September 14, 2020 Hello Baby: A New Website for Parents in Allegheny County For many new parents, particularly those with limited resources and support, welcoming a child to the family can be both a joy and a challenge. That’s why the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) created Hello Baby, a voluntary program for any Allegheny County family with a newborn or young child. What is Hello Baby? Hello Baby is a voluntary program for parents of new babies that is designed to strengthen families; improve children’s outcomes; and maximize child and family well-being, safety, and security. Every new mother in Allegheny County will receive information about Hello Baby and may receive an initial visit from a nurse to talk about the program in more detail. Information will be available at primary birthing hospitals, obstetrician/gynecologist offices, and pediatric practices, and will be mailed to new mothers as a postcard. Hello Baby will reach families with moderate to high levels of need through the existing network of Family Centers. However, any family can request services from a Family Center through the Hello Baby website, 2.1.1 warmline, or texting service. All services are voluntary. Featured Information The Hello Baby website was created for parents to quickly and easily find local resources and information on the following topics: Health and Safety (immunizations, safe sleep, car safety, etc.); Child Care and Development (home visiting, head start, emergency child care, etc.); Family Supports (Family Centers, programs for dads, immigrant services, etc.); and Essentials (food and formula, baby items, housing supports, etc.). To learn more and view the full range of services, visit the Hello Baby website. More Information Hello Baby is a collaborative effort among family-focused organizations in Allegheny County including Allegheny County DHS, Health Department, Healthy Start, Family Centers, NurturePA, and the United Way of Southwestern PA. For more information, visit the DHS website or view answers to frequently asked questions.
September 11, 2020 On the Shoulders of Giants: Scientific Symposium Join the Child Mind Institute on October 6 for its 2020 Virtual Symposium: On the Shoulders of Giants. The Symposium will feature 2020 Sarah Gund Prize recipient W. Thomas Boyce, MD. About On the Shoulders of Giants is the Child Mind Institute’s annual celebration of scientific achievement in child and adolescent psychiatry, psychology, and developmental neuroscience. This symposium celebrates the spirit of scientific collaboration and stewardship, and highlights seminal contributions to the field’s understanding of the brain and behavior. Motivated by the recent crises, there will be a new format for this year’s event. Following brief presentations by Dr. Boyce and his proteges, participants will move onto a roundtable discussion, moderated by Dr. Nora Volkow and composed of past Distinguished Scientists honorees, to discuss issues of racism and inequality on children’s mental health – as well as the future of training in the field. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event registration page.
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.
September 9, 2020 Connections and Conversations: Infant Sensory Experiences Are you interested in learning about the importance of sensory development in infants and toddlers? Join Trying Together on September 16 for our online session, “Connections and Conversations: Infant Sensory Experiences.” About Connections and Conversations Virtual Check-Ins are biweekly interactive sessions that highlight topics of interest to the field of early childhood education. Participants engage in virtual discussions with child development experts while interacting with early learning practitioners to share questions, experiences, and expertise about the highlighted topic. Sessions offer one hour of PQAS credit. Act 48 credit will not be provided. This session will define and explore the processes of sensory integration and the importance of sensory development in infants and toddlers. Participants will receive an overview of infant sensory development and ways to contribute to children’s learning within classroom settings as well as adaptations that can be made for students with behaviors due to the way they process sensory experiences differently. Participants will be lead in creating various developmentally friendly sensory toys with objects found in their own homes. Session Details Session Date: Wednesday, September 16 | 6 – 7 p.m Instructors: Jennifer McKain and Alicia Sebastian CKC: Child Growth and Development CDA Subject Area: Principles of Child Growth & Development Registration Deadline: Tuesday, September 15 Registration To register, visit the course PD Registry page. 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 Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org. 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 jasmine@tryingtogether.org.
September 8, 2020 Father Involvement and Co-Parenting: Why It Matters Are you interested in learning about the impact of fathering and co-parenting on child and family development? Join Brazelton Touchpoints Center on September 29 for their webinar, “Focus on Father Involvement and Co-parenting: Why It Matters.” About This webinar will explore the positive impact of fathering and co-parenting on child and family development and how the Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) model supports fathers as equal partners in parenting. Presenters will introduce SFI’s Five Domain Model and its engagement tool for tapping father involvement and increasing shared parenting responsibilities. Directors from two community agencies serving diverse families will discuss the impact of implementing the SFI program in their communities. Registration To register and learn more, visit the Brazelton Touchpoints Center website. Photo Credit Photography by Emily O’Donnell.
