🎭 Introducing the Inclusion Guide for Arts Education Learn more here Arts Ed NJ, in partnership with All In for Inclusive Education and the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, has released the Inclusion Guide for Arts Education — a new statewide resource designed to help ensure that students with disabilities are fully included in arts education. The guide grew out of conversations with families and educators across New Jersey, including stories of students with…

🍁 Fall Is Here and Mizzen is Growing Gardeners! Explore Gardening with Kids Hub It’s the first day of fall. The air is cooler, the light is softer, and somewhere a kid is pulling on gloves for the first time to help clear out the summer beds, thanks to an educator who made the time for it. That’s why Farm to Table Kids, Coast of Maine, and Mizzen are teaming up this season to bring…

NJSACC’s 2026-2027 Professional Development Opportunities NJSACC offers a variety of engaging virtual and in-person professional development and technical assistance opportunities for all staff working in school-age child care, afterschool, and out-of-school-time (OST) programs. Guided by the New Jersey Quality Standards for Afterschool (NJQSA), training topics include leading activities, behavior and inclusion, team building, leadership development, program planning/management, STEM, Social Emotional Learning (SEL), working with families, and so much more! Check out the professional development opportunities…

NJSACC Celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month. You can too. National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates and recognizes the contributions Hispanic Americans have made to American society and culture and to honor five of our Central American neighbors who celebrate their Independence days in September. Top National Hispanic Heritage Month Resources: 4 Crafts for National Hispanic Heritage Month 10 Inspiring Latinas Who’ve Made History NEA Hispanic Heritage Month What Is Hispanic Heritage Month—and Who Celebrates It? NJSACC…

⛈️Disaster Assistance Available for NJ Business and Private Nonprofits The U.S. Small Business Administration announced the availability of low-interest federal disaster loans for eligible small businesses and private nonprofit organizations impacted by excessive rain occurring May 1, 2025 – July 1, 2025. Eligible counties include: New Jersey: Essex, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren New York: Orange Pennsylvania: Bucks, Monroe, Northampton and Pike We encourage you to share the attached flyer throughout your…

🎤 Built to Last. Ready to Rise. Bring Your Voice to NAA27 From March 14–17, 2027, over a thousand afterschool and youth development professionals will gather in Denver for NAA27. They’ll come from across the country and across the field — from direct-service professionals to system leaders — ready to connect with colleagues, strengthen their practice, and discover ideas they can take back to their programs and communities. We want NAA members like you to…

🔬 NEW DATA: Afterschool STEM Takes Off! A parent looking for an afterschool program wants a safe environment, caring staff, and engaging activities. Increasingly, that means activities that get their child building, coding, and asking questions about how things work, and afterschool programs have stepped up to meet that expectation by offering more science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning experiences than ever before.   This America After 3PM special report, funded by Overdeck Family…

📅 The First Week Sets The Tone For The Whole Year To help you start strong, Hailee, Mizzen’s Community Engagement + Experiences Manager, curated a playlist of her favorite connection-building activities for grades K–12. Whether you’re welcoming a new group or reconnecting after summer break, these ready-to-use activities help youth build relationships before jumping into lessons and programming. Explore The Collection Inside, you’ll find activities for grades K–12 with a mix of no-prep and facilitated options, making…

We’re A Month Away From the 27th celebration of Lights On Afterschool! Not sure where to begin your planning process? We’ve gathered our top tips to help you plan a Lights On Afterschool celebration that fits your program’s bandwidth and budget. This week’s planning tips include: – Check out our planning timeline: A step-by-step guide walking you through planning your event, from ideation to execution. – Browse the Event Ideas Database, recently updated with 200 new ideas, for more inspiration, searchable…