November 13, 2024 Working Together Webinar Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA are hosting a webinar that will focus on early learning priorities for the 2025-26 Pennsylvania state budget. Learn More The Working Together Webinar will focus a variety of topics, including: Early learning priorities for the 2025-26 state budget Election results Advocacy update and opportunities for child care Speakers will include Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA partners, including Trying Together, Champions for Early Education, Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children, Pennsylvania Child Care Association, and Pennsylvania Head Start Association. Attendees will learn how to work together to strengthen Pennsylvania’s early learning system for teachers and programs and grow access to more eligible families. More Details The webinar will begin at noon on Thursday, Nov. 21. Those interested in attending should register in advance. After registering, a confirmation email will be sent containing information about joining the webinar.
September 24, 2024 PennAEYC Handouts Provides Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Information The Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC) has released a new, one-page handout that provides information on infant and toddler early intervention. Learn More The resource is intended for early care and education providers as well as the families they serve. It provides information about the Infant and Toddler Early Intervention program, which serves children who have or are at risk of developmental delays. The handout provides information on: Eligibility criteria and the enrollment process Available services and how they can support child development Contact information for referrals and questions The handout is aimed at helping families to determine whether the Infant and Toddler Early Intervention program is a good fit for their child. It can be found on PennAEYC’s website. Any questions about the handout should be emailed to Meg Eirkson, public policy and advocacy associate, at meirkson@pennaeyc.org.
August 26, 2024 Webinar: Fair Labor Standards Act Compliance Update The Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC) will host an upcoming webinar on an update to the Fair Labor Standards Act. Learn More During the PennAEYC webinar, Christine Nentwig, Esq., of the CGA Law Firm, will discuss recent and upcoming changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act. Nentwig has 30 years of combined experience as a labor and employment attorney and HR professional. The webinar will include recent developments to the Fair Labor Standards Act as well as steps that employers must take to comply with requirements related to non-exempt employees, including rules regarding minimum wage and overtime, permitted deductions, rest and lunch periods, meetings and training periods, and required bookkeeping. The webinar will take place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Registration is now open.
August 12, 2024 Webinar Recording: Program Liability Insurance Options and Risk Management Tools The Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC) recently hosted a webinar on how its web platform can save money, time, and resources for program liability insurance options and risk management tools. Learn More The purpose of the webinar was to address concerns regarding liability insurance, provide a summary of efforts to date, and show how PennAEYC’s website – Shared Source PA – can help. Tools available on the website that were touted during the webinar include recruitment and retention (from onboarding practices to the low cost and high impact of staff benefits), strengthening business practices (such as reducing operating costs and family child care operation), and resources for teachers and families (such as curriculum planning resources and managing challenging behavior). Shared Source PA can also help to successfully obtain quotes and secure insurance for family child care businesses and centers of all sizes. The webinar explored how to understand business insurance and how carriers assess risk. It tackled impacts to eligibility and cost (such as business location or claims history) as well as methods of assistance (such as completing an annual assessment and implementing strong human resources and workplace safety practices). Panelists in the webinar included Jen DeBell, PennAEYC’s executive director, as well as Rose Snyder, PennAEYC’s senior director of education and operations, and two representatives from CCA for Social Good. More Details The presentation from the webinar can be viewed online. Anyone with additional questions about the webinar or Shared Sources PA should contact PennAEYC’s Rose Snyder at rsnyder@pennaeyc.org.
May 30, 2024 PennAEYC to Host Webinar on Using Shared Source Site PennAEYC will host a webinar in June on how to use SharedSourcePA.org to support program management. The event will cover such topics as program liability insurance options, risk management, and other tools to help save time and money. Learn More Presenters will discuss the growing concerns about provider liability insurance and how using SharedSourcePA.org can help to save money and provide tools that can reduce liability risk. Speakers will share possible liability insurance coverage options as well as other cost-savings features on the platform to save money as costs continue to rise for everyday program operations. Presenters will include: Jen DeBell, PennAEYC executive director Rose Snyder, PennAEYC senior director of education and operations Cellissa Hoyt and Andrea Bimonte, representatives of CCA for Social Good More Details The webinar will run from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18. Registration for the Zoom webinar is now open.
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.
