Wednesday, March 7th    After School Day at the Capitol      Legislative Office Building      300 Capitol Avenue, Hartford

Please make your appointments to meet with your respective legislators prior to March 7th. If you need help in finding who your legislators are please visit Connecticut General Assembly (CGA) for the full list of Representatives and Senators.

You can reach your legislators:

House Democrats:   (860) 240-8500

House Republicans: (860) 240-8700

Senate Democrats:   (860) 240-8600 

Senate Republicans: (860) 240-8800 

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This year we will be hosting a legislative briefing starting at 10:00 a.m. in Room 1C of the Legislative Office Building.

Please call your legislators and invite them to attend!

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Now more than ever, it is critical to tell our legislators how essential quality after school and expanded learning opportunities are to the development of the whole child. For providing quality services, supporting working families, supporting economic growth, strengthening workforce development and keeping kids safe.

The children and youth that you serve need your voice to be heard at the Capitol this year. We're calling for your presence at the annual After School Day at the Capitol to tell your legislator how vital your program is to your community. For help contacting your legislator to make an appointment, contact Michelle Doucette Cunningham (mdc@ctafterschoolnetwork.org)

To get you started on the road to effective advocacy and prepare you for After School Day on March 7th, check out the tools and resources below:

• Coordinate an on-site training for staff, parents, youth and other community members in preparation for After School Day. For more information, contact Sue Krampitz at skrampitz@ctafterschoolnetwork.org
• Review information about the Connecticut legislature, the budget process, and after school policy, available at here and here.
• For even more information at your fingertips,follow the Network on Facebook and Twitter!
• Set up a meeting with your elected officials as soon as possible. For helpful suggestions on how to set up a meeting and what to say when you finally do meet with your legislator, follow these valuable tips.
• Parents, as the voting voice of their children, play a critical role in the advocacy process. Engage staff and parents at your program by encouraging them to register for After School Day at the Capitol, discussing experiences and stories to share with legislators, and arranging legislative meetings.
• Contact your local media to spread the message of after school to businesses and others in your community. For more information on contacting your local media and sample letters to the editor, please click here. 

Meeting with a Legislator or Aide

Work with program staff and participants to create something to give to your legislator that you can bring to your meeting – items like photos, posters, letters and drawings from kids and parents in your program not only provide examples of the great things you are accomplishing in your program, but will remind your legislator of the need for quality after school programs throughout the budget process.

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Office of the Governor, Dannel Malloy:

(860) 566-4840, 1-800-406-1527

Email Governor Malloy

Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Nancy Wyman:

(860) 524-7384 , 1-866-712-6998

Email Lt. Governor Wyman

Leadership:

Senate President Pro Tempore Donald Williams, (860) 240-8600,    1-800-842-1420 or Williams@senatedems.ct.gov

Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, (860) 240-8805, or 1-800-842-1421 or John.McKinney@cga.ct.gov

House Speaker Chris Donovan, (860) 240-8500, 1-800-842-1902 or Christopher.Donovan@cga.ct.gov

House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, (860) 240-8700 or 1-800-842-1423 or Lawrence.Cafero@housegop.ct.gov

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Past Advocacy Events

Thank you to all who participated in After School Day at the Capitol on March 3, 2010! We had a nice turn out and most people were able to meet with their representatives face to face to advocate for changes in the physical plant section of the DPH child care licensing regulations, and to express how important it is to keep the $05 million After School Grant Fund intact in the SDE budget.

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PRESS CONFERENCE 2/17/09 - INVEST IN AFTER SCHOOL!

A big THANK YOU to all who participated in our press conference, especially our wonderful speakers, House Speaker Chris Donovan; Rep. Betty Boukus; Asst. Superintendent of Plainville Schools, David Telesca; Tom Buckley of AT&T and Mike Lengle of West Haven Community House. We had media from NBC 30, WFSB and others covering the event.

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For the latest information on after school policy, visit www.afterschoolalliance.org/policy_news.cfm.

Supporting the development and growth of statewide policies that impact after school is a central part of the work of the Connecticut After School Network. To ensure high-quality programs and develop sustainable streams of local, state, and federal funding, we must inform and influence the decision-makers who can advance the policy agenda for after school and positive youth development.