News

November 17, 2020

Child Care Programs: Submit Your Experience

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is conducting a survey to gather information from the early childhood field to inform federal and state actions on child care. This survey is intended for early learning professionals.

About

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, NAEYC has been collecting survey responses from early learning professionals to convey the challenges child care programs are facing across states and settings. Data collected through this survey will be shared with policymakers to build a deeper understanding of the ongoing urgency of the challenges programs are facing.

Early childhood educators can answer the questions regardless of whether their child care program is open, closed, or somewhere in between, and regardless of what kind of child care program they work in, or what role they have there.

Take The Survey

To submit your experience, complete the online survey by November 22, 2020. NAEYC will select 10 respondents at random to receive a $50 gift card. Winners will be notified on December 18, 2020.

More Information

For more information, contact advocacy@naeyc.org.

News

September 18, 2020

Teaching Preschool with an Equity Lens

Are you interested in learning how to promote equity in your preschool classroom? Join the National Association for the Education of  Young Children (NAEYC) in October and November for their facilitated online mini-course, “Each & Every Child: Teaching Preschool with an Equity Lens.”

About

This online course will focus on what equity can look like for teachers working with children ages three to five years old on a day-to-day basis in the classroom. Participants will learn strategies and tips on how to support the learning and development of each child in their classroom through intentional play opportunities and guided instructional supports.

Course Timeline

This course includes four hours of self-paced learning and three hours of face-to-face video meetings with a facilitator over the course of four weeks:

    • October 5, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.
    • October 19, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.
    • November 2, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.

Registration

To register for this facilitated course, visit the NAEYC website. All registrations must be submitted by October 1, 2020. Space is limited.

News

September 11, 2020

NAEYC Annual Conference: Virtual

To maintain the health and safety of its audience, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) will be hosting its 2020 Annual Conference virtually, with events taking place from November 8–10, 2020.

About

The NAEYC Annual Conference is the largest early childhood education conference in the world. Each year, thousands of teachers, program administrators, students, and researchers choose from hundreds of presentations and exhibits to explore the latest trends and research in the early childhood field.

More information on professional development sessions and participating exhibitors will be available soon. Please continue to monitor the NAEYC website for future updates.

Registration

Registration for this event opens on Monday, September 14. To register and learn more, visit the NAEYC website.

News

August 20, 2020

Facts about COVID-19 and Quality Child Care

Are you looking to access child care services during the COVID-19 health crisis? Join the Pennsylvania Child Care Association on September 2 for their webinar, “Facts about COVID-19 and High-Quality Child Care.”

About

Child care is highly regulated in Pennsylvania and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has responded to COVID-19 with updated regulations and guidelines to keep children and providers safe. However, some of these are suggestions, not requirements; some clash with best practices for child development; and some are difficult to implement with very young children.

In this webinar, participants will learn about the pros and cons of different child care settings, what to expect from child care providers, and which questions to ask if you’re still searching for one that’s right for you and your child. The session will feature Susan Coffin, MD, MPH, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s leading expert of COVID-19 and a great resource in creating CHOP’s FAQ for centers and families; a parent; and child care providers from both center-based and home-based settings.

Register

This webinar is best suited for parents and caretakers of children birth to age five. To register, visit the event webpage.

Submit A Question

You may ask questions in advance (anonymously if you prefer) by emailing shawn.towey@pacca.org, or you can enter them in the chatbox during the session.

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August 19, 2020

Why Care about Child Care?

Are you a parent who needs child care? Are you interested in learning how to get help paying for child care? Are you worried about your child’s kindergarten readiness? Join the Pennsylvania Child Care Association on August 26 to explore these topics and more in their webinar, “Why Care about Child Care?

Register

This webinar will act as an introduction for parents and other caregivers (grandparents, guardians, foster families, etc.) to the child care landscape in Pennsylvania. To register, visit the event webpage.

Submit A Question

You may ask questions in advance (anonymously if you prefer) by emailing shawn.towey@pacca.org, or you can enter them in the chatbox during the session.

Share this flyer with your network.

News

July 15, 2020

T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship Fall 2020 Deadline

Early childhood education professionals interested in attending college for the fall semester can submit applications to receive a T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education And Compensation Helps) Scholarship.

Eligibility

The Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) offers a variety of T.E.A.C.H. scholarships to meet the needs of the early care and education workforce in center and home-based settings. Eligible applicants must:

    • work a minimum of 25-30 hours per week directly with children in a DHS-certified child care program;
    • make $19 or less an hour ($25 or less per hour for directors); and
    • be interested in pursuing coursework at a participating college toward a degree or credential in early childhood.

