Deep Dive Workshop

Leaders to Staff: Relationships, Planning, and Presence

Trainer: Marla Goldstein, Vermont Afterschool
Level: Intermediate
Core Competency: Professional Development and Leadership

This workshop is an opportunity for afterschool professionals and leaders to reflect on what makes a day successful or not so successful in their program. Using a detailed self-assessment tool and a framework provided by The Flourish Lab, participants are invited to explore how they inspire positive relationships, plan effectively for their days, and how their presence influences the overall culture of their afterschool program. Whether you are a seasoned afterschool director or a new leader in your role, this deep dive focuses on actionable takeaways for staff related to how they connect with other employees and young people who are part of their program team. 

Participants will explore:

• Their own expertise and capacity for cultivating positive relationships, effective planning and a reliable presence for the staff in their program; 
• A deeper understanding of the parallel process–what works for positively inspiring our kids is also effective when building a culture of support for the staff we supervise; and
• How the Youth Program Quality Assessment ties into the Flourish Lab’s Relationships, Planning and Presence Framework.

Note: The content of this Thursday deep dive is geared toward directors or leaders in the afterschool space and their connection with staff they support. Friday’s workshop, “Staff to Students: Relationships, Planning, and Presence,” focuses on how to bring relationships, planning and presence from staff to the youth in your program.

WORKSHOP BLOCK #A | 10:00 AM–12:00 PM

• The “Yes” Environment: Decoding Behavior and Supporting Autonomy through Nature Play
  Afterschool is the “Third Space”– the vital bridge between the formal structure of the school day and the end of the day. It is often the window when children most need to decompress and reclaim a sense of agency, yet for providers, this high-energy shift can often feel like chaos. This workshop reframes that transition by looking at the sensory needs and biological patterns behind outdoor play. By decoding behaviors (such as stick-throwing, climbing, and “heavy work”) as sensory-seeking actions rather than “disruptive” choices, providers can move from managing behavior to facilitating growth. Participants will learn how to master the Risk vs. Hazard distinction to increase site safety, use the “Golden Question” to empower kid-led risk assessment, and explore how to stage “Loose Parts” to create a nature-play environment that supports self-regulation and true student autonomy.
  Trainer: Colleen Christman
  Level: Intermediate
  Core Competency: Youth Engagement, Voice, and Choice
• Beyond Hiring for “Fit”: Strategies to Reduce Bias and Increase Diversity in the Hiring Process
  Join Becky Millard, Director of Northern Lights at CCV for an interactive discussion of concrete strategies to reduce bias and increase diversity in your hiring process. Through use of structured interviews, competencies, rubrics, and behavioral-based interview questions, you can actively remove some of the bias inherent in traditional hiring processes and prioritize candidates with the right set of skills and demonstrated experience. Participants will receive and explore a hiring toolkit detailing use of structured interviews, behavioral-based interview questions, competencies, and rubrics as part of an anti-bias hiring process. Participants will also practice using these strategies in small groups to select candidates in a mock hiring process.
  Trainer: Becky Millard
  Level: Advanced
  Core Competencies: Professionalism and Ethical Practice; Program Planning and Development
• Safe: The Power of Presence and Co-Regulation
  It’s within the unique relationship of adult and child that we’re able to nurture children’s wellness and development. The core support we can offer children is to be fully present with them and to provide co-regulation, a miraculous feature of our human biology to care for our young. While we each have the potential to be present and to co-regulate, we have to grow the ability. This training defines how presence and co-regulation make children feel safe, and how we can provide both.
  Trainer: Beth Martell
  Level: Intermediate
  Core Competency: Child Development and Learning
• Deep(er) Dive: The Anatomy of Trust: Building Relationships that Last
  This session is a follow-up to the keynote and is designed for those who want to sit longer with the ideas, ask harder questions, and go deeper into what trust looks and feels like in practice. We’ll revisit and build on the Trust Factor framework, explore new dimensions of trust in afterschool relationships, and move from awareness into action. Expect honest conversation, real examples, and tools you can take back to your team.
  Trainer: Marissa Badgley
  Level: Advanced
  Core Competencies: Professionalism and Ethical Practice; Program Planning and Development
• Making the Case: Strategies to Fund and Advocate for Afterschool and Summer Learning
  With federal funding for afterschool and summer learning under threat, now is the time to build a strong case for your program’s sustainability. This session will explore key federal and state funding streams and open the floor for attendees to share challenges and successes. We’ll also introduce a variety of funding resources and workshop ideas for leveraging community partners and assets to keep your program thriving. Along the way, discover how to transform your program’s data into compelling stories that move funders and policymakers to act — drawing on insights from the newly released America After 3PM report and other research to craft persuasive grant proposals and advocacy efforts. Walk away with practical tools and strategies to secure investment in afterschool and summer learning now and into the future.
  Trainer: Alexis Steines Rao
  Level: Intermediate
  Core Competency: Family and Community Partnerships
• AI & Youth: Sparking Curiosity
  Young people are using AI for homework help, creative projects, and more. Many haven’t had the chance to think critically about how AI works, who it serves, or how to use it wisely. This workshop builds afterschool educators’ confidence and capacity to introduce AI concepts to youth in ways that are engaging, age-appropriate, and rooted in curiosity and critical thinking. Participants will explore AI hands-on, practice facilitation strategies, and leave with ready-to-use activity ideas for their programs.
  Trainer: Karen Peterson
  Level: Introductory
  Core Competency: Curriculum and Learning Environments
  

