October 2, 2024 Working Together Webinar Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA will host an upcoming webinar that will focus on early learning in Pennsylvania’s 2025-26 budget. Learn More The webinar, which will be available in English and Spanish, will focus on early learning in the state budget for 2025-26. It will also include an advocacy update and a discussion on opportunities for child care. The webinar will begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10. Those interested in attending should register in advance. After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Speakers will include Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA partners, including: Champions for Early Education Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children Pennsylvania Child Care Association Pennsylvania Head Start Association Trying Together Attendees will learn how to continue working with others to strengthen the state’s early learning system for teachers and programs and grow access to more eligible families.
September 10, 2024 Harvard University Center Releases New Science X Design Learning Toolkit Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child has released a new learning toolkit for Science X Design users. About Science X Design Science X Design is an open-access, self-paced learning module that is designed to help service providers improve outcomes for young children and their caregivers. Pronounced “science by design,” the toolkit aims to empower service providers in such fields as healthcare, education, and child welfare. It helps to identify new opportunities to improve services in these fields. The toolkit also offers curated information on three design principles informed by the science of early childhood development and guides users in gathering input from the people involved in services. Through an interactive learning, listening, and synthesis process, users can identify opportunities to adapt early childhood programs to support the healthy development of young children and their caregivers. The module takes about four to six weeks to complete and was designed to be completed as a team. A course overview and information on who should participate in the module can be found on Harvard’s website as well as information on how long it will take and what outcomes to expect.
September 4, 2024 APOST Offering Fall Professional Development and Training Workshops Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST) is offering a series of professional learning workshops for out-of-school educators this fall. Fall Professional Development Each workshop is led by local facilitators who are trained to implement the Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality training curriculum. All events are located in CoLab18 in Nova Place unless indicated otherwise as a webinar. Registration is required and closes two days before each event or when the session is full. September events include: Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse – Tuesday, Sept. 10, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Committee of 70 Civic Engagement Programming (webinar) – Tuesday, Sept. 17, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Ask, Listen, Encourage – Friday, Sept. 20, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Structure and Clear Limits – Thursday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Promoting Responsibility and Leadership – Friday, Sept. 27, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. October events include: Foundations and Self-Awareness of Cognitive Development – Thursday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Recognizing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect (webinar) – Tuesday, Oct. 8, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. LEGO Brick Club for Providers – Thursday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Youth Voice – Friday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Foundations and Self-Awareness of Cognitive Development – Thursday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cooperative Learning – Thursday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Reframing Conflict – Friday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. LEGO Brick Club for Providers – Thursday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. November events include: Building Community – Friday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Structure and Clear Limits – Thursday, Nov. 7, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Promoting Responsibility and Leadership – Friday, Nov. 8, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse – Tuesday, Nov. 12, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Planning and Reflection – Friday, Nov. 15, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Identifying Student Homelessness – Thursday, Nov. 21, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. LEGO Brick Club for Providers – Thursday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. December events include: Recognizing and Responding to Child Abuse and Neglect (webinar) – Tuesday, Dec. 10, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. LEGO Brick Club for Providers – Thursday, Dec. 12, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For more information on fall professional development, visit the online listings for the APOST series.
August 29, 2024 Remake Learning Assembly Remake Learning will celebrate the magic of learning across the Pittsburgh region at an event in September co-hosted by Point Park University. Learn More The Remake Learning Assembly will focus this year on the success of Remake Learning Day as well as shine a spotlight on Point Park’s innovations. The event will include food and drinks. National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) 2024 Conference attendees are welcome to join the event. The Remake Learning Assembly will run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the university’s PPU Pittsburgh Playhouse on Monday, Sept. 16. Those interested in attending should RSVP now.
August 27, 2024 Child Care Directors and Owners Asked to Take Staffing Crisis Survey The Start Strong PA campaign is asking child care directors and owners to take a survey regarding the ongoing Pennsylvania teacher staffing crisis. Learn More While the recently passed Pennsylvania 2024-25 state budget included funding to help families better afford child care, programs are still in need of more funding to keep their classroom and program doors open. Information collected through the survey will be used to demonstrate the need for the 2025-26 state budget to fund a child care teacher recruitment and retention initiative. This would ensure that the workforce is paid a livable wage and that programs remain open for working families. Four respondents to the survey will be randomly selected to receive a $100 gift card. The deadline to participate is Monday, Sept. 30. The survey is now available online.
August 26, 2024 NAEYC Releases Advocacy Toolkit Ahead of November Election The National Association for the Education of Young Children has released an Electoral Advocacy Toolkit that includes resources aimed at supporting and advancing nonpartisan advocacy efforts. Learn More The U.S. general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5. On its website, NAEYC notes that early childhood educators play an important role in ensuring that child care and early learning are priorities for voters and candidates. The association has released a toolkit that includes resources to support and advance nonpartisan electoral advocacy efforts. These include everything from signs to take to candidate town halls to ideas to help “get out the vote” in support of early childhood education and educators. November Election The toolkit notes that 33 U.S. Senate seats, 11 gubernatorial elections, thousands of state and local elections, and 435 U.S. House of Representatives seats will be on the ballot in November. As a result, more than 40 million children will be impacted by the election’s results. On the toolkit’s web page, visitors can: Register to vote Discover what’s on the ballot Find information about voting in each state Check on voter registration status Pledge to vote To view the Electoral Advocacy Toolkit, visit NAEYC’s America for Early Ed website. Other Resources America for Early Education Nonpartisan Electoral Advocacy has also provided some resources to assist with Get Out the Vote efforts. These include: Nonpartisan Electoral Advocacy for ECE Programs and Organizations: Do’s and Don’ts GOTV Activities for ECE Programs and Organizations Hosting a Candidate Forum on Child Care and Early Learning: Sample Facilitator Questions Town Hall Signs and Questions Oct. 21 is the last day to register to vote before the election. You can register to vote, update registration and find information about voting on the state’s webpage. Applications for a mail-in or absentee ballot must be received by your county election office by Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. County election offices must receive completed mail ballots by 8 p.m. on Nov. 5. A postmark by 8 p.m. on that date is not sufficient.
