December 4, 2020 OCDEL Professional Development Survey The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is requesting the input of directors and owners of certified child care programs in the Professional Development Survey. About Responses to the online survey will assist OCDEL in understanding the number of staff who will need Pediatric First Aid and CPR training in the upcoming year, and to understand providers’ knowledge of the role of Professional Development Organizations (PDOs). The survey can be completed in less than ten minutes and collected information about: the number of teaching staff at a child care program, the number of staff certified in Pediatric First Aid and CPR, and awareness of and connections to Early Childhood Education PDOs. Complete the Survey Directors and owners of programs holding a DHS Certificate of Compliance are encouraged to complete the online survey. Survey responses must be submitted by Thursday, December 17, 2020.
September 30, 2020 Using Ages and Stages Questionnaires® as a Screening Tool This event is full. Additional Ages and Stages Questionnaires® courses will be available soon. Are you interested in learning how to use Ages and Stages Questionnaires® as a screening tool for children ages three months to five years? Join Trying Together on October 12 for our virtual course, “Using Ages and Stages Questionnaires® as a Screening Tool.” About During this course, participants will learn how to use the ASQ® and ASQ:SE® as a screening tool for children ages three months to five years. The session will provide information on how to administer and score the screener and share results of the screener with families. Information about additional resources for making referrals to services will be included if needed. Session Details Session Date: Monday, October 12, 2020 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Instructor: Pamela Zimmerman Core Knowledge Area: Assessment CDA Content Area: Observing & Recording Behavior Registration Deadline: Saturday, October 10, 2020 Registration To register, visit the course PD Registry page. Space is limited. Participants will receive the course Zoom link via email within 24 hours before the start date for the course. PQAS and Act 48 credit available. If you do not have a PD Registry account, please complete this online form to create one. If you are unable to create an account, please contact Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org for more information. More Information For questions or more information, contact Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org.
September 28, 2020 Early Childhood Education Summit Are you interested in engaging with early childhood thought-leaders and gaining knowledge through online professional development? Attend the Virtual Early Childhood Education (ECE) Summit from October 18 – 21, 2020. PQAS and Act 48 credit will be available. About The ECE Summit features 12 sessions, 60 workshops, and four online specialized networking opportunities that offer early learning professionals opportunities to learn, dialogue, and share information on a vast array of current topics to support their professional learning goals. This is a fully virtual event. Each day will feature a Keynote presentation and four tracks of workshop sessions. Opportunities to connect with peers will be available through live chat. Sessions will be recorded. Paid attendees will be able to view sessions after the Summit and earn PQAS and Act 48 credit. Featured Topics The Summit features a wide range of workshops, including, but not limited to, the following: Emotionally Safe Environments for Infants and Toddlers Yoga and Mindfulness for Preschoolers Trauma-Informed Assessment in Early Childhood Family Engagement Through a Strengths-Based Lens Designing Classrooms with the Brain in Mind Getting Little Hands on the Land Supporting Infant Teacher Degree Attainment Advocacy 201: Crafting and Sharing Your Message Managing Challenging Behavior Registration To register for the Conference, visit the event webpage. A Summit Schedule and workshop descriptions are available on the Early Childhood Education Summit website. View the schedule. More Information For more information, visit the Early Childhood Education Summit webpage or call 717.657.9000.
September 1, 2020 Virtual Community of Practice Meetings Are you interested in discussing topics of interest and current trends with fellow professionals in the early childhood field? Join ELRC Region 5 for their virtual Community of Practice sessions! About Community of Practice sessions provide early learning professionals with opportunities to discuss topics of interest, current trends in the early childhood field, and offer insight and inspiration to their fellow professionals. In November, these virtual sessions will discuss how to create Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) plans using approved program observation instruments, creating goals from the results of those instruments, identifying the steps it will take to reach the goals, and who is responsible for ensuring the goal is implemented. Participants will learn about the importance of including staffs’ professional development plans and how to use the CQI throughout the whole year. Available Sessions Saturday, November 14: Continuous Quality Improvement Plan 10 a.m. | Zoom Meetings | Attend the Session Thursday, November 19: Continuous Quality Improvement Plan 10 a.m. | Zoom Meetings | Attend the Session 1 p.m. | Zoom Meetings | Attend the Session More Information For questions, contact ELRC Region 5 at elrc5@alleghenycounty.us or 412.350.3577. Share this flyer with your network.
