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May 11, 2020

Professionalism – Styles & Dispositions in the Workplace

This three-week online workplace professionalism course will allow early care and education professionals to communicate, reflect, and update the professional styles they may use or want to use to improve in the field of early childhood education. Today’s early childhood professional must demonstrate knowledge of the skills, styles, and dispositions required to succeed in the workplace. This requires a commitment to the profession, including commitments to their regular work environment and beyond. Using activities and resources, this course provides participants with strategies to adopt positive and ethical habits that will serve them personally and professionally.

Limited spaces are available. All registrations must be submitted by May 20 at 5 p.m.

Course Information

- Timeline: May 22 – June 12, 2020
- Instructors: Jasmine Davis and Theresa Hetler
- CKC: K6.9 C2
- Keystone STARS Alignment: SQ. 3.4.5
- CDA Subject Area: Maintaining a Commitment to Professionalism.
- Three PQAS and Act 48 hours available.

Registration

To register for this workplace professionalism course, please visit the event registration page.

Workplace Professionalism Styles & Dispositions

For more information, contact Jasmine Davis at 412.567.3933 or jasmine@tryingtogether.org. For more on Trying Together’s professional development programs, visit our courses page.

News

May 7, 2020

Help Allegheny County Plan for the Future

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of all Allegheny County residents. While we cannot be certain what the future holds, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (ACDHS) is looking to prepare for different contingencies. By beginning their preparation now, ACDHS seeks to ensure its systems are ready to adapt quickly as the situation continues to progress.

With this, ACDHS is seeking community survey responses to better understand residents’ experiences and challenges during this difficult time.

Survey Opportunities

ACDHS has created several opportunities for community members to share their ideas on how to help people in Allegheny County during COVID-19 and beyond. Opportunities include the following:

More Information

To learn more, visit their survey webpage. For more information on COVID-19, please visit our regularly updated COVID-19 news-feed.

News

Preparation for Reopening SAC During COVID-19

Certified School Age Care (SAC) providers are invited to join the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) on May 7 for an online conversation with OCDEL Deputy Secretary, Tracy Campanini, to hear important information about preparing for reopening during COVID-19.

Registration

To join the conversation, visit this Zoom link and insert the password: 022124. Individuals can also join via phone by calling 312.626.6799 and inserting the Meeting ID: 957 4116 2918. Pre-registration is not required.

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News

Keeping Our Children Well During COVID-19

Join former American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) president, Colleen Kraft, MD, FAAP, for a discussion on how early care and education (ECE) providers can support families’ medical care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

About

ECE programs can support families’ access to needed medical care. The AAP recommends children under 24 months maintain their Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) immunization schedule to prevent the breakout of communicable diseases. Many pediatricians are conducting well-child visits through telehealth appointments. However, families may be struggling to access these services. To learn how ECE providers can support families’ medical care during the pandemic, register to attend this webinar.

Registration

To register, visit the event webpage. The registration link can be used for both the live event and on-demand viewing. The recording will be available to watch on-demand starting 30 minutes after the live event ends, until May 31, 2020. Because access to the live event is limited and the session may be full, event hosts recommend watching the webinar on-demand.

A version with English closed captions will also be posted on the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) in the future.

News

May 6, 2020

Navigating Transitions For Preschool Families During COVID-19

We would like to invite you to join us for a live informational webinar from the Bureau of Early Intervention Services and Family Supports. This live web series is about what families can expect during the closure of face-to-face Early Intervention Services. These sessions will assist in navigating transitions during COVID-19 for preschool families. The live informational webinars will be recorded and posted on the EITA (Early Intervention Technical Assistance Portal) Portal for those who are unable to join live.

Registration

There is no need to register for this event because this is a public webinar to help families maneuver through this difficult time. To attend, you can very simply join from PC, Mac, iOS, or Android on May 14 at 2 p.m. Attendees can also join us by phone if they choose. When dialing in, callers can access the webinar by entering 855.880.1246 on your keypad and using the following Meeting ID: 934 2568 0965.

More For Preschool Families During COVID-19

For more information on this live webinar series or on Early Intervention Technical Assistance (EITA), contact Sarah Holland at saholland@pa.gov. To find resources that support early intervention (EI) work during COVID-19, click here.

