June 23, 2025 Public Source Survey Seeks Responses on Federal Cuts to Summer Programs Public Source is calling on Pittsburgh residents to respond to a survey regarding how they are handling federal cuts that are affecting summer and out-of-school time programs. Learn More Public Source says it’s seeking input from area residents to gain insight on how they are handling the summer with federal cuts affecting everything from summer out-of-school programs to parks. The survey asks how the cuts are affecting residents’ summer plans, and the publication notes that responses could be used in future articles. For further context, read Public Source’s recent article, “Pittsburgh After-School Programs Left Scrambling as Federal Funding Cuts Hit the Region.” Public Source’s survey on the matter is available online.
June 18, 2025 OCDEL Makes Announcement About Providers’ Access to First Aid and CPR The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL)’s Bureau of Policy and Professional Development has released an announcement regarding providers’ access to free First Aid and CPR training. Learn More According to the announcement for early childhood education professional development organizations, access to free pediatric First Aid and CPR training for providers will no longer be available effective July 1. The focus of professional development organizations, the announcement said, is to provide credit-bearing professional preparation for the early childhood education workforce. Providers are responsible for securing appropriate training in First Aid and CPR. State child care regulations require all staff members to complete professional development in First Aid and CPR within 90 days of hire and renew their certification before the expiration of the most current certification. For more information, read the announcement.
RAD Pass Offering Thousands of Free Admissions to Pittsburgh’s Top Attractions A number of Pittsburgh’s top attractions are offering tens of thousands of free admissions through August 31 for those who have an Allegheny County library card and a Regional Asset District (RAD) Pass reservation. Learn More RAD Summer Staycation reservation spots will be added regularly through August. Users are asked to read offers carefully, as some attractions offer two- or four-packs for admission. Currently, attractions making offers of free visits on the RAD Pass website include: The Andy Warhol Museum Carnegie Museum of Art Carnegie Museum of Natural History Carnegie Science Center Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh The Frick Pittsburgh Mattress Factory National Aviary Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium In the coming months, the following institutions will make offers: Heinz History Center Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum Booking Tickets To book tickets for RAD Summer Staycation admissions, visit the RAD Pass website. Then, users should log in with their Allegheny County library card and PIN and browse for passes by date or venue. Once a pass is reserved, it should be printed or downloaded to a mobile device. Participants are asked to only book a reservation that they plan to use on the selected date. They should also cancel their reservation to open up spots for others if they find out they cannot attend on a day they reserved. For more information, visit the RAD Pass website.
Lt. Gov. Davis Hosts Roundtable on PA Child Care Staffing Crisis Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and Second Lady Blayre Holmes Davis recently hosted a roundtable involving the state’s child care staffing crisis, discussing how it is affecting families, businesses, and the state economy. Learn More The roundtable took place at Grandma’s House in Apollo and was attended by Trying Together, the Early Learning Investment Commission, the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs and Advisory Commission on Women, members of the local business community, early childhood educators, and parents. “This issue is personal for us – and it’s personal for families across the commonwealth, in cities like Pittsburgh and in more rural communities as well,” said Davis, who is co-chair of the Early Learning Investment Commission, a public-private partnership that brings together leaders to make recommendations and policy for early learning. “Having affordable and accessible child care is essential for working families, and it’s essential for the business community.” Holmes Davis said she feels fortunate that her daughter, Harper, has access to affordable, high-quality child care, but that many in the state do not have the same opportunity. “We know that’s not the case in every community and for every family, and that’s why we’re pushing for more state investments to help recruit and retain more child care workers,” she said. Lynda Pozzuto, president of the Alle Kiski Strong Chamber, said the shortage of affordable child care in Pennsylvania affects both families and workplaces. “Without reliable, low-cost options, parents are being forced to leave jobs or turn down employment altogether,” she said. “We can’t solve our labor shortage without first supporting the working families who power our communities.” The 2025-26 state budget proposal includes a $55 million investment in retention and recruitment bonuses of up to $1,000 to increase child care availability, the first new line item for early childhood education in nearly 20 years and the first investment directly for child care teachers. “If my child is going to be with someone for eight hours a day while I’m at work, I want to know that they are safe and cared for and loved – and that it’s someone who understands their needs and their brain development,” said Lindsay Garrison, a parent and director at Thistle Nook Nature Playschool. “In order to do this, we have to pay more. If we are only paying $12 an hour, we are going to get people who don’t have that education because they can go elsewhere.” For more information on the roundtable, visit the PAcast website.
June 17, 2025 Trying Together Exec Director Featured on Women and Girls Foundation Podcast Trying Together’s executive director recently discussed the organization’s mission and the need for an increase in early childhood education workers’ wages on the Women and Girls Foundation podcast. Learn More The podcast, led by host Camila Rivera-Tinsley, frequently features guests who are “working toward a more equitable future” and tackles such topics as gender, racial, and environmental justice. In a recent episode, Tinsley discussed issues surrounding early child care – from parents seeking child care for their children so they can work to those employed in the field in need of higher wages – with Cara Ciminillo, Trying Together’s executive director. On the podcast, Ciminillo talks about how she got involved in early childhood education, April’s Month of the Young Child, the origin of Trying Together’s name, and the organization’s advocacy efforts during the state budget season. Ciminillo talked about how early childhood education is an overwhelmingly women-led field. “Probably about 96 percent of all early learning experiences and child care experiences are led by and provided by women,” she said. “It is a women-led field and has a high number of women of color who lead the work in this industry. They are brain builders.” Ciminillo said the success of many of the state’s industries is tied to whether communities provide adequate child care options. She added that the state’s early childhood education teacher shortage is caused by the industry’s low wages. “If you want to solve (the problems of) an industry’s workforce, you have to solve for the child care workforce,” she said. “It’s very much a challenge in terms of our collective economic mobility if we don’t solve the economics of child care and the wages they make.” To learn more, watch Ciminillo and Rivera-Tinsley discuss early childhood education on the Women and Girls Foundation podcast.