September 2, 2020 Helping Parents & Caregivers Navigate a School Year Like No Other Are you interested in hearing from the country’s leading experts about topics such as social-emotional wellness, mental health, learning resources, tech safety, and more? Join Remake Learning and other presenting organizations for the “So Now What?” virtual series! About The series will bring the country’s leading experts in education and childhood development, including PBS Kids, Common Sense Media, Learning Heroes, and UPMC Children’s Hospital, together with parents and caregivers to share and learn from one another. Presenters will cover a range of topics specific to this moment in time, including: social-emotional wellness, mental health, learning resources, communication, tech safety, and much more. Available Sessions The series includes the following sessions: COVID-19 and Kids Health: An Evidence-Based Practical Guide & FAQ Wednesday, September 2 from 7 – 7:30 p.m. Supporting Young Children’s Social and Emotional Wellness as We Return to School Wednesday, September 9 from 7 – 7:30 p.m. Tweens, Teens, and Mental Health Wednesday, September 9 from 8 – 8:30 p.m. Ready to Partner: 5 Steps for a Different Kind of School Year for Families and Schools Wednesday, September 16 from 7 – 7:30 p.m. How to be Safe Online and Balance Tech Usage in a World of Virtual Learning Wednesday, September 23 from 7 – 7:30 p.m. Learning Resources for Families Wednesday, September 30 from 7 – 7:30 p.m. Registration To register, complete the online registration form. Share this flyer with your network.
COVID-19’s Impact on Early Childhood and ACEs Are you interested in hearing guidance from experts on early childhood development, adverse childhood experiences, and the impact of COVID-19 on children? Join the NIHCM Foundation on September 10 for their webinar, “Protecting Our Children: COVID-19’s Impact on Early Childhood and ACEs.” About Although most children are not at high risk for contracting COVID-19, the pandemic has disrupted their lives and exacerbated challenges to children’s health and well-being. This webinar will convene experts to provide information and guidance on early childhood development, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and the impact of COVID-19 on children. Speakers will discuss the following topics: the importance of early childhood experiences in lifelong health and how adversity affects both the developing brain and other physiological systems; what ACEs initiatives are doing to respond to COVID-19 and the opportunities and challenges the pandemic has produced for professionals in the field; and lessons from a health plan’s investment in programming that addresses ACEs, including education on ACEs for teachers, policymakers, and health care professionals. Registration To learn more and register, visit the event webpage.
August 24, 2020 Early Childhood Garden Education Program Available Interested in integrating garden and cooking activities into its classroom curriculum? Submit your application today for Grow Pittsburgh and the Sampson Foundation’s Early Childhood Garden Education Program. About Grow Pittsburgh and the Sampson Foundation are offering an Early Childhood Garden Education Program for early childhood centers across the Pittsburgh region. Gardens are outdoor classrooms that are adaptable to most play yards and are designed to fit the space and needs of each center. The program will integrate garden and cooking activities into the classroom curriculum to support the development and education of the whole child. The partnership aims to support educators in teaching their students how to grow, cook, and eat fresh food while celebrating the cultures and experiences of their families and city. To learn more about the program, view the full description. Eligibility To be eligible for this program, early childhood centers must: complete and submit the application (parts 1-6, including photos); be located in Allegheny County; be an early childhood facility (includes: family, group, and center) licensed in Pennsylvania; have at least five organized and motivated people in your garden leadership group (can include staff and parents, but must include at least three teachers interested in supporting the program), exceptions made for smaller facilities; have signatures of support from both the director and head custodian; have a sustainable site for gardening on the property that gets at least six hours of sunlight a day with supporting photos for the completion of Part 3 (Grow Pittsburgh can provide support); have enrollment that includes at least 50 percent of children receiving subsidized funds through CCIS, CACFP, Head Start, or Pre-K Counts. If your program doesn’t meet these criteria, please submit as much information as possible and program hosts will work to help you in alternative ways. Submit An Application To apply, complete and submit the application. Applications can be submitted via email at victoria@growpittsburgh.org or postal mail at: Grow Pittsburgh 6587 Hamilton Ave #2W Pittsburgh, PA 15206 More Information For general application questions and assistance, please contact Victoria Thurmond at 678.977.9389 or victoria@growpittsburgh.org.
