November 30, 2021 Allegheny County ECE Virtual Job Fair Are you looking for a new career in a child care setting or curious about a job in early childhood education? Register for the Allegheny County Early Childhood Education Virtual Job Fair on December 7, 2021. About Trying Together, Carlow University, Partner 4 Work, PA CareerLink, and Literacy Pittsburgh are hosting the virtual Job Fair on December 7, 2021 to recruit individuals who want to work at child care centers in Allegheny County. An information session and interviews will be held virtually via Zoom, so participants should have resumes and applications ready. Learn More To learn more about or to register for the Allegheny County Early Childhood Education Virtual Job Fair, visit https://bit.ly/Virtual-Job-Fair-ECE. For questions, contact Lindsey Vicoria at lindseyv@tryingtogether.org or Jan Sapotichne at jan@tryingtogether.org.
November 29, 2021 CCW Non-Traditional Care Add-On Rates Beginning January 2022 Beginning January 1, 2022, PA Department of Human Services certified child care providers who provide care to children receiving Child Care Works (CCW) during non-traditional hours will be eligible for a non-traditional care add-on rate. About DHS certified child care providers that provide care to children receiving CCW for at least two hours between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. on weekdays or any amount of time on weekends will receive a non-traditional care add-on rate. These rate incentives will support providers that offer care outside of traditional hours, giving parents a safe place for their children and the security necessary to help parents return to work. The non-traditional care add-on only applies to the days that the non-traditional care takes place and not to any days the child only receives care during typical hours. The add-on rate will be 25% above the established subsidy base rate for each CCW child served during non-traditional hours. Keystone STAR designation does not impact this add-on. For details, read the full announcement by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL).
November 26, 2021 Child Care Career Openings in the Pittsburgh Area Are you looking for open child care positions? Early learning programs in the Greater Pittsburgh Area are hiring! See this week’s featured jobs. Child Care Positions in Pittsburgh Director, University Child Development Center The University of Pittsburgh is seeking a Director responsible for strategically directing and overseeing the University Child Development Center and its integral placement within the University community. The director responds to the University’s academic needs by providing laboratory, research, and practicum experiences to university students, faculty, as well as students from other higher education institutions in need of studying young children in classroom settings. The director oversees all major administrative functions of the Center including budget, human resources, facilities, and enrollment functions as well as leads, develops, and directs external relations efforts including public relations, marketing, and community and parent relationships. Apply: To apply, please visit The University of Pittsburgh’s career website. Infant Caregiver The Red Balloon Early Learning Center is looking for a full-time Infant Caregiver. Apply: To apply, please email joannethralls@hotmail.com Submit a Job Each week, Trying Together highlights employer-submitted jobs on our website, social media, and in our newsletter. Submit a Job: To make it into next week’s post, submit the Child Care Provider Job Post Submission Form. All jobs submitted after Tuesday each week will be published in the following week’s news post. Publication dates may vary due to state and federal holidays. Unrelated jobs will not be included. For questions, contact Kara Bayer at kara@tryingtogether.org. Other Jobs in Early Childhood ECE Hire Visit the ECE Hire website to view early childhood education job listings and helpful tips on interviewing, resumes, and more. Submit a Job to PACCA Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) offers a Job Board for its members to post jobs for free and sends out submitted jobs via their Facebook page and e-newsletter. PACCA members can submit jobs online after signing into their membership account. For questions, contact Maureen Murphy at maureen.murphy@pacca.org. Receive Jobs in Your Inbox To receive the latest job opportunities, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook.
November 24, 2021 Support Trying Together on #GivingTuesday Join Trying Together, your neighbors, and the global community on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, in celebrating kindness, collaboration, and generosity. Join us in #GivingTogether this #GivingTuesday. What Is GivingTuesday? First established in 2012, GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement that unleashes the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. It’s also an opportunity for people to stand together in unity—to use their individual power of generosity to support and champion the organizations and causes they care about. How Can You Participate? Share our fundraising page with your network. To help get you started, we have created a Giving Tuesday Social Media Toolkit that features sample social media posts and more! If you have their phone number or email, contact your early learning professional and let them know how much you appreciate the work they do to support your family. If you would like to support Trying Together’s work directly, consider submitting a financial donation! We appreciate donations of any size. Thanks to the generosity of Trying Together’s Board of Directors, all donations will be matched dollar for dollar up to $2,000. Help us secure these matched dollars by donating! Learn more about #GivingTuesday and what your donation will support on the Trying Together website.
