June 29, 2020 Connections and Conversations: The Power of Self-Compassion Are you interested in learning about the important role authentic relationships play in the early learning and development of young children? Join Trying Together on August 5 at 6 p.m. for our online session, “Connections and Conversations: The Power of Self-Compassion.” About Connections and Conversations Virtual Check-Ins are interactive sessions that highlight topics of interest to the field of early childhood education. Participants will engage in virtual discussions via Zoom with child development experts while interacting with early learning practitioners to share questions, experiences, and expertise about the highlighted topic. This session will highlight how children benefit greatly from authentic relationships with the adults in their lives. It will explore how the critical messages we learned from our childhood affect our interactions and relationships with children in our care. We will utilize self-reflection as a tool to develop self-compassion to build our intentional use of compassion in early learning environments. Participants will receive the course Zoom link via email within 24 hours before the start date for the course. For questions, contact Rosie Hogan at rosie@tryingtogether.org or Sarah Grubb at sarah.elrc5@alleghenycounty.us. Session Details Session Date: Wednesday, August 5 | 6 – 7 p.m Instructors: Mimi Loughead CKC: K6.4 C2 CDA Subject Area: Supporting children’s social and emotional development. Registrations must be submitted by Monday, August 3. Space is limited. Sessions will be offered biweekly and will offer one hour of PQAS credit. Act 48 credit will not be offered. Registration To register and learn more, visit the course webpage. Session Rules and Guidelines These virtual discussions are designed to provide educators the opportunity to grow professionally and share knowledge on early childhood topics. During the meeting, participants should follow the guidelines below to ensure a successful virtual meeting for all participants. Please allow all participants a chance to speak. Listen respectfully and actively. Commit to learning about each other, not to debating the topic. Embrace differences of opinion as healthy and support each person’s authentic self-expression. Participants will be muted for the beginning portion of the session. Participants may use the “Raise Hand” feature in Zoom to request an opportunity to comment or ask a question. Individuals will be temporarily unmuted by the moderator. Participants may type a comment or question in the Chat or may send comments or questions directly to the moderator for them to share. To receive PQAS credit, you must complete an evaluation at the end of the session and include your PD Registry number. Have fun, make connections, and engage in the conversations! More Information For questions or more information, please contact Rosie Hogan at rosie@tryingtogether.org.
The Mindful Mindset Are you interested in learning how to incorporate mindful practices into your early learning classroom? Join Trying Together for our three-week, self-paced course, “The Mindful Mindset.” About Through this three-week online course, participants will learn about incorporating mindful practices into their early learning classrooms. Mindfulness has been shown to improve children’s attention spans, social skills, and emotional coping skills. It is also an imperative tool for educators to improve their practice by being more present and understanding with their learners. Even as we face the everyday onslaught of stimuli and emotion, we all possess the capacity for mindfulness. All registrations must be submitted by Wednesday, July 15. Space is limited. Course Details Timeline: July 20 – August 10, 2020 (Three Weeks, Self-Guided) Instructor: Sarah Byrne-Houser and Mimi Loughead CKC: K6.4 C2 CDA Subject Area: Maintaining a commitment to professionalism. Three PQAS and ACT 48 hours available. Registration To register and learn more, visit the course webpage. Please note that participants will not have to attend the virtual course every day during the three-week period. Rather, participants can log on to the virtual course platform at any time during the three-week period to complete the session. More Information For more information, contact Community Engagement Assistant Rosie Hogan at rosie@tryingtogether.org.
Creativity Concepts Are you interested in learning about the role creativity plays in your early learning program? Join Trying Together on July 15 for our online course, “Creativity Concepts.” About This course will serve as an introduction to creativity and children’s developmental stages with arts learning. The course instructor will share ideas for visual art, music, movement prompts, and activities. A supply list will be shared before class for those interested in participating in hands-on artmaking. All registrations must be submitted by Monday, July 13. Space is limited. Course Details Session Date: Wednesday, July 15 | 6 – 8 p.m. Instructor: Alison Babusci CKC: K11.C2 CDA Subject Area: Advancing children’s physical and intellectual development. Two PQAS and ACT 48 hours available. Registration To register and learn more, visit the course webpage. More Information For more information, contact Community Engagement Assistant Rosie Hogan at rosie@tryingtogether.org.
June 23, 2020 Allegheny Child Care Finder Provider Profile Office Hours If you are a child care provider in Allegheny County currently using or interested in using the Allegheny Child Care Finder, you can join Bridgecare during open office hours to get your questions answered! Wednesday, 6/24 1:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 468 916 5631 One tap mobile +16699009128,,4689165631# US (San Jose) Thursday, 6/25 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 468 916 5631 One tap mobile +16699009128,,4689165631# US (San Jose)
June 22, 2020 Drive-Up Diaper Distribution Join Global Links and the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank (WPDB) on June 25 for their public drive-up diaper distribution event outside of PPG Paints Arena (rain or shine). To ensure participant safety, this event cannot accommodate walk-up participants. About Global Links and the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank (WPDB) have partnered to host a public drive-up diaper distribution event outside PPG Paints Arena (rain or shine), thanks to support from the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation. The distribution will be equipped to serve up to 1,000 cars. What’s Included? Families and caregivers of young children who are experiencing financial hardship are invited to line up by car outside PPG Paints Arena to receive the following items (at no cost to families): One case (four packages) of diapers per car. One package of wipes per car. An informational sheet listing neighborhood resource centers that can provide further diaper assistance. Safe sleep information provided by Cribs for Kids® National Infant Safe Sleep Initiative. Please note that two families CANNOT be represented in one car. Parents and caregivers will have the option of choosing one or two different sizes of diapers. Traffic Details All vehicles attending the diaper distribution will enter the distribution area by turning onto Logan Street from Centre Avenue. Once on Logan Street, personnel on-site will direct vehicles from the lots to the location at which the diapers will be distributed. To exit, all traffic will be routed to Fullerton Street and will exit via Centre Avenue. Bedford Avenue between Washington Place and Crawford Street will be closed to traffic from downtown going uphill. Traffic from downtown can turn right onto Washington Place to access Centre Avenue or stay left on Bigelow Boulevard. Wylie Avenue will be closed between Crawford Street and Logan Street. More Information To learn more, visit the Drive-Up Diaper Distribution event page or the Global Links website.
