November 17, 2020 Provide Your Feedback: Subsidized Child Care Eligibility The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) are accepting public comments through December 14, 2020 for proposed changes to the current subsidized child care eligibility regulations. About Proposed changes to the subsidized child care eligibility regulations at 55 Pa. Code Chapter 3041 might impact families, children, and early childhood education providers. The proposed changes include, but are not limited to, the following: expanded eligibility period of 12 months; expanded eligibility to cover hours the parent or caretaker requires sleep following completion of overnight work shift; no changes to the amounts of subsidy and co-payment for the duration of the eligibility period, unless to the family’s benefit; abolished the requirement for the parent or caretaker to pay an advanced co-pay prior to enrollment; children who turn 13 during the eligibility period will continue to receive the subsidy until the eligibility period ends; codifying payment practices permitting tiered reimbursement for providers who voluntarily exceed the basic health and safety requirements; codifying payment practices based on enrollment and not attendance, to include increasing the number of permitted absences from 25 to 50 per fiscal year; after five consecutive days absent, the child maintains eligibility, but the enrollment is suspended until the child returns to care; and establishment of waiver provisions and periods of presumptive eligibility for particular populations, including victims of domestic violence and families experiencing homelessness. How To Submit A Comment All public comments must be submitted in writing by December 14, 2020. All comments, suggestions, or objections should reference the regulation number, section, and subsection. Comments can be submitted using the following methods: email your comments to RA-ocdsubchildcare@pa.gov; fax your comments to 717.214.6575; or mail your comments to:Michael Ordonez Office of Child Development and Early Learning 333 Market Street, 6th Floor Harrisburg, PA 17126 If you would like to receive a response, please include your contact information when submitting. More Information For information about the current regulations, visit the Pennsylvania Code website. To view the latest issue, read Volume 50 Number 46. Share this flyer with your network.
June 19, 2020 Public Discussion: Services for Families in Allegheny County What does your community need? How can the Allegheny County Department of Human Services help meet those needs? You are invited to share your ideas and suggestions at a virtual Human Services Block Grant Public Meeting. All input will inform the 2020-21 Human Services Block Grant Plan. Available Sessions Monday, June 29, 2020 | 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, 2020 | 4:30 p.m. Join a Session There are three ways to participate in a virtual meeting: To hear the live audio, see the live video, and participate in the Q&A, join on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. You may be instructed to download an app called Microsoft Teams. If prompted to sign in, you may choose whether to do so or join anonymously. To hear the live audio only, call 267.368.7515. The access code for Monday’s meeting is 172 596 105# and the access code for Tuesday’s meeting is 746 312 327#. To watch the recordings at your convenience, visit the Allegheny County website. The recordings will be posted within 24 to 48 hours after the meetings. More Information Allegheny County DHS makes reasonable efforts to accommodate people with disabilities or limited-English-proficiency. Closed captioning in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic will be available when joining the meeting on a PC or Mac. For questions, comments, or ideas, contact DHS-Ideas@AlleghenyCounty.US.
March 19, 2020 Four Centers in Pittsburgh Offering Grab and Go Meals Four city and Salvation Army centers around Pittsburgh will be offering grab-and-go meals for city schoolchildren starting Thursday, March 19, 2020, in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Available Locations The Department of Parks and Recreation has received approval to activate grab-and-go meals at the following four locations: Paulson Rec Center | 1201 Paulson Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 Warrington Rec Center | 329 E Warrington Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15210 Salvation Army – Homewood | 8020 Frankstown Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15221 Salvation Army – Westside | 1821 Broadhead Fording Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15205 More Information on Grab-and-go Meals All meal hand-out operations will commence on weekdays (Monday through Friday) from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) will provide 100 grab-and-go lunches for each site. This approach may be re-adjusted to respond to actual needs. For more information on COVID-19, visit our COVID-19 Resources page here. Click here to view the City of Pittsburgh’s original press release. *Information provided by the City of Pittsburgh.
