On September 30, the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) released guidance on strategies early learning programs should use to ensure all young children with disabilities and their families have access to high-quality, inclusive programming.
About
OCDEL issued this announcement to provide guidance on strategies that promote inclusion for all students, set an expectation for high-quality programs to be inclusive of children with disabilities, and identify resources available to local early learning programs.
Who Does This Apply To?
Effective October 1, 2020, this announcement applies to both federally- and state-funded programs, including Child Care Works, Child Care Certification, Early Head Start, Head Start, Early Intervention, Home Visiting programs, Keystone STARS, Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program, Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, and Family Centers.
Next Steps
To promote inclusion, local early learning programs must complete the following actions:
1. In collaboration with program staff and families:
develop and implement a written program policy that focuses on actively including young children with disabilities in your early learning program;
review and modify existing policies, practices, and procedures to ensure barriers are removed that would prevent children with disabilities from accessing or participating in your early learning program; and
develop resources for effective communication between families and program staff to ensure families know the benefits of and their rights related to inclusion.
2. Assess staff competencies and implement professional development, which includes family perspectives, related to inclusion based on the needs of staff and families.
3. Seek assistance from your local Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) to identify examples of inclusive program policies, structures, and activities to provide models of dissemination and replication throughout Pennsylvania.
4. Develop and strengthen partnerships between your program and Early Intervention programs so that supports and services for children with disabilities can be provided within the daily routines and activities of high-quality early learning programs.
5. Participate in ongoing opportunities for stakeholder input and professional development opportunities on additional OCDEL guidance related to the inclusion of all children.
identify examples of inclusive program policies, structures, and activities to provide models for dissemination and replication throughout Pennsylvania; and
provide written guidelines for implementing inclusion policies.
2. OCDEL will provide individualized support, including on-site coaching and consultation, to OCDEL-funded programs.
3. Through the ELRCs, OCDEL will:
identify opportunities for community partnerships to promote inclusion, including partnerships for providing individualized support, professional development, and other capacity-building resources;
provide support and guidance to assist child care programs to progress in their Keystone STAR level rating; and
support child care programs to understand their vital role in supporting inclusion.
This webinar will focus on institutional, practitioner, and family changes that must occur to make room for fathers in the “first shift” of family life. It will showcase a user-friendly tool from the Supporting Father Involvement (SFI) program that can help organizations assess their “father friendliness.” Agency and program changes that increase fathers’ inclusion in family life will be shared. Presenters will highlight fathers’ contributions to family life in over-burdened, under-resourced communities, which often go unrecognized.
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.
Are you interested in learning about the latest early childhood research and connecting with thousands of fellow educators from around the world? Join ZERO TO THREE from October 5-9 for their Virtual Annual Conference!
About
This year’s virtual conference will give participants the added flexibility to be connected safely to thousands of colleagues from around the world; be inspired through an immersive experience into the latest research and education; and be prepared to move their practice forward in our changing and challenging world.
The conference package includes five days of exceptional programming and 30 days of exclusive, on-demand access to recorded sessions. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are included. Pre-Conference Forums will be available as well from September 22 to October 1 for an additional fee. Each Forum package includes a single two-day Forum event and 30-day access to the recorded session. CEUs are included.
Featured Sessions
The conference features many presentations and breakout sessions, including, but not limited to the following:
Bringing Self-Compassion and Care Home: Learning by Nurturing
Supporting Healthy Development Through Meaningful Relationships With Mother Nature, a Growing Global Movement
Operation HealthySteps: Promoting Safe Childcare Practices Across a Large Medical System
Where Trauma and Grief Collide: CPP With Child Traumatic Grief
How to Incorporate Mindfulness Techniques Into Family-Based Practices With Infants and Toddlers
Interrogating Whiteness in Early Intervention
Equity and Inclusion in Family Engagement Programs
To register and learn more, visit the event webpage. Member and group discounts are available. If you require any assistance with your registration, contact the Customer Support team at 855.868.1192
The Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST) will be hosting a Virtual Summer Conference for Out-of-School Time from Tuesday, May 26 through Friday, June 5, 2020. At this time, APOST is accepting workshop submissions from education leaders. Continue reading below to learn more.
About
The Virtual Summer Conference for Out-of-School Time will target youth workers in out-of-school time and summer settings. This includes frontline staff, program managers, executive directors, mentors, and more. In regard to workshop submissions, APOST is looking for depth of experience and expertise rather than breadth.
With this, they strongly encourage workshops focused on the following themes:
social-emotional learning;
community trauma and trauma-informed care;
health and wellness in out-of-school time;
creating inclusive spaces in out-of-school time;
engaging children and parents during COVID-19;
how to speak to youth about COVID-19; and
ways to successfully implement virtual programming.
