November 5, 2020 Early Literacy Virtual Conference Are you interested in learning actionable strategies for teaching the five pillars of reading, especially in distance and hybrid learning environments? Join Learning Ally on December 4, 2020 for the “Early Literacy Virtual Conference.” About Join Learning Ally on December 4 for a full day of early literacy professional learning featuring keynote speakers Kai-leé Berke and Barbara Steinberg, in addition to 12 other experts. By attending, professionals will: Discover actionable strategies for teaching the five pillars of reading, especially in a distance or hybrid learning environment. Understand the milestones in early literacy development so you can better meet the needs of all your students. Learn what it means to be intentionally anti-biased and culturally relevant when teaching literacy in a diverse classroom. Connect with the experts and other educators to share first-hand experiences to drive lasting change in your teaching practice. Registration To register for the conference, visit the Learning Ally website. Attendees will be able to earn up to 16 Continuing Education (CE) hours live or on-demand through January 31, 2021.
September 29, 2020 Supporting Young Students with Remote Learning Are you interested in learning tips from education experts on how to support children in remote and blended learning environments? Join Zoom and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) on October 7 and October 8, 2020 for their two-part Back-to-School webinar series designed for families and caregivers. About Session 1 Tips and Strategies for Families and Caregivers (K-12) October 7, 2020 | 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. In this webinar, families and caregivers will learn key strategies for building a positive, effective home learning environment and implementing concrete tips to advocate for their learner’s needs. ISTE Certified Educators and Trainers Dr. Daisy Sam and Dr. Sonn Sam will lead this timely discussion as an effort to ensure a more successful, productive school year during these challenging times. Session 2 Zoom Basics and Tips for Families and Caregivers (K-6) October 8, 2020 | 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. In this webinar, Zoom experts will provide important tips to help support your child in remote and blended learning environments. Presenters will cover everything from platform basics and troubleshooting to remote learning soft skills to help them succeed as students. This session will be geared towards younger learners, primarily in grades K-6, however parents and caregivers of all ages are welcome to attend. Registration Both sessions will be broadcast in English with the option to listen to a live language interpretation in Spanish. Live American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will also be available. To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
September 15, 2020 Advancing Anti-Racist Instruction in K-12 Curriculum Are you interested in learning concrete strategies for implementing anti-racist content in your school or district? Join EdSurge on October 14 for their webinar, “Advancing Anti-Racist Instruction in K-12 Curriculum.” About In this webinar, participants will learn how educators, schools, and districts can and should intentionally interrogate representation within their curriculum and support anti-racism more broadly. In a time when actively anti-racist content is urgently needed in virtual and in-person classrooms alike, representative voices, diverse perspectives, and unheard narratives can still be hard to find in instructional content. Hear from a panel of experts and education leaders about concrete strategies for implementing anti-racist content in your school or district, across subject areas and grade levels. Participants will also hear from school and district leaders about strategies for taking a multi-pronged approach. Learning Objectives During this webinar, participants will learn how to: support anti-racism during remote learning; develop robust instructional content that promotes anti-racism; build an anti-racist culture and safe community in virtual and in-person spaces; support teacher training on anti-racism; and create buy-in for school and district-wide anti-racism efforts. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
September 11, 2020 Co-Educating with Families Webinar Are you interested in learning how to utilize creative experiences to draw families into learning together? Attend the webinar “Co-Educating with Families” on November 4 to learn about practice strategies that bridge school and home learning. About In this webinar, Cheri Sterman and James Wells from Crayola will share practice strategies that bridge school and home learning. Whether it is Moved by Math, Writing Art-Inspired Stories, or STEAM for 21st Century Learners, projects that actively engage students as decision-makers who create, present, respond, and connect enliven learning! This webinar will be of interest to pre-k through middle school teachers and school and district leaders. Time for questions will be included. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
SEL & Mental Health in Distance Learning Are you interested in learning how to implement social-emotional and mental health supports for your students and staff? Attend the webinar “SEL & Mental Health in Distance Learning: District Leaders Share Best Practices” on September 15 to hear best practices from education leaders. About In this webinar, presenters will share: how to connect and build trust with students, laying the groundwork for engagement and learning; best practices for supporting students in special education in distance learning; how to ensure staff feels safe and supported; how to implement SEL that supports anti-racism and equity in distance learning; and how to implement digital tools in an MTSS for efficacy and sustainability. School and district administrators will learn concrete steps they can take to deliver effective, trauma-informed SEL and mental health supports to students and staff as schools and communities continue to grapple with the challenges of COVID-19. This recorded webinar will be of interest to school and district leaders of pre-k through high school grade levels, federal program coordinators, and those involved in student mental health. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
July 10, 2020 Remote Learning for Early Learners with Autism Are you interested in learning how to help early learners with autism engage with remote instruction through evidence-based practices? Attend the webinar “Remote Learning for Early Learners with Autism” on July 16. About While remote learning allows students to continue their education, it can be challenging for young students with autism and other developmental disabilities to attend to the screen and engage with the curriculum. In this webinar, STAR Autism Support Training Specialist Elizabeth Curtin will discuss strategies to help early learners with autism engage with synchronous remote instruction through evidence-based practices. A focus of this presentation will be on teaching skills in receptive language, expressive language, social and play, and pre-academics. This webinar will include video examples of teachers coaching caregivers to provide consistent instruction to their students. Participants will also learn strategies on teaching students to be more independent in daily functional routines. This webinar is best suited for pre-k through elementary teachers and school leaders. Time for questions will be provided. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage. Registration to attend the live presentation is limited to 2,000 people. A recording of the session will be available to those who sign up to receive it via email and to those who attend the live event.
