News

March 10, 2026

Resource Helps Users to Explore Arts Education for Students in Southwestern PA

Caregivers can search for programs supporting arts learning for students in Southwestern Pennsylvania through the Arts Ed Collaborative’s artlook® SWPA map.

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The no-cost, open-access map and searchable directory helps caregivers to find people, places, and programs supporting arts learning for students. It is the only source of its kind in Pennsylvania that brings together arts education data from schools, arts organizations, and teaching artists in a single platform.

Caregivers can use the search and filter tools on the website to find arts programs that match their specific needs and interests. Profiles provide up-to-date information about participating schools and partners, including details about their student arts programs and how to connect with them.

Some examples of how caregivers can use the artlook® SWPA website include:

Find Schools to Partner With
Find Arts Programs for Students
Find Professional Learning for Educators
Make a Connection (with a teaching artist, arts organization, or school)

Those who use the website can also attend in-person events where they can network and share best practices to expand, deepen, and diversify school-based arts partnerships. Arts programs can publish information about their offerings as well as receive personalized reports that provide detailed analysis of data to help gain insights about their programs.

For more information, visit the artlook® SWPA website.

News

PA Promise for Children Releases List of March Books for Preschoolers

PA Promise for Children has released its list of March books for kindergarteners in its Kindergarten Here I Come newsletter.

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The list is broken down into four categories – Language and Literacy Skills, Social and Emotional Development, Social Studies Thinking, and Mathematical Thinking and Expression.

The eight books on the list include:

Language and Literacy Skills

The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale (Steven Guarnaccia)
Iggy Peck, Architect (Andrea Beaty)

Social and Emotional Development

Bear’s New Friend (Karma Wilson)
Froggy Gets Dressed (Jonathan London)

Social Studies Thinking

One Watermelon Seed (Celia Lottridge)
Big and Little (Steve Jenkins)

Mathematical Thinking and Expression

So Many Circles, So Many Squares (Tana Hoban)
When a Line Bends… A Shape Begins (Rhonda Gowler Greene)

News

March 9, 2026

Application Process Open for LEAF Scholarships

The application process for LEAF Scholarships – which provide services to individuals with disabilities and their family members – is now open.

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The program provides scholarships of up to $750 per person – per year – to assist individuals with disabilities and their families in attending conferences, training sessions, and comparable activities directly related to skill development and self-advocacy, leadership, and education.

The application should be for attendance at activities that are scheduled through March 31. Those interested can apply for the scholarship online.

No more than 10 scholarships will be awarded per event and the total scholarship amount awarded for any single event will not exceed $7,500. Scholarships will be awarded until the allotted funds are used.

The scholarship’s eligibility instructions, pre-event questions, and LEAF application can all be found on the scholarship’s website.

News

How to Prepare and Register Children for Summer Camp

With the ongoing snow and frigid temperatures, summer might still seem far away – but those looking to place children in summer camps should begin thinking about where to find spots for them.

Allegheny County Search Tool

Caregivers can find available spots for children at Allegheny County early learning, after school, summer camp, and virtual programs on Allegheny Child Care for Families’ website. The website – a collaboration between Trying Together and APOST – enables caregivers to explore programs based on location or children’s age and also includes virtual programs.

Providers regularly update information regarding available spots and whether they are accepting new families. As summer camp signup season approaches, providers should remember to update their profiles on the website. Caregivers can also create an account to save a list of their favorite child care providers.

How to Prepare Your Child for Summer Camp

While going away to summer camp can be exciting and provide a sense of independence for some children and young adults, it can also create anxiety for others.

The Child Mind Institute put together a list of resources regarding summer camp anxiety to help caregivers in easing children’s minds for when they will spend the night away from home.

In one article, the institute lists a variety of ways that caregivers can help children to overcome pre-camp anxiety – including letting them feel a sense of ownership over the experience, not trivializing their concerns or offering glib reassurances, reflecting on your own formative experiences away from home and sharing positive aspects, and not lingering at the bus stop or drop-off point.

In an article from New York Presbyterian on a similar topic, suggestions to help children get the most out of their summer camp experience include not promising to pick up a child as soon as they get homesick, doing a dry run by visiting the camp ahead of time, sending along a favorite stuffed animal, or suggesting they talk to a camp counselor about any challenges they have.

