21st Century Community Learning Centers Program Grantee Abstract

21st Century Inclusion First Program
Project Director: Deborah Jennings

Office of Extended School Day Programs
74 Hartford Street
Newark, New Jersey 07103
Phone: 973-733-7781

CLC Sites:
Camden Middle School, William Brown Academy Middle School, Luis Munoz Marin Middle School

Collaborators:
Boys and Girls Clubs of Newark. Learning for Life Boy Scouts of Hudson County, Girl Scouts of America, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark Bears Professional Baseball Organization

Times of Services:
Students: After-school during school year 3 p.m-6 p.m.
September-June
Parents: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
October-June

Abstract:
The Office of Extended School Day Programs offers the Inclusion First program to students at one middle school in three of the five school clusters (School Leadership Teams) in the Newark Public Schools District. Designed to include special education students and to address their specific needs (e.g., disbursement of medicine, handicap accessible facilities, transportation after program, etc.) along with other students, the program offers academic reinforcement, character education, cultural enrichment, personal development, and structured recreation. Inclusion First also contains a parent component, that offers childcare and refreshments during parenting workshops. The centers provide a wide-range of parent training services that include: technology training, parenting skills, assisting children with schoolwork, etc. Every Thursday is Every Person Influences Children (EPIC) Workshops. Also, parents are able to suggest activities that would be of value to them. One goal of the program is to have the participants’ parents be involved in the parent component. Students receive extended language arts and mathematics instruction in the computer labs and media centers at their respective schools. They participate in book clubs that include literary discussions, research projects, and writing assistance. Students are provided with a daily nutritional snack and daily recreational activities. For character education, cultural enrichment and personal development, students participate in consultant workshop sessions with a variety of professionals and they attend a variety of field trips.