October 28, 2024 OCDEL Offers Scholarship Through Pitt’s Infant Mental Health Certificate Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is offering a scholarship for professionals serving children and families in prenatal, infant, toddler, and preschool programs. Learn More The scholarship enables participants to take part at no cost in a pilot program through the University of Pittsburgh’s Infant Mental Health Professional Development certificate. It is aimed at the state’s licensed child care providers, Head Start/Early Head Start and PA Pre-K Counts programs. Traditionally, the course has been provided to Infant/Toddler Early Intervention, OCDEL-funded home visitors, Infant Early Childhood Mental Health, and Rapid Response team members. The course is being extended to providers as a result of ongoing discussions and evaluation of requests for professional development from the field. Its extension is due to the challenges faced by providers across the state who support the mental health and well-being of young children and families. The scholarship seeks to enable early learning professionals to partner with others and better support families in Pennsylvania. Those interested can apply through The Pennsylvania Key on behalf of OCDEL’s Bureau of Early Learning Policy and Professional Development. The application for the 2025 Infant Mental Health (IMH) Certificate & Learning Circle – Scholarship closes on Nov. 15. Information on applicant criteria, the approval and evaluation process for candidates, course consideration, registration information, the course structure, and FAQs can be found on The Pennsylvania Key’s website.
September 26, 2023 Resources for October Observances Various organizations, states, and nations recognize a number of observances each month. Resources help parents, caregivers, and child care professionals acknowledge and navigate them. Here is a list of resources for October observances: Month-Long Observances Head Start Awareness Month Head Start Awareness Month-October 2023, National Today October is Head Start Awareness Month, Trying Together Dyslexia Awareness Month October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, International Dyslexia Association Understanding Dyslexia, Nemours KidsHealth Understanding Dyslexia, Child Mind Institute Hispanic Heritage Month (continued) Family Guide to Discussing Race and Equity with Young Children, Trying Together Latino Children Represent Over a Quarter of the Child Population Nationwide, National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families Key Facts About Young Latinos, One of the Nation’s Fastest-Growing Populations, Pew Research Center Characteristics of the Early Childhood Workforce Serving Latino Children, National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families Celebrate Latin American and Hispanic Heritage Month With These Tasty Recipes!, PBS Kids for Parents National Book Month Why Is It Important to Read to Your Child? Child Mind Institute Kids & Teens Booklists, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Supporting Early Literacy Development, Buzzword Pittsburgh Days of Recognition October 2 is National Child Health Day Childhood Physical Health, Trying Together Childhood Physical Health: Resources, Trying Together Supporting Childhood Physical Health: A Guide for Families, Trying Together Using Play to Support Children’s Physical Health, Trying Together October 4 is National Walk to School Day National Walk & Bike To School Day-October 4, 2023, National Today Celebrate Walk to School Day, Action For Healthy Kids October 7 is National Play Outside Day Using Play to Support Children’s Physical Health, Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative Outdoor Play Trends, Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative The Benefits of Outdoor Play: Why It Matters, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia October 9 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day 9 Ways To Observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day With Children, Rebekah Gienapp October 10 is World Mental Health Day Childhood Mental Health, Trying Together Caring for the Caregiver, Trying Together Mental Health Resources for Child Care Providers in Allegheny County, Early Learning Resource Center Grandfamily Tip Sheets Provide Information on Self-Care and Youth Mental Health, Trying Together Parental Mental Health Impacts on Children, Trying Together October 11 is National Coming Out Day Gender, Gender Identity, and LGBTQ+ Inclusion, Trying Together Family Guide: Gender and Gender Identity, Trying Together Non-Gendered Play in Early Childhood, Trying Together How Are Sex, Gender, and Gender Identity Defined? Trying Together Resource List: Books to Celebrate Gender Expression, Inclusion, and Pride, Trying Together
April 11, 2023 AIU Career Fair Join the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU) as the organization hosts a Career Fair on Saturday, May 13 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. A variety of positions are available throughout the organization, including roles in English as a second language (ESL), special education, Head Start, Early Head Start, family and community engagement, occupational/physical therapy, virtual learning facilitators, and technology services programs. Attendees will be able to meet and network directly with AIU team members. All attendees are guaranteed an interview. Registration required. This event is in-person. Where: AIU Central Office, 475 E. Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA. 15120. Submit your resume to the AIU in advance. For more information, email recruitment@aiu3.net or visit the AIU Career Fair event page.
