January 8, 2020 Career Pathway Overview for Directors Child Care Directors and Administrators are invited to join The Pennsylvania Key on January 23 for their webinar exploring Pennsylvania’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) Career Pathway. About This webinar seeks to provide a full overview of the Career Pathway. Presenters will detail different levels of the career pathway, professional development alignment within the career pathway, resources to share with teachers planning to move up in the career pathway, and examples of programs focused on career pathways advancement. More information on Pennsylvania’s Quality Initiatives for the Early Childhood Education workforce will also be provided. Registration To register, visit the event webpage. More Information For questions, all 1-800-284-6031 or email registry@pakeys.org. To learn more about Pennsylvania’s ECE Career Pathway, visit the Pennsylvania Key website.
Changes to Clearances for Employees Having Contact with Children In July 2019, Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order to strengthen protections for vulnerable populations, including children who receive child care services outside of their homes. About the Change The federal Family First Prevention Services Act requires all adults who work in child care settings that receive Title IV-E funding to obtain child abuse clearances, even if they are not working directly with children. Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services law formerly allowed a 90-day provisional hire period for individuals who had applied for but were still waiting for clearance results. However, in 2019, Act 47 eliminated this 90-day provisional hire period to ensure that all adults working with children are legally able to do so. Based on Act 47, child care centers, group child care homes, and family child care homes can request a waiver to hire an employee on a provisional basis for no longer than 45 days. The Department of Human Services is required to process Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearances within 14 days from the day in which the request is received and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) criminal history background checks within 30 days from the date of receipt. Generally, these clearances are processed more quickly than required. New employees are not permitted to work alone with children and must be in the immediate vicinity of a permanent employee until all clearances are received. To access the waiver and instructions, visit the Keep Kids Safe website. More Information For more information on obtaining clearances, visit the Keep Kids Safe website. *Information provided by PA Early Ed News
January 7, 2020 2020 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Conference Join the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on Friday, February 28 for their fourth annual Child and Adolescent Mental Health Conference, “Resilient Youth: Strategies to Overcome Adversity,” at the Pittsburgh Airport Marriott! About Resilient Youth: Strategies to Overcome Adversity is one of the only events in the region specializing in youth mental health. Participants from all over the country attend to learn about the newest research and best practices to assist and advance the mental health needs of young children, adolescents, and young adults. With this, the conference will explore how families and mental health professionals can work together to support young people dealing with mental health challenges using an evidence-based model built on strengthening relationships. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and Act 48 credits are available. See the conference brochure. Registration Registration price varies depending on registrant type. Free parking, a continental breakfast, and lunch included. To register, visit the conference event page. More Information For questions, contact NAMI at 412.366.3788. Visit their website to learn more.
January 2, 2020 Trying Together Friendraiser Are you interested in learning more about Trying Together, advocating for early childhood, and expanding your network? Join Executive Director Cara Ciminillo and Trying Together’s Board of Directors on February 27 for our 2020 Friendraiser! The event will feature a brief presentation and networking with early childhood professionals and stakeholders. Click here to learn more about Trying Together’s Board of Directors. Event Details Thursday, February 27, 2020 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Southern Tier 316 N Shore Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 Registration Registration is required and must be completed by February 25, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. During registration, if you do not know the email address(es) of your guest(s), please insert your email in the associated field. A copy of the registration receipt will be sent. To register, complete the form below.
December 20, 2019 Insights & Innovations: Early Childhood Education Conference Early learning professionals are invited to join the Learning Lamp on March 14 for the Insights & Innovations Conference. The conference will feature insights on the latest ECE teaching and administration strategies and will offer 6 PQAS and Act 48 credits. Sessions Insights & Innovations will include a variety of session topics, including: Danielson Framework Training; Program-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PW-PBIS); Loving Spaces and Learning Spaces for Infants and Toddlers; Keys to Success: Recruiting, Onboarding, and Retaining Quality Staff; Everything You Need to Know about STARS; and more. Visit the conference Eventbrite page to view the full agenda, speaker list, and more. Registration To register, visit the conference Eventbrite page. Registration fees include light continental breakfast, lunch, and snacks. More Information For questions, contact Anne McGrath at 814.242.6079 or annefmcgrath@gmail.com. Share this flyer with your network.