August 6, 2024 Families, Early Childhood Educators Invited to Enter Chance to Win Back-to-School Kit Pennsylvania Promise for Children is inviting state families and friends of children to enter a chance to win a back-to-school kit. Learn More Pennsylvania families and friends of children – from birth to kindergarten age – as well as state early childhood educators can enter to win the kit. Each kit will contain a copy of the 2024 PA One Book, “Slug in Love” by Rachel Bright, as well as early learning materials for children. The deadline to enter is Aug. 30. Pennsylvania families or friends of a child, from birth to kindergarten age, can enter online. State childhood educators of children in the same age range can also now enter online. More Details Five winners in the family and friends category will be selected at random to win a copy of “Slug in Love” and early learning materials. The kit will also include a Crayola watercolor mixing set; a Charles Leonard glue stick; the book “A New Alphabet for Humanity: A Children’s Book of Alphabet Words to Inspire Compassion, Kindness, and Positivity” by Leesa McGregor; and David Elkind’s “The Power of Play: How Spontaneous, Imaginative Activities Lead to Happier, Healthier Children.” Five winners in the early childhood educator category will receive the same items as well as six books that cover topics relevant to that profession. Information on how to enter and other content rules can be found online.
July 16, 2024 NAEYC Report Highlights Low Compensation Impact on Early Childhood Education The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has released a report that highlights the inadequate and inequitable compensation in early childhood education that affects educators, children, families, businesses, and the economy. Learn More NAEYC’s “Compensation Means More Than Wages” argues that low compensation drives educators away from the field and keeps others from entering it. Additionally, it undermines quality and creates staffing crises that limit the supply of child care that families and businesses need. The report discusses how in recent years, effective efforts have focused not only on increasing wages, but also on expanding access to benefits, especially for educators in child care centers and family child care homes. These efforts align with needs expressed by early childhood educators, such as health insurance, retirement benefits, and paid leave. The report also cited the importance of a more expansive understanding of benefits, including loan forgiveness and scholarships, housing, and child care assistance. NAEYC’s report cited several reasons why access to benefits is significant for early childhood educators. It said that benefits: Support early childhood educator well-being and program quality Promote gender and racial equity Support recruitment and retention of early childhood educators Bring in additional funding sources to support educators For more information, read the NAEYC’s report.
May 15, 2024 Trying Together’s Strategic Roadmap Dashboard is Live Trying Together has launched a new interactive dashboard to highlight the ongoing process of meeting its strategic goals as well as the impact the organization has had on the young children, families, early care and education professionals, and communities it serves. The Roadmap’s Goals The goals of Trying Together’s five-year strategy roadmap include being: A trusted source of collaboration for families regarding their child’s early experiences An experienced facilitator of inclusive learning opportunities for educators that aims to ensure that every child has access to high-quality early care and education A collaborative convener that coordinates and connects systems to support early care and education A committed advocate mobilizing for policy change alongside communities to elevate the needs of children, families, and educators for an equitable early care and education system An accountable nonprofit that prioritizes ethics when fundraising in support of its mission and provides transparent stewardship to its donors The roadmap also addresses how Trying Together will sustain an inclusive culture of belonging through recruitment and retainment of staff and board members who represent those the organization serves and those who are most affected by early education policies. Learn More To learn more about Trying Together’s goals, read its 2023-2027 Strategic Roadmap. Also, frequently drop by the interactive dashboard to view new stories of impact and quantitative outputs that will be updated on a quarterly basis. To share a story about an experience you have had with Trying Together or to get more information, email info@tryingtogether.org.
April 8, 2024 Educators to Celebrate Family Child Care Awareness Day in Harrisburg The Family Child Care Advisory Council, with support from PennAEYC and First Up, is inviting home-based educators from around the state to gather in Harrisburg on April 30 to celebrate Family Child Care Awareness Day. The event will recognize the impact of home-based child care programs. Learn More Family Child Care Awareness Day will include a visibility event, which will give attendees an opportunity to showcase to legislators and the public what it means to be a home-based child care educator. Participants can showcase their programs through a variety of means. Some options include creating the following: A trifold poster highlighting the learning that occurs in their program A poster recognizing the families the home-based program serves that includes their testimonies about their experiences A cardboard cutout displaying the quote: “Of course, I’m a home-based child care educator…” More Details Family Child Care Awareness Day will run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on April 30 at the state capitol, located at 501 N. 3rd Street in Harrisburg. Those interested in participating should contact Trying Together’s policy team at elizabeth@tryingtogether.org. Also, registration is now open for an April 23 training in connection with Family Child Care Awareness Day. For those who cannot attend the April 30 event, Trying Together is leading capitol caravans from Pittsburgh on May 7, May 22, June 4, and June 25.
