News

June 22, 2026

Thriving Kids Episode Discusses How to Support Children’s and Your Own Mental Health

Most people don’t want to just exist to get through life – but rather, they would at some point like to thrive, a notion that is explored in the latest Thriving Kids podcast.

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Psychologist Alfiee Breland-Noble, PhD, MHSc, has spent years studying what gets in the way of thriving for young people and what helps. One of her key takeaways is that the way we care for our own mental health teaches children how to care for theirs.

On the latest Thriving Kids podcast, Dave Anderson, PhD, senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education for The Child Mind Institute, joins Breland-Noble, founder of the mental health nonprofit The AAKOMA Project and author of “Rise and Thrive,” to discuss this topic.

The discussion focuses on what her research reveals about the pressures on young people – including the nonstop news cycle – as well as why social media can be a risk and, for others, a genuine lifeline. They also discuss how trusted voices and community can chip away at stigma.

Some of their tips on how to support a child’s mental health and one’s own include:

Get children used to talking about feelings before there is a problem; talking openly and regularly about emotions helps to normalize mental health, so it feels less scary or shameful when something harder comes along.
Show children how to cope and don’t just tell them what to do; children pick up coping habits by watching the adults around them, so name your own feelings and what you do about them aloud.
Taking care of your mental health is part of parenting, not a luxury; managing your own stress is one of the best ways to keep children from absorbing it and tending to your own well-being shows them that practicing mental health care is something grown-ups do.
When upsetting news comes up, help children process it; if something is frightening in the news, it’s better for children to hear it from you – calmly present the facts – so you can set the emotional tone.
Take their online life seriously and stay curious about it; rather than dismissing social media’ impact, check in regularly and ask children about notice how particular apps, feeds, and comments make them feel.

For more information, listen to the Thriving Kids podcast.

News

June 17, 2026

PD Registry Debuts App for Apple and Android Devices

Pennsylvania’s Professional Development (PD) Registry has a new app that is now available on Apple and Android devices.

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The registry’s new app is intended to make it easier for early learning professionals to manage their professional development while on the go.

With the app, registry users can:

Upload documents directly from their phone camera or files
Access and manage their PD Registry anytime in any place

The app is free to download in the Apple Store and Google Play.

The app was designed with state early educators in mind and helps to save time so they can stay focused on supporting children and their families.

The PD Registry is an online early childhood education workforce system that acts as a hub for educators to manage their careers, track training hours, find professional development opportunities, and apply for credentials or tuition assistance.

News

June 16, 2026

CitiParks Opens Pools, Kicks Off Summer Concerts and Other Activities

CitiParks has opened its 16 swimming pools for the summer and has everything from farmers markets to community pop-up concerts planned for the next few months.

City Pools

The city recently opened up its 16 pools for the summer – Ammon, Banksville, Bloomfield, Highland, Jack Stack, Magee, McBride, Moore, Ormsby, Phillips, Ream, Riverview, Schenley, Sue Murray, West Penn and Westwood. The Homewood pool is expected to open soon following an update and renovation.

Pool hours and schedules are posted on the city pools’ website. All pools are free for those under age 15 who live in the city of Pittsburgh. Those over age 15 can pay per visit or purchase a season pass.

CitiCamp and Other Activities

CitiParks will also offer a wide variety of activities this summer, most of which can be found in its Summer Guide.

Activities include:

Farmers markets
Roving Art Cart
Food programs
Alphabet Trail & Tales
Tennis and pickleball
Roller skating
CitiSports
Try Athletes’ First Try Collection
Track and Treat
Aquatics
Cinema in the Park
Summer concerts
America’s 250th Birthday and Annual Independence Celebration

The city is also offering its free CitiCamp, with 238 campers between the ages of 4 and 12 at six recreation centers. The STEAM-based camp enables attendees to engage with art, science, math, history, field trips, and other activities. It runs daily from June 15 through July 31.