June 17, 2020 Transitioning Your Child from Preschool EI to Elementary School Are you interested in learning about options for developing an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for your child as they transition from preschool early intervention (EI) to elementary school? Join the PEAL Center on July 1 for their webinar, “Transitioning Your Child From Preschool Early Intervention to Elementary School.” About In this webinar, participants will learn about: the importance of informed decision making in determining educational placement, options for developing an IEP as a child transitions, the impact of adult perspectives on children’s opportunities, and a Student Snapshot tool families can use in preparing for the transition. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
Pittsburgh Families Invited to Receive Free Children’s Books Since the City of Pittsburgh’s Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library launch in February 2019, the program has grown to include over 3,200 local children and recently sent its 30,000th book. Thanks to funding received from the Hillman Family Foundation and McCauley Ministries, the program will continue to sustain and grow services in Pittsburgh. About the Program The Dolly Parton Imagination Library is a free program for any child who lives in the City of Pittsburgh age zero to five to receive one book a month in the mail until their fifth birthday. When they turn five, they will have their own library of up to 60 books. The City of Pittsburgh’s program is affiliated with the national initiative started by music legend Dolly Parton. Participating children will begin receiving books through the U.S. Postal Services approximately eight weeks after the registration form has been received. Eligibility To be eligible for the program, preschoolers must: be a resident of the City of Pittsburgh, have a parent or guardian fill out an official registration form, and notify the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania of any address changes. Registration To sign up for this program, register your child(ren) online via the Imagination Library website! Interested in mailing in or submitting your registration in person? See their webpage for more details. More Information For any questions, please contact Tiffini Simoneaux at tiffini.simoneaux@pittsburghpa.gov or 412.255.2505. To view the booklist, visit the Imagination Library website.
June 16, 2020 Choosing Child Care | Virtual Workshop Choosing high-quality child care is a complex process, and to many it may feel overwhelming right now. Join the Center for Women Pittsburgh, Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5, and Trying Together on June 28 for their virtual workshop “Choosing Child Care.” About Through this virtual workshop, participants will: learn about the CDC guidelines that early learning professionals are incorporating into their programs; hear questions they can use to ask providers about sanitation and physical distancing; see a live demonstration a new search tool for child care in Allegheny County; get tips on the application process, as well as what you need to apply for assistance; and know how they can help advocate for needed changes to the child care system. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
Allegheny Child Care Tool Expands Services Are you interested in learning about child care, after-school, out-of-school, and summer programs in Allegheny County? Visit the Allegheny Child Care website to search for available child care spots at programs near you! What is Allegheny Child Care? Allegheny Child Care is a unique pilot project that has been developed to support the child care needs of families. Through this online tool, parents and caregivers can search for available child care spots at all Allegheny County early learning programs, including after-school, out-of-school, and summer camps. To search for a program near you, visit the Allegheny Child Care website! Information for Early Learning Professionals If your organization provides child care, after-school, out-of-school, and/or summer programming, update your listing as soon as possible on the Allegheny Child Care website. By updating your information, the Allegheny Child Care tool will assist you in promoting and marketing your program(s) to families. In turn, this will allow your program to expedite the process of getting children enrolled, thus making an often stressful task less burdensome for families. For questions or concerns, please read the FAQ guide or email info@alleghenychildcare.org. Additional Resources Trying Together developed the following resources to assist families in identifying high-quality early learning programs, as well as what questions to ask to better understand their program’s COVID-19 procedures. How to Find, Choose, and Pay for High-Quality Child Care: A Guide for Families Family Checklist: Questions to Ask Your Early Learning Provider During COVID-19 For additional support in finding child care and/or funding your child care needs, visit the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 website or call 412.350.3577. More Information The Allegheny Child Care initiative is managed by Trying Together in partnership with the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, and Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST, an initiative of the United Way of Southwestern PA); with additional support from the City of Pittsburgh; and was developed in collaboration with Child Care Aware of America, The Heinz Endowments, and technology partners Bowtie, BrightHive, and BridgeCare. To learn more and search for programs near you, visit the Allegheny Child Care website.
June 10, 2020 Fostering Fathers’ Leadership Skills Are you interested in learning how to build a father-friendly program? Join the National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness (NCECHW) on June 16 for their webinar, “Fostering Fathers’ Leadership Skills.” About In this webinar, participants will explore tools, resources, and ideas they can use to build a father-friendly program. Register to learn how to create an environment that actively encourages fathers to engage with their child’s learning and development. Participants will also review examples of program efforts that help fathers continue to build their voices as leaders in early childhood programs and their communities. This webinar is best suited for Head Start and Early Head Start directors, managers, family services staff, and parent leaders; T/TA providers; and early childhood leaders who support children and their families. Participants will receive a certificate of participation upon completion of the webinar. Featured Topics Topics for the webinar include: exploring the importance of developing a program environment that promotes fathers’ leadership; preparing staff to successfully integrate father engagement into their programs; and sharing tips from programs that engage fathers as leaders and advocates in their work. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage. More Information For questions, contact NCECHW at pfcewebinars@ecetta.info or 855.208.0909. Photo Credit Photography by Emily O’Donnell.