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News

Navigating Transitions During COVID-19 for Infant/Toddler Families

We would like to invite you to join us for a live informational webinar from the Bureau of Early Intervention Services and Family Supports. This live web series is about what families can expect during the closure of face-to-face Early Intervention Services. These sessions will assist in navigating transitions during COVID-19 for infant/toddler families. The live informational webinars will be recorded and posted on the EITA (Early Intervention Technical Assistance Portal) Portal for those who are unable to join live.

Registration

There is no need to register for this event because this is a public webinar to help families maneuver through this difficult time. To attend, you can very simply join from PC, Mac, iOS, or Android on May 13 at 2 p.m. Attendees can also join us by phone if they choose. Attendees can also join us by phone if they choose. When dialing in, callers can access the webinar by entering 855.880.1246 on your keypad and using the following Meeting ID: 988 8060 8928

More For Infant/Toddler Families During COVID-19

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News

May 5, 2020

Promotion, Prevention, and Intervention Services for Children

Join the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC) on May 13 for their webinar “Promotion, Prevention, and Intervention Services for Children” to better understand how to support children, families, and staff as they seek to support young children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

About

Join Brandy Fox, Director of Cross-Sector IECMH Initiatives for the Pennsylvania Key, for a conversation about early childhood services grounded in a promotion, prevention, and intervention framework. Learn about the general landscape of early childhood services and “where” they fall on this continuum. Identify simple steps that may help families navigate these services to best meet the needs of their children.

Registration

To register, visit the event webpage.

News

Managing Mental Health During COVID-19

Join HiMama on May 7 for their HiMama Helps webinar, “Managing Mental Health During COVID-19.”

About

This online session will cover the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis on well-being, as well as practical strategies to manage mental health. Presenters will discuss the following:

- the impact of COVID-19 on mental health,
- why and how to prioritize well-being during this time,
- practical exercises to do when feeling overwhelmed, and
- additional tips through a creative Q&A session.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.

News

Caring for Children in Group Settings During COVID-19

Do you have questions on how to keep children and staff healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic? Join the National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness (NCECHW) on May 6 for their webinar, “Caring for Children in Group Settings During COVID-19: A Follow-up Conversation.”

About

Early childhood education (ECE) programs have many questions about how to keep children and staff healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidance for open programs is now available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics. This question-and-answer chat is a follow-up to the webcast Caring for Children in Group Settings During COVID-19 to add guidance from pediatric infectious disease expert, Michele Cheung MD, FAAP.

Registration

To register, visit the event webpage. The registration link can be used for both the live event and on-demand viewing. The recording will be available to watch on-demand starting 30 minutes after the live event ends, until May 31, 2020. Because access to the live event is limited and the session may be full, the hosts recommend watching the webinar on-demand.

A version with English closed captions will also be posted on the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) website in the future.

*Information provided by NCECHW

News

April 30, 2020

Mayor Peduto Calls for Online SNAP Purchasing Options

On April 28, Mayor William Peduto issued a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in support of efforts to expand affordable SNAP purchasing options — including food delivery and online ordering — for vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

About

Mayor Peduto’s letter follows calls by U.S. Senator Bob Casey and others to expand the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides eligible low-income residents with an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) debit card to purchase food.

Currently, SNAP recipients cannot make any food purchases online. While other consumers can use online ordering and delivering to protect themselves and others from spreading the virus, these options are not available to low-income residents and families who are forced to make their purchases in person, increasing their likelihood of contracting COVID-19.

Senator Casey has been calling on the USDA to expand SNAP delivery options since March when stay-at-home guidelines were put into effect in Pennsylvania and across the United States of America. The Food Policy Council wants the USDA to allow SNAP recipients to purchase food for delivery and to allow other safe food purchasing options, such as allowing users to use their EBT cards for Instacart or online farmers market services.

What is SNAP?

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of low-income families so they can purchase healthy food. Eligible applicants receive an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) ACCESS Card to make food purchases. To check your eligibility or apply, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services website.

For questions about SNAP, call the Department of Human Services helpline at 1.800.692.7462 or your county assistance office. For individuals with hearing impairments, please call 1.800.451.5886.

More on SNAP Purchasing Options

To learn more, view the full press release or a copy of the letter to Secretary Perdue.

*Information provided by the City of Pittsburgh