Allegheny County Summer Camp Options

In February, Kidsburgh released its annual list of local summer camps for children of all ages and interests. This year, among the 75 camps listed were:

August Wilson African American Cultural Center’s Hip Hop Camp
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Pittsburgh Musical Theater Conservatory
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium
Shady Side Academy
Jewish Community Center
National Aviary
Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History
Pittsburgh Public Theater Summer Camps

In the Kidsburgh article, each summer camp listing is accompanied by information on the program and registration.

Programs listed in Allegheny Child Care for Families’ database include the Homewood-Brushton YMCA, Venture Outdoors, Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania, and the Sarah Heinz House Association, among others.

Summer Camp Options in Other Counties

There are a variety of options for summer camps in other nearby western Pennsylvania counties. These include:

Armstrong County

Beaver County

Butler County

Fayette County

Greene County

Indiana County

Lawrence County

Washington County

Westmoreland County

News

March 4, 2026

Teach Plus Accepting Applications for 2026-27 Fellowship

Teach Plus Pennsylvania is currently accepting applications for the 2026-27 Pennsylvania Teaching Policy Fellowship.

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The paid fellowship will be awarded to 30 outstanding Pennsylvania teachers who are looking to deepen their knowledge of education policy and amplify the voices of teacher leaders in the state.

Policy fellows will receive a $1,500 stipend and will expand their influence without leaving the classroom through guided work, including:

Two in-person training sessions, monthly virtual meetings, and smaller, issues-focused working groups
Training through expert-led modules on such topics as Storytelling for Impact, Policy 101, Advocacy & Organizing, Evidence-Based Policymaking, Testifying and Meeting with Decision Makers, Op-Ed Writing, and Media Relations
Direct engagement with key stakeholders and policymakers
Pursuit of a policy research or advocacy project that addresses a pressing state-level policy issue

Policy focus areas for 2026-27 include early childhood education, equitable funding, reimagining the teaching role, advancing the science of reading, and expanding and diversifying the teacher pipeline.

To qualify for the fellowship, one must:

Be a current educator (early childhood to 12th grade) in a Pennsylvania public, charter, or early childhood education setting with at least two full years of teaching experience by June 2025
Have a track record of success teaching students in Pennsylvania
Be ready to dedicate time and passion to learning about policy and advocating on behalf of changes that affect students

Those interested in the fellowship should apply by Monday, May 11. More information on the application process can be found on the Teach Plus website.

News

Homewood Hub to Host Ancestral Wellness Series This Spring

The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center will host a three-part series this spring that will cover everything from ancestral food traditions and nature-based healing to lifestyle transformation.

Stronger Together: DAWA Ancestral Wellness Series will include sessions from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the following Fridays – April 10, May 8, and June 12. The hands-on workshops are aimed at Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center caregivers.

Session 1

On April 10, Remembering Our Roots: Ancestral Foodways will enable participants to explore ancestral food traditions and how disconnection from traditional ways of eating has affect community health.

Activities include group memory sharing of foods, remedies, and rituals from childhood; an introduction to ancestral wellness principles, beginning guided DAWA wellness journals, and creating an herbal infusion (tincture or oxymel) to take home at the end of the series.

Session 2

The May 8 session, Listening to the Body and Nature as Medicine, blends organ wellness and nature-based healing, teaching participants how to listen to their bodies while reconnecting with the earth.

Topics will include understanding body signals and signs of imbalance, organ wellness, simple seasonal ancestral cleansing practices, and grounding, sunlight, fresh air, and basic plant medicine.

Activities during this session include body-awareness practices, creating an organ-support herbal blend, and planting seeds to take home and nurture. The session will also include time for journal reflection.

Session 3

On June 12, Creating Our New Life: Vision and Commitment will enable participants to complete their herbal infusion from the first week and engage in a session focused on identity, affirmations, and lifestyle transformation.

Activities during this session include straining and bottling herbal infusion, a DIY herbal tea station, affirmation board creation, and a final sharing circle during which participants will present their personal wellness commitments.

Each family attending all three sessions will receive a $50 gift card.

News

Deadline for Children’s Book Festival Bookmark-Making Contest is March 13

The Children’s Book Festival is inviting students in preschool through sixth grade to take part in a contest to design bookmarks.