Workshop sizes will most likely not be capped as this event will be virtual, but facilitation preference will be left up to the presenters.
Submit Your Proposal
To learn more or submit a proposal, please complete APOST’s online form. All submissions must be received by Tuesday, May 5. Event hosts send out their final decision on Friday, May 8.
More Information
For questions or more information, contact APOST at 412.456.6876 or apost@uwac.org.
Don’t Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms
News
April 24, 2020
Don’t Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms
Are you looking to better understand and embrace anti-bias and anti-racist teaching approaches in your early learning classroom? Join Iheoma U. Iruka, Stephanie M. Curenton, and Kerry-Ann Escayg on April 28 for their webinar “Don’t Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms.”
About
In this webinar, the lead authors of “Don’t Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms” call all early education professionals to lean in as “sheroes” and “heroes” in the lives of children. The goal of this webinar is to ensure that participants understand and embrace anti-bias and anti-racist teaching approaches by creating affirming culturally-rich classroom environments that protect children from psychological trauma and heals them from the inside out.
Participants will learn how institutional racism is visited in the early childhood space and the roles of implicit bias, microaggression, and white privilege in undermining the excellence and learning of minoritized Black and brown children and for those who teach them. Participants will also learn about several tools and strategies.
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. Time for questions will be provided.
Exceptional Care with a Team Approach to Inclusion
News
January 31, 2020
Exceptional Care with a Team Approach to Inclusion
Recorded Sessions
From January 19 – 29, 2021, Trying Together hosted our free Virtual UnConference: Exceptional Care with a Team Approach to Inclusion. Recordings of each workshop have been added to this page for those who were unable to attend.
UnConference Details
Young children thrive and grow in their natural learning environments, including children with developmental differences. Educators play a critical role in creating an inclusive and diverse environment for children to feel a sense of belonging, to feel valued as a member of the classroom, and to feel empowered to learn to their full ability. UnConference: Exceptional Care with a Team Approach to Inclusion dives into the importance of working together—with a collaboration between teachers, intervention specialists, and parents/caregivers—to provide this environment for children to learn and grow in differentiated ways yet feel included in the group.
This is a free Virtual UnConference.
What Do I Receive?
PQAS and/or Act 48 hours.
Networking with colleagues.
Interactive workshop sessions.
Refreshed or refined thinking about your work with young children.
Featured Sessions
Keynote: Exceptional Care with a Team Approach to Inclusion
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 | 1:30 – 3 p.m. Presented by: Trying Together and Children’s Institute | Keynote Speaker: Wendy Pardee
During the keynote session, Wendy Pardee, President, and CEO of The Children’s Institute will share how they created a collaborative environment that provides a positive view on early intervention in an effort to bring different parties together in the best interest of the child. The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion featuring an educator, parent, and intervention specialist.
Transition and Educational Support in the Early Childhood Environment
Thursday, January 21, 2021 | 6:30 – 8 p.m. Presented by: Kristina Berg and Loreleigh Elders, DART
Early Childhood Educators are an active and critical part of a child’s early intervention team that is often lost in the process of transition and service planning. This presentation will provide an overview of the early intervention process, as children age out of the Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Program and transition into Preschool Early Intervention Support. We will provide practical examples and resources of ways to support children and families through the transition process, as well as ways to adapt the preschool classroom environment in order for all children to be successful.
Creating and Building Inclusive Support Teams for Children
Friday, January 22, 2021, | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Presented by: Serena Washington, Trying Together
When thinking about what a team/collaboration approach looks like when working with children and families we must be open to asking the following questions: Why is it important to build a team for a child(ren)? What does the team/collaboration approach look like? Who and what do we need on the team/collaboration? How do we work and communicate as a team? In this workshop, join us for a robust discussion and learn strategies for creating an inclusive team to support your children.
How to Assess Your Students Needs: Using the ASQ through the Lens of Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Program
Tuesday, January 26, 2021 | 1:30 – 3 p.m.
Presented by: Gloria Rodriguez-Ransom, The Pennsylvania Keys
Through the expertise of the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) program, participants will receive an overview of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires with a particular emphasis on assessing children’s social and emotional development. The developmental screening tools ASQ3 and ASQ:SE 2 are designed for children ages three months to five years and designed for use by early childhood educators and health care professionals. Attendees will learn how to administer and score the screener and share the results of the screener with families and professional colleagues. In addition, recommendations for suggested resources will be shared if additional services are needed.
