January 14, 2026 Pittsburgh Offering Winter Events for Children and Families The weather outside might be frightful – depending on the ever-changing Pittsburgh weather – but the city has much to offer that’s delightful in the weeks to come. Several major winter events will take place in Pittsburgh in January and February. Day Off at the Museum The Carnegie Museum of Art will hold an event for young artists on Monday, January 19 – which is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – during which they will immerse themselves in art on their day off from school. Children, ages 6 to 10, will be able to experiment with a variety of materials, make new discoveries, and explore techniques to help them grow as artists. They will be able to find inspiration in the museum’s galleries and create original artworks through painting, printing, sculpting, and mixed media. They can also engage in playful art and sensory challenges. The camp costs $85 and registration is required. NFL Play 60 Training Day The Heinz History Center will host NFL Play 60 Training Day on Saturday, January 31. Children of all ages will be able to take part in activities on each floor of the Franco Harris Sports Museum. During the event, which is sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, children will be able to train like a pro in the mini-NFL Combine with a series of drills. They can also discover the region’s sports history and complete physical challenges throughout the museum. Children will get in for free and it will be included in adult admission. Science Bowl The Carnegie Museum of Natural History will hold a Science Bowl for grades four through eight on Wednesday, February 4. The event will enable participants to solve puzzles, crack clues, and take on challenges. It is part scavenger hunt, part brain workout, and filled with fun activities. There is a $15 per student fee for the program. Registration is limited to 20 students per school. Those interested in bringing additional students should email the museum closer to the event date to see if there is available space due to cancellations. Valentines on Ice CitiParks’ Office of Special Events announced recently that tickets for the 20th Annual Valentines on Ice, a night of outdoor skating to celebrate Valentine’s Day, are now on sale. The event, which takes place on February 14 at the Schenley Park Ice Rink, will feature two skate sessions – a family-friendly session for all ages from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and an adults-only session from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Attendees will be able to skate to romantic music, take part in free indoor activities, and create and take home event souvenirs, such as caricatures, selfie booth photos, chocolates, and roses. The event will be offered at a special rate of $9 per one adult and child ticket for the first session and $12 per couple for the later session. Skate rentals are an additional $3 per person.
North Hills School District Kindergarten Registration Opens February 1 Kindergarten registration for the 2026-27 school year will open Sunday, February 1 for students who turn 5 years of age prior to August 1 and reside in Ross Township or the borough of West View. Learn More The North Hills School District will hold a kindergarten forum at Ross Elementary School at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 21. The event is intended for parents and guardians only. Then, registration opens online on February 1. In-person appointments to complete registration will run from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Monday, February 16 and from 4:15 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 25. For more information on kindergarten registration, visit the North Hills School District’s website.
January 13, 2026 PCCD Announces State Violence Intervention and Prevention Funding Through OST BOOST Grants The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) has announced the availability of $11.5 million in state Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) funding. Out-of-school-time programs interested in obtaining the funding must apply for it by the end of the day on Monday, January 26. Learn More The goal of the FY 2025-26 Violence Intervention and Prevention and Building Opportunities Through Out-of-School Time (BOOST) grants is to support a variety of local community violence prevention and intervention strategies, including upstream prevention for at-risk school-age youth. For the current fiscal year, a total of approximately $60 million in state funding for VIP has been directed to the PCCD for providing grants and technical assistance to address community violence. Community violence is defined as intentional interpersonal violence – such as gun violence, group-related violence, or domestic or intimate partner violence – in areas of the state with high rates of firearm-related violent crime or injury. VIP funding is intended to support community violence intervention strategies designed to address violence that is already occurring in communities. Additionally, Act 45 of 2025 (Fiscal Code) directs PCCD to reserve at least $11.5 million of appropriated VIP funds for BOOST grants, which support statewide and local out-of-school time programming for at-risk school-age youth. The maximum award amount under the FY 2025-26 VIP and BOOST solicitation will be $500,000 or no more than 50% of an organization’s annual operating expenditures, whichever is less. The maximum award amount is the total grant amount an applicant can request over the entire 36-month project period, and is not a per-year amount for each year of the project period. For more information, read the PCCD announcement on the funding.
DHS Online Screening Tool Helps SNAP Recipients Navigate New Rules Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (DHS) has launched a new online screening tool to help Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients and applicants navigate new requirements to access benefits. Learn More New federal rules may require some SNAP recipients and applicants to meet and report work requirements – such as working, volunteering, or participating in education or training for at least 20 hours per week. To help determine if these requirements apply, the DHS has created a quick online screening tool. By answering a few “yes” or “no” questions, users can see whether they need to meet the requirements, may qualify for an exemption, or should report current activities to their caseworker. The tool is informational and not a final eligibility decision, but it can help SNAP recipients understand next steps and prepare for conversations with their caseworker. For any questions about reporting work or activities, SNAP recipients should contact their County Assistance Office or call 877-395-8930.