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The festival, which will return this spring, is inviting students to create and submit bookmarks based on their favorite books. The deadline to submit is 4 p.m. on Friday, March 13.

Hosted by The Learning Lamp, the 17th annual festival connects children and families with bestselling and critically acclaimed authors, illustrators, and storytellers.

All bookmarks submitted to the contest will be showcased during the festival, which takes place from March 28 to 29 at Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center in Johnstown’s Cambria City neighborhood.

The contest is open to children in preschool through sixth grade, including home-schooled students. Winners will receive a prize package that features a personal library of books.

Festival attendees will cast votes to determine the winners – which can include teachers. By submitting bookmarks from their class, educators can win a classroom set of books.

The age divisions will include:

Pre-k and kindergarten
Grades 1 and 2
Grades 3 and 4
Grades 5 and 6

For more information about the contest, visit The Learning Lamp’s website.

News

March 3, 2026

Child Mind Institute Releases Survey, Resources for Black Families Seeking Mental Health Care

The decision to place a child on medication to treat a mental health or learning disorder can be a difficult one.

The Child Mind Institute has put together a list of resources to address the possibility that Black parents in particular might be skeptical because of the history of misuse of psychiatric medication on Black patients.

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In a recent Child Mind Institute survey of Black families and young adults seeking mental health care, about half of the participants said they believed that mental health professionals are too quick to prescribe medication.

The survey identified key barriers of the participants’ experiences in seeking care. It also found that Black adolescent boys are less likely to seek care from mental health professionals than their female counterparts.

The institute’s resources address concerns about medication and how caregivers and clinicians can work together to get the best treatment for a child. They also explore why Black children with autism tend to be diagnosed late and Black teens with mood disorders are often misdiagnosed as well as how these challenges can be overcome.

The resources highlight the importance of having more Black and culturally competent mental health professionals available for Black children.

Below are the Child Mind Institute’s resources:

News

Podcast Explores Importance of Caregivers Taking Care of Themselves

Being the caregiver of a child can be equally exhilarating and exhausting. As a result, many caregivers find themselves worn out and running on empty.

When this happens, the latest Thriving Kids podcast episode explores, even small challenges can be overwhelming.

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In the podcast, Dave Anderson, PhD, senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education at the Child Mind Institute, discusses with Joanna Kim, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at Arizona State University, why taking care of oneself as a caregiver is important, but might feel unrealistic.

The podcast discussion involves how guilt can prevent a caregiver from meeting their own needs, why self-care doesn’t have to mean making big changes, and how filling one’s own cup helps caregivers to show up for their child with more calm, patience, and consistency.

In addition, Thriving Kids provided some reminders about caring for oneself as a caregiver.

Being a caregiver can be demanding, and sometimes it can feel like you’re running on empty. But taking care of yourself is essential and self-care isn’t a luxury. Even taking small, mindful moments dedicated to yourself can make a big difference.
Building a strong support network is crucial. Surround yourself with other adults – a partner, family members, friends, or fellow parents – who understand your challenges and can lend a helping hand. Share responsibilities, delegate tasks, and ask for help.
Investing in your well-being isn’t selfish – it’s empowering. When you take care of yourself, you’re better able to parent with patience, joy, and presence. You’ll also set a positive example for children in your care by demonstrating that it’s important to take care of yourself.

News

March 2, 2026

Resources Provide Tips for Caregivers with Children Navigating Friendship Losses

Breaking off a friendship or drifting apart can be challenging no matter the age, but it can be especially difficult for young children, affecting the way they think about themselves and future relationships.

The Child Mind Institute has put together a list of resources about friend breakups that aim to help children when they’re struggling.

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For young people, losing a friend can feel like a personal rejection – even if that’s not the case. To help cope with the feelings of rejection, caregivers should validate children’s feelings and eventually encourage them to see a painful experience as an opportunity for growth.

Friendship problems can be even more difficult for children who already struggle to make friends, whether they are lonely or have trouble navigating social situations.

Among the resources is an episode of the Thriving Kids podcast in which psychologist Dave Anderson, PhD, answers questions about parenting teens and interacting with their friends. The episode includes tips on how to help a child build healthier relationships.

The Child Mind Institute’s resources include: