January 20, 2025 Nomination Process Open for Ron Cowell Award The State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) for Early Intervention is seeking nominees for the Ron Cowell Award for excellence in service to young children with disabilities and their families. Learn More Any individual who has a significant impact on early intervention public policy, development, practices, or staff development is eligible to be nominated. Past honorees include parents, service providers, advocates, local administrators, and state leaders. All nominations are due by Friday, February 14. The award will be presented at the Thursday, April 3 SICC meeting. The nomination form is available on the SICC page of the EITA Portal.
PA Child Care Facilities Can Apply for Lead Testing and Reduction Grant Pennsylvania child care facilities are invited to apply for the Voluntary School and Childcare Lead Testing and Reduction Grant, the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) said. Who Should Apply Pennsylvania childcare facilities with lead in drinking water sample results within 36 months of the application date showing water fixtures exceeding the remediation trigger level of 5 ppb (parts per billion) are invited to apply for the grant. The WIIN 2107: Voluntary School and Childcare Lead Testing and Reduction Grant is offered through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Reduction activities may include purchasing and installing hydration stations, point-of-use devices designed to remove lead, or replacement of faucets. The primary goal of the grant program is to reduce children’s exposure to lead in drinking water. Funding under the grant has been appropriated under 1464(d) of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Funding provided will be up to $3,000 per hydration station per 100 students in one building. Up to $30,000 may be awarded per building/child care facility or $100,000 per school district. Applicants are encouraged to schedule a pre-application meeting to discuss their lead reduction plans to ensure they meet applicable program criteria. Meetings can be scheduled by emailing RA-EPWIINLEAD@pa.gov.
January 15, 2025 Power Kids Website Offers Videos, Books on Various Topics Children and their caregivers can do everything from watching videos and reading books to learning about a variety of topics through Power Kids, Pennsylvania’s electronic library. Learn More Power Kids is broken down into 12 e-resources that cover a variety of topics and formats. The electronic library enables children to access videos, books, information on how to be a safe and responsible citizen with eBooks, chat with a librarian, and resources that helps them to learn about everything from history to science. The e-resources available on the Power Kids site include: BookFlix: children can watch videos and read books about animals, celebrations, nature, music, and other topics, some of which are also available in Spanish Britannica School for PreK-5: inspires learners to create, play, and explore, this tool offers nonfiction articles across various subjects Cricket Media Collection: includes hundreds of e-books that can help to build literacy skills in students from grades pre-K through eighth by offering digital access to short-form fiction and nonfiction Discover PA for Kids: provides state symbols, facts, and figures Elementary: provides information such topics as animals, arts, geography, health, literature, people, social studies, and technology True Flix: visitors can learn about people, places, nature, history, and science through e-books on topics such as American Indians, ancient civilizations, the Civil War, the U.S. government, and more KidSpeak – Chinese/Mandarin, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish/Castilian: learn words and phrases suitable for learners’ age, needs, and interests; includes more than 40 activities, puzzles, and songs For more information on the various resources, visit the Power Kids website.
January 14, 2025 PA Promise for Children Releases Farm Show-Themed Book List for Kids To celebrate the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show, which took place earlier this month, Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children has compiled a list of books for children with farm show themes. Learn More For those who couldn’t attend the farm show in Harrisburg from January 4 to 11, PA Promise for Children has provided a long list of extracurricular reading to get children in the spirit of the event. The list covers 19 topics, each of which contains a number of children’s books that relate to the topic. Search at the Farm Show sheets are also provided to help children look for and find items within the books. PA Promise for Children also enables participants to explore the Pennsylvania Farm Show through a printable one-pager about using the five senses. The 19 topics included on PA Promise for Children’s list of books include: alpacas, bees, butterflies, chickens, cows, donuts, ducks, farms, fish, goats, horses, leaves, mushrooms, pigs, police, rabbits, school buses, sheep, and tractors.
Connect Cards Aim to Make Allegheny Go Enrollment Easier Enrolling in Allegheny Go, the mass transit discount program for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) users, will soon become easier. Learn More On February 1, the process for enrollment in the 50% discount program will become smoother through the use of new Connect Cards. The card is a reusable plastic smart card that makes paying fares faster, easier, and more secure than paying with cash. The cards are being reintroduced to combat barriers that Allegheny Go participants face when enrolling through the required Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s (PRT) Ready2Ride smart phone app. A number of groups – including Just Harvest, Pittsburghers for Public Transit, Equitable and Just Greater Pittsburgh, and the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council – advocated for the return of the cards. About Allegheny Go Those receiving SNAP benefits can get 50% off transit fares for buses, light rail, and other PRT services through Allegheny Go. To qualify, one must: Reside in Allegheny County Be between the ages of 12 and 64 Have been receiving SNAP benefits for at least three months; this can also include family members receiving the benefits Have a mobile device and are able to access the Ready2Ride app To sign up for Allegheny Go, users must download the app, apply for it, and then buy fares. More information on the program is available on the Allegheny Go website.
January 13, 2025 Kindergarten Registration Information Available on PA Promise for Children Site Kindergarten registration for schools in Pennsylvania begins in early spring. Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children is providing some resources to find information on registering in Allegheny County. Learn More Information provided by PA Promise for Children includes the age a child needs to be to enter kindergarten as well as cut-off dates identified by each school district. To find which school district you’re located in, visit the Department of Economic Development’s municipality website. Enter your street address, city, and Zip code, and click “find municipality.” The name of the municipality, county, and school district will appear on the screen. For further kindergarten registration information, email PA Promise for Children at marhal@pakeys.org. Information is available for all 33 of Allegheny County’s school districts.
