Special Commission Completes Public Hearings

Lynn Public Hearing, September 20, 2007 at North Shore Community College


Senator Tom McGee, Co-Chair of the Massachusetts After School and Out of School Time Commission, and Senator Susan Tucker listened to testimony at Northern Essex Community College in Lawrence.


The Massachusetts Special Commission on Afterschool and Out of School Time has completed its 10 public hearings as of September 25, 2007. Its tenth and final hearing was held in Boston at the Josiah Quincy Elementary School. Kicked off by testimony by Mayor Menino, the hearing was attended by over 100 people.

The other hearings were held at North Shore Community College in Lynn on September 20 and at Northern Essex Community College on September 18. The Lynn hearing was attended by over 100 people andSpecial Commission members heard testimony from a range of people until 10 PM. The Lawrence hearing also heard compelling testimony.

Prior to this, Special Commission members were on Cape Cod on September 11 at Barnstable Town Hall to listen to testimony from a variety of individuals.

All in all, nearly 250 attended the last four public hearings of the Special Commission. While much testimony was submitted during this process, members of the public have until Friday, October 19, 2007 to submit final testimony. Click here to submit testimony electronically.

Commission Members Hear Testimony on Cape Cod on September 11

Co-Chair Senator Thomas McGee (third from the left) and members of the Special Commission on After School and Out of School (from left to right), Donna Traynham, Rick Metters, Jess Torres (Sen. McGee's Legislative Aide), Deborah Kneeland, and Joseph Gillis, Jr., were in Barnstable for a hearing on how children and youth spend their time when not in school. The Special Commission is conducting 10 regional hearings and site visits around the state, receiving testimony from a broad array of people about the value and importance of programs for school age children and youth in their communities. For more information visit the Special Commission's website.

Special Commission Announces Locations for Remaining Public Hearings

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time announces the locations for its three remaining public hearings. Please click the gray links, which will open up in new windows, for the hearing flyers and directions.

Tuesday September 18, 2007 Special Commission Public Hearing
Join us from 5 PM - 8 PM at the Northern Essex Community College in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Tuesday September 18, 2007 Public Hearing Flyer.
Tuesday September 18, 2007 Public Hearing Directions.

Thursday September 20, 2007 Special Commission Public Hearing
Join us from 5 PM - 8 PM at the North Shore Community College in Lynn, Massachusetts.
Thursday September 20, 2007 Public Hearing Flyer.
Thursday September 20, 2007 Public Hearing Directions.

Tuesday September 25, 2007 Special Commission Public Hearing
Join us from 5 PM - 8 PM at the Josiah Quincy Elementary School in Boston, Massachusetts.
Tuesday September 25, 2007 Public Hearing Flyer.
Tuesday September 25, 2007 Public Hearing Directions.

Special Commission Announces Cape and Islands Hearing Location

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time will be holding their seventh public hearing on Tuesday, September 11 from 5 PM - 8 PM at the:

Barnstable Town Council Chambers
Barnstable Town Hall
367 Main Street, Hyannis, MA

Please follow these directions to get there:

Take the Mid-Cape (Route 6) East to Exit 6 (Route 132/Iyannough Road). Take a right off the exit, and take Route 132/Iyannough Road approximately three miles to the Airport Rotary. Enter the rotary, and take your second right off the rotary onto Barnstable Road. Take Barnstable Road, approximately one mile to Main Street. Take a right onto Main Street, and go approximately one half mile to Pearl Street. Take a left onto Pearl Street, and then the first left onto South Street. The Town Hall parking lot will come up shortly on your left.

Here is a link to a map that shows the location of Town Hall. http://www.town.barnstable.ma.us/departments/directions.pdf

Special Commission Revises Public Hearing Schedule

The Massachusetts Special Commission has revised its public hearing schedule for September 2007. The public hearings will be held from 5 PM to 8 PM in each location and will now occur on:

September 11, 2007 - Cape and Islands (location TBD)

September 18, 2007 - Merrimack Valley (location TBD)

September 20, 2007 - Lynn (location TBD)

September 25, 2007 - Boston (location TBD)

Hearing locations will be forthcoming.