Summer Concerts

CitiParks will also host several community pop-up concerts throughout the summer. The concerts – three of which will be held on Friday nights in Mellon Park, while the fourth is a special Sunday finale at Allegheny Commons Park West – include:

Come Together Beatles’ tribute at Mellon Park (Friday, July 10 at 7 p.m.)
Norman Nardini Band at Mellon Park (Friday, July 17 at 7 p.m.)
The Flow Band at Mellon Park (Friday, July 24 at 7 p.m.)
Billy Price & Joe Grushecky Perform “Forever Young: A Tribute to Bob Dylan” at Allegheny Commons Park West (Sunday, September 13 at 7 p.m.)

The city will also host its Summer Concert Series at South Park Amphitheater and Hartwood Acres Park Amphitheater. This year’s lineup at South Park includes the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (July 3), The Heavy Heavy (July 10), Orleans (July 17), and Don McLean (July 31), while Hartwood’s lineup includes the orchestra (July 5), The Fixx (July 12), Arrested Development (July 26), and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (August 9).

News

Resources Focus on How to Support LGBTQ+ Children’s Mental Health

June is Pride Month and one of the most important ways to support LGBTQ+ children in embracing their identities is to help them tend to their mental health and emotional well-being.

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While any children can experience bullying or rejection, the Child Mind Institute writes in a new series of resources, children in the queer community are particularly targeted. This puts them at higher risk for such mental health challenges as anxiety and depression.

The institute’s resources include advice on what to do when a child is questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity – or decides to come out.

The resources feature an article on ways to arm children with tools to combat bullying and another on how to keep the lines of communication open with teens, which can help them to feel safer talking about topics such as sex, gender, and romantic relationships.

The Child Mind Institute’s resources include:

News

June 15, 2026

OCDEL Kicks Off 2026 Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has unveiled its 2026 Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip, which features a theme of exploring the natural world.

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Each year, OCDEL’s initiative helps families, teachers, and early childhood partners to explore ways to support young children’s love of reading and learning.

This year’s theme, From Ground to Sky, encourages children to explore the natural world, from the rocks beneath their feet to the trees high above them, by looking closely, asking questions, and discovering how nature connects to their everyday lives.

The initiative’s Nature Journal – which can be printed in English and Spanish – is a family travel companion that includes:

Inclusive early learning activities designed for all young children
Hands-on nature experiences to do in the backyard, a park, or on a walk
Family-friendly activities that support learning through play and exploration

All activities in the Nature Journal are aligned with Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards, which help children to build important skills in language, literacy, curiosity, observation, and self-regulation that will be necessary as they begin school.

The Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip’s map highlights special areas in Pennsylvania to find native rocks and trees – such as Cook Forest State Park, Archbald Pothole State Park, Chatham Arboretum, Keystone State Park, and other locations.

To view the initiative’s numerous activities – which include everything from a building and sorting rock challenge to differentiating the buds, leaves, branches, and other parts of a tree – visit the 2026 Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip website.

News

PA Promise for Children Releases June List of Books for Preschoolers

Pennsylvania Promise for Children has released its June list of recommended books for preschoolers that includes eight titles across four categories.

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The four categories in which PA Promise for Children has organized the books are Language and Literacy Skills, Partnership for Learning, Social Emotional Development, and Health, Wellness, and Physical Development.

This month’s selections include:

Language and Literacy Skills

S is for S’mores: A Camping Alphabet (Helen Foster James)
Q is for Duck: An Alphabet Guessing Game (Mary Elting)

Partnership for Learning

Magic Shapes (Patrick George)
Tap the Magic Tree (Christie Matheson)

Social Emotional Development

The Quiltmaker’s Gift (Jeff Brumbeau)
Zen Shorts (Jon J. Muth)

Health, Wellness and Physical Development

Sofa Boy (Scott Langteau)
One Two Three PULL! (Sophie Schmid and Sabine Praml)

To view the entire list, visit PA Promise for Children’s website.

News

June 11, 2026

Chambers of Commerce Coalition Asks State Assembly to Continue Investing in Child Care Workforce

A coalition of 81 local chambers of commerce from across Pennsylvania is urging the Pennsylvania State Assembly to continue investing in the child care workforce as part of the 2026-27 state budget.

