OST Network: Kickoff Event Recap

Thanks for joining us on a sunny October morning at Danehy Park - we were glad for the sunshine, especially since we postponed the ESON & MSN Kickoff Event from the original soggy Sept. date. But more importantly, we were glad to see your faces, feel your energy, and look forward into the 2023-24 school year as a network of programs and partners serving young people in Cambridge. We can't wait to see the amazing things we will achieve together over the coming months.

​Here is a link to our proposed meeting schedule for this school year MSN and ESON Meetings: 23-24 SY.

We had a great time at the meeting, starting off with connection groups that allowed folks to choose their own adventure. The options included untangle the Human Knot and talk about building bridges with school folks, play Evolution and debrief summer programs, or survey the  Cambridge Ecosystem Map (provided by Family Policy Council & Find It Cambridge) to find all the resources that we didn’t know existed, or orient ourselves to a new community. Folks old and new shared a wide span of community announcements. Here is a list of some community announcements if you missed the meeting.

We spent the rest of the meeting cycling through four breakout rotations, sitting in the shade in small groups to talk about (and hear your ideas) for the different AFCOST spaces this year. 
The four rotations included:

• MSN/ESON: We looked at our list of topics for the year - asked what folks wanted to focus on within these topics, in addition to previewing the Bridge to…. Events and the event-heavy spring schedule. See list here: MSN and ESON Meetings: 23-24 SY
• OSTLI: Ashley sat with folks to talk about where they (and their coworkers) fit in our monthly COP’s as well as the upcoming Symposium (first fully in person since COVID!)
• School Year Plans: We paired and shared some things we wish to accomplish this school year as well as some changes to make from last year.
• Community Partners Portal, Dashboards and Proposed CPS Tutoring Program: We reviewed the importance of having a portal, and how and why people should use the portal to improve our OST landscape and how that data can be made available, summarized and viewable to any OST program through OST Demographic Dashboards. Also, we shared some updates about the CPS Tutoring Program.

As we embark on this new journey, we eagerly anticipate all the opportunities for learning, growth, and collaboration that lie ahead. We firmly believe that, with your continued involvement, we can make this school year a remarkable and fulfilling experience for all.

​Feel free to reach out to us with your ideas, suggestions, or questions – your active engagement is what will make this year exceptional!