Dartmouth Public Hearing a Success!

Co-Chairs Senator Thomas McGee and Representative Marie St. Fleur are joined by Representatives Alice Wolf and Patricia Haddad and Commission Member Gwynn Hughes at UMass Dartmouth for a hearing on how children and youth spend their time when not in school on Thursday, July 19th.

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time's sixth public hearing was a great success. Held in at UMASS-Dartmouth on Thursday, July 19th, over 40 people attended representing youth, parents, community-based providers, public education, and public safety perspectives on this critical issue to children, youth and families.

Co-Chairs Senator Thomas McGee and Representative Marie St.Fleur convened the hearing and were joined by Representative Alice Wolf, a member of the Commission and Representative Patricia Haddad, the House Chair on Education. Additional Commission members in attendance were: Gwynn Hughes of MAP, Joseph Gillis Jr. of the MA Association of School Committees, Fran Barrett representing Commissioner Ann Reale of EEC, Associate Commissioner Sally Fogerty of DPH, Deborah Kneeland of MADCA, Ben Lummis of Mass2020, Michael Cahill of the YMCA's of MA, and Dr. Deborah Dancy of the MA Association of Elementary School Principals.

Prior to the public hearing, members of the Special Commission toured the afterschool program held at the Sgt. William H. Carney Memorial Academy in New Bedford. The Academy serves 150 children in afterschool programs during 5 weeks during the summer months. Members of the Special Commission viewed an arts-based afterschool program taught by Brick by Brick - one of the many community-based partners that NorthStar Learning Centers uses with funding from the 21st Century federal grant program. A special thanks to Bob French, the Director of Policy and Program Development of NorthStar Learning Centers, Asst. Superintendent Karen Treadup, and Patty McGrath, Executive Director of Brockton's Get on Base for arranging the site visit for Special Commission members.

The public hearing was covered by the New Bedford Times and the Fall River Herald News. The hearing was also taped by DCTV-18, New Bedford's Community Access Channel.

The remaining four public hearings for the Special Commission will be held in the fall on September 11, 13, 20 and 25 at locations to be announced.

Special Commission Announces Four Remaining Public Hearing Dates

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time has announced dates for its four remaining public hearings. Hearing locations have yet to be confirmed. The hearings will be held on:

Tuesday, September 11, 5 PM - 8 PM - REGION TBD

Thursday, September 13, 5 PM - 8 PM - REGION TBD

Thursday, September 20, 5 PM - 8 PM - REGION TBD

Tuesday, September 25, 5 PM - 8 PM - BOSTON

We look forward to your participation as the Special Commission continues to seek public comment about this very important issue.

July 19 Public Hearing Location Announced

The sixth public hearing of the Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time will be held on Thursday, July 19 from 5 PM - 8 PM at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth campus, located at 285 Old Westport Road in North Dartmouth. The public hearing will be held in the Woodland Community Commons in Conference Room 1 & 2.

The remaining public hearings of the Special Commission will be held in the fall.

Sixth Public Hearing Scheduled for Southeastern MA

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time has announced its sixth public hearing. It will be held on Thursday, July 19 from 5 PM - 8 PM in the Southeastern region of the state. Additional details will be forthcoming regarding the public hearing location.

The four remaining public hearings will be held in the fall for the Cape & Islands, North Shore, Merrimack Valley and Greater Boston regions.

Please contact Debra McLaughlin at 617.792.3193 or at dmclaughlin@kunnusta.com if you have any questions.

Fifth Hearing Announced for Quincy City Hall

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time will hold its fifth public hearing in the South Shore region on THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 5 PM - 8 PM, QUINCY CITY HALL, SECOND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM, 1305 HANCOCK STREET, QUINCY, MA, 617.376.1000. (Directions will be forthcoming).

Please feel free to circulate widely to your networks and contact me if you have any questions regarding the above.

Fifth Public Hearing Date Announced for South Shore - June 7 from 5 PM - 8 PM

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time has announced its fifth public hearing date. It will be held on Thursday, June 7 from 5 PM - 8 PM in the South Shore area. A hearing location has yet to be announced.