November 23, 2021 Tip Sheet: Using the PD Registry Document Vault As part of the new process for Keystone STARS pre-designation and designation applications, an updated Tip Sheet for Using the Document Vault within the PD Registry has been developed. About Though the new process has been delayed until 2022, child care providers can begin using the Document Vault feature, which aims to help them store important designation information in a centralized location for future designation purposes. The tip sheet includes information on Vault functionality, naming documents, and instructions for uploading documents. The Document Vault can be seen as a centralized storage location where important documentation and evidence can be stored for use in future Keystone STARS Designation activities. It is important to note that documents that were previously uploaded into the Keystone STARS Document Uploader will not automatically transfer into a program’s Document Vault. View the Document Vault tip sheet on the PA Keys website. The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) will release additional guidance related to the rollout of the streamlined Keystone STARS Designation System in the upcoming months and will continue to offer training for both providers and ELRC staff until the go-live date in early 2022.
November 18, 2021 Child Care Career Openings in the Pittsburgh Area Are you looking for open child care positions? Early learning programs in the Greater Pittsburgh Area are hiring! See this week’s featured jobs. Child Care Positions in Pittsburgh Early Childhood Teacher The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh is seeking full-time Early Childhood Teachers for Child’s Way’s, a child care center for medically fragile children. This position will work daylight, four 10 hour shifts per week. The teacher is responsible for developing and implementing an ongoing program of activities that promote the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development of each child enrolled in accordance with DHS, Head Start, and Keystone Stars Standards. Teachers will work cooperatively with the nurses, therapists, and Early Intervention professionals to provide a safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate learning experience. Apply: To apply, please visit The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh’s employment website. Extended-Day Program Staff The Ellis School is seeking an energetic, responsible individual who loves working with children to fill a part-time position in their afterschool program. A willingness to work as part of a team providing a safe and fun environment for elementary school girls in pre-kindergarten through grade 4 is required. Experience working with children is preferred. Apply: To apply, please send a resume to Stephanie DeLucia at delucias@theellisschool.org. Preschool Teacher HeartPrints is looking to add high quality preschool teachers to their team. Part-time and full-time positions are available. Early Childhood or Elementary Education degree preferred. Apply: To apply and schedule an interview, email your resume to HPC@heartprintsed.org. Early Childhood Teacher Tender Care Learning Centers is looking for teachers and assistant teachers to work in their schools. Tender Care offers great benefits, flexible schedules and a positive work environment. Apply: To apply, visit the Tender Care Learning Centers careers page. Infant Caregiver Mount Washington Children’s Center is seeking a caregiver for infants ages six weeks to 13 months. The caregiver will be responsible for complete care of the infants – bond building, feeding, diaper changes, and development. Apply: To apply, email your resume to Rose Marie Smith at mwcc15@yahoo.com. Teacher Mt. Lebanon Extended Day Program is currently hiring year-round teachers for its before- and after-school program and kindergaten program. The program focuses on the social/emotional learning of the children through recreational games, STEAM activities, arts & crafts, and other engaging projects. Apply: To apply, send your resume to leadctrdir@mledp.org. Submit a Job Each week, Trying Together highlights employer-submitted jobs on our website, social media, and in our newsletter. Submit a Job: To make it into next week’s post, submit the Child Care Provider Job Post Submission Form. All jobs submitted after Tuesday each week will be published in the following week’s news post. Publication dates may vary due to state and federal holidays. Unrelated jobs will not be included. For questions, contact Kara Bayer at kara@tryingtogether.org. Other Jobs in Early Childhood ECE Hire Visit the ECE Hire website to view early childhood education job listings and helpful tips on interviewing, resumes, and more. Submit a Job to PACCA Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) offers a Job Board for its members to post jobs for free and sends out submitted jobs via their Facebook page and e-newsletter. PACCA members can submit jobs online after signing into their membership account. For questions, contact Maureen Murphy at maureen.murphy@pacca.org. Receive Jobs in Your Inbox To receive the latest job opportunities, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook.
