US Conference of Mayors Resolution Adopted

Mayor MeninoFrom June 12-16, 2009 Mayor Thomas M. Menino joined over 175 other mayors from across the nation at the 77th Annual Meeting of the US Conference of Mayors.  We are pleased to share the news that the resolution submitted by Providence's Mayor David N. Cicilline and supported by Boston's Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Expanding Investments in Coordinated Full-Day Learning Strategies to Ensure the Health Development of Youth, has been adopted by not just one, but two committees of the U.S. Conference of Mayors: Children, Health and Human Services and Jobs, Education and Workforce.

Resolution No. 2 submitted by:

The Honorable David N. Cicilline
Mayor of Providence

The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Mayor of San Francisco

The Honorable Sheila Dixon
Mayor of Baltimore

The Honorable Thomas Menino
Mayor of Boston

EXPANDING INVESTMENTS IN COORDINATED FULL-DAY LEARNING STRATEGIES TO ENSURE THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH

WHEREAS, America’s young people are falling behind in today’s global economic marketplace, not fully prepared to succeed in a competitive workforce, to safeguard our democracy nor repair our environment; and

WHEREAS, our education system must both build knowledge well as foster creativity, innovation, and critical thinking; and

WHEREAS, quality after-school opportunities are proven to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork by providing life-shaping enrichments; and

WHEREAS, aligning school-day and after-school learning is critical to provide the best learning environment possible for students from the moment they wake until they go to bed; and

WHEREAS, improved coordination of libraries, recreation and parks departments, police, community centers, and youth serving organizations with schools through a strategic planning process will achieve greater accountability toward full healthy development of youth; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors calls for federal, state and local levels of government to invest in coordinated full day learning strategies that incorporate academic, social, emotional and physical activities to ensure the wellrounded and healthy development of youth by working with education administrators and local education agencies to integrate community after-school programs and organizations into the school day, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, Creating funding opportunities for building city-wide after-school initiatives so all K-12 students can learn from aligned after-school experiences, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, Providing support and incentives for professional development training for school and afterschool staff and paraprofessionals of schools and afterschools, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, encouraging the development and use of assessments to ensure accountability for high quality programming and to identify additional supports to achieve measurable outcomes for youth, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, investing in intermediaries and public/private partnerships to serve as coordinating entities to promote broad leadership support and ensure efficiency and high quality services; and Coordinating multiple use of public and private facilities that serve youth to increase participation and access to quality program opportunities.

Download all proposed resolutions in a single .pdf document or visit the US Conference of Mayors homepage for more information.