May 29 Public Hearing Location Announced

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time will be holding their fourth public hearing on May 29 from 5 PM - 8 PM at the Cameron Middle School located at 215 Elm Street in Framingham. The hearing will be held at their auditorium. Parking is available in the front, side and rear lots. Click here for the directions to the school.

If you are unable to attend this hearing, we look forward to receiving your comments either in writing or you can post them on-line at the Commission's website.

Thank you.

Debra McLaughlin
Consultant to the Commission

Fourth Public Hearing Scheduled for Framingham

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time has scheduled one public hearing. It will be held on Tuesday, May 29, 5 - 8 PM in Framingham at a location to be announced.

The remaining six public hearings, to be held in the Merrimack Valley, North Shore, Greater Boston, Southeastern MA, South Shore and the Cape and the Islands, will be scheduled for June 2007.

Third Public Hearing Successfully Held

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time held its third public hearing at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Worcester on Tuesday, May 8.

Led by Senator Thomas McGee and Representative Marie St. Fleur, 14 other Commission members heard testimony from 25 people during a three hour period. There was powerful testimony from a broad range of people including youth, community-based providers, educators, police officers, and funders - all of whom talked about the vital role afterschool programming has upon the young people in their communities. In all, 38 people attended the hearing.

Prior to the hearing, several Commission members were able to visit the Boys and Girls Club of Worcester at their new state of the art facility on Tainter Street in Worcester where 150 children ages 8 - 18 enjoy a range of club sponsored activities including basketball, swimming, boxing, access to state of the art computer labs, a homework center equipped with wireless internet services, and a music recording studio. They also serve 35 children in the school aged child care program. Due to extensive fundraising and other partnerships they have formed in the community, they only charge $10 a year for their services.

The hearing was taped and so we have it as part of the Special Commission's public record.

In addition to the Co-Chairs, the following Commission members and their representatives attended the hearing:

Rep. Alice Wolf - Cambridge
Rep. Pam Richardson - Framingham
Donna Avery-Cohen - Department of Early Education and Care
Fran Barrett - Department of Early Education and Care
Karyl Resnick - Department of Education
Cathy O'Connor - Department of Public Health
Debbie Kneeland - MADCA
Berna Mann - PACE
Ed Madaus - St. Agnes Guild
Michael Cahill - YMCA's of MA
Kathleen McDermott - MASS CAP
Gwynn Hughes - Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership
Rick Metters - Massachusetts Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs
Susan O'Connor - WestMOST Network

The next public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 29, 2007 in Framingham at a location yet to be announced.

Second Public Hearing a Success

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time held its second public hearing at the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center in Pittsfield on Tuesday, May 1.

Led by Senator Thomas McGee and Representative Marie St. Fleur, 9 other Commission members heard testimony from 34 people during a three hour period. There was powerful testimony from a broad range of people including youth, community-based providers, educators, a public safety officer, and community librarian - all of whom talked about the vital role afterschool programming has upon the young people in their communities. In all, 52 people attended the hearing.

Prior to the hearing, several Commission members were able to visit the Conte Community School, also located in Pittsfield, where 125 elementary school aged children participate in a variety of afterschool programs supported by the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant as well as the state's After School and Out of School Time grant.

The public hearing was covered by WAMC and the site visit was taped by CBS6 - Albany, NY. Additionally the hearing was taped and so we have it as part of the Special Commission's public record.

In addition to the Co-Chairs, the following Commission members and their representatives attended the hearing:

Dr. Deborah Dancy - Massachusetts Association of Elementary School Principals
Erin Craft - Department of Early Education and Care
Donna Traynham - Department of Education
Cathy O'Connor - Department of Public Health
Debbie Kneeland - MADCA
Berna Mann - PACE
Gwynn Hughes - Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership
Rick Metters - Massachusetts Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs
Susan O'Connor - WestMOST Network

The next public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 8, 2007 in Worcester at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

May 8 Public Hearing Announced

We are pleased to announce that the third public hearing for the Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time will be held on Tuesday, May 8, 2007 from 5 PM - 8 PM in Central Massachusetts at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at their Worcester campus.*

The Worcester Campus of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is located at 19 Foster Street in downtown Worcester. The hearing will be held in the DeBenedictis Building Auditorium 1 located on the left hand side once you enter the building right across from the security desk. Plenty of parking exists in the City Square Garage also known as the Worcester Common outlets. Look for a flyer to be forthcoming that you can distribute to your networks publicizing our third hearing.