November 15, 2021 Child Care Masking Requirement Still in Effect On Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, a Commonwealth Court issued a ruling voiding PA Department of Health Acting Secretary Alison Beam’s Face Covering order for schools and child care programs. This decision does not have any impact on current procedures, as an appeal has been filed and will trigger the issuance of a stay. Masking Compliance The Office of Child Development and Early Learning has stated that child care and other school entities are required to continue to comply with the Secretary’s Order and OCDEL Announcement C-21-08 will continue to be in effect until further notice. The Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Office of the Governor provided the following statement to school entities, which includes child care and other early learning settings: The Secretary of Health’s authority is clearly outlined in existing law. The Department of Health has directed counsel to file an appeal today. Filing of the appeal will immediately stay the Commonwealth Court’s decision. Masking is a necessary public health measure to keep children safe and provide them with as much in-person learning in school as possible. Medical experts agree — hospitals and healthcare professionals across the state support the masking requirement. Requiring masks in schools is helping to keep students in classrooms and the virus out and is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Learn More For more information about masking in child care programs, read OCDEL’s full compliance order.
Dressing Children for Colder Weather Children in child care settings are required to be taken outdoors daily. As colder weather approaches, providers must ensure that children wear appropriate clothing for the weather conditions. Safety in the Cold Children should play outdoors when the conditions do not pose any health and safety concerns such as a significant risk of frostbite or heat-related illness. According to the National Weather Service, weather that poses a significant health risk includes wind chill factor below -15°F (-26°C) and heat index at or above 90°F (32°C). Child care providers should monitor weather-related conditions. Open spaces in outdoor areas encourage children to develop gross motor skills and fine motor play in ways that are difficult to duplicate indoors and promote better nighttime sleep. Generally, infectious disease organisms are less concentrated in outdoor air than indoor air. This is particularly true for COVID-19. Cold weather dressing tips Children should wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing. Outer garments, such as coats, should be tightly woven and be at least water repellent when rain or snow is present. Children should wear a hat, coat, and gloves/mittens kept snug at the wrist. Providers: Remind parents that according to 55. Pa Code §3270.114, §3280.114, and §3290.114 relating to outdoor activity, weather permitting, children shall be taken outdoors daily.
November 11, 2021 Earn an ECE Degree at No or Low Cost Are you looking to earn an early childhood degree or credential at low or no cost? The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Apprenticeship Program can help. Interested applicants should fill out the Apprenticeship Interest Form. What is the ECE Apprenticeship Program? The ECE Apprenticeship Program is a learn-as-you-earn career pathway that helps early learning professionals in Allegheny County earn a CDA Credential or Associate’s Degree while maintaining employment at an early learning program. The program is employer-driven and flexible in meeting Apprentices’ needs. Apprentices choose courses based on what fits in their lives and schedules and are matched with a skilled Coach who offers additional guidance, structure, and support. Join us to advance your career and elevate the important work of early childhood. How is the program structured? The program includes two main elements: completing courses through our partners at Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) and completing on-the-job hours in a child care program with a Coach. Most courses are offered through a synchronous model like Zoom or an asynchronous model like an online class or platform. However, in-person classes will be available in Fall 2021. Apprentices decide which learning format works best for their learning needs and schedules. What does the program hope to achieve? The program offers continuing education opportunities to early childhood educators and encourages a community of learning by building relationships between Apprentices and Coaches. Research shows that having well-educated, well-compensated, and supported early childhood educators: reduces turnover in the field, positively impacts work climates, and creates a diverse, skilled workforce that is able to serve children of a variety of needs and backgrounds and work with families as partners in their child’s early education. To support the healthy development of children and families, Pennsylvania must support the education, retention, and career advancement of professionals in the early childhood field. This program offers a pathway to do that. Who is the ideal candidate? This program is ideal for child care staff in Allegheny County who are looking to continue their education in early childhood or child development at low or no cost. Employers will be responsible for supporting Apprentices and