January 12, 2026 PA Promise for Children Releases January Booklist for Preschoolers PA Promise for Children has released its list of January books for preschoolers in its Kindergarten Here I Come newsletter. The list includes eight books across four categories. Learn More PA Promise for Children’s booklist includes four categories – Language and Literacy Skills, Social and Emotional Development, Science Thinking and Technology, and Mathematical Thinking and Expression. The list includes: Language and Literacy Skills There’s a Nightmare in My Closet (Mercer Mayer) Dreams (Ezra Jack Keats) Social and Emotional Development Corduroy (Don Freeman) Bears (Ruth Krauss and Maurice Sendak) Science Thinking and Technology Rainbows (David Whitfield) The Rainbow Fish (Marcus Pfister) Mathematical Thinking and Expression Art Lesson (Tomie dePaola) The Doorman (Edward Grimm)
Providers Must Submit Application for Recruitment and Retention Award by January 29 Providers interested in the Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Award must submit an application to their local Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) by Thursday, January 29. Learn More The award is a new program available to eligible providers and qualifying staff as part of the Governor’s Office General Fund initiative. The program’s focus is to provide payments to qualified child care providers to assist them in addressing the ongoing child care staff retention and recruitment crisis. To qualify, a provider must be serving children, hold a current Certificate of Compliance, and hold a current Child Care Works Certified Subsidy Provider Agreement, among other criteria, to be considered a qualified child care provider. A staff member is considered qualified if they are employed by a qualified child care provider that is responsible for the direct supervision of children at a minimum of 15 hours per week and is included on the work schedule, not only at the time of application but also when the provider receives payments from the ELRC. Current qualified child care staff are eligible for a $450 retention bonus per staff member. Recruitment bonuses in the amount of $450 per new staff can be paid to a newly employed, qualified staff member hired after the date of the application submission. Eligible DHS certified child care providers will apply on behalf of current, eligible staff and for staff recruitment bonuses. Providers must submit a completed application to their local ELRC by January 29, and can reach out to their ELRC for more information.
January 7, 2026 OCDEL Seeking Nominations for ECE Professionals to Be Recognized Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) will recognize those in the early childhood education field who have made accomplishments in 2025. Learn More OCDEL is planning on recognizing early childhood education professionals in the following areas: Academic Years of service Retirement The recognitions apply to all staffing positions within an early learning program, including, but not limited to: Directors Classroom staff (teachers, aides, etc.) Support staff (receptionists, janitors, kitchen staff, etc.) Submissions can be nominations (submitted by someone else) or self-submitted (submitted by the individual to be recognized). Eligible submissions will receive a letter of recognition from OCDEL Deputy Shante’ Brown. The deadline to submit a recognition is Wednesday, February 4.
OCDEL Extends Rapid Response Team Grants for a Year Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has announced that the Rapid Response Team Grants funded through the Preschool Development Birth to Five initiative have been extended. Learn More The one-year extension will enable Rapid Response Team current grantees to maintain their regional coordination efforts aimed at enhancing the capacity of the early childhood education workforce. Rapid Response Teams are critical in supporting young children in care settings and reducing suspension and expulsion rates through timely, collaborative classroom support. Originally scheduled to conclude on December 31, many organizations had already begun closeout activities in anticipation of the deadline. For more information on the Rapid Response Team grant and other Preschool Development Birth to Five initiatives, visit the PDG website.
January 6, 2026 Deadline for Pennie Marketplace Open Enrollment is January 15 The final deadline for the state’s Pennie health insurance marketplace annual open enrollment is Thursday, January 15. Learn More Coverage for those who signed up for Pennie by the December 15 deadline began on January 1, but it will start on Sunday, February 1 for those who enroll between December 16 and January 15. Open enrollment healthcare can help those who use it to find affordable health insurance plans and offers: A simple process of finding suitable insurance plans Guidance from licensed agents Ability to compare different options in a single place Superb customer support Those who visit the website or call can receive a quote for individual or family coverage. Those interested in enrolling or changing plans can get free help on Pennie’s website or by calling 1-844-844-8040.
Afterschool Alliance Survey Aims to Gather Information on Program Needs The Afterschool Alliance is asking those who operate afterschool or summer learning programs to take a survey to provide information on the needs that their programs face. Learn More The intention of the survey is for the alliance to better understand the support that afterschool and summer learning programs are currently providing as well as the challenges they face. It is also meant to gain insight into what the needs are for programs to be able to better help the children and families they serve. Answers in the survey will provide information that the alliance will share with funders, policymakers, education leaders, and the public on the importance of increasing investments to afterschool and summer programs that foster learning, connection, and belonging. The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete. All responses will be anonymous. Those who complete the survey will be entered into a drawing in which 50 respondents will receive a $50 gift card. Those interested in taking the survey can do so online.