August 11, 2020 Free Virtual PD Sessions Available Are you interested in hearing guidance from child development experts? Join Trying Together on August 19 and September 2 for our free virtual professional development sessions! Each session will offer one PQAS credit hour. Both sessions are a part of our interactive Connections and Conversations Virtual Check-In series that features guidance from child development experts, information on the highlighted topic, and opportunities for early learning professionals to share questions, experiences, and expertise. Available Sessions Magda Gerber’s Philosophy of Care for Infants & Toddlers Wednesday, August 19, 2020 | 6 – 7 p.m. Join Trying Together on August 19 to explore the core principles of Magda Gerber’s RIE philosophical approach to educaring for infants and toddlers in the early childhood setting. Participants will have an opportunity to engage in conversations around developmentally appropriate practice for infants and toddlers while reflecting on how to best create a safe, challenging, predictable environment for all children. Supporting Children’s Emotional Wellness with Digital Technologies Wednesday, September 2, 2020 | 6 – 7 p.m. More than ever before, early childhood practitioners play a critical role in supporting children’s social and emotional wellness. Join Trying Together on September 2 for a conversation on promoting children’s communication skills and emotional development through the use of technology and media. Participants will engage in discussion and reflection on their current practice and the impact of COVID-19. More Information For questions or more information, please contact Rosie Hogan at rosie@tryingtogether.org.
August 10, 2020 Child Care Virtual Conference Join Child Care Lounge and other early learning professionals on August 18 for the Child Care Virtual Conference! About The Child Care Virtual Conference will feature over 15 live sessions. Registration includes access to three live Zoom sessions and one month of free access to all recorded sessions. Certificates will be issued for each class that had documented attendance. Featured Topics Presenters will explore a variety of child care topics, including, but not limited to, the following: preventing teacher burnout, supporting young children who display challenging behaviors, establishing a DAP classroom through virtual learning, fostering social skills while maintaining social distancing, thriving in a responsive classroom, and strategies to surviving a recession. To see an overview of each session, visit the PD Registry website. Registration To register and learn more, visit the Child Care Lounge website. After you register, you will receive a link to the Conference portal as well as a passcode for entry. More Information For questions, contact Joni Levine at 412.885.5172 or joni@childcarelounge.com. Share this event with your network via Facebook.
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. <span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span> 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. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) How Do I Attend this UnConference Virtually? These sessions were hosted using the web-based video conferencing platform Zoom. Please download Zoom to your device of choice prior to the start of the UnConference. UnConference hosts sent out all workshop links via email at least 24 hours before the start of each event. How Do I Receive Credit? 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. More Information For questions about the UnConference, contact Yu-Ling Cheng at conference@tryingtogether.org. Share this flyer with your network. About Wendy Pardee 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.
September 5, 2019 UnConference: The Business of Child Care Are you interested in learning about the business fundamentals of running a successful child care business? Join Trying Together in Homestead on Saturday, October 19 for UnConference: The Business of Child Care! About This UnConference dives into the business fundamentals of a successful child care business, from marketing and human resources to day-to-day accountability and business planning. Keynote Rona Nesbit, CFO of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, will share the benefits of shared services and how the award-winning Cultural District shared services model has provided growth, benefits, and smart business insights to downtown-based performing arts organizations. Following the keynote, Rachelle Duffy of Trying Together moderates a panel discussion and audience “Q&A” on how shared services can and does work for child care centers. Attendees will then engage in two workshops, featuring presenters from Trying Together, PNC Financial Services, Shared Source PA, and more. What Is Included 5.5 PQAS/DHS credits and/or Act 28 hours Light breakfast and lunch Networking with colleagues Hands-on, interactive workshops Refund policy Registration Registrations to attend must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Friday, October 11, 2019. For individuals or groups with less than six people, please register using the form below. There is a 10% discount for groups of more than six people. For more information, contact Yu-Ling at conference@tryingtogether.org. When workshops are finalized, you will receive an email from Yu-Ling to select your preferred workshops. Due to limited space in each workshop, we recommend registering early as placement is dependent on the date of your registration. We will do our best to place you in your requested workshop, but this is not guaranteed. Attendees can receive refunds if requested 30 days in advance of the UnConference date. For refunds, please email Yu-Ling at conference@tryingtogether.org. More Information For more information, please visit the event webpage. Share this flyer with your network.
