Tuesday, April 24, 2012

No Time to Rest



On Friday April 20th, Florida Governor Rick Scott vetoed HB 5103.  In terms of children in afterschool programs, this means the current eligibility criteria for school readiness remain as is. This is a great relief.

However, some version of HB 5103 will be brought up next legislative session. Because of that, we must begin now with our education efforts to legislators and legislative candidates of the importance of quality afterschool programs, particularly as these programs impact academic achievement.

We need to take immediately as we head full steam into the 2012 election season. Now is not the time to sit back and relax. Now is the time for us to get moving so we can avoid what almost happened this year. It is critical that legislators hear from you directly on this important issue that will negatively impact so many children and families throughout Florida.

Please visit www.myfan.org for important data and facts you can use. If you need additional information from FAN, all you have to do is ask.

We thank you for your support!


Larry Pintacuda
Chief Executive Officer
Florida Afterschool Network

Friday, April 6, 2012

Davant Named Florida Afterschool Champion of the Year


Florida Afterschool Network (FAN) board member Claudia Davant has been named the Florida Afterschool Champion of the Year. She will be honored at the National Afterschool All Challenge Conference in Washington D.C. on May 8-9, 2012.

“Claudia is being honored because of her unwavering work, support and dedication  for quality afterschool  opportunities  for all Florida’s youth, “ said Larry Pintacuda, FAN Chief Executive Officer. “I can think of no more deserving person than Claudia to be selected.”

Davant is the former Managing Partner of NSI, Florida where she led the national firm’s Florida practice for almost four years. While with NSI she built a broad multi-client practice that included local government, telecommunications, transportation, gaming, appropriations, healthcare, aging, education, and environmental issues. She has extensive experience in government and private sectors.

In addition to her corporate experience, Davant has worked in government on both the state and federal levels.  She served as U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond’s Legislative Aide in Washington, D.C. for three years providing legislative analysis, constituent service and external communications.

Besides her work with FAN, she serves on the Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) IT Council, Florida TaxWatch Board’s Executive Steering Committee and the Take Stock in Children Board.

The Florida Afterschool Network (FAN) is a non-profit organization that strives to provide unified leadership to advocate for the development, enhancement and sustainability of innovative, high quality afterschool programs and policies statewide.  The organization’s original funding was provided by the Mott Foundation in 2005.

“We are thrilled that the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has decided to continue its relationship with the Florida Afterschool Network,” said FAN Executive Director Larry Pintacuda. “We are encouraged that the Foundation has confidence in our organization to deliver quality afterschool program initiatives to children throughout the state of Florida.

The mission of FAN is to provide unified leadership to advocate for the development, enhancement and sustainability of innovative, high quality afterschool programs and policies statewide.  FAN believes that every child should have high quality afterschool programs available that are accessible, affordable, accountable and inclusive.

FAN’s stakeholders include a diverse group of organizations whose common thread it the desire for all children to receive high quality afterschool case. For more information, please visit www.myfan.org.

Monday, April 2, 2012

New Partnership Allows for Training Session for Afterschool Providers


We have some exciting news! The Electric Company, WFSU and the Florida Afterschool Network (FAN) are partnering to deliver  training sessions for afterschool providers on  summer learning and extended learning.

Kim Kelling Engstrom, Director of Educational Services, WFSU and FAN Champion has been coordinating among the three entities to bring the workshop(s) to fruition.

The Electric Company is an educational children’s television series produced by Sesame Workshop for PBS in America. WFSU is the PBS public television station in Tallahassee licensed through Florida State University.

The Electric Company’s Summer Learning and Extended Learning programs”bring math and literacy to life through engaging videos, hands on activities, online games, and dynamic activity pages.”  The content is designed to “bridge the gap” in out of school time learning for children in 1st – 3rd grade. Besides offering quality resources to afterschool providers, much of the content is free to providers.

The live training session(s) will be held May 15th.  We will advise you as soon as the actual time is set. The training will be provided to about 50 practitioners from the Tallahassee area. We are also trying to work out the logistics to have the training provided via satellite to other parts of the state.

 This is a tremendous opportunity for afterschool providers and practitioners in Tallahassee and the surrounding areas, and hopefully throughout the state.  We hope this is the first of a long partnership among the Electric Company, WFSU.