While last week marked the start of a new school year for Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District students, it was the start of a new chapter for the Beyond the Bell (BTB) program.

The district’s after-school program appointed 80 employees as a part of its orientation last week. It's the most personnel that the program has ever brought in for a school year, according to BTB Director Alysonn Cassidy. The record-high hiring was made possible through the After School Education and Safety and Expanded Learning Opportunities Programs, which are state-funded initiatives that focus on maintaining after school programs and providing academic, social, emotional and physical needs for students.

Individuals in BTB serve in one of the two roles, coordinator or leaders. There are two coordinators for each of the five partnered sites. Those schools are Von Renner Elementary, Hurd Barrington Elementary, Hunt Elementary, Bonita Elementary and Yolo Middle Schools.

Some of those hired are adults, college and high students. Some of the college students are a part of the teacher’s pathway program, which is a multi-year project that focuses on building a workforce with a seven-year employment block starting with an Orestimba High student becoming a program tutor.

“For some of them, they are from Newman,” Cassidy said. “They want to get a teaching credential and teach in Newman, and this is how they’re [determined] to do it.”

Cassidy advocated for the pathway to the NCLUSD Board of Trustees during a December 2025 Board of Education meeting. At the meeting, she recalled the difficulties of filling staff positions when she took over as program director in Fall 2021 and felt BTB needed to build its own workforce.

“These are kids who want to be teachers. We need teachers,” Cassidy told the board. “America is struggling right now with teachers. We need to keep people who care.”

Throughout last week, employees had training on classroom and behavior management and when to contact organizations such as Stanislaus Area Crime Stoppers. Additionally, they were assigned to groups for collaborative projects such as making the program’s mission statement.

While some individuals are joining BTB for the first time, coordinators Alejandro Reynoso and Ivette Paz have been in the program for more than two years.

Both Reynoso and Paz said they got involved with the program because they wanted to work with kids and help them engage with after-school activities.

Reynoso said she enjoys watching the students that she first started working with grow up. “Some of them I had the opportunity to see since kindergarten … all the way to now they’re now sixth graders, so it’s been great seeing their character development throughout the years,” Reynoso said.

With the program also set to bring in around a program-high 1,000 students, Cassidy said she wants to increase parent communication by implementing a parent council at each of the five sites. This could help build a list of student activities such as a field trip.

As she enters her sixth year as program director, Cassidy said she wants to build sustainability. This includes community partnerships in Newman, Gustine, Modesto, and Patterson to ensure there is a program for students, even with changes to funding.

“I think our motto at this point is love is evident here, and I’m super proud of that,” Cassidy said.