January 20, 2023 Nominations Open for Francine Bunch Memorial Award Celebrate the successes of your Head Start or Early Head Start program by nominating a Head Start parent or staff member for the Francine Bunch Memorial Award. Learn More The Francine Bunch Memorial Award is awarded to one parent and one staff person, each with a Pennsylvania Head Start Association (PHSA) member organization, who displays the qualities of the late Francine Bunch, who started as a parent and ultimately became a Parent Involvement Coordinator with the Lancaster Child Development Program’s Head Start . Learn more about Bunch. Eligibility This honor may be awarded to one parent and one staff person each year. They must meet the following criteria: The nominee(s) is a parent, staff member or former parent who is affiliated with a dues paying member program of the Association. The nominee(s) is actively involved with their local program and the program clearly benefits from their involvement. The nominee(s) takes initiative in growing her/his professional development while involved in the local program. The nominee(s) is involved in other local community activities. The nominee(s) serves as a positive role model for parents and staff alike. The nominee(s) promotes positive working relationships between parents, staff and friends at the local, state or federal level. Nominations Staff from a PHSA dues paying program may nominate a parent, former parent and/or coworker for the Francine Bunch Award. To nominate a candidate, staff must complete the Francine Bunch Nomination Form in full and attach a narrative that describes how the nominee meets the six criteria above. Each nomination form and accompanying narrative will be evaluated by the PHSA Scholarships and Awards Committee, and one parent and one staff person will be selected to receive the award. Award winners are recognized with a commemorative plaque during PHSA’s Annual Spring Conference. Deadline The application packet is available at the PHSA website. All applications must be received by 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
November 2, 2022 New Opportunities Available to Families to Help Impact Early Learning in PA Two new exciting opportunities are available for families to share their experiences and make an impact in Pennsylvania’s early learning. P3D/PDO Family Voices Parents as Partners in Professional Development (P3D), with the Pennsylvania Professional Development Organizations (PDO), are recruiting a cohort of families to participate in P3D/PDO Family Voices. Family members of young children who attend an early childhood program in Pennsylvania are invited to apply. P3D/PDO Family Voices seeks a diverse group of families who have experiences with many aspects of early childhood services in Pennsylvania like child care, PA Pre-K Counts, Head Start, Early Intervention, Home Visiting, etc. Reimbursement for travel and child care costs are provided to participants. Learn More about P3D/PDO. Applications are due Friday, November 18, 2022 and all applicants must agree to attending the full day virtual training on December 6, 2022. Access the P3D/PDO application. Interstate Family Engagement Leadership Collaborative Families are invited to serve on the Collaborative Action for Family Engagement (CAFE)’s Interstate Family Engagement Leadership Collaborative. As a critical partner in the early childhood field, families are invited to serve in a leadership capacity on CAFE’s Advisory Board to share their expertise to implement high-impact school, family, and community engagement strategies. Family Leaders will commit to an estimated two hours a month for meetings, and compensation/reimbursement is provided for a stipend and mileage. Reimbursement for mileage will be offered for any in-person meetings or training. Please direct any questions to Jessica Webster (Pennsylvania Advisory Council). Learn more about CAFE Interstate Family Engagement Leadership Collaborative. Applications are due Friday, November 11, 2022. Access the CAFE application.
