November 19, 2024 DHS Child Care Facility Regulations Now Available in English and Spanish Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (DHS) is now providing its regulations for operating a child care facility in both English and Spanish. Learn More Each of the regulations that pertain to the operation of a child care facility can be viewed on the DHS website. The website also includes a brief description of each regulation and provides a hyperlink to the regulation. Information on the child care regulations website includes: Various regulations What to expect during a family child care site inspection Webinar on launching the new certification tool For more information, visit the DHS website.
Schenley Park Skating Rink Reopens Following Equipment Upgrade Schenley Park Skating Rink reopened for the 2024-25 season this week following an upgrade to its chilling equipment. Learn More The city planned to celebrate the opening of the outdoor rink with a ribbon cutting on Nov. 19. The city’s Department of Public Works encountered some issues during the upgrade of the equipment that prevented the 2023-24 season from taking place. The department completed the replacement of the aging chiller system, which was having difficulty keeping the ice viable. The total cost of the project was $3.5 million. Allegheny Regional Asset District contributed $2 million to the new chiller system. “The installation of the new chillers will ensure outdoor skating continues at Schenley Park for years to come,” said CitiParks Director Kathryn Vargas, who added that the upcoming season marks 50 years of the rink. More Information Schenley Park Skating Rink operates seven days a week and offers a variety of public skating sessions as well as several special skating events. Upcoming special events include: Skate with Santa – 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15 Mascot Skate – 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. (online tickets only) on Saturday, Jan. 25 Disco Night – 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (adults only) on Saturday, Feb. 1 Valentine’s On Ice – 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (online tickets only) on Friday, Feb. 14 Family Skate – 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. (one child skates free with a paying adult) on Thursdays Admission to the skating rink is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and veterans (with ID), and $3 for youth (17 years and younger). Skate rentals are available for $3 per skater. For more information, visit the skating rink’s website.
November 18, 2024 OCDEL Calls for Early Childhood Education Professionals to Take Survey Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is calling on early childhood education professionals to take a survey regarding staffing, retention, and professional development resources. Learn More The survey is being conducted by the Institute of State and Regional Affairs (ISRA) at Penn State Harrisburg on behalf of OCDEL and The Pennsylvania Key. The purpose is to learn about and identify solutions relating to staffing, retention, and professional development resources in the state. The survey is open to all Pennsylvania early childhood education professionals at any child care facility, including Head Start and Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts. Those who should take the survey include teachers, assistant teachers, classroom aids, directors, owner-operators, administrative staff, and all other staff. The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete. Those who participate can enter an optional drawing for the chance to win a $50 Amazon e-gift card. The survey is available in English or Spanish. It will close in January. For more information, email ChildCareResearch@psu.edu.
Registration Open for First Event at Pittsburgh Esports Arena Registration is open for the first event that will take place at the Pittsburgh E-Arena, a new esports forum. The CitiParks Office of Special Events will host a tournament featuring Rocket League area youths on Saturdays Dec. 14 and 21. Registration is now open and limited to the first 32 individuals. Learn More The tournament will be a double-elimination event that is open to youths between the ages of 13 and 18. It will kick off with online-only gameplay on the first day of competition. This will be followed by in-person matches on the second Saturday, during which young gamers will have the opportunity to compete for the title of “Best in the City.” Participants will form teams to compete in doubles mode in preliminary rounds to determine the final teams for the in-person event, which will be held at CCAC Allegheny. All participants are invited to attend the final round and will receive a commemorative T-shirt, complimentary food, and access to activities sponsored by Tech 25, a local workforce development nonprofit that will also provide the use of Legion Gaming PCs for finalists. The esports forum will hold year-round community program offerings. It is designed to unite local gamers in competitive environments and provides a platform for youth to showcase their gaming talent while exploring educational opportunities in tech and digital careers. For more details on tournament regulations and requirements or to register for the event, visit the CitiParks Office of Special Events’ E-Arena website.
November 13, 2024 Kindergarten Here I Come Releases November Books for Preschoolers Kindergarten Here I Come has released a list of November books for preschoolers that cover a wide variety of topics. The List The list breaks the month’s selections down into four categories. Under Language and Literacy Skills, the list included two titles – “The Relatives Came” by Cynthia Rylant and “Neighborhood Mother Goose” by Nina Crews. For Social and Emotional Development, the month’s titles included “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” by Judith Viorst and Ray Cruz and “The Pout-Pout Fish” by Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna. The Science Thinking and Technology category included “Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake” by Michael Kaplan and “Bread and Jam for Frances” by Russell Hoban. For Mathematical Thinking and Expression, the selections were “Stripes of All Types” by Susan Stockdale and “Elmer” by David McKee. Additional Activities In its monthly newsletter, Kindergarten Here I Come pairs the reading selections with other activities for parents who are reading them to their child. For its Language and Literacy Skills selections, it suggests using stuffed animals, action figures, or dolls to retell a story or utilizing a sock puppet as a storytelling device. For the Mathematical Thinking and Expression choices, it suggests using objects to make patterns with preschoolers and to see if their preschooler can tell what comes next in the patterns. The Science Thinking and Technology selections can be paired with a Guess the Taste game that involves placing different foods on a plate. Preschoolers should close their eyes, taste the food and try to guess what it is. Then, get them to guess the foods by smell. And for the Social Emotional Development books, it suggests viewing people’s faces in magazines and asking children to talk about the expressions and emotions they notice. Use signs, words, and photos of emotions to reinforce language development. . Kindergarten Here I Come’s full November booklist is available online.
