June 2, 2020 Parenting in a Pandemic: Help in a Time of Need Are you interested in learning how children will be impacted by the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic? Join First Up this June and July for their virtual series, “Parenting in a Pandemic: Help in a Time of Need.” About Join First Up for Parenting in a Pandemic: Help in a Time of Need, a three-part series of one-hour informative webinars, where they will answer common questions parents and caregivers have about their children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each session, presented by professionals with early childhood expertise and certificates in trauma-informed practices, will: introduce the concepts of how brains develop and the impact that current events; might have on children from birth through age eight; introduce new ways to think about self-care; and offer strategies for supporting children’s mental well-being. Participants will be entered in a drawing for special giveaways! Session Dates Part 1 Wednesday, June 10 | 5 p.m. | Register Here Thursday, June 11 | 12 p.m. | Register Here Friday, June 12 | 1 p.m. | Register Here Monday, June 29 | 1 p.m. | Register Here Part 2 Tuesday, June 16 | 2 p.m. | Register Here Thursday, June 17 | 5 p.m. | Register Here Friday, June 18 | 1 p.m. | Register Here Tuesday, June 30 | 1 p.m. | Register Here Part 3 Monday, June 22 | 12 p.m. | Register Here Wednesday, June 24 | 5 p.m. | Register Here Friday, June 26 | 2 p.m. | Register Here Thursday, July 2 | 1 p.m. | Register Here More Infomation For questions, please contact Jillian Best Adler at jillian.adler@firstup.org. Share this flyer with your network.
May 15, 2020 Changes Made to Summer Activities During COVID-19 Pandemic On May 15, the City of Pittsburgh announced how summer activities will be impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While many activities will be allowed, others will be cancelled or postponed. All decisions follow federal and state guidelines. About In a City press release, Mayor William Peduto praised Pittsburgh residents, stating, that “Pittsburgh residents have done a great job during these trying times staying safe and looking out for each other.” However, he recognized that the battle against COVID-19 is far from over, and social distancing and other measures must remain in place to win this fight. With a larger number of residents venturing outdoors as the weather warms, the City has outlined lists of activities that will or will not be permitted during the pandemic. Decisions on closures and activities may be revisited as pandemic circumstances and federal and state guidelines change. Permitted Summer Activities Activities that can safely comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) social distancing guidelines will be allowed. Permitted activities include the following: Drive-in movies (by the Special Events office) Farmers Markets Pickup of bulk trash Road closures in City parks (more information below) Tennis courts (singles matches encouraged) Pickleball courts (singles matches encouraged) Skate parks Fields (but not for organized group sports) Frisbee Golf Lawn Bowling Bocce Expanded summer food program (likely to begin June 15) City crews are working to reopen facilities starting May 15 and will continue their work into next week. Drive-in movies organized by the Special Events office will begin June 13. More information will be released later. Farmer’s Markets will begin June 3 in Carrick and begin in other neighborhoods thereafter. Social distancing and safe purchasing requirements will be in place. Non-Permitted Summer Activities Large group events that cannot safely comply with social distancing will not be allowed. Non-permitted activities include the following: July 4 fireworks City-sponsored concerts 5Ks, the Great Race and other races (though they can be held virtually) Summer Camps Citiparks summer youth baseball Summer Line Dancing Pistons in the Park Playgrounds, park shelters, and spray parks will remain closed until further notice. Swimming pools (including the Oliver Bath House) will also remain closed. While the CDC says that swimming itself is safe, the guidelines require at least six feet of distance between users and no more than ten people would be allowed at any time. It has been determined that city pool waiting areas, locker rooms, and lounging areas are too cramped to allow for appropriate distancing under these guidelines. Activities To Be Determined Final decisions on other activities and facilities have not yet been made, including decisions on the following: Recreation centers Senior Healthy Active Living centers Block party permits Mellon Tennis Bubble Art Cart Water fountains and water features Park restrooms Organized group sports including deck hockey, soccer, baseball, and basketball DOMI Task Force The City Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) has established a task force to study methods of using some streets and sidewalks to allow for safe recreation and business activity. Its recommendations will be issued soon. In the meantime, plans are underway to close some streets in City parks to vehicular traffic. No timetables are yet set, but plans are for the following closures: Sheraden Park: Adon Street West End Park: West End Park Drive at Weaver and Herschel Highland Park: Reservoir Drive; Farmhouse Drive at Jackson Street/Connecting Road/Heberton/Grafton (These will be partial closures to allow for Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority access to facilities.) More Information For more information, read the full press release. *Information provided by the City of Pittsburgh
May 4, 2020 Talking to and Supporting Children and Ourselves During the Pandemic On May 7, David J Schonfeld, MD, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician and Director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, will provide a webinar on talking to and supporting children and ourselves during the pandemic for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). About During the webinar, Schonfeld will provide suggestions for early childhood educators on how to talk with young children about the recent pandemic to promote their understanding and adjustment, as well as practical advice that can be shared with families on how to support their children’s adjustment and how they can serve as effective models of coping techniques. Adults are impacted at least as much as children, so a focus of the presentation will address professional self-care. Free resources available from the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement and the Coalition to Support Grieving Students will be highlighted. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance for viewing this webinar. Registration To register, please visit the event webpage. For more webinar options, visit the Trying Together Events page. *Information provided by NAEYC
April 7, 2020 Paying Yourself, Your Staff, and Your Bills: Helping Child Care Programs Are you interested in learning about the different options child care programs can access to get financial support during the COVID-19 pandemic? Join the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) on April 9 for the webinar, “Paying Yourself, Your Staff, and Your Bills: Helping Child Care Programs Understand and Navigate SBA Loan Options.” About In addition to the $3.5 billion for CCDBG provided by Congress in the recent CARES Act, there are multiple options for child care programs across states and settings to get financial support to survive this crisis. Since these processes may be complex, NAEYC is bringing together experts from the banking, business, and child care industries for a webinar featuring lessons from the first few days following the opening of the Paycheck Protection Program. By attending, participants will learn how the different options work, which options may work best for them, and what precise steps individuals need to take to apply for them. Register To register, visit the event webpage.
March 20, 2020 COVID-19: Considerations for Early Childhood Professionals Join Executive Director for the Institute for Child Preparedness Andrew Roszak, JD, MPA, EMT-Paramedic, on March 24 for his webinar, “COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic: Considerations for Early Childhood Professionals.” About Gryphon House is partnering with the preparedness experts at the Institute for Childhood Preparedness to offer this special webinar, designed to help cut through the noise and provide you with the essential information you need as an early childhood professional. Gryphon House author, Andrew Roszak, will provide the latest updates and information designed to help keep you safe. This webinar will be of benefit to pre-k teachers, librarians, child care providers, and school and district leaders. There will be time to have your questions answered at the end of the presentation. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage!