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The coalition, led by the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, delivered a sign-on letter to state policymakers calling for additional investments in the Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program, Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, and the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Programs.

Other chambers of commerce to join the coalition included the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce, Greene County Chamber of Commerce, Butler County Chamber of Commerce, Beaver County Chamber of Commerce, Indiana County Chamber of Commerce, Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce, Fayette Chamber of Commerce, Greater Connellsville Chamber of Commerce, and Three Rivers Business Alliance.

The letter emphasizes that the state’s child care crisis is not only a family issue, but also a workforce and economic development challenge. Employers around the state continue to report that working caregivers are struggling to find and afford quality child care, making it harder to fill open positions, maintain productivity, and support economic growth.

“In Indiana County and communities like ours across Pennsylvania, employers need reliable access to talent and parents need reliable access to child care,” said Mark Hilliard, president of the Indiana County Chamber of Commerce. “When child care providers cannot hire and keep staff, businesses feel the impact through absenteeism, turnover, and unfilled jobs. A stronger investment in recruitment and retention is an investment in workforce stability.”

The Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program, the letter notes, was created as a first step to help child care providers address severe staffing shortages by supporting teacher recruitment and retention. Chamber of commerce leaders said that growing the program would help providers to better compete in a tight labor market, stabilize classrooms, and expand access for working families.

The letter states that providers continue to struggle to compete with other sectors that offer higher wages, while the average child care teacher in the state earns just over $15 per hour. As a result, providers have been forced to close classrooms, limit enrollment, and maintain long waitlists despite strong demand.

The chambers are also calling for increased investments in Pre-K Counts and Head Start to help providers address inflationary pressures and workforce shortages. The letter noted that the state’s child care crisis costs working families and employers approximately $6.5 billion annually in lost wages and productivity.

For more details, read the coalition’s letter.

News

June 10, 2026

OCDEL Makes Clarification About Program Licensure Requirements

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has made a clarification regarding program licensure requirements.

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OCDEL’s Bureau of Policy and Professional Development and Bureau of Certification Services (BCS) have released an announcement to clarify the applicability of program licensure requirements.

BCS is responsible for receiving applications, conducting inspections, and issuing a certificate of compliance to certified child care facilities in Pennsylvania. The certificate is a document issued by the state to a legal entity permitting it to operate a specific type of facility at a specific location for a specific period of time according to department regulations.

Under the state code, certified child care facilities in Pennsylvania fall under one of the three categories – child care center, group child care home, or family child care home.

The state code requires that legal entities must obtain a valid certificate of compliance to operate at a specific location. Upon meeting the requirements, the certificate of compliance will be issued by the state to a legal entity prior to commencement of operation at a specific location.

For more information and to find details on programs subject to the requirements, read OCDEL’s announcement.

News

Trying Together, Educators Advocate in Harrisburg for Early Childhood Education Investments in State Budget

Trying Together traveled with 40 early childhood education teachers and administrators as well as caregivers of young children to Harrisburg on Tuesday, June 9 to meet with policymakers and advocate for investments in the early care and education workforce in the 2026-27 budget.

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The teachers, administrators, and parents represented five counties – Allegheny, Westmoreland, Fayette, Washington, and Beaver – and were members of Trying Together’s advocacy fellowship program. They met with their state representatives and senators to tell their early childhood education stories.

“Early care and education is a critical issue for families and economic development in every community – rural, suburban, and urban alike,” said Emily Neff, Trying Together’s director of public policy. “The fact that nearly 40 early childhood educators from five counties traveled to Harrisburg and back in a single day demonstrates the urgency of this issue.”

Neff said the group met with policymakers from both parties and both chambers – a total of 19 state representatives and 10 senators – to advocate for increased investments in child care, pre-k, and early intervention in the state budget.

“There is no way around it: continued public investment in early care and education is essential,” Neff said.

