July 5, 2019 Storymobile at Homewood-Brushton Family Support Center Families and caregivers with young children are invited to join Reading is Fundamental (RIF) Pittsburgh at the Homewood-Brushton Family Support Center for their Storymobile visits! About the Storymobile Storymobiles are libraries-on-wheels; taking stories, activities, books, and literacy resources to early childcare centers, pre-k and kindergarten classrooms, afterschool programs, public housing communities, and community events across Pittsburgh. Focused on kindergarten readiness, Storymobile programming is designed to introduce young students to the joy of reading; expose them to challenging subject matter, including math and science themes, in a way that they embrace and enjoy; and reinforce skills recommended by state and federal curricula. All children that participate with Storymobile will be signed up for the Books for Keeps program, enabling them to select a book to take home and keep four times throughout the year. Learn More To learn more, contact RIF Pittsburgh at 412.321.8022 or email info@rifpittsburgh.org. Share this flyer with your network. *Information provided by Reading is Fundamental Pittsburgh
May 20, 2019 Get Ready for the Next Steps Are you wondering about how the preschool enrollment process works? Unsure of how to assess or choose a local school for your child? Have questions about whether your child is ready for Pre-K or Kindergarten? Join us at the Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library for an information session co-hosted by A+ Schools and Trying Together, with Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Early Education. A pizza dinner will be served. Children are welcome! This is event is FREE and open to the public. Questions For more information, call 412.682.4430 or email outreach@pghtoys.org. Share this flyer with your network.
May 1, 2019 STEM All Hands on Tech: Robot Playground Join the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Carrick branch for a day of experimentation, play, and learning by exploring interactive technology and a variety of robots. STEM All Hands On Tech programs support learning and literacy by introducing children to technology. This event is intended for children in grades pre-k to 5. Questions For questions, contact Jon Antoszewski at 412.381.6543 or antoszewskijo@carnegielibrary.org. This location is handicap accessible. See the event page.
April 18, 2019 How to Run a Profitable Child Care Business Through this four-week online session, participants learn the basic principles of operating the business of a child care program. With a focus on maximizing profits, Trying Together will present opportunities to minimize expenses and illustrate ways that various public funding sources and Keystone STARS participation may affect program revenue. Primarily intended for child care program administrators, owners, and operators, this course provides valuable resources for those interested in applying for Pre-K Counts, or for family and group child care program leaders who are interested in learning more about operating profitably. This online course occurs over the timeline of four weeks (Start Date: Monday, May 27 through Thursday, June 27, 2019), and will be offering four hours of professional development credits after completion of the session. Registration To register for this course, visit the event website. Questions For more information and questions, contact Jasmine Davis at 412.421.3889 or jasmine@tryingtogether.org. Share this flyer with your network.
April 10, 2019 Child Care Woes: The Push to Expand Access In a recent article published online by the Christian Science Monitor (CSM), Trying Together Executive Director Cara Ciminillo discussed parent’s “constant hustle” in relation to providing and identifying high-quality care for their young children. Overview In the article, staff writer Sara Miller Llana brings in the story of Dana Hunter, a full-time employee and mother living in Pittsburgh. In this, Ms. Hunter describes the challenging balancing act of providing primary care for her young children while managing the workload and time requirements of full-time employment. Trying Together Cara Ciminillo mentions, “It’s a constant hustle. It’s a constant piecing together and juggling of demands and priorities.” After sharing this story, the article later goes on to explain the growing support for pre-k, calling on evidence that access to early education not only supports the healthy development of young children but also supports caregivers’ return to the workforce. Although political figures are calling for increased access to early care and education, supported by the successful implementation of such programs in other countries, “affordable, quality child care still remains out of reach for many families, with women often shouldering the bulk of domestic management.” Article Read the full article to learn more about Pennsylvania’s push to expand access to child care.