March 9, 2020 Interviews with Ms. Barb and Families at the Frank Sarris Library Prior to the start of the Washington County Focus Week (March 9 – 13, 2020), Trying Together visited staff, families, and young children at the Frank Sarris Public Library in Canonsburg for a reading of Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham.” At the event, library staff member Barbara Somma, aka Ms. Barb, led children and their caregivers through a series of activities, including fingerplays, dances, and a Dr. Seuss themed craft. The classroom included creative play items for the children as well, including a puppet show theater, “grocery market,” books, legos, and more. After the class, Trying Together had the opportunity to talk with Ms. Barb and two participating caregivers, Karen and Kim. Featured below are our questions and each interviewees’ responses. Interviews Barbara Somma, Class Teacher Barbara Somma, or as the children call her, “Ms. Barb,” brightens the day of each child and caregiver who attends her classes. Having a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Special Education under her belt, Ms. Barb spent the last 10 years as a dedicated staff member at the Frank Sarris Public Library. If you stop by the Library, you can catch Ms. Barb leading Storytime, Little Picassos, Wiggles and Giggles, and the Summer Reading Camp! Odds are, she will have a crowd of young children giggling and following her happily! What programming does Frank Sarris Library provide for young children and families? The Frank Sarris Library offers a plethora of programming for children and families! Monday through Friday, we have activities geared towards preschool level children like storytime, yoga storytime, art, and a class called Wiggles and Giggles that is focused on body movement. During the month of July, we also offer a Summer Reading Camp for children in Kindergarten through fourth grade that includes creative themes like Fairytale Science, Mysical Beasts, and Magic School. They’re all meant to spark each child’s imagination. We offer services all throughout the year though, including books for readers of all ages, creative “Grable Kits,” several e-resources, and more. How can caregivers make literacy experiences meaningful for their young children? I think by just reading to your children all of the time. Read for 20 minutes a day, every day with your children. As a mother of two, I would always read a couple books with them right before bed. It’s also important to get a library card! They’re free and the library has tons of free resources for young children and families. Why do you feel early childhood development is so important for young children? Early childhood development is the basis for everything a child needs in life! Children learn from meaningful experiences and repetition. As adults, we need to make sure we are providing the time and patience for those experiences! How do you see your role at the Frank Sarris Library supporting early childhood development in your community? I think my role is really important here at the Frank Sarris Library. We serve many families and it’s important that we provide children with safe places to go. All of the staff here at the Library serve as role models within the community. However, our Library is an untapped resource. There are so many services that community members could benefit from if they stopped by. Karen and Granddaughter Ellie How did you like today’s event? What piqued your interest in attending? Everything Ms. Barb does is truly amazing. I’ve been coming here for seven and a half years and I’ve brought all of my grandchildren. I was interested in attending because I wanted to make sure my grandchildren had social interactions with young children, and Ms. Barb allows the children to have these great social experiences! By coming here, my grandchildren have learned language concepts and vocabulary. Ms. Barb is so dynamic. She exudes engaging and creative energy in everything she does! What’s your favorite book to read to your child? Why? Ellie doesn’t have a favorite book, she really just loves to read! She is very into the alphabet right now! Kim and Grandson How did you like today’s event? What piqued your interest in attending? Ms. Barb is great! Attending this program is the best thing I have done with my grandson! We heard about the children’s programs here through word of mouth. We have been attending since he was about six months old. We love Ms. Barb’s music and freeze dancing! What’s your favorite book to read to your child? He loves reading Elmo and Mini Mouse right now! More Information This session was one of many free services that the Frank Sarris Public Library provides, with options available for learners of all ages. To learn more about their services, visit the Frank Sarris Public Library website! To learn more about the Washington County Focus Week, read our news post!
January 31, 2020 ECE Advocacy Fellows Complete First Month of Program Convening for the first time at Trying Together’s main office, 2020 ECE Advocacy Fellows completed their first month of the Fellowship program this January. About In January 2020, Trying Together launched its second Early Childhood Education (ECE) Advocacy Fellowship. Now through September, Fellows will meet once per month to gain public policy knowledge, build on their leadership skills, and develop their voices as early childhood advocates. In January, Fellows met for their first workshop session where they learned about Early Learning PA (ELPA) campaigns, including Start Strong PA, Pre-K for PA, and Childhood Begins at Home, and heard from past Fellows about how to make the most out of their Fellowship experience. If you’re interested in advocacy, visit our Take Action page! More Information If you’re interested in learning more about the Fellowship, visit our webpage, sign-up to receive our newsletters, and follow us on Facebook or Twitter. Updates will be shared as information becomes available.