October 5, 2022 October is Head Start Awareness Month October is Head Start Awareness Month and it aims to spread awareness about a crucial program that benefits millions of children, caregivers, and families throughout the nation. Since its inception, Head Start has served 37 million children; helping them to build necessary skills to be successful in school and life. About Head Start Head Start is a federal program that promotes the school readiness of children from birth through ages five that is available to families with incomes no more than 100 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. The program provides a learning environment that supports the cognitive, social, and emotional development of participating children. Many Head Start programs also offer Early Head Start, which serves infants, toddlers, and pregnant women and their families who have incomes below the federal poverty level. To learn more about Head Start, visit Benefits.gov. Benefits of Head Start Did you know that children participating in Head Start programs have increased access to health care and improved physical health throughout their lifetimes? Evidence shows that Head Start children: were served more fruits, vegetables, and milk and fewer sweetened beverages and other sweets and snacks, when compared to other child care sites; are three times as likely to have healthy eating patterns as non-participants; who received 60 minutes of outdoor playtime were 42% less likely to be obese at the end of the program year; received sleep health interventions that increased their sleep duration and decreased their behavioral sleep problems; had access to regular screenings, immunizations, well-child visits, dental and nutrition services, healthy meals, and social service programs such as SNAP and WIC; and were less likely to be hospitalized for accident or injury, missed fewer school days, and had fewer emergency hospital visits. Resources Head Start’s six decades of experience leans on taking a comprehensive approach by providing a framework that meets social, emotional, psychological, nutritional, and health needs of children. In support and celebration of #HeadStartAwareness Month, Trying Together has compiled Head Start resources to spread awareness of the importance of this federal program: Pennsylvania 2022 Head Start & Early Head Start Profile Head Start Awareness Month Digital Toolkit Data Brief on Child Safety in Head Start Programs Head Start Program Facts: Fiscal Year 2021 Text4FamilyServices Available for Head Start Professionals Learn More To learn more about the Head Start program and eligibility requirements, or to find a Head Start provider near you, visit the Office of Head Start’s website.
September 15, 2022 Public Service Loan Forgiveness for ECE Workforce The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in financial hardship for many, including members of the early care and education (ECE) workforce. Educators who work for a qualified employer—including many Head Start, preschool and child care programs—may now be eligible for federal student loan forgiveness, even if they were not eligible before. Learn More The Department of Education announced major changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program for a limited time. Some borrowers will need to consolidate their federal loans and/or submit a PSLF form by October 31, 2022 to take advantage of this opportunity. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) ACF has created a PSLF landing page that includes resources including a March 31 webinar hosted by the Office of Early Childhood Development, in partnership with the Department of Education. For a limited time under the current PSLF waiver: You may receive credit for past periods of repayment that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF. If you have FFEL, Perkins, or other federal student loans, you’ll need to consolidate your loans into a Direct Consolidation Loan to qualify for PSLF both in general, and under the waiver. You can log into Aid Summary to find out how many and what types of loans you have. Before consolidating, make sure to check to see if you work for a qualifying employer. Past periods of repayment will now count regardless of whether you actually made a payment, made that payment on time, for the full amount due, or under a qualifying repayment plan. If you work in a child care center, family child care home, Head Start program, or other school setting, your employer must still be a not-for-profit or U.S. federal, state, local, or tribal government organization. (This has not changed). Most early educators who are self-employed or work at for-profit businesses do not qualify. Periods of deferment or forbearance, and periods of default, continue to not qualify. Qualification and Application Details The limited waiver opportunity will be offered until October 31, 2022. After this period, normal PSLF requirements will apply. More information on this limited Public Service Loan Forgiveness waiver, including how to qualify and apply, can be found online.
June 17, 2022 New Text4FamilyServices Available for Head Start Professionals On June 16, The National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (NCPFCE) launched its new Text4FamilyServices. The text messaging service is dedicated to supporting and enhancing the vital work of Head Start and Early Head Start family services professionals, supervisors, and other staff who work directly with families. About Text4FamilyServices is a messaging service that supports the work of Head Start and Early Head Start family services staff, their supervisors, and other program staff who work with families. Individuals who sign up, will receive free text messages, including: Two to three texts messages per month with information and links to helpful resources to strengthen their practice with families Additional messages about: Upcoming parent, family, and community engagement (PFCE) professional development opportunities and new resources Office of Head Start campaigns and initiatives Subscribe To subscribe for Text4FamilyServices, text PFCE to (toll-free) 833-302-0206. Select your job title [family services staff, supervisor, other] and preferred language [English or Spanish] to start receiving free PFCE (Parent, Families and Community Engagement) text messages. Text STOP to (toll-free) 833-302-0206 to unsubscribe or HELP for technical assistance or reach out to pfce@ecetta.info. Learn more about Text4FamilyServices.