Meetings with Policymakers

The group discussed with policymakers the importance of including proposed investments in the early care and education workforce in the 2026-27 state budget, including:

A $10 million increase for the Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program
A $2 million increase for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program
A $7.5 million increase for Pre-K Counts

Participants in the day of advocacy said it was a positive experience. Anna Dolter, a Pittsburgh Public Schools pre-k teacher, said the trip was her first time to Harrisburg. She met with state Reps. Dan Frankel (D-23rd) and Lindsay Powell (D-21st) and state Sen. Jay Costa (D-43rd).

“My message to them was the importance of early education and keeping it accessible and equitable to all families in our city and state,” she said. “It was good to meet with representatives, so we can take information back to our colleagues in terms of what we can do to advocate to get early education in the budget.”

Wes Garis, the senior director of professional and child development at Braddock’s Heritage Community Initiatives, said his job involves supporting educators and providing classroom support.

“I’ve tried to bolster recruitment and retention, but we need to have teachers long enough to grow them and keep them in the field,” he said.

He said although some of the policymakers he met with on Tuesday were already on board with proposed investments, he thought it was important to provide them with context.

“It was good that we did it as a group,” he said. “We had our stories bounce off each other – it shows the connection and makes the stories and data come to life.”

Dayna Jones, the owner and CEO of Highland Park’s Simply Kidz Zone Early Learning Center, said that the trip to Harrisburg was a great opportunity to advocate for investments to the field.

“I wanted to advocate that we struggle with financially supporting our staff to be able to embrace high-quality child care,” she said. “We want to pay staff what they deserve and allow parents to be able to afford child care and be able to work. We want to send a message that (early childhood educators) are essential. I don’t think child care is taken seriously enough.”

The group met with state Reps. Dan Frankel (D-23rd), Lindsay Powell (D-21st), Eric Nelson (R-57th), Daniel Deasy (D-27th), Arvind Venkat (D-30th), Timothy J. O’Neal (R-48th), Joshua Kail (R-15th), Jim Rigby (R-71st), Jessica Benham (D-36th), Aerion Abney (D-19th), Andrew Kuzma (R-39th), Emily Kinkead (D-20th), Bud Cook (R-49th), Natalie Mihalek (R-40th), Eric Davanzo (R-58th), and Anita Kulik (D-50th), La’Tasha Mayes (D-24th), Mandy Steele (D-33rd), and John Inglis III (D-38th), and state Sens. Jay Costa (D-43rd), Kim Ward (R-39th), Joe Pittman (R-41st), Camera Bartolotta (R-46th), Wayne Fontana (D-42nd), Elder Vogel (R-47th), Patrick Stefano (R-32nd), Lindsey Williams (D-38th), Wayne Langerholc (R-35th), and Devlin Robinson (R-37th).

News

June 9, 2026

Application Process Open for Scholarships to Conference Focusing on Autism and Sensory Disabilities

Those interested in attending the Building Knowledge to Know How Conference can apply for a scholarship, which provides free registration and lodging.

The conference highlights best practices, research, and strategies with a special focus on autism, sensory disabilities, secondary transition, and complex instructional needs.

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Those interested in obtaining a scholarship to attend the conference should apply by Monday, June 15.

The scholarships are provided by the state’s Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education, and PaTTAN. The conference runs from August 4 to 7 at the Lancaster County Convention Center.

This year’s theme is “Empowering Pennsylvania Educators and Partners.” The conference will provide an opportunity to learn and engage with nationally recognized presenters as well as educators and families from across the state.

The conference also includes:

Youth experiences for young people, ages 4 to 21
Poster sessions on successful approaches, programs, and collaborations from state educational agencies
Exhibitors and vendors
Networking opportunities and evening activities

Family scholarships – full, partial, and virtual – are available to Pennsylvania residents who have children between the ages of 4 and 21. Applicants should:

Have a current IEP/IFSP
Receive supports and services through an infant toddler or preschool early intervention program
Be in the evaluation/assessment process for eligibility to receive support and services from a state public or approved private school

More information about the scholarships is available online.