April 11, 2023 PA Department of Health Gauging Interest in Free Cleansing Device The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) is currently evaluating air and surface cleaning devices and asking small businesses, nonprofits, child care providers, and similar organizations to express their interest in receiving such a device free of charge. About DOH Cleansing Devices These cleaning devices can eliminate viruses, bacteria, mold, and other pathogens from air and surfaces simultaneously. Free standing or wall-mounted, they utilize a standard outlet for power. If funding is approved, DOH will purchase and distribute the devices, and two years of operational supplies, to interested Pennsylvania businesses and organizations at no cost to them. Express Interest and Apply for a Device All individuals interested in receiving a device must complete an application. NOTE: Completing an application does not guarantee a device. At the moment, the application will only gauge interest in receiving a device. Should funding get approved, DOH will evaluate completed applications and award devices. DOH will award devices on a first come, first served basis, dependent upon: the amount of available funding, foot traffic at applicant facilities, square footage of applicant facilities, and COVID-19 risk. Additionally, DOH will prioritize applicants with facilities in underserved communities. Learn More To learn more, visit the Pennsylvania Key website.
April 6, 2023 Child Care Career Openings in Pittsburgh Are you looking for open child care positions? Early learning programs in the Greater Pittsburgh Area are hiring! See featured jobs for this week. Child Care Positions in Pittsburgh Group Supervisor, Infant Room The Group Supervisor ensures the coordination of quality programs for all age groups. This individual will plan and execute the creative curriculum, use OUNCE and ASQ assessments, observe and evaluate child progress, and communicate with parents daily, scheduling conferences when needed. More information is available online. Interested individuals should apply at www.ywcapgh.org. Infant & Preschool Teachers Southminster Child Care Center is looking for energetic and caring individuals to join their team of exceptional teachers. They are hiring full- and part- time teachers in their infant and preschool classrooms. Paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, and health insurance assistance are a few of the benefits associated with these positions. Interested individuals should email childcare@spchurch.org. Preschool Teacher-Assistant TLC for Kids is seeking a Preschool Teacher-Assistant to care for and educate 2, 3, 4 and 5 year-old children in a preschool setting. More information is available online. Interested individuals should apply at app.joinhomebase.com/loc/tlc-for-kids/job/preschool-assistant-teacher. Lead Preschool Teacher Little Rubies Learning Academy is seeking a full-time Lead Preschool Teacher to encourage the healthy intellectual and psychological growth of the children in our facilities. The Lead Preschool Teacher will teach and supervise children, while also motivating them to use their mental capacities and exercise their imagination. More information is available online. Interested individuals should apply at www.littlerubies.com/careers/. Submit a Job Trying Together highlights employer-submitted jobs on our website, social media, and in our newsletter. Submit a Job: To make it into next week’s post, submit the Child Care Provider Job Post Submission Form. All jobs submitted after Tuesday each week will be published in the following week’s news post. Publication dates may vary due to state and federal holidays. Unrelated jobs will not be included. For questions, contact Heidi Winkler at heidi@tryingtogether.org. Other Jobs in Early Childhood ECE HIRE Visit the ECE Hire website to view early childhood education job listings and helpful tips on interviewing, resumes, and more. SUBMIT A JOB TO PACCA Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) offers a Job Board for its members to post jobs for free and sends out submitted jobs via their Facebook page and e-newsletter. PACCA members can submit jobs online after signing into their membership account. For questions, contact Maureen Murphy at maureen.murphy@pacca.org. Receive Jobs in Your Inbox To receive the latest job opportunities, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook.
