July 10, 2020 OCDEL Releases an “Opening a Child Care Facility” Toolkit To support individuals interested in opening their own child care program, the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) released the “Opening a Child Care Facility in Pennsylvania” toolkit that features details on the step-by-step process of requirements and regulations, obtaining a child care certification, and more! Featured Topics In the toolkit, OCDEL features information on the following topics and more: child care requirements and regulations; types of child care facilities; the process to obtain a child care certification; the types of clearances needed for staff; health and safety requirements, including fire safety; the role of child care subsidies; and financial considerations and supports for operating a child care business (private pay, Child Care Works, Pre-K Counts, etc.). Download the Toolkit For more information on how to open a child care facility in Pennsylvania, download the full toolkit.
July 8, 2020 Everyday Interactions Matter: Noticing the Simple and Ordinary Are you interested in learning how to maintain essential interactions with young children during this difficult time of masks and physical distancing? Join Trying Together on July 8 for our free online session, “Everyday Interactions Matter: Noticing the Simple and Ordinary.” About The primary ingredient of early childhood quality begins with the “everyday interactions” between educators and children. These simple and ordinary interactions that take place during play, transition, and daily routines form the very foundation of learning and growing. How can educators uphold these essential interactions with children during this challenging time of masks and physical distancing? Early learning professionals are invited to join Trying Together on July 8 at for our online module “Everyday Interactions Matter: Noticing the Simple and Ordinary” to engage with the Everyday Interactions Matter approach through a process of careful observation, discussion, and self-reflection. As a part of the “Connections and Conversations: Virtual Check-Ins” series, this session will encourage educators to recognize powerful moments of connecting, sharing, growing, and belonging in their everyday interactions with young children. Learning Objectives Observe video footage of children and their caregivers in authentic settings and describe positive interactions. Recognize moments of connecting, sharing, growing, and belonging in everyday moments in the early childhood setting. Registration To register, visit the event webpage. Registrations must be submitted by July 6, 2020. Space is limited. 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. Virtual Series Overview 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. Sessions will be offered biweekly and will offer one hour of PQAS credit. Act 48 credit will not be offered. 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.
Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms Are you interested in learning how institutional racism becomes present in early childhood environments? Sign up to receive a recording of the live webinar “Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms: A Response to Racism in America” on July 8. About In this webinar, the lead authors of the newly released book, Don’t Look Away, Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms, will participate in a roundtable discussion on how to explore and address issues of bias, equity, low expectations, and family engagement to ensure culturally responsive experiences. Equipped with the tools and strategies to promote classroom change, educators will be empowered to do the following: learn how institutional racism becomes present in early childhood environments; discover how implicit bias, microaggression, and white privilege can play a role in undermining the learning experiences of marginalized Black and brown children and those who teach them; embrace anti-bias and anti-racist teaching approaches; and implement best practices for creating culturally-rich and supportive classroom environments that protect children from social-emotional and psychological trauma by affirming personal healing. This webinar will be of interest to pre-k through elementary teachers; school and district leaders; coaches; trainers; and child care providers, owners, and administrators. Registration Live access to this event is sold out. Sign up to receive the event recording by visiting edWeb.net.
July 1, 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.
June 28, 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.
June 23, 2020 Infant/Toddler Movement as a Foundation for Learning Are you interested in exploring movement as the foundation of learning? Join the National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness (NCECHW) on June 23 for their webinar, “Tummy Time: Infant/Toddler Movement as a Foundation for Learning.” About Infants enter the world prewired and primed to move. In this session, participants will learn about the impact tummy time has on brain and muscle development and its influence on developmental milestone progression. Additionally, participants will learn their role in how to create an environment that stimulates, promotes, and supports motor development. This webinar is best suited for early childhood education teachers and administrators; family child care providers; infant/toddler coaches, consultants, and specialists; Child Care Resource and Referral leadership and staff; parents; and guardians. Featured Topics Topics include the following: gross motor development, tummy time best practices, creating an environment that supports an active child, and the caregiver/parent’s role in tummy time. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage. More Information For questions, contact NCECHW at health@ecetta.info or 888.227.5125.
June 18, 2020 Project WET: Getting Little Feet WET Project WET: Getting Little Feet WET is a workshop that provides early childhood educators with developmentally appropriate water-based curriculum and activities for their early childhood classrooms. This Project WET course is led by an approved professional development instructor and offers Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) hours. Learning Objectives Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to: Properly utilize the Project WET educator guide as a curriculum reference; Participate in four Project WET activities that can be utilized in an early childhood classroom; and Walk away with at least 10 new ways to incorporate water into the early childhood classroom. Register For Project WET: Getting Little Feet WET To register and learn more, visit the Pennsylvania PD Registry website. A C2 level course, this Project WET workshop offers the following PQAS hours: Principles of Child Growth & Development (1 Hour) Social & Emotional Development (5 Hours) Child Growth and Development (1 Hour) Curriculum and Learning Experiences (5 Hours) PD Registry Event ID: 306839 More Information Please visit the Allegheny Land Trust website to schedule this workshop for your center or location and obtain pricing. Email Julie Travaglini at 412.741.2750 or jtravaglini@alleghenylandtrust.org for more information. For more events like this, click here. *Information provided by The Pennsylvania Key
June 17, 2020 Connections and Conversations: Virtual Check-Ins 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. After registering, participants will receive a Zoom Meeting link via email from the session instructor. Each session will offer one hour of PQAS credit. Act 48 credit will not be offered for these sessions. Available Sessions Trauma and the Effects on Brain Development Wednesday, 6/17 | 3 – 4 p.m. | Instructor: Alison Babusci | Click here to register. The COVID-19 crisis has brought many new stressors into our lives. Participants will join Professional Growth and Advancement Strategist Alison Babusci to review how stress affects healthy brain development in children, learn about the brain’s response to stress, and talk about how early learning professionals can help our young children to cope. 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 Jasmine Davis at 412.567.3933 or jasmine@tryingtogether.org.
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 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.
