Hispanic Heritage Month, which began on September 15, 2014, and ends on October 15, 2014, is a great time to educate youth on Hispanic and Latin American heritage and history, and to celebrate these cultures' contributions to America. There are many resources online that afterschool staff could incorporate into themed lessons on Hispanic and Latin American culture, including a post on AlphaBest Education on Five Ways to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, a Pew Research roundup of 11 Facts for Hispanic Heritage Month, and a Huffington Post article on 17 Latino Historical Events Every American Should Know About. In addition, El Museo is holding a Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration on October 18, 2014. Families are invited to this free event to celebrate Mexico’s beloved 3,000 year-old tradition that commemorates friends and relatives who have passed away, with face painting, art-making, a concert, and more!

The Harvard Family Research Project has made available the archive of its recent webinar on How Families, Schools, and Communities Are Reshaping Family Engagement to Reach All Learners. In this webinar, a diverse group of educators explored how families, schools, and community organizations - such as afterschool programs, museums, and libraries - can join together to share responsibility for children’s learning in both the short and the long term. The webinar also discussed the key principles of this definition of family engagement in the context of anywhere, anytime learning, and examined how one successful program puts these principles into action.