December 5, 2025 Registration Open for UnConference: Kindergarten Transition Registration is now open for Trying Together’s UnConference: Kindergarten Transition scheduled for Monday, February 16 at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit. Learn More The UnConference will highlight multiple aspects of preparing children for kindergarten, from early intervention practices and engaging parents to play-based learning and emotional regulation. Attendees will hear from a keynote speaker as well as a panel of experts on kindergarten registration and readiness. Participants will also attend sessions in the morning and afternoon that are led by local and national early childhood organizations. More Details The UnConference will run from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, located at 475 E. Waterfront Drive in Homestead. The fee to attend is $25. Registration is required and now open. Free parking will be available in the AIU parking lot, and overflow parking is available across the street. A light breakfast with coffee and tea will be available and lunch will be provided as part of the registration fee. The event will begin with keynote speaker Swati Adarkar, the former deputy assistant secretary for policy and early learning at the U.S. Department of Education. Then, participants will listen to a panel of experts who will discuss how early intervention plays a critical role in supporting kindergarten transitions and how to support and improve on-time kindergarten registration and readiness. A total of 4.5 PQAS and Act 48 credit hours will be available for attendees. Trying Together will host the event in partnership with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, United Way of SWPA, and Hi5!. Workshops Attendees will take part in two sessions – one in the morning and another in the afternoon – led by local and national early childhood organizations. During registration, participants will be asked to make selections for the two workshop time slots. Workshops include: How Community Partnerships Strengthen Kindergarten Readiness Efforts A K.I.N.D. Framework for Engaging Parents Preparing for Kindergarten with Fred Rogers Productions Strengthening My Early Learner: A Parent’s Journey The Power of Play About UnConference The UnConference is an innovative, hands-on professional development training format in which a deeper experience is provided around a particular theme. Local and national speakers are invited to present and participants are encouraged to engage hands on in the workshops. The day concludes with a roundtable discussion on how to apply these experiences and ideas in the early childhood environment and share ideas on how to partner with new colleagues.
May 12, 2025 Hi5! Celebrates On-Time Kindergarten Registration Rates During AIU Event Hi5! celebrated another successful year of supporting on-time kindergarten registration and readiness in southwestern Pennsylvania during a May 7 gathering at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU) in Homestead. Learn More The event’s keynote speakers included Dr. Joe Maluchnik, superintendent of Woodland Hills School District, and Summer Pendro, M.Ed., director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment at Wilkinsburg School District. During the event, attendees discussed the importance of a connected early childhood continuum for birth through age 9 and how strong partnerships lead to effective kindergarten transition. Attendees included personnel from school districts across Allegheny County and the southwestern Pennsylvania region, early childhood education partners, community partners, and Trying Together Early Childhood Advocacy Fellows. Participants shared personal stories, triumphs, and resources and discussed ideas for educational initiatives for the summer and beyond. Attendees were recognized for increasing on-time enrollment, commitments to policy and advocacy, building a culture of belonging, and supporting the network through shared learning and professional development. Clairton, Duquesne, Cornell, Northgate, and Sto-Rox school districts were recognized for on-time registration rates of more than 10 percent. Sto-Rox reached 100 percent on-time enrollment for the 2023-24 school year. Other recognition awards were given to Hi5! partners for community engagement and policy and advocacy achievements – including Avonworth School District for its national recognition by the U.S. Department of Education for positive parent engagement programming. Trying Together will host an UnConference on kindergarten transition in February 2026. About Hi5! Hi5! is a partnership between the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and Trying Together that is aimed at supporting on-time kindergarten registration and readiness for students in Southwestern Pennsylvania In the 2023-2024 school year, the average on-time kindergarten enrollment for Allegheny County was 94.4 percent.
February 3, 2025 2025 Allegheny County Legislative Forum on Education The Allegheny Intermediate Unit will host the annual Allegheny County Legislative Forum on Education in late March. Learn More The forum will tackle a variety of issues affecting public education in Allegheny County and Pennsylvania. Questions will be submitted by an audience of educators, administrators, parents, and other stakeholders. Those interested in attending can do so in person or online. For those attending in person, the event will take place at the AIU Central Office, located at 475 Waterfront Drive in Homestead. Those attending virtually can do so through Zoom. The panel will include Allegheny County state legislators and will be moderated by former KDKA-TV reporter Jon Delano. The forum will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 27. The program will conclude by 8:30 p.m. and will be followed by a meet-and-greet with legislators.
June 3, 2024 Kindergarten Transition White Paper Highlights Regional Efforts Trying Together has released a white paper titled “Kindergarten Transition” that includes research on transition activities, possible policy opportunities, and recommendations to support effective kindergarten transition. Learn More The transition from pre-k to kindergarten is a critical point in the lives of young children and their families. However, during the 2021-2022 school year, 78% of three-year-olds and 65% of four-year-olds in Pennsylvania did not have access to a pre-k program. As a result, kindergarten was likely many families’ first entry into the school system as well as the first opportunity for some children to engage with classroom routines and socialization on a larger scale. Recommendations were made for state elected officials and local school district administrators. Some of these recommendations included: Requiring local transition teams Providing guidance on how to leverage funds Encouraging data sharing Advocating for full-day kindergarten Including parents and guardians in the transition process Ensuring high-quality, developmentally appropriate kindergarten Showing support for local pre-k and child care providers in providing pre-k Strengthening relationships and collaboration between early childhood programs and elementary schools Emphasizing culturally responsive practices Rethinking the possibility of school readiness Learn more about Trying Together’s mission of supporting equitable access to a strong kindergarten transition for all children across the region by reading the “Kindergarten Transition” white paper. Trying Together has joined the Allegheny Intermediate Unit and the United Way of Southwestern PA in a partnership known as Hi5!, which focuses on engaging all 43 public school districts in Allegheny County to develop and implement kindergarten transition plans.
April 24, 2023 Flex Space Summit – Remake Learning Days Flex Space Summit is a day full of exploration, innovation, and inspiration, bringing together teachers, architects, furniture designers, researchers, and more! During this one-day conference, attendees will learn about reimagining learning spaces. This conference will be held at Allegheny Intermediate Unit (475 E Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA. 15120). This event is free to attend and is intended for adults. Registration is highly encouraged. When: Friday, 5/5 | 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Where: Allegheny Intermediate Unit, 475 E Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA. 15120 Register For more information or questions, visit the Remake Learning Days – Southwestern PA event page, or contact Tyler Samstag at tyler.samstag@aiu3.net.
April 11, 2023 AIU Career Fair Join the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU) as the organization hosts a Career Fair on Saturday, May 13 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. A variety of positions are available throughout the organization, including roles in English as a second language (ESL), special education, Head Start, Early Head Start, family and community engagement, occupational/physical therapy, virtual learning facilitators, and technology services programs. Attendees will be able to meet and network directly with AIU team members. All attendees are guaranteed an interview. Registration required. This event is in-person. Where: AIU Central Office, 475 E. Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA. 15120. Submit your resume to the AIU in advance. For more information, email recruitment@aiu3.net or visit the AIU Career Fair event page.