Kindergarten Here I Am Releases January List of Books Kindergarten Here I Am has released its list of January books for kindergarteners that cover a variety of topics. Learn More The books are broken into three categories – social and emotional development, mathematical thinking and expression, and science thinking and technology. January’s selections include: Social Emotional Development Corduroy (Don Freeman) Bears (Ruth Krauss and Maurice Sendak) There’s a Nightmare in My Closet (Mercer Mayer) Dreams (Ezra Jack Keats) Mathematical Thinking and Expression Art Lesson (Tomie dePaola) The Doorman (Edward Grimm) Science Thinking and Expression Rainbows (David Whitfield) The Rainbow Fish (Marcus Pfister) To view the selections, visit Kindergarten Here I Am’s list of January Books for Kindergarteners.
January 10, 2025 Trying Together to Host UnConference: Navigating Early Intervention Partnerships in March Registration is open for Trying Together’s UnConference focusing on systemic challenges relating to access to early intervention services on March 8. Other topics will include the impacts of systemic racism, suspensions and expulsions, staffing shortages, and under-investments in early childhood education. Learn More UnConference: Navigating Early Intervention Partnerships will include expert-led sessions, keynote speeches, a light breakfast with coffee and tea, and a buffet lunch. Opening remarks will provide an overview of early intervention projects and partnerships developed by Trying Together – including the expansion of the Rapid Response Team, development of the Early Intervention Toolkit, and Early Intervention Equity Analysis. Participants will attend a large group workshop and panel in the morning. After lunch, they will attend three 30-minute mini workshops. Keynotes and Workshops The morning’s keynote presentation will be state Rep. La’Tasha Mayes’ (D-24) “Envisioning Change: The Power of Early Childhood Educator Voice in Early Intervention Advocacy.” During her speech, she will inspire participants to see themselves as having an active role in early intervention advocacy and policy change that leads to a more inclusive early education system. The morning’s workshops include: “Exploring the Impact of Systemic Challenges on Access to Early Intervention Services: A Collaborative Approach to Supporting Children in Early Childhood Settings,” led by Trying Together’s Emily Neff and Hailee B. Roye “Circle Time: Let’s Talk About EI,” a panel discussion featuring experts from Infant/Toddler Early Intervention, Preschool Early Intervention, Infant Early Childhood Mental Health, and Intensive Behavioral Health Services as well as a parent The afternoon’s mini workshops include: “Pyramid Model and Prevention Tips for Challenging Behaviors” “Early Intervention Toolkit: Tools and Resources for Early Care and Education Programs” “Early Intervention 101” “Trauma-Informed Classrooms: Supporting Children with Early Childhood Trauma” “Breaking the Stigma: How to Have Difficult Conversations with Families and Young Children” “Creating Calm: Interactive Sensory Strategies for Early Childhood Classrooms” “Closing Session: From Awareness to Advocacy Action” The UnConference will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 8 at the Kaufmann Center, located at 1825 Centre Avenue. Tickets cost $25. Space is limited. Registration is now open. Those who attend the conference will receive PQAS and Act 48 credit hours. Any questions about the UnConference should be emailed to Ben Filio at ben@tryingtogether.org. For more information about the event and session details, visit the UnConference: Navigating Early Intervention Partnerships page on the Trying Together website.
January 8, 2025 Map Provides Window Into Day-to-Day Life of Early Childhood Educators Trying Together – in partnership with the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA campaigns – has created an interactive map that highlights the day-to-day realities of child care programs around the state. These first-hand accounts depict the joys and challenges of working in the early care and education field. Learn More Visitors to the site will see the impact of low wages for educators, the closed classrooms and silent playgrounds, teachers struggling to afford basic necessities, and empty administrative offices. But they will also read stories about the joy a child finds on a swing at a program in Coraopolis or how teachers have an impact on the learning and growth of children in their communities. There’s even a story about a preschooler field trip to Burger King. The stories also show how, despite challenges, early childhood educators go above and beyond for their children and families. This includes meeting transportation needs, providing meals, and collaborating with caregivers on securing early intervention services for children. Each photo on the site was taken during an everyday moment in an early care and education program setting. The captions were written by each participant with guidance from their early childhood colleagues. Recruitment and Retention Currently, early childhood educators in child care programs make an average $15.15 per hour, which is less than $32,000 a year and does not meet the cost of living in any Pennsylvania county. Trying Together, Start Strong PA, and Pre-K for PA are all calling for early childhood educators (ECE) to be paid what they deserve. To compete with states that are doing more to keep ECE teachers in the classroom, Pennsylvania must invest $284 million in new and recurring state funding to implement a child care teacher recruitment and retention initiative. To read the stories, view the map on the A Day in the Life website.
January 7, 2025 Flyer Provides Safety Tips for Children Wearing Winter Coats in Car Seats Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children has put together a flyer alerting parents to safety issues relating to children wearing coats while in car seats. Learn More While it’s important to keep children warm during the winter, PA Promise for Children notes, young children should not wear puffy coats or snowsuits when they are in car seats. Coats and snowsuits can compress under the harness of a car seat, often as much as four inches. As a result, a child’s car seat straps might not fit properly. Sleeping bags for babies can also be unsafe for car seats as they might add extra slack under the harness. How to Keep Warm and Safe PA Promise for Children has provided several ways in which babies and young children can be kept warm and safe in their car seat when it’s cold. These include: Dress a baby or child in snug layers, such as onesies and leggings Add long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, a hat, shoes, and socks Children can wear a jacket as long as it’s not too puffy For babies, use covers specifically for car seats that are designed to provide warmth and approved by the car-seat manufacturer. For older babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners, secure them in the car seat and then turn their coat around and put it on backwards (arms through the armholes), so the coat is on top of the harness. Or, use a blanket in the car. For more information or to watch a video with tips for keeping children safe and warm in their car seat, visit PA Promise for Children’s website.