March 22, 2024 Voice Of ECE Childcare Liability Insurance Survey The Voice of ECE is inviting child care providers to share their insights by participating in its Childcare Liability Insurance Survey. The survey was created by and for early childhood business owners. Learn More The survey’s objective is to gain a comprehensive understanding of child care business owners’ experiences with liability insurance carriers. The Voice of ECE is interested in gathering information on changes in premiums, coverage issues, or policy cancellations/non-renewals. Feedback gathered during the survey will play a crucial role in identifying areas for improvement and help to ensure that child care facilities are adequately protected. Challenges and concerns shared during the survey will help to better serve and maintain child care facility operations. All content will be utilized only for internal data collection purposes and will be treated as confidential. The Voice of ECE’s partners in the survey include Trying Together as well as Children First, First Up, Latinos Educando Juntos, the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA), and the Pennsylvania Association of the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC). How To Participate Providers who are interested in filling out the survey have until April 12 to do so. Two participants will be randomly chosen to win a $100 gift card from PennAEYC.
February 6, 2024 2024 VOICE for Children Award Celebration The Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children recognizes the critical role advocacy plays in high-quality early learning settings and celebrates those who speak on behalf of Pennsylvania’s children. As the voice for early care and learning, community advocates are an invaluable component to assuring all Pennsylvania’s children get the start they deserve in school and life. ey is the only statewide award in Pennsylvania recognizing the grassroots leaders whose work impacts the quality of care for young children in diverse settings. The VOICE Award celebrates not only individual award recipients but also the early childhood profession. Event Details When: Friday, 04/05 | 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. | Cocktail Reception with a selection of light appetizers and a cash beverage bar will be available 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. | VOICE for Children Awards Dinner and Program Where: Hershey Lodge, 325 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033 Event Costs: Early Bird: $150.00 per person – through 02/25 Standard Registration: $160.00 per person | 02/26 – 03/24 Registration: Register today! More Details Registration for this event closes on 03/24. For additional information, contact Rose Snyder at rsnyder@pennaeyc.org. To see lodging specials, visit the original email.
November 15, 2023 Nominations Open for the 2024 Voice for Children Award Do you know an outstanding early childhood professional who is using their voice to advocate for young children and families? Nominate them for the 2024 Voice for Children Award! Learn More The VOICE for Children Award is the only statewide award in Pennsylvania that recognizes early care and education professionals, who are not paid advocates, that go above and beyond their daily work in the field by being grassroots leaders through advocacy and public policy efforts. Nomination Criteria Nominees must: Display dispositions of a model early childhood advocate, including (but not exclusive to) serving as an expert witness, providing public testimony, appearing in media, serving on a board in a public policy capacity, receiving distinctive honors or awards for previous advocacy work, leading advocacy campaigns or actions, working with leaders and elected officials, and/or recognized as an early childhood leader in their community. Be a current member of PennAEYC to be considered. Nominate an Educator Nominations must be submitted no later than Friday, December 1, 2023. To submit a nomination, complete this nomination form and email it to Director of Public Policy and Advocacy Kimberly Early at kearly@pennaeyc.org. Please add “2024 VOICE Nomination” in your email subject line. Nomination Guidelines Nomination forms will be used to determine the winners of the VOICE for Children Award. Specific documentation (such as links to newspaper articles, titles, awards/honors) should be provided if known to substantiate a nominee’s advocacy efforts. PennAEYC staff will review each nomination based on the information provided. It is important that the nomination form is fully completed and all necessary information is included. There is a 500-word maximum to your response to why you believe your nominee should be selected as a recipient of the 2024 PennAEYC VOICE for Children Award. Including a biography of the nominee is encouraged, but not required. Membership with PennAEYC is not required for the person nominating or endorsing a nominee. To learn more, visit the PennAEYC website.
June 26, 2023 Trying Together Shares Advocacy Tools for Families and Child Care Providers Trying Together has created two new advocacy tools to aid families and child care providers in their efforts to impact state budget negotiations and persuade state legislators to directly invest in the workforce behind the workforce by raising child care wages. Trying Together Advocacy Tools Simple, everyday advocacy efforts often start with quick, common interactions between providers, educators, families, and legislators. Calling your state representative or emailing with waitlisted families are great ways to communicate challenges facing the child care industry and advocate for change. Phone and email scripts can assist on these occasions. For Providers & Families: Phone Scripts for Calls to State Representatives & Legislators For Providers: Email Response to Waitlisted Families Take Action with PennAEYC Tell your legislators how important child care is to you and take action in seconds. The Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC) has constructed a tool that allows you to send an email to your legislators stressing the importance of child care with a single click. Take action now. Additional Advocacy Tools The Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA campaigns, of which Trying Together is a partner, have also compiled advocacy tools for family and provider use. Some of these include: State Fact Sheet: Pre-K in Pennsylvania County Fact Sheets: Pre-K in Pennsylvania County Fact Sheets: Child Care in Pennsylvania Pre-K and Child Care Maps: High-Quality Child Care in Pennsylvania EI Fact Sheet: Infant and Toddler Early Intervention in Pennsylvania Learn More To learn more, visit the Trying Together “Take Action” page.