WORKSHOP BLOCK #B | 1:00 PM–2:30 PM

• Connecting the Dots: Building Stronger Networks of Support Around Student Career Planning
  An interactive workshop designed to help your organization better understand and activate the networks that support student career and education planning. Through guided reflection, collaborative activities, and real-world student scenarios, participants will identify existing individual strengths, uncover hidden expertise and connections within the group, and explore strategies for building stronger cross-organization collaboration. By the end of the session, participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to leverage the relationships and experiences of those in your organization to help students access opportunities, navigate challenges, and build meaningful plans for their future.
  Trainer: Elizabeth Barnes
  Level: Intermediate
  Core Competency: Program Planning and Development
• Playful Engagement Strategies
  In this workshop, participants will learn playful strategies to get kids excited and involved in ANY program area. From attention getters and icebreakers to brain breaks and appreciation claps, participants will learn play-based tools to energize, refocus, and engage students wherever they are.
  Trainer: Molly Rosen
  Level: Intermediate
  Core Competency: Developmentally Appropriate and Inclusive Practices
• Your Story: Build Vision and Sustainability with Classic Writing Techniques
  Led by a district administrator with an MFA in Writing, this session bridges the gap between storytelling craft and programmatic leadership. We will apply classic literary principles such as character arc, setting, and theme to the landscape of OST programming. Participants will learn how to identify the “protagonists” of their programs (their students and staff), define the unique “setting” of their community, and craft a unified vision that strengthens your mission statement, sustainability plan, and buy-in from funders and administrators.

  By the end of this workshop, you will move past generic buzz words and goals to find the specific, authentic narrative that makes your program indispensable.
  Trainer: Beth Ann Miller
  Level: Advanced
  Core Competencies: Family and Community Partnerships; Program Planning and Development

• The Story Behind the Struggle
  In afterschool, we often see students at the end of a long day, carrying stress, frustration, exhaustion, anxiety, or challenges we may never fully know about. The Story Behind the Struggle invites afterschool professionals to look beyond the behavior and better understand what students may be experiencing beneath the surface. Through powerful stories, current media, real-life examples, and meaningful conversations, participants will explore how trauma, unmet needs, mental health, neurodivergence, and life outside of school can impact the way young people act, learn, and connect with others. This workshop provides practical strategies to help staff build stronger relationships, create spaces where students feel safe and valued, and respond to challenges with empathy while still maintaining expectations and structure. Most importantly, it reminds us that sometimes the greatest impact we can have is simply being the trusted adult who takes the time to truly see and support a child.
  Trainer: Jamie Dansereau
  Level: Intermediate
  Core Competency: Observation and Assessment
• Managing Through Change, Crisis & Uncertainty
  As a leader in afterschool, it might feel like the only thing you can predict is that something unpredictable is coming. This workshop explores why ambiguity, crisis, and change feel so hard, and what afterschool leaders can do about it. Drawing on the neuroscience of uncertainty, we will explore how the brain responds to instability and threat, why resistance and avoidance are normal human reactions for our staff and for us, and how those responses manifest on our teams during both ordinary and high-stakes moments. You’ll learn how to build skills for minimizing ambiguity in how you communicate, manage, and lead, and develop strategies for staying grounded and effective as a leader when the path ahead isn’t clear or is extra bumpy.
  Trainer: Marissa Badgley
  Level: Advanced
  Core Competencies: Professionalism and Ethical Practice; Program Planning and Development
• Building Relationship-Centered Communities
  This session introduces community partners to the concept of Relationship Centered Communities—environments where every adult plays a role in supporting young people—and equips participants with practical skills from the Mentoring Mindset framework to strengthen daily interactions with youth. Mentoring is prevention, and this training emphasizes that mentoring is not only a programmatic role, but also a mindset and community practice.
  Trainer: Sarah DeBouter
  Level: Introductory
  Core Competency: Developmentally Appropriate and Inclusive Practices
  