Nonprofit Organizations Encouraged to Apply for a Gateway Grant Nonprofits that focus on STEM Education and various specialty areas are encouraged to apply for Gateway Fund grants this month. Learn More The Gateway Fund supports 501(c)3 designated public nonprofit organizations located and operating in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The grant focuses on STEM Education as well as Technical Workforce Development, Human Health and Wellness, and Environmental Stewardship. In 2025, the Gateway Fund will support five chosen programs with a $10,000 grant. About Gateway The Gateway Fund operates on an ongoing, annual basis with a fixed timeline that begins with applications and concludes with grantee reporting. Organizations that qualify for grants may be consecutively funded for up to three years. Timeline Grant applications must be received no later than Sunday, Dec. 1. Any applications received after that date will be disqualified. Organizations selected will be notified and announced in January. The chosen organizations will receive funds from the grant in February. The application for the grant is available on Gateway’s website.
GivingTuesday Donations Help Trying Together to Advocate and Increase Access to Early Childhood Programs With a donation to Trying Together on GivingTuesday, you are shaping the future and making a lasting impact by ensuring every child has access to high-quality care and education. By supporting the work of Trying Together, you will be joining with others who are passionate about advocating for the needs and rights of children and those who care for them. What is GivingTuesday? This year’s GivingTuesday will be on Dec. 3. It is a global day of giving that takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. GivingTuesday is meant to encourage people and organizations to donate their time and money to charitable causes. The day was created in 2012 by the United Nations Foundation and New York City’s 92nd Street Y. It is meant to balance the days focusing on retail shopping that take place before it – such as Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. How to Give Gifts to Trying Together will be accepted from Tuesday, Dec. 3 through Tuesday, Dec. 31. Donations made for GivingTuesday will also support Trying Together’s end-of-year giving goals. Donating to Trying Together on GivingTuesday is easy – simply complete the online donation form. Please consider setting up a recurring donation at an amount that works for you – whatever level you choose makes a difference. Recurring donations are a generous and easy way to sustain our mission. Monthly giving programs are cost-effective and eliminate the need for repeated solicitation efforts, reducing costs for the organization and our carbon footprint. Automatic recurring donations can be set up by credit card or electronic funds transfer. How Your Donation Helps When you donate to Trying Together, you are supporting a number of initiatives, including: The Buzzword literacy initiative Developmentally Appropriate Parenting (DAP) Resources Series Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center Diaper & Formula Banks Institute for Early Childhood Career Pathways Pediatric First Aid/CPR Facilitation and Instruction Home-Based Child Care Business Cohort Community-Based High School Child Development Associate (CDA) Program Rapid Response Team Month of the Young Child campaign To donate, visit Trying Together’s GivingTuesday donation page.
November 12, 2024 Duo’s Treehouse to Offer Bilingual Play Experience for Children on Fridays Duolingo and La Escuelita Arcoiris are inviting children – birth to age 5 – and their caregivers to spend time with them on Friday mornings at The Kingsley Association. Learn More This bilingual – Spanish and English – free program aims to foster healthy development for children and support the adults who care for them. The first Duo’s Treehouse event will take place on Friday, Nov. 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The event will be held at the same time each Friday through Dec. 13 at The Kingsley Association, located at 6435 Frankstown Ave. in Pittsburgh. Duo’s Treehouse Duo’s Treehouse is an early learning community initiative designed for children, from birth to age 5, and their caregivers. It offers a high-quality immersive environment that fosters development through play. The program is grounded in the belief that joyful, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate experiences lay the foundation for lifelong learning. It is designed to offer a weekly bilingual learning experience to children and families who may not be enrolled in traditional child care.
Sesame Street Provides Resources for Children on Parental Addiction Sesame Street in Communities is sharing a series of new resources to help children and families affected by parental addiction. Learn More Sesame Workshop notes that when a parent struggles with addiction, the entire family struggles. Answering a child’s questions on the subject takes effort and conversation. Sesame Street in Communities’ resources on the matter include: A series of questions and answers to common questions that children might have about addiction A portrait of provider Cynthia Galaviz, who talks about strategies for working with and supporting children affected by parental addiction Karli’s Coloring Quilt, a game for children to learn about the seven “Cs” that includes a handout that can be printed and colored to give children a little extra comfort or encouragement The resources are provided in English and Spanish. For more information, visit the Sesame Street in Communities’ web page on parental addiction.
November 11, 2024 Registration Open for ELO & Empower OST Conference Registration is open for ELO & Empower, the 2025 Pennsylvania OST (Out-of-School Time) Conference, in Harrisburg. Learn More ELO (Extra Learning Opportunities) & Empower will take place on Feb. 26 to 28. Its theme is “Strengthening OST Professionals with Promising Practices and Proven Strategies.” The conference is an opportunity for out-of-school time professionals to deepen their knowledge, network, and stay up to date with best practices and solutions in their field. Themes Themes at this year’s conference include: Academic achievement Child well-being and resiliency Community and family involvement Community service and civic engagement in OST Digital literacy Early childhood care and education Global learning Leadership and quality programming in 21st century community learning centers Research, evaluation, and knowledge base in OST STEM Summer learning Youth voice and youth leadership development The conference’s full agenda will be coming soon. Conference attendees will include educators, program directors and coordinators, youth development practitioners, nonprofit and community organization representatives, researchers and academics, policy makers and advocates, and industry professionals and providers. Registration Registration is now open. Participants are responsible for their own travel and lodging arrangements. A block of rooms has been reserved at a discounted rate of $171 per night plus tax at the Hilton Harrisburg until Feb. 3 or until the room block is sold out. Attendees are recommended to make travel arrangements as soon as possible.