November 14, 2019 Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) Parent Summit The Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) Parent Summit is a half-day experience that empowers families by offering workshops that will enable them to better support their child and work with schools. Workshop sessions will be offered by school district staff in collaboration with parents and community organizations. Workshop topics have been identified by PPS parents and families and will serve as a support to help their students be successful. Registration Registration is required and space is limited. If child care is needed, please specify during your registration. Child care will be provided. To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
October 25, 2019 What’s It Really Worth? How to Run a Profitable Child Care Business In this professional development course, participants will learn the basic principles of operating the business of a child care program. Strategies to maximize profits and minimize expenses, public funding sources, and STARS participation effects will be highlighted. This session is intended for program directors of centers, family child care homes, and group child care homes. Course Timeline: November 11 – December 9, 2019 CKC: D8.4 C2, D8.2 C3, D8.7 Keystone STARS Alignment: LM. 2.1 / CDA:5 and 6 Four professional development hours available after completion. Limited spaces are available. Questions For more information on how to register, contact Jasmine Davis at 412.567.3933 or jasmine@tryingtogether.org. Share this flyer with your network. Registration To register, complete the form below.
October 8, 2019 Navigating Pittsburgh Public Schools Community members are invited to join together on October 21 for an educational session on how to best navigate Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS). About Presenters will discuss the following topics: what is a magnet school and what do they offer? magnet school application timelines procedures for applying to a magnet school navigating the city school system In addition to these discussions, the event will feature a Q&A session with Ebony Latham of Pittsburgh Public Schools. Child care will be available. Learn More For more information, contact Bob Haddad at 412.849.4799 or rjhaddad5@gmail.com. Share this flyer with your network.
September 17, 2019 Healthy School Summit 2019 Join Healthy Schools Pennsylvania on Friday, October 25 for their 4th Annual Healthy Schools Summit to learn, collaborate, and commit to creating healthier, greener, and more sustainable learning environments for all children in our region! Morning Sessions Foundations for Student Success: How School Buildings Influence Student Health, Thinking, & Performance Keynote Speaker – Erika Eitland, MPH Program Manager, Schools for Health, Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health What Does it Take to Create a Healthy School? Panel Discussion – Cassandra Brown, RN, Pittsburgh Public Schools; Jake Douglas, Food Services Director, Deer Lakes School District; Christine Schott, Parent and Sustainability Coordinator, Steel Valley School District; Vicki Ammar, Teacher, Pittsburgh Public Schools Celebrating Success through Our Healthy Schools Recognition Program Awards Ceremony and Luncheon Working Lunch: What Makes a Successful School Grant Proposal? Featuring Tracey Reed Armant from the Grable Foundation Afternoon Sessions Teaching Resiliency and Environmental Justice in the Classroom Educator Workshop – Katie Modic, Director of Education Initiatives at Communitopia Creating a Game-Plan for Whole-School Sustainability School Administrator Workshop – Donnan Stoicovy, Head of School, State College Friends School Engaging Parents and Community Partners for Healthy Schools Parent and Partner Workshop – Monté Robinson, Community Schools Coordinator, Pittsburgh Public Schools and LaKeisha Wolf, Executive Director, Ujamaa Collective Registration To register, visit the Eventbrite page. Learn More For questions, email Healthy Schools Coordinator, Kara Rubio, at 412.404.2872 or kara@womenforahealthyenvironment.org.
August 2, 2019 #WeArePPS Event This August, Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) will be hosting its annual back to school event, #WeArePPS. About Every year, the district welcomes thousands of families through this event that is designed to help equip them with the resources necessary to achieve a healthy start to the 2019-20 school year. #WeArePPS is open to all current PPS students and will include a parent resource fair. This event is in alignment with the district’s mission to serve students and schools and create effective family and community partnerships in every school. More Information For more information or questions, call the PPS Parent Hotline at 412.529.HELP (412.529.4357) or email parenthotline@pghschools.org. The hotline operates Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