WORKSHOP BLOCK #C | 2:45 PM–4:15 PM

• Strong Families: How Afterschool Staff Can Support the Five Protective Factors
  In this workshop, participants will explore how afterschool staff can build strong relationships with families to support positive outcomes for youth. Using the Five Protective Factors framework, participants will learn how everyday interactions can strengthen families and communities. We will identify and describe each protective factor, recognize opportunities to support them in daily practice, and reflect on current approaches. Participants will leave with practical strategies to enhance family engagement and improve their overall program quality.
  Trainer: Ben Ardel
  Level: Introductory
  Core Competency: Family and Community Partnerships
• Youth & Relationship Development
  This workshop brings participants through a process of learning about how our experiences shape our brain development, our identities, and our view of how the world works, while also gaining an understanding of where youth are in their development, and what they need for support as they grow & move forward in life. Learning about the stages of relationship development and how experiences shape identity development, we will explore how supportive relationships help build resilience and support connectedness as a means of navigating life’s ups & downs. Ending with some practice & conversation around listening actively and sitting with discomfort in difficult conversations, participants will walk away with a deeper understanding of young people & their needs for support, as well as skills to maintain connection through adversity & difficult times.
  Trainer: Matt Wolf
  Level: Intermediate
  Core Competency: Youth Engagement, Voice, and Choice
• Staff to Students: Relationships, Planning, and Presence
  Relationships, Planning and Presence is an opportunity for staff to reflect on what makes a day successful or not so successful with their kids. Using a detailed self-assessment tool, participants are invited to gauge their own competency in how they inspire positive relationships, plan effectively for their days, and how their presence influences the overall program culture.
  Note: The content of this Friday workshop focuses on how to bring relationships, planning, and presence from staff to the youth in your program. The Thursday Deep Dive workshop, “Leaders to Staff: Relationships, Planning, and Presence,” is geared toward directors or leaders in the afterschool space and their connection with staff they support. 
  Trainer: Marla Goldstein
  Level: Introductory
  Core Competency: Program Planning and Development
• NBA Math Hoops – Creating the Next Math Champion
  Through the training, educators will learn best practices for implementing the NBA Math Hoops game and curriculum, gain free access to the Learn Fresh program management platform and all program materials, and learn about opportunities to extend students’ learning through virtual and in-person community events. Educators will immediately gain access to all materials needed to begin implementing with students in their programs and classrooms.
  Trainer: Steven Young
  Level: Intermediate
  Core Competency: Curriculum and Learning Environments
• Jr Iron Chef VT: What it Takes to Host a Team!
  Come learn all about the Vermont Jr Iron Chef Competition that hosts hundreds of Vermont youth each year in a 1 day, statewide, fun, and timed cooking event. Learn what it takes to host a middle school or high school team – the preparation beforehand, the day of event, and the bigger picture outcomes of this special activity. Hear from winning coaches, and be prepared to do some hands-on cooking with a little food prep yourself!
  Trainers: Asia Kruse and Lynn Brown
  Level: Introductory
  Core Competency: Youth Engagement, Voice, and Choice
  

We invite organizations and businesses to support Vermont Afterschool by purchasing an exhibitor table. Exhibiting at our conference offers an opportunity to market your services, products, or resources to over 200 afterschool professionals.

Vermont Afterschool offers exhibitor tables as an incentive to conference sponsors at certain giving levels. Exhibitor tables are also available for $175 for nonprofit organizations and $350 for all other organizations  on a first-come, first serve basis (space is limited this year). Click here to reserve an exhibitor table today.

COST

Vermont Afterschool Members receive a $25 registration discount. Visit our Membership page to learn how to become a Vermont Afterschool Member.

Registration Opens – August 5, 2026
Early Bird Rate (deadline 9/12/26) – $170 Non-members/$145 Members
Regular Rate – $195 Non-members/$170 Members
Thursday Deep Dive – $75

LOCATION

Hotel Champlain Burlington
60 Battery Street
Burlington, VT 05401
802-658-6500
www.hilton.com/en/hotels/bttvtqq-hotel-champlain-burlington/

PARKING

Parking for the hotel is managed by the City of Burlington. The cost is $12/day and subject to change per city regulations.

Enter the parking garage at 60 Battery Street or 60 College Street. The ramp to the hotel is on the 3rd floor. Pay for parking via the ParkMobile App by entering Zone #5826.

LODGING

Individuals planning to stay at Hotel Champlain Burlington are eligible to receive a discounted rate. To take advantage of this discount, please call1-800-HILTONS (445-8667) and mention the Vermont Afterschool Conference group code (ASAC26) or visit the hotel’s website via this link no later than October 1, 2026. Reservations received after this date will be accepted on a space available basis. 

SCHEDULE

Thursday

12:45 PM: Welcome
1:00–5:00 PM: Deep-Dive Training (light refreshments offered during break)
TBD: Thursday evening activity 

Friday

8:00–8:45 AM: Registration & Caffeine
8:45–9:00 AM: Welcome from VTA Executive Director
9:00–9:45 AM: Keynote Address
10:00 AM–12:00 PM: Workshop Block A
12:00–12:45 PM: Lunch
1:00–2:30 PM: Workshop Block B
2:45–4:15 PM: Workshop Block C
4:15–5:00 PM: Afterschool Cafe (Closing Remarks, Snacks, Raffle)