers and produces twice-monthly electronic newsletters to members.
- OAN was identified as a key advisory organization by the state childcare bureau and the Ohio Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) management team. In this capacity, OAN provided feedback on draft childcare and 21st CCLC plans.
Current Projects and Initiatives:
- OAN is collaborating with state early childhood, childcare providers and Head Start associations to advocate for changes to implementation of the automated childcare time and attendance system.
- OAN is collaborating with state principals to develop a training and technical assistance for principals and afterschool program leaders.
- OAN is working with the Ohio Department of Education to develop a communication and training plan on the Common Core State Standards to afterschool providers.
- OAN received funding by the Ohio Department of Health to develop and publish afterschool physical activity guidelines.
- OAN is developing a program quality assessment tool.