Scholarship awards are dependent upon the availability of funds and priorities of funders. Other eligibility criteria may apply are subject to change without notice. See the brochure.

Application Details

To be considered for the Fall 2020 semester, T.E.A.C.H. applications must be completed and submitted with all required documentation by Friday, August 7, 2020. PACCA will continue to accept applications on an ongoing basis, however, incomplete applications and applications received after this date will not receive priority for consideration. New scholarship awards for the Fall 2020 semester will be dependent upon funding availability at that time.

Interested applicants should also begin the college admissions process now and contact an early childhood education (ECE) advisor at their intended college/university. This helps to ensure that scholarship applicants are admitted to their college/university and can register for courses if/when they receive a T.E.A.C.H. scholarship. T.E.A.C.H. can provide contact information for early childhood education advisors at partnering institutions if needed.

Submit an Application

To download a scholarship application, visit the PACCA website. Completed applications must be submitted to PACCA by Friday, August 7 through one of the following methods:

    • Fax: 717.657.0959
    • Mail: 20 Erford Road, Suite 302
      Lemoyne, PA 17043

More Information

For questions about scholarship eligibility and requirements, contact a T.E.A.C.H. Counselor at 717.657.9000.

News

July 1, 2020

PACCA Zoom Series: Racial Equity in Early Learning

Are you interested in learning how to embed racial equity into your early learning program? Join the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) on Fridays from July 10 – 24 for their Zoom Series, “Racial Equity in Early Learning.”

About

This three-part professional development series is designed to help early learning and school-age programs embed racial equity from recruiting, hiring, and on-going training offerings for staff to interactions with children of color. After defining key racial justice terminology such as implicit bias, cultural competency, race, racism, antiracist ally, etc., participants are encouraged to identify concrete ways to embrace racial equity personally and professionally.

These Zoom meetings will be informative and interactive, and will provide participants with real resources and supports for classroom situations. Individuals who participate in all three meetings will receive 4.5 hours of PQAS credits and/or 4.5 Act 48 hours.

Cost

    • PACCA Members: $20 for all three meetings
    • Non-Members: $45 for all three meetings

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.

Zoom links will be sent in a confirmation email when your registration is received. If you do not receive confirmation, please check your Junk inbox or contact maureen.murphy@pacca.org.

News

June 30, 2020

National Family Child Care Conference

Are you interested in celebrating and exploring the field of family child care? Join the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) on July 17 and 18 for the 30th National Family Child Care Conference!

About

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NAFCC will host its annual National Family Child Care Conference virtually on the evening of Friday, July 17 and all day on Saturday, July 18. The conference will feature:

    • live and on-demand workshops,
    • an opportunity to earn up to 24 hours (or 2.4 continuing education units) of training credit,
    • a Spanish track with four live sessions presented in Spanish,
    • a Black and Latina caucus where participants can discuss the things that are important to them, and
    • a virtual exhibit hall where participants can view vendors without leaving their homes.

Featured Topics

Live and on-demand workshops will cover a variety of topics, including, but not limited to, the following:

    • record-keeping and tax implications of COVID-19,
    • organizing a sustainable daily routine that supports health and wellbeing,
    • how to make your home a place of inquiry, play, and experimentation,
    • strategies for creating an environment that promotes a variety of social-emotional skills,
    • finding out and improving your business’ profit margin, and
    • recognizing early signs of mental illness in young children.

View the schedule and full workshop descriptions.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage. For questions, submit NAFCC’s online contact form.

News

May 4, 2020

Talking to and Supporting Children and Ourselves During the Pandemic

On May 7, David J Schonfeld, MD, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician and Director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, will provide a webinar on talking to and supporting children and ourselves during the pandemic for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

About

During the webinar, Schonfeld will provide suggestions for early childhood educators on how to talk with young children about the recent pandemic to promote their understanding and adjustment, as well as practical advice that can be shared with families on how to support their children’s adjustment and how they can serve as effective models of coping techniques. Adults are impacted at least as much as children, so a focus of the presentation will address professional self-care. Free resources available from the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement and the Coalition to Support Grieving Students will be highlighted.

Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance for viewing this webinar.

Registration

To register, please visit the event webpage. For more webinar options, visit the Trying Together Events page.

*Information provided by NAEYC

News

April 24, 2020

Families & Educators Supporting Learning at Home

Join Karen Nemeth and Kelly Ramsey, authors of “Families & Educators Together: Building Great Relationships that Support Young Children,” on April 30 for a live discussion of strategies and resources that will help you reach out to diverse families of young children and build great relationships that support young children in difficult times. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance for viewing this webinar.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.

*Information provided by NAEYC