Coaches in their work. Become an Apprentice Interested applicants should fill out the Apprenticeship Interest Form. For more information or to ask a question, contact Lindsey Vicoria at lindseyv@tryingtogether.org and Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org. Frequently Asked Questions Is there a cost to participate? The program provides education and materials to professionals at no or low cost. It depends on what funding is available to support the purchase of textbooks, coursework, and other materials. What does a typical week look like? During a typical week, Apprentices continue the important work they do with children and families at their child care center and attend class one day per week (typically at night). Apprentices also meet with a skilled Coach one night per week to talk about the coursework and how the educator will implement what they learned into their classroom. Can I receive credit for courses I completed in the past? Yes! Our friends at CCAC do a great job at pulling any credit hours they can for our Apprentices (even if those credit hours were earned several years ago in a different field of study). This reduces the time Apprentices spend in school to meet their required credit hours. What do Apprentices complete? Apprentices sit through an initial orientation to hear program details, discuss professionalism, and build relationships with program staff and other Apprentices. From there, professionals will register for and complete courses through CCAC and complete on-the-job learning hours in their center. CDA-Level Apprentices complete 2,000 on-the-job learning hours in their center, which is very manageable throughout the course of their coursework. Associate’s-Level Apprentices complete 4,000 on-the-job learning hours in their center. How does this tie into NAEYC’s Professional Standards and Competencies? The program also focuses on helping professionals achieve NAEYC’s Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators. Our Coaches meet with Apprentices to discuss what they are accomplishing in the classroom, set professional goals, and mark when the Apprentice accomplishes a goal/competency. How did this program get started? Sponsored through the 1199C Training and Upgrading Fund, the ECE Apprenticeship Program was designed to streamline a career pathway for educators and reduce barriers to higher education (financial challenges, time responsibilities, etc.). Whether an early learning professional is looking to obtain a CDA Credential or Associate’s Degree, this program was created to help. How is this program unique? The ECE Apprenticeship Program is the only registered apprenticeship opportunity in Southwestern Pennsylvania that provides an Associate’s Degree track in early childhood education. Our program is also early childhood focused, which is still a very new thing in Pennsylvania. What is Trying Together’s role? Who are the partners? Trying Together uses our amazing network of child care providers to complete the early childhood work, provide professional development, and oversee the general operations of the program. We have partners at Partner4Work, which is a workforce development agency in the Pittsburgh area, and Literacy Pittsburgh, which offers resources to our students, including tutoring and additional support. Our partners at CCAC provide all of the coursework. More Information Interested applicants should fill out the Apprenticeship Interest Form. For more information or to ask a question, contact Lindsey Vicoria at lindseyv@tryingtogether.org and Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org. To stay up to date on the latest news and opportunities, sign up to receive Trying Together’s newsletter or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
Child Care Career Openings in the Pittsburgh Area Are you looking for open child care positions? Early learning programs in the Greater Pittsburgh Area are hiring! See this week’s featured jobs. Child Care Positions in Pittsburgh Child Care Assistant Group Supervisor Extended Child Care Program is seeking a Child Care Assistant Group Supervisor to assist with the supervision of children, including preparing snacks, assisting with homework, sanitizing toys and tables, and other assigned duties. Apply: To apply, send your resume to lynnleejordan1998@gmail.com. Submit a Job Each week, Trying Together highlights employer-submitted jobs on our website, social media, and in our newsletter. Submit a Job: To make it into next week’s post, submit the Child Care Provider Job Post Submission Form. All jobs submitted after Tuesday each week will be published in the following week’s news post. Publication dates may vary due to state and federal holidays. Unrelated jobs will not be included. For questions, contact Kara Bayer at kara@tryingtogether.org. Other Jobs in Early Childhood ECE Hire Visit the ECE Hire website to view early childhood education job listings and helpful tips on interviewing, resumes, and more. Submit a Job to PACCA Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) offers a Job Board for its members to post jobs for free and sends out submitted jobs via their Facebook page and e-newsletter. PACCA members can submit jobs online after signing into their membership account. For questions, contact Maureen Murphy at maureen.murphy@pacca.org. Receive Jobs in Your Inbox To receive the latest job opportunities, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook.