February 14, 2022 Request for Applications: 2022-23 PA Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) will use a competitive Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP) Request for Application (RFA) process for fiscal year 2022-23. The intent of HSSAP is to increase the number of low-income, Head Start-eligible children receiving high quality pre-kindergarten services in Pennsylvania. Governor Wolf’s proposed 2022-23 state budget expands HSSAP by $10 million. With this expansion funding, the state will be able to increase the number of children served in high-quality pre-kindergarten. About HSSAP funding is awarded competitively on a five-year grant cycle. Fiscal year 2022-23 begins a new five-year cycle. All current HSSAP grantees, as well as any new, eligible applicants must apply during this competitive RFA process. This RFA is intended to support providers in preparing to serve and enroll children by September 2022. The RFA is being released February 2022 to give providers time to conduct outreach to families; recruit, hire and train staff; and plan for implementing the program, pending grant approval. Applicants may submit funding proposals aligned with the program models outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards 1302 Part B. 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. HSSAP grants are funded via state dollars and, therefore, carryover funds are not permitted. All grant dollars identified in this FY 2021-22 application must be encumbered or spent by June 30, 2022. Eligibility Eligible entities include: Head Start grantees; and Early Head Start grantees. Successful applicants MUST demonstrate: Current federal funding for Head Start or Early Head Start as a grantee or delegate; and No uncorrected deficiencies from the most current federal Monitoring Review. Applicants must also have the following in place to complete an application: REQUIRED Letter of Intent (information below); Vendor number (SAP #); Administrative unit number (AUN); Master provider index number (MPI); and Federal ID number or tax ID number. How to Apply All information relevant to the application process is available in the HSSAP Application Guidance. HSSAP applicants must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) using the template posted online. The LOI represents the applicant’s intent to apply for HSSAP funding and includes preliminary information about requested funding, program model, provider type, and area to be served. Information submitted in the LOI may be modified in the final eGrants application. Eligible applicants who apply for HSSAP funding must provide assurance that they operate in full compliance with the federal Head Start Performance Standards as reported on their Integrated Monitoring Report. They also must assure they will provide updates to OCDEL and the Head Start Collaboration Office director when changes in their compliance occur. Failure to report changes may jeopardize current or future grant funding. Programs interested in applying must submit a fully completed LOI by 3 p.m. on February 25, 2022 to RA-PAPreKCounts@pa.gov. Programs that do not submit the LOI will not be able to access or submit a funding application in the eGrants system. Late submissions will not be accepted. Agencies submitting a fully complete LOI by the due date will be notified when the HSSAP application is open in eGrants. More Information A pre-application webinar will be held virtually on February 23, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. To register for the webinar, visit the HSSAP Virtual Bidders Conference registration page. The recording will be posted at HSSAP How to Apply shortly after to assist interested applicants in the completion of the application. The Bidder’s Conference will include information on the application process and program requirements and participation is highly encouraged. In addition to the Bidder’s Conference, applicants are encouraged to view the asynchronous Grant Writing 101 course found in the Professional Development (PD) Registry. This course provides general tips on how to approach grant writing. A PD Registry login is required to access this course. For questions, contact PDE by sending an email to RA-PAPreKCounts@pa.gov.
February 10, 2022 Webinar: Update on COVID-19 Infections and Vaccines Two years into the global pandemic, Head Start, Early Head Start, and child care programs continue to give their best to protect our children, families, and staff. This webinar by the Office of Head Start will present the latest COVID-19 information for programs providing comprehensive services in center-based, home-based, family child care, and other early care and education settings. This webinar will be offered with simultaneous interpretation in Spanish. Topics for the webinar include: Updates on the COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5 and up COVID-19 risk reduction strategies This webinar will benefit: Head Start, Early Head Start, and child care program staff, families, directors, managers, and administrators Home visitors Child care health consultants Head Start federal staff Head Start national and regional TTA staff Head Start Collaboration Office directors Register Wednesday, February 16, 2022 | 2 p.m. Register online