CDA Renewal Amnesty Program Begins January 1, 2020 For a limited time, early childhood professionals whose Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential lapsed or expired can take advantage of a CDA Renewal Amnesty program. About Running from January 1, 2020 to March 31, 2020, the CDA Renewal Amnesty program provides early childhood education professionals who completed their CDA but did not submit a renewal in time to keep the CDA current an opportunity to reinstate their credential. The renewal program is eligible for Rising Stars Tuition Assistance (RSTA). Professionals interested in applying for assistance must complete their profile in the PD Registry to access the Financial Assistance tab. For more information about RSTA, visit the PA Key website. Eligibility Requirements To qualify, professionals must meet the following eligibility requirements: CDA expiration date is no earlier than January 1, 2010 Applicant meets all current renewal requirements Professional applies online using the YourCouncil CDA council portal system All applications and payments ($125) must be submitted online by March 31, 2020. PDOs and New CDA Cohorts Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is implementing statewide Professional Development Organizations (PDOs). PDOs will specialize in access to credit-bearing coursework and credentials for the early childhood education (ECE) workforce. Shippensburg University and Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) were selected as the PDOs in Pennsylvania. See a regional map. While PDOs begin their work, The Pennsylvania Key contracted with several organizations and institutes of higher education, including Trying Together and Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5, to offer community-based cohorts so that individuals attempting to obtain a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential can complete the 120 hours of coursework and receive additional support. This opportunity is only available for 2019-20. Space in these cohorts is limited. For more information about Trying Together and ELRC Region 5’s CDA program, contact Jan Sapotichne at jan.elrc5@alleghenycounty.us or 412.350.3604. Learn More To learn more about the CDA Renewal Amnesty program, visit the Council for Professional Recognition website. *Information provided by the Pennsylvania Key
December 19, 2019 Head Start Coaching Companion Available If you are an early care and education professional who is interested in receiving coaching feedback and sharing videos, consider using the Head Start Coaching Companion! About By utilizing the Head Start Coaching Companion, early childhood professionals will view examples of teaching practices, record their teaching interactions, and track their progress using three major components of Practice-Based Coaching (PBC), including: shared goals and action planning; focused observation; and reflection and feedback. Though PBC was designed with Head Start programs in mind, it aligns with a variety of coaching models. Requirements To utilize the Head Start Coaching Companion, professionals should have access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone with basic video editing software; a digital video camera, tablet, or smartphone with video capability; and reliable internet access. Video footage will be utilized to record teaching interactions. See the Head Start Coaching Companion handout to learn more. Learn More To get started, educators can submit a Coaching Companion application and learn more online. View the Coaching Companion PDF or email coachingcompanion@eclkc.info for additional information. *Information provided via Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5
December 18, 2019 Online Resource: Supporting Children with Hearing Loss To support families and professionals who interact with children with hearing loss, Early Intervention Technical Assistance (EITA) developed an online resource titled, “Getting Started: Supporting Children with Hearing Loss.” About In the first section of their free course, EITA says that “families who have just received word that their child is deaf or hard of hearing can display a wide range of reactions,” with most wondering what caused the hearing loss in the first place. To increase family and professional knowledge and awareness about hearing, hearing loss, and available supports in Pennsylvania, EITA created the “Getting Started: Supporting Children with Hearing Loss” course. In it, EITA highlights important information and resources, including first steps, communication and language resources, best practices, and more. Click here to view the resource. More Information For more information and to access the resource, visit the EITA website.
December 17, 2019 Setting Your Rates: The Cost of Quality Join the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) on January 6 for “Setting Your Rates: The Cost of Quality and the Market Rate Survey” to gain a better understanding of the variables that impact quality, how to incorporate those key elements into your budget, and identify and combine funding streams to achieve your program goals. About Child Care Works subsidy rates are established by OCDEL based in part on the private pay rates providers report in PELICAN. Are your rates based on your actual costs? How much does “quality” child care really cost and how do you calculate that? Join PACCA to hear from experienced administrators of high-quality programs on how they budget for the true cost of quality and the funding/support needed to achieve high-quality based on their program standards. Hear tips and learn about resources to ensure your budget reflects your goals and the true costs of operating a quality child care program. Registration To register, visit the PACCA website. Learn More For questions, contact Maureen Murphy at 717.657.9000, x 107. *Information provided by the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA)
December 16, 2019 PDO Needs Assessment Survey: Upcoming Deadline Early care and education professionals in southwestern Pennsylvania are being asked to take the Professional Development Organization (PDO) Needs Assessment Survey. About From now through December 31, 2019, PDOs are performing a needs assessment with early childhood professionals by region and will develop a strategic plan and timetable for each. The survey will take approximately 10 – 15 minutes. Responses will be used to finalize the work plan and timeline for the Southwest and other regions that Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania will serve. Following this period, community outreach will begin. Click here to take complete the survey. During this transition, professionals who wish to obtain their Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential can find credit-bearing coursework through Westmoreland County Community College and Harrisburg Area Community College. PDOs The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) announced the selection of its six regional PDOs in October 2019. The PDOs were created to coordinate and facilitate access to credit-bearing coursework and credentials for early care and education professionals in Pennsylvania. PDOs support direct access across each service region for the early childhood workforce to participate in continuing education through a mixed delivery model and coordinate with the Early Learning Resource Centers in improving the quality of early learning programs. The regional PDO selection for the Southwest region is Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. The Shippensburg PDO also supports the Central, Northeast, and Northwest regions. See the regional PDO map here. More Information To learn more about PDOs, read the Pennsylvania Key’s announcement. *Information provided by OCDEL
