After-School Programs Explored in a Free Concept to Classroom Workshop Offered by Thirteen/WNET and Disney Learning Partnership.

Entertainment Editors/Education & Television Writers

NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Feb. 23, 2001

As interest in after-school programs soars, Thirteen/WNET New York and Disney Learning Partnership are offering "After-School Programs -- From Vision to Reality" a free CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM workshop.

This multi-media-enhanced seminar is available beginning March 1, 2001 at wNetSchool, Thirteen's online resource for educators, at www.thirteen.org/teach (free registration required).

"After-School Programs -- From Vision to Reality" looks at the benefits that a quality after-school program can provide to students, their families and their community. Participants will explore a variety of programs around the country, and examine the aspects involved in creating effective after-school programs. They will be directed through a step-by-step guide designed to help them to create and plan programs that address the physical, emotional, academic and social needs of children.

The workshop was created by wNetSchool in concert with three leaders in the after-school field. An-Me Chung is a program officer at the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. Ellen Gannett is Associate Director of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time at the Center for Research on Women at Wellesley College. Adriana de Kanter La Perla worked on after-school issues as the Department of Education's liaison to the C.S. Mott Foundation.

"After-School Programs -- From Vision to Reality" is the latest of eleven workshops in the CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM series. The workshops are designed for K-12 pre-service and in-service educators at all levels of Internet proficiency. Each workshop also has online tools available to help participants acquire professional development credit.

CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM is a production of wNetSchool, Thirteen's award-winning Web service for teachers. Ann Mauze, deputy director of Thirteen's Educational Resources Center, is the executive in charge of CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM. Anthony Chapman is director of Interactive and Broadband for Thirteen. Brigitte Magar is executive producer of CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM and Thirteen's director of online education. Deborah Keisch is content producer of CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM.

Funding for CONCEPT TO CLASSROOM is provided by Disney Learning Partnership, a philanthropic initiative of The Walt Disney Company.

Thirteen/WNET New York is one of the key program providers for public television, bringing such acclaimed series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly and EGG the arts show - as well as the work of Bill Moyers - to audiences nationwide. As the flagship public broadcaster in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut metro area, Thirteen reaches millions of viewers each week, airing the best of American public television along with its own local productions such as City Arts, City Life, The New York Walking Tours, and Reel New York - and reaching vast new audiences through its MetroArts/Thirteen cable arts programming. With educational and community outreach projects that enhance the value of its productions, Thirteen takes television "out of the box." And as broadcast and digital media converge, Thirteen is blazing trails in the creation of Web sites, CD-ROMs, educational software, and other cutting-edge media products. More information about Thirteen can be found at: www.thirteen.org.

Disney Learning Partnership is a philanthropic initiative supporting innovative and engaging approaches to learning that promote student success. Its goal is to support teachers, schools and parents in their efforts to effectively engage children in learning. Disney Learning Partnership's Web site, DisneyLearning.org, contains a Teacher Center designed for educators interested in creating classrooms where their students can explore, imagine and engage in a variety of stimulating ideas and experiences. It is also the online home for the Creative Learning Communities grant program and a Family/School Connections resource area as well as Disney's American Teacher Awards.