August 20, 2020 First Up Annual Conferences (Virtual) Due to current concerns, First Up has transitioned the First Up Annual Conference to a virtual platform for 2020-21. The Conference will feature multiple half-day virtual conference experiences on a range of topics. Available Conferences Family Child Care Conference Saturday, September 26 | 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Ticket Fee: $15 – $30 Early childhood professionals are invited to join First Up at the first Family and Group Child Care Conference. This event will be a time of inspiration, reflection, and learning as participants begin their day of honoring the Trailblazers of Family Child Care and hearing their wisdom and advice. Personal Empowerment for the ECE Professional Saturday, October 3 | 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Ticket Fee: $15 – $30 Early childhood professionals are invited to join First Up for a morning of personal empowerment and professional development. Featuring workshops on financial stability, professional communication, and other best practices in ECE, this Conference will help you achieve your personal and professional goals. Online Event Platform The First Up Conferences will be held via an immersive event platform called Accelevents. To learn more about Accelevents and what to expect, visit their website. To access the full experience, it is recommended that attendees participate via a computer or laptop. Receiving Credit Each Conference will offer 4.5 PA Keys (PD Registry) and/or PA Act 48 credit hours. If you are interested in receiving credit, you must indicate the type of credit you would like to receive during registration. Any credit requests made more than 30 days post-event cannot be guaranteed. A Certificate of Attendance will be available for download in the Conference Platform or by email following the event. Registration To register and learn more, visit the First Up website. More Information For more information, visit the First Up website or contact rebecca.tyrrell@firstup.org.
August 19, 2020 Virtual Back to Out-of-School-Time Conference Join Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School-Time (APOST) from August 24–September 10, 2020 for their Virtual Back to Out-of-School-Time Conference! About Over a period of three weeks, the Virtual Back to Out-of-School-Time Conference will offer relevant workshops to assist professionals in continuing to provide high-quality programming for youth during this challenging time. This Conference is open to any youth practitioner who desires to increase their skills in working with youth in out-of-school-time programs or mentoring relationships. If there is a workshop that you would like to attend but are not able to due to schedule conflicts, recordings and resources for all workshop offerings will be available for at least one month after all of the workshops have concluded. Available Workshops A Summer in Review: Conducting In-Person Programming in the Foreseeable Future Monday, August 24 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Wellness for Black Young People in a Racist Society during COVID-19 Tuesday, August 25 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. How to Handle Your Workforce Post COVID-19? – Organizational Skill Gaps with Leaner Staffing Wednesday, August 26 | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Outdoor STEM in an Online Classroom Thursday, August 27 | 2 – 3:30 p.m. Keeping Kids Entertained and Learning During COVID-19 and Beyond Friday, August 28 | 1 – 2 p.m. Engaging Your Students with Project-Based Learning Online Monday, August 31 | 1 – 2:30 p.m. What You Need to Know about the Current Pandemic Tuesday, September 1 | 1 – 2 p.m. Lessons Learned: OST in the Virtual Space and Zoom into Hands-On Learning Wednesday, September 2 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Increasing Program Enrollment by Advertising on the Allegheny County Child Care Finder Thursday, September 3 | 1 – 2 p.m. Deep and Simple Interactions in OST Virtual Programming and Yes, And’ing a Virtually New Normal Tuesday, September 8 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. PBS 101 Middle School Track Wednesday, September 9 | 1 – 2 p.m. Making Academic Content Exciting with Narrative Games Thursday, September 10 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Registration To view all workshop descriptions and register, visit the full Conference Agenda. Registration links will be included at the bottom of each event description. More Information For questions, contact Jaron Paul via email at jaron.paul@unitedwayswpa.org.