We hope to announce other hearing dates and locations in May shortly.

If you are planning to attend the May 8 hearing or have any questions regarding the above, please contact, Debra McLaughlin, Consultant to the Commission at dmclaughlin@kunnusta.com or at 617.792.3173.

Thanks again and we look forward to working with you to ensure the success of our third public hearing.

Sincerely,

Senator Thomas McGee
Representative Marie St. Fleur
Co-Chairs

This link provides information on how to get to the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Worcester Campus.

May 1 Public Hearing Location Announced

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time will be holding their second public hearing on May 1 from 5 PM - 8 PM at the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center, (formerly the site of the Capitol Theater), 330 North Street in Pittsfield, MA.

If you are unable to attend this hearing, we look forward to receiving your comments either in writing or you can post them on-line at the Commission's website .

Thank you.

Debra McLaughlin
Consultant to the Commission

Next Commission Hearings Scheduled for May 1 and May 8

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time has scheduled two more public hearings. They will be held on Tuesday, May 1, 2007 from 5 PM - 8 PM in Pittsfield and on Tuesday, May 8, 2007 from 5 PM - 8 PM in Central Massachusetts. Hearing locations have yet to be determined.

First Public Hearing in Springfield a Success

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time held its first public hearing at Springfield Technical Community College on Tuesday, April 10.

Led by Senator Thomas McGee and Representative Marie St. Fleur, 12 other Commission members heard testimony from nearly 30 people over a four hour period. There was riveting testimony especially from older youth who talked about the role afterschool programs play in keeping them safe from drugs and gun violence. In all approximately 50 people attended the hearing.

The public hearing was covered by the Springfield Republican and a brief clip about the hearing appeared on Channel 40. Additionally the hearing was taped and we will submit it to air on Springfield's Public Access TV Channel.

In addition to the Co-Chairs, the following Commission members and their representatives attended the hearing:

Erin Craft - Department of Early Education and Care
Donna Traynham - Department of Education
Ben Lummis - Massachusetts 2020
Cathy O'Connor - Department of Public Health
Gerry Ruane - Massachusetts Teachers Association
Debbie Kneeland - MADCA
Mike Cahill - YMCA's of Massachusetts
Berna Mann - PACE
Gwynn Hughes - Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership
Rick Metters - Massachusetts Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs
Susan O'Connor - WestMOST Network
Sharon Scott-Chandler - ABCD Boston

The next public hearings are scheduled for Tuesday, May 1, 2007 in Pittsfield from 5 PM - 8 PM and for Tuesday, May 8, 2007 in Central Massachusetts at locations to be announced.

FIRST COMMISSION HEARING SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 5 PM - 8 PM

THE MASSACHUSETTS SPECIAL COMMISSION ON AFTER SCHOOL AND OUT OF SCHOOL TIME ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST COMMISSION HEARING IN SPRINGFIELD

We are pleased to announce that the first public hearing for the Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time will be held on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 from 5 PM - 8 PM in Western Massachusetts at Springfield Technical Community College's Auditorium. Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) is located at One Armory Square in Springfield.

We look forward to your thoughtful participation at this hearing as the Special Commission works to define how best to support children and youth in and out of school. Commission members are interested in hearing from a broad spectrum of people including parents, youth, schools, community-based providers, faith-based organizations, police, libraries, municipalities, business, and other interested parties at this hearing.

If you cannot attend this public hearing, we invite you to post comments on this blog.

We will be holding a second public hearing in Western Massachusetts in the Berkshires but that date and time has yet to be confirmed.

Thanks again and we look forward to working with you to ensure that our first public hearing is a success.

Sincerely,

Senator Thomas McGee
Representative Marie St. Fleur
Co-Chairs

The Massachusetts Special Commission on After School and Out of School Time has been created by the Massachusetts Legislature to help define what is needed to support the healthy development of children and youth in and out of school.