WHEREAS, in order to succeed, children can benefit from additional opportunities
for learning and enrichment beyond that which can be provided during the
regular school day; and
WHEREAS, working parents need safe, affordable, and accessible child
care options; and
WHEREAS, research has shown that school-age children are at great risk
during the after-school hours of between 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., in that
children who spend these after-school hours unsupervised are at an increased
risk for engaging in delinquency, substance abuse, and other destructive
behaviors; and
WHEREAS, New Jersey After 3, Inc., a private, non-profit organization,
has been established to develop, enhance, provide, and sustain a comprehensive
system of quality after-school programs that promote the health, emotional,
social, and intellectual development of New Jersey children during after-school
hours; and
WHEREAS, New Jersey After 3, Inc. seeks to form a partnership with the
State of New Jersey and the private sector to ensure the availability
and accessibility of quality after-school programs in the State of New
Jersey; and
WHEREAS, it is in the public interest for the State of New Jersey to
cooperate with and assist New Jersey After 3, Inc. and non-profit entities
with similar purposes in their efforts, the State of New Jersey seeks
to cooperate with and assist New Jersey After 3, Inc. in its efforts to
strengthen and expand quality after-school programs throughout the State
of New Jersey; and
WHEREAS, the citizens of the State of New Jersey would benefit from
an increase in, and the enhancement of, after-school programs in the State
that provide safe places for children to spend their after-school hours
while their parents are working, an opportunity for children to participate
in activities that will enrich their educational experience and enhance
their overall development, caring adults to nurture, mentor, and guide
children, and a resource for children to obtain help in reviewing their
class work and completing their homework, additional support and time
to build their English skills, if they are English language learners,
and increased access to libraries, art materials, musical instruments,
science labs, and gyms;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JAMES E. MCGREEVEY, Governor of the State of New
Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:
- There is created in, but not of, the Department of Education, the
New Jersey After 3 Advisory Committee (the "Committee").
- The Committee is charged to the extent permitted by law with cooperating
with and assisting New Jersey After 3, Inc. in furthering its efforts
to strengthen and expand quality after-school programs in New Jersey.
The Committee shall also periodically advise the Governor of the progress
made in strengthening and expanding quality after-school programs in New
Jersey.
- The Committee shall be composed of the following members, all of
whom shall serve ex-officio:
- The Commissioner of Education, or a designee;
- The State Treasurer, or a designee;
- The Commissioner of Human Services, or a designee;
- The Counselor to the Governor, or a designee;
- The Director of the Office of Program Support Services at the Department
of Education;
- The Attorney General, or a designee.
- The Commissioner of Education shall serve as Chair of the Committee,
and shall appoint a Vice-Chair from among the members of the Committee.
The Chair may appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the Committee.
- The Committee shall organize and meet as soon as possible after its
formation and may hold joint meetings with New Jersey After 3, Inc.
- The Committee is authorized to call upon any department, office,
division or agency of this State to supply it with the data and other
information, personnel or assistance it deems necessary to discharge its
duties under this Order. Each department, office, division or agency is
hereby directed, to the extent not inconsistent with the law, to furnish
it with such information, personnel and assistance as are necessary to
accomplish the purposes of this Order.
- This Order shall take effect immediately.
GIVEN, under my hand and seal this 25th day
of June in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand
and Four, and of the Independence of the United
States, the Two Hundred and Twenty-Eighth.
/s/ James E. McGreevey
Governor
[seal]
Attest:
/s/ Michael R. DeCotiis
Chief Counsel to the Governor