Overview of Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Services in Allegheny County Referral Through Transitioning Out of 0-3 Services
Wednesday, January 27, 2021 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Presenters: Erica Balint and Vonna May-Miller, Alliance for Infants and Toddlers
In this workshop, presenters will discuss how the child’s 0-3 Early Intervention (EI) team collaborates with families and child care staff so that all have an understanding of how the EI system in Allegheny County operates and supports children. This session will give an overview of how children are referred and become part of the EI system. Information will include how a child is referred, eligibility criteria, evaluation process, service planning, and implementation along with transitioning out of 0-3 services.
Catering to The Whole Classroom: Lesson Development and Implementation That Speaks to Every Child
Friday, January 29, 2021 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Presented by: Daile Fordoski, Lyasha Bishop, LaRae D. Cullens, The Learning Loft
There is not one lesson in any learning environment that is one size fits all. It is the educator’s responsibility to develop ways in which a lesson can benefit every child in a classroom. This workshop examines strategies for planning and implementing inclusive activities for children of varying developmental levels. Participants will have the opportunity to practice these skills by dissecting a pre-made lesson and sharing ideas and strategies of accommodation that can be applied in their setting.
Registration
Registration for this event is closed. Recordings of each workshop session will be available on this webpage after the conclusion of each session. Please continue to monitor this page for updates.
PQAS and Act 48 credits are available to professionals who registered for and completed these sessions. More information, including the online Attendance form, will be sent via email to individuals who registered. Once completed, Jasmine Davis, Professional Learning Program Manager at Trying Together, will process your credit. If you have questions specific to receiving credit, please email jasmine@tryingtogether.org.
Wendy Pardee, President & CEO, The Children’s Institute
Dr. Wendy Pardee joined The Children’s Institute as President and CEO in August 2017. She has led the 118-year-old nonprofit organization through transformational change in a short period of time thanks to her leadership, vision, and advocacy for our community’s youngest residents. Wendy has more than two decades of management experience in the healthcare, human services, and financial services sectors. Previously, she served as President and CEO of Skills of Central Pennsylvania, an organization with sites in 18 counties serving those with intellectual disabilities. She also served as CFO of the Community Guidance Center and began her career at First Commonwealth Financial Corporation.
Wendy has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting and Management of Information Systems, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, and a Doctorate in Administration and Leadership Studies. She has served on community child care boards, community health councils, local YMCA boards, the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association board, the Center Area Transportation Authority Board, and the American Association of University Women.
Thank You To Our Sponsors and Partners
A huge thank you to our series sponsor PNC Group Up Great, our sponsor Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5, co-host The Children’s Institute, and workshop partners.
Sponsors
Co-Host
About Trying Together
Trying Together supports high-quality care and education for young children by providing advocacy, community resources, and professional growth opportunities for the needs and rights of children, their families, and the individuals who interact with them. Trying Together works regionally (in Southwestern Pennsylvania) and takes its expertise and models to statewide and national audiences.
Raising Readers Together Club | Wilkinsburg
News
October 1, 2019
Raising Readers Together Club | Wilkinsburg
The Raising Readers Together Club runs weekly and explores the importance of acceptance, equality, and tolerance through reading. These sessions are suitable for children ages five and younger.
Healthy snacks, discussion, and family activities are provided.
Fall 2019 Books:
October 7: Raising A Reader Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
October 14: Read It Again! Can You Say Moo! Moo! Too?
Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book
October 21: Family Feelings When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry Amazing Feelings
October 28: Literacy in the Digital Age Blackout
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
November 4: Series Celebration
Questions
For questions or more information, contact Vanessa Thompson at 412.567.1301 or vanessa@tryingtogether.org.
Join United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania on Thursday, September 26 for their Ready Set Grow Learning Collaborative meeting to discuss ways to collectively create an inclusive and accessible system connecting regional farmers to early childhood providers and educators.
The last of their four gatherings, this event will review what is happening in the region, including best practices, success stories, and resources. Come prepared to participate, network, and ask questions. Dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m. Act 48 hours provided.
To learn more, contact United Way at 412.261.6010.
Raising Readers Together Club | Ages 0-5
News
September 6, 2019
Raising Readers Together Club | Ages 0-5
The Raising Readers Together Club runs weekly and explores the importance of acceptance, equality, and tolerance through reading. Thursday sessions are suitable for children ages five and younger.
October 3: When Aidan Became a Brother & Mommy’s Khimar
October 10: Magnets Push, Magnets Pull
October 17: Mixed: A Colorful Story
October 24: How Rocket Learned to Read
October 31: Pop Pop and Me*
November 7: Mary Had a Little Glam
*The October 31 Raising Readers Together Club session will be hosted at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Homewood – 7101 Hamilton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15208.
Questions
For questions or more information, contact Cynthia Battle at 412.567.1304 or cynthia@tryingtogether.org.