March 29, 2023 NAEYC Issues Call for Papers on Identity and Early Childhood Education The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) recently issued a Call for Papers for the fall 2023 issue of their online journal, “Voices of Practitioners.” Themed, “Reflecting on Our Own Identities in Early Childhood Education,” NAEYC seeks stories that explore how early childhood professionals’ reflections on their own identities (specifically social identities) impact their work with young children. Paper proposals are due by Friday, April 7. About Voices of Practitioners “Voices of Practitioners: Teacher Research in Early Childhood Education” is an online, peer-reviewed journal in which teachers provide a critical perspective on their roles in children’s development and learning. Published by NAEYC, it disseminates early childhood teachers’ systematic study of an aspect of their own classroom practice. Call for Papers Social Identities and Early Childhood Education The concept of identity is complex and shaped by individual characteristics; family dynamics; historical factors; and social, cultural, and political contexts. Social identity refers to the group categories that each society creates and defines. These categories include race, family structure, language, gender, religion, and economic class. Reflecting on how these identities intersect and influence practice can help early childhood educators understand and challenge how systems of oppression and privilege operate in early childhood settings. Considerations for Writing About Social Identity NAEYC is interested in receiving submissions that explore a wide range of topics, including but not limited to: how your social identities have informed your understanding of the children and families you work with how your social identities have influenced your teaching practices and classroom dynamics the role of self-reflection and professional development in understanding and addressing how your social identities impact your teaching Submission Guidelines Who can submit a paper proposal? teachers and administrators at any stage in their career working with young children aged birth to 8 years early childhood educators with various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives teacher educators, particularly those working with associate degree students What should paper proposals include? Proposals should be 500-750 words in length and should include the following features: an idea for a personal narrative essay that discusses identity and practice, relative to the broader issues of equity and social justice a statement of the challenge or opportunity for reform the paper intends to address a brief contextual overview of the submitter’s program (e.g., geography, the population of children and families served, etc.) a key anecdote or descriptive narrative that captures the heart of the submitter’s message bullet points of two to three lessons the submitter has learned from their experience and their reflections about it How do interested educators submit? Interested educators should email their completed proposal to editorial@naeyc.org. Please indicate in the subject line that it is a submission for “Voices of Practitioners” Fall 2023. Proposals are due by April 7. Learn More To learn more, read the full submission guidelines or visit the NAEYC “Voices of Practitioners” webpage.
March 27, 2023 Learn the Secrets Recruiters Use to Find Staff Online With the ongoing staffing crisis, many child care providers are struggling to find and hire qualified child care professionals to work in their child care facilities. Despite challenges facing the industry, adjustments to hiring practices and processes may help providers find the staff they need. If you’re struggling to staff a child care facility, join Early Childhood Investigations Webinars and Brightwheel for this webinar presented by Lauren Small and Virginia Marsh, and learn strategies to enhance online recruitment efforts and uncover more qualified applicants. Session Details Wednesday, April 19 | 2 – 3:30 p.m. Virtual Register Learn More Attendees will learn: marketing strategies tips for creating job ads and career pages tips for attracting qualified candidates how search engine algorithms work Can’t participate in the webinar at the appointed time? Don’t worry. It will be recorded. To view the recording, simply register for the event and you will receive an email with a link to the recording when it is ready to be viewed. You can earn .2 CEUs for this webinar. They cost $15 from the University of Oklahoma when you apply. To learn more, visit the Early Childhood Investigations website.
Advocate with Confidence Join the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) for this two-part webinar series on unlocking the mysteries of advocacy and winning investments in early childhood care and education. Webinar Details Session 1: Nuts and Bolts In this session, workshop leaders will discuss milestones in the PA budget process and timeline, working within a larger strategy, and approaching your “target.” Join to learn about identifying, researching, and approaching your legislators. Thursday, March 30 | 1 – 2:30 p.m. Virtual via Zoom Register Session 2: Scheduled a Meeting. Now What? In this session, workshop leaders will review messaging recommendations, explain the Early Learning PA (ELPA) “ask” for early childhood care and education, and share adaptations of ELPA’s talking points for your use. Thursday, April 6 | 1 – 2:30 p.m. Virtual via Zoom Register Learn More An optional, third session will be offered on Thursday, April 27 from 1 to 2 p.m. This session is designed to help you to reflect and process your advocacy experiences. Join to get suggestions on advancing your advocacy. To learn more, visit the Advocate with Confidence page on the PACCA website.
Advocate with Confidence Join the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) for this two-part webinar series on unlocking the mysteries of advocacy and winning investments in early childhood care and education. Webinar Details Session 1: Nuts and Bolts In this session, workshop leaders will discuss milestones in the PA budget process and timeline, working within a larger strategy, and approaching your “target.” Join to learn about identifying, researching, and approaching your legislators. Thursday, March 30 | 1 – 2:30 p.m. Virtual via Zoom Register Session 2: Scheduled a Meeting. Now What? In this session, workshop leaders will review messaging recommendations, explain the Early Learning PA (ELPA) “ask” for early childhood care and education, and share adaptations of ELPA’s talking points for your use. Thursday, April 6 | 1 – 2:30 p.m. Virtual via Zoom Register Learn More An optional, third session will be offered on Thursday, April 27 from 1 to 2 p.m. This session is designed to help you to reflect and process your advocacy experiences. Join to get suggestions on advancing your advocacy. To learn more, visit the Advocate with Confidence page on the PACCA website.