WQED Lists 14 Books for Families to Celebrate Juneteenth WQED Kids has released a list of books that families with young children can utilize to spark conversations about Freedom Day’s history and traditions. Learn More Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, is a federal holiday that recognizes the day in 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and informed enslaved people that they were free. The day occurred two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. WQED’s list, compiled by Tonya Abari, is aimed at educating children about the holiday, but also to lead to conversations between caregivers and their children about Juneteenth. The list is broken down into sections – For Younger Readers (below age 8) and For More Advanced Readers (ages 8 and above). The list includes: For Younger Readers Juneteenth for Mazie (Floyd Cooper) Jayylen’s Juneteenth Surprise (Lavaille Lavette) Let’s Celebrate Juneteenth (Tonya Abari) The Story of Juneteenth (Dorena Williamson) Juneteenth Is (Natasha Triplett) Juneteenth (Van G. Garrett) They Built Me For Freedom: The Story of Juneteenth and Houston’s Emancipation Park (Tonya Ellis Duncan) For More Advanced Readers The Juneteenth Story (Alliah L. Agostini) The Juneteenth Cookbook: Recipes and Activities for Kids and Families to Celebrate (Alliah L. Agostini and Chef Taffy Elrod) Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth (Alice Faye Duncan) The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers (Arlisha Norwood) What is Juneteenth? (Kristi Jewel) A Flag for Juneteenth (Kim Taylor) Juneteenth Jamboree (Carol Boston Weatherford) For the entire list, visit WQED Kids’ website.
June 16, 2025 Frick Environmental Center to Host Juneteenth-Themed Storytime The Frick Environmental Center will host an event during which the center’s director and an award-winning artist and entrepreneur will read empowering children’s stories to celebrate Juneteenth. Learn More Black Power Storytime with BOOM Concepts will run from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Juneteenth, which is Thursday, June 19, at the Frick Environmental Center, located at 2005 Beechwood Blvd. Artist and entrepreneur DS Kinsel will join Frick Environmental Center Director James A. Brown to read stories to children. The storytime will be followed by a short nature activity led by a PPC naturalist educator. The program is open to families with children of all ages, but is ideal for families with children, ages 3 to 9. Caregivers must accompany their children throughout the duration of the program. Registration is open.
PA One Book Program Helps to Instill Love of Reading in Young Children Families, child care providers, libraries, and community organizations can help to nurture a love of reading in young children through the Pennsylvania One Book program, which offers free, engaging resources to support early literacy and meaningful reading experiences. Learn More Each year, the PA One Book program selects a book for young children and a collection of easy-to-use tools to bring the story to life. In April, the program named Lori Mortensen’s “Arlo Draws an Octopus” as the 2025 PA One Book of the year. In the book, a young boy named Arlo attempts to draw an octopus, but believes that he hasn’t done so successfully. As he vows never to draw an octopus again, he makes a discovery that changes his perspective about drawing. The book is paired with printable activity sheets and additional activities that align to the state’s Learning Standards for Early Childhood. The resources that accompany the book are designed to be used at home, in classrooms, during library story times, and at community events. For more information or to download free materials, visit PA One Book’s website.
OCDEL Kicks Off 2025 Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has released its 2025 Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip. Learn More Through the initiative, families, teachers, and early childhood partners can explore ways to support young children’s love of reading and learning. Participants will learn facts about Pennsylvania’s rivers, lakes, and wildlife as well as take part in hands-on activities with their children and utilize book suggestions and tips that match the state’s Early Learning Standards. Those taking part in the literacy road trip can keep track of the books they read and draw pictures in a travel journal. Readers can print the map and learn about the state’s waterways. Other activities included in the Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip include: Nature walk and scavenger hunt Storytime picnic Nature art Water play and exploration Sing-along and movement games Each of these activities includes a learning connection, printable activity, and book pairings. For more information on the Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip, visit PA Promise for Children’s website.
PA Parks to Host Fish-for-Free Day on July 4 Families will be able to fish and borrow equipment for free as part of the Pennsylvania State Parks’ Fish-For-Free Day on Friday, July 4. Learn More The program is held by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, American Sportfishing Association, and various sponsors. Its aim is to make it easy for anyone to access fishing tackle, be able to spend an afternoon fishing, and in the process become hooked for life to fishing. The public can go to locations identified on the Borrow a Rod & Reel map and borrow rods, reels, and a tackle box full of hooks and other terminal tackle. The equipment is borrowed in much the same way books are borrowed from a library. Those wanting to borrow gear will complete a form and return the equipment to the site at the end of the loan period. The program is intended for all levels, from those fishing for the first time to those returning to a favorite childhood activity. The equipment may also be loaned to groups conducting angler education programs in the community. To find a fishing equipment loan site, visit the Borrow a Rod & Reel map and click on a “fishing” icon for a location, hours of operation, and contact information.