June 18, 2020 In-Person Operations to Resume July 6 Office Reopening On July 6, Trying Together will reopen its physical office spaces to the public by appointment at the following location: The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center Reopening Date: Monday, July 6, 2020 M-F | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. 7219 Kelly St, Pittsburgh, PA 15208 ELRC Region 5 Out of an abundance of caution with the rising COVID-19 cases in Allegheny County, ELRC Region 5 and its satellite offices will remain closed to the public for in-person services. Staff will continue to provide high-quality customer service via phone and video conferencing. Additional details about resuming in-person operations will be announced on Monday, August 3. Operations During COVID-19 Staff will be required to follow guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including wearing a mask while walking through or working in communal spaces, socially distancing themselves from others by at least six feet at all times, sanitizing their workspaces regularly, and maintaining proper handwashing and sanitizing. Locations and departments may have limited in-office staff as some employees continue to telework. Trying Together staff are still accessible via phone or email as they continue to work remotely. After July 6, appointments are required for families and professionals interested in accessing services and support at Trying Together’s physical locations. In-person operations will continue to be dependent on recommendations provided by Governor Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Trying Together will continue to monitor these recommendations as well as the reopening status of Allegheny County. For questions about our operations, please email info@tryingtogether.org. More Information For more information about COVID-19 and prevention tips, visit our COVID-19 page. For questions related to COVID-19, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s website or call 1.877.PA.HEALTH (1.877.724.3258). See the ELRC Region 5 news post for essential updates for early educators and families in Allegheny County in response to COVID-19.
May 7, 2020 Help Allegheny County Plan for the Future The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives of all Allegheny County residents. While we cannot be certain what the future holds, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (ACDHS) is looking to prepare for different contingencies. By beginning their preparation now, ACDHS seeks to ensure its systems are ready to adapt quickly as the situation continues to progress. With this, ACDHS is seeking community survey responses to better understand residents’ experiences and challenges during this difficult time. Survey Opportunities ACDHS has created several opportunities for community members to share their ideas on how to help people in Allegheny County during COVID-19 and beyond. Opportunities include the following: How can ACDHS make the system better? What matters most? Is remote help working for you? More Information To learn more, visit their survey webpage. For more information on COVID-19, please visit our regularly updated COVID-19 news-feed.
April 7, 2020 The Science of Learning and Teaching at Home During COVID-19 Are you interested in asking leading child development experts questions about learning and teaching from home during the COVID-19 pandemic? Join the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) on April 10 for their webinar, “At Home with the Child Experts: The Science of Learning and Teaching at Home During COVID-19.” About Are you wondering how to make sure your kids are staying on track with school work? If or when to reach out to your child’s teacher? Whether there are “fun” activities you can introduce to help your children learn? This 30-minute informal conversation gives parents and caregivers a chance to ask leading child development experts direct questions about learning and teaching at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants will have the option of submitting questions in advance or posting them in real-time during the event. Registration To register, visit the event webpage.
March 31, 2020 Understanding the Impact of Coronavirus on K-12 Education As of early March, the COVID-19 coronavirus has put about 300 million students out of school around the world, as communities and whole countries try to contain its spread. Join EdSurge for weekly live webinars on how K-12 schools are coping, the move to remote learning, and how students and educators are being impacted by the virus. EdSurge K-12 Editor Stephen Noonoo and other editors and reporters will host different panelists each week to discuss the latest developments in this rapidly evolving situation. Series Topics Some of the topics series panelists will discuss include: equity; special education; universal design for learning; parent communications; social-emotional learning; remote instruction for early learning; and lessons learned from Chinese educators (Wednesday, April 8 at 7 p.m.). Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