March 23, 2023 Child Care Career Openings in Pittsburgh Are you looking for open child care positions? Early learning programs in the Greater Pittsburgh Area are hiring! See featured jobs for this week. Child Care Positions in Pittsburgh Head Teacher The University Child Development Center is seeking a full-time preschool Head Teacher to provide developmentally appropriate care for the children in the classroom. The Head Teacher’s responsibilities include supervision, assessment, curricular planning, and support of our laboratory school experience. Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in a related field and at least one year of experience working with children between the ages of six weeks and five years of age. More information is available online. Interested individuals should apply at join.pitt.edu. Assistant Teachers The University Child Development Center is seeking part-time and full-time Assistant Teachers for infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms. Responsibilities include supervision and supporting developmentally appropriate experiences for all children. Candidates must have at least 15 credits in a related field (early childhood, child development, etc.) and one year of experience with children. More information is available online. Interested individuals should apply at join.pitt.edu. Summer Day Camp Counselor The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh is seeking a Summer Day Camp Counselor. Responsibilities include planning, executing, and organizing summer activities in art, sports, drama, music, and other various areas. Applicants must be familiar with behavioral characteristics and skill sets specific to school age children, able to plan programs accordingly, and capable of adapting activities for group size and skill level. More information is available online. Interested individuals should apply at ymcaofpittsburgh.campbrainstaff.com. Assistant Director Carriage House Children’s Center is seeking an Assistant Director responsible for managing the day-to-day running of the Center. Through a respectful, constructive and energetic style, guided by the objectives of the organization, the Assistant Director will ensure the Center’s compliance with administrative aspects related to licensing regulations, accreditation and certification processes, personnel files, teacher professional development, human resource functions, and Center communications. Interested individuals should email their resume to Sharon Amick at chcc@carriagehouse.org. Child Care Providers – Assistant Group Supervisors Early Bird Childcare is seeking professional and knowledgeable Child Care Providers who have a love and passion for working with children, and are creative, energetic, and self-motivated team players dedicated to ensuring the well-being of each and every child in their care. All Childcare Providers must be flexible and dependable, with at least two years of experience working in a child care center, or in a before- or after-school program setting. Interested individuals should call 412-315-5679 or email their resume to earlybirdchildcare20@yahoo.com. Kindergarten Co-Teacher The Carriage House Children’s Center is seeking a Kindergarten Co-Teacher. Candidates must have a B.A. in Elementary and Early Childhood Education with a PA certification to teach Pre-K through 4th grade. Interested individuals should email their resume Debbie Welch at chcc@carriagehouse.org. Infant Room Teacher Little Owls Learning Center is seeking a compassionate caregiver to take care of their littlest owlets. Applicants must be reliable, have experience in childcare, and be a team player. Interested individuals should email their resume to littleowlslearningcenterllc@gmail.com. Infant and Toddler Room Teacher/Assistant Teacher Rainbows End Child Academy is seeking an Infant and Toddler Room Teacher/Assistant Teacher. The person in this role will create and implement lessons that will meet the needs of every child, maintain a safe, nurturing environment where children can play and learn, and partner and communicate with parents through a shared desire to provide the best care and education for their children. Interested individuals should email their resume to rainbow2705@aol.com. Submit a Job Trying Together highlights employer-submitted jobs on our website, social media, and in our newsletter. Submit a Job: To make it into next week’s post, submit the Child Care Provider Job Post Submission Form. All jobs submitted after Tuesday each week will be published in the following week’s news post. Publication dates may vary due to state and federal holidays. Unrelated jobs will not be included. For questions, contact Heidi Winkler at heidi@tryingtogether.org. Other Jobs in Early Childhood ECE HIRE Visit the ECE Hire website to view early childhood education job listings and helpful tips on interviewing, resumes, and more. SUBMIT A JOB TO PACCA Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) offers a Job Board for its members to post jobs for free and sends out submitted jobs via their Facebook page and e-newsletter. PACCA members can submit jobs online after signing into their membership account. For questions, contact Maureen Murphy at maureen.murphy@pacca.org. Receive Jobs in Your Inbox To receive the latest job opportunities, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook.
March 22, 2023 OCDEL Ends Option for Director Instructor PQAS The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development & Early Learning (OCDEL) recently ended the option for individuals to apply for the Director Instructor (DI) Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS). Effective March 21, applications for DI PQAS will no longer be accepted or processed, and the DI PQAS will no longer be available as an option for individuals to provide training to child care staff. Additionally, individuals holding a DI PQAS will no longer have access to train child care staff, as trainings will be made obsolete on April 28. Learn More Directors may pursue a PQAS application and create their own content in alignment with competencies for which they are approved based on expertise and/or education. Visit PQAS Applications – The Pennsylvania Key for information on applying to become a Professional Development Instructor. For child care staff seeking professional development in material similar to the outdated modules, OCDEL is supplying course content to replace the outdated modules within the PD Registry. All content in the PD Registry is offered by approved Professional Development PQAS Instructors in order to count for various professional development requirements. To learn more, visit the Pennsylvania Key website.
March 21, 2023 Supporting Our Workforce: Child Care in Westmoreland County The Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce will host this half-day summit to discuss the current state of child care for working families in Westmoreland County. Panel discussions will highlight the current challenges facing the child care sector and the implications for working families trying to find and afford care; the impact of limited child care options on area businesses; and potential solutions to increase the availability of high-quality care and stabilize the child care sector. Breakfast will be provided. Event Details Thursday, April 20 | 8 – 11 a.m. Westmoreland Community College 145 Pavilion Lane Youngwood, PA 15697 Register Learn More This event is being held in partnership with: Workforce Investment Board: Westmoreland & Fayette Counties Westmoreland Community Action Trying Together Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission Start Strong PA ReadyNation Council for a Strong America To learn more, visit the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce website or view the event flyer.
2023-24 Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Request for Applications The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) recently announced its 2023-24 Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Request for Applications (RFA). This is a full, competitive rebid opportunity to disperse all available funding to select, eligible grantees for a five-year grant period beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2023-24, and is intended to support providers in preparing to serve and enroll children by September 2023. All FY 2022-23 Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts grantees wishing to serve children in FY 2023-2024 must apply as part of this competitive rebid process. Those seeking to become new Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts grantees may also apply. About Pre-K Counts Grants The ceiling or limit on the potential number of slots that may be awarded to any applicant will depend upon a county’s unmet need percentages and the amount of funding available. Funding is contingent upon approval by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Grants are funded via state dollars, therefore, carryover funds are not permitted. All grant dollars identified in this FY 2023-24 application must be encumbered or spent by June 30, 2024. Eligibility Eligible applicants include: existing PA PKC grantees new applicants from: school districts PDE-licensed nursery schools Head Start grantees child care centers and group child care homes designated at Keystone STAR 3 or STAR 4, and third-party entities applying for PA PKC funding to administer the lead agency responsibilities for entities that are eligible to provide the classroom services under the categories listed above Eligible applicants must: provide assurance that they operate in full compliance with Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Statute, Regulations, and Guidance submit a Letter of Intent possess a: vendor number (SAP#) administrative unit number (AUN) master provider index number (MPI) federal ID number or tax ID number, and MyPDESuite login ID Eligible applicants are encouraged, but not required to: thoroughly review: Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Statute, Regulations, and Guidance Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Request for Applications (RFA) Guidance view the “Getting to Know PA PKC Rebid Webinar Series,” found under “Quick Links” on the Pre-K Counts How to Apply webpage Applicants should view this series prior to submission of a Letter of Intent to ensure an understanding of the program requirements and expectations of compliance if an application is successful. The application review process will include evaluation of the extent to which the applicant demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the PA PKC statute and regulations Letter of Intent Interested applicants must submit Letters of Intent to RA-PAPreKCounts@pa.gov by 3 p.m. on March 28, 2023. Because of the need to establish access to the eGrants procurement system, applicants must submit a completed Letter of Intent to apply for funds using the template posted at PKC How to Apply. The Letter of Intent represents the applicant’s intent to apply for PA PKC funding and must include: the legal name of the eligible entity that will apply the AUN associated with the applying legal entity’s proposed PA PKC provider type preliminary information about requested funding program model provider type, and area to be served. Except for the legal entity and AUN, information submitted in the Letter of Intent may be modified in the final eGrants application. Programs that do not submit the Letter of Intent will not be able to access or submit a funding application in eGrants. Late submissions will not be accepted. Applicants submitting a fully complete Letter of Intent to RA-PAPreKCounts@pa.gov by 3 p.m. on March 28, 2023 will be notified when the PA PKC application is open in eGrants. Learn More To learn more, consult the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Request for Applications (RFA) Guidelines or visit the Pennsylvania Keys website. Any questions should be sent to RA-PAPreKCounts@pa.gov.
