June 4, 2020 “I [STILL] can’t breathe”: Supporting kids of color amid racialized violence Join EmbraceRace on June 5 for their webinar, “‘I [STILL] can’t breathe’: Supporting kids of color amid racialized violence.” About Black, Brown, Native, and low-income individuals talk with children about how to interact with police. They file formal complaints against abusive officers, take cellphone videos that go viral, share their stories with media outlets, file lawsuits, and protest with allies at their side. With COVID-19 as a backdrop, some predict a “long, hot summer.” Others see a promising new determination by many white individuals to become a vigorous part of the solution. In this complicated context, what conversations about policing, violence, safety, justice, and race should parents and caregivers be having with their children of color? Join EmbraceRace on June 5 for that discussion. Questions and insights are encouraged. Registration To register, visit the event webpage. More Information Please note that this event is high in demand. Those who are unable to get onto Zoom will be direct to the live broadcast on EmbraceRace’s Facebook page. A recording of the event will be available at a later date for those who are unable to attend. For questions, please contact EmbraceRace through their contact form or on Facebook.
May 5, 2020 Caring for Children in Group Settings During COVID-19 Do you have questions on how to keep children and staff healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic? Join the National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness (NCECHW) on May 6 for their webinar, “Caring for Children in Group Settings During COVID-19: A Follow-up Conversation.” About Early childhood education (ECE) programs have many questions about how to keep children and staff healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidance for open programs is now available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics. This question-and-answer chat is a follow-up to the webcast Caring for Children in Group Settings During COVID-19 to add guidance from pediatric infectious disease expert, Michele Cheung MD, FAAP. Registration To register, visit the event webpage. The registration link can be used for both the live event and on-demand viewing. The recording will be available to watch on-demand starting 30 minutes after the live event ends, until May 31, 2020. Because access to the live event is limited and the session may be full, the hosts recommend watching the webinar on-demand. A version with English closed captions will also be posted on the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) website in the future. *Information provided by NCECHW
April 30, 2020 Mayor Peduto Calls for Online SNAP Purchasing Options On April 28, Mayor William Peduto issued a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in support of efforts to expand affordable SNAP purchasing options — including food delivery and online ordering — for vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. About Mayor Peduto’s letter follows calls by U.S. Senator Bob Casey and others to expand the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides eligible low-income residents with an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) debit card to purchase food. Currently, SNAP recipients cannot make any food purchases online. While other consumers can use online ordering and delivering to protect themselves and others from spreading the virus, these options are not available to low-income residents and families who are forced to make their purchases in person, increasing their likelihood of contracting COVID-19. Senator Casey has been calling on the USDA to expand SNAP delivery options since March when stay-at-home guidelines were put into effect in Pennsylvania and across the United States of America. The Food Policy Council wants the USDA to allow SNAP recipients to purchase food for delivery and to allow other safe food purchasing options, such as allowing users to use their EBT cards for Instacart or online farmers market services. What is SNAP? The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of low-income families so they can purchase healthy food. Eligible applicants receive an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) ACCESS Card to make food purchases. To check your eligibility or apply, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services website. For questions about SNAP, call the Department of Human Services helpline at 1.800.692.7462 or your county assistance office. For individuals with hearing impairments, please call 1.800.451.5886. More on SNAP Purchasing Options To learn more, view the full press release or a copy of the letter to Secretary Perdue. *Information provided by the City of Pittsburgh
March 30, 2020 Stress Management for Educators During COVID-19 Join Sanford Harmony, Kaiser Permanente, and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation on April 1, 2020 for their webinar, “Caring for the Education Community During COVID-19: Stress Management for Educators.” About Presented in partnership by Kaiser Permanente, Sanford Harmony, and Healthier Generation, this live, interactive session will help participants learn the impacts and response patterns associated with stress, along with practical tips to rise above and maintain your cool even in times of crisis. This webinar will be recorded and publicly accessible within two days of the live session. Webinar Objectives Participants will: better understand how stress impacts how we think, feel, and act; learn how to become aware of stress response patterns; and identify and apply a strategy to build empathy in others during a crisis time. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage. More Information For questions, please contact learn@healthiergeneration.org.
March 20, 2020 COVID-19: Considerations for Early Childhood Professionals Join Executive Director for the Institute for Child Preparedness Andrew Roszak, JD, MPA, EMT-Paramedic, on March 24 for his webinar, “COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic: Considerations for Early Childhood Professionals.” About Gryphon House is partnering with the preparedness experts at the Institute for Childhood Preparedness to offer this special webinar, designed to help cut through the noise and provide you with the essential information you need as an early childhood professional. Gryphon House author, Andrew Roszak, will provide the latest updates and information designed to help keep you safe. This webinar will be of benefit to pre-k teachers, librarians, child care providers, and school and district leaders. There will be time to have your questions answered at the end of the presentation. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage!
March 17, 2020 Bullying Prevention and SEL: What Can I Do Now? Are you interested in learning best practices in social-emotional learning and bullying prevention? Join Leah Galkowski from the Center for Safe Schools on March 24 for her webinar, “Bullying Prevention and SEL: What Can I Do Now?” About The research tells us that evidence-based practices in social-emotional learning and bullying prevention help students to be successful in school. The question is: “What does that look like?” This interactive webinar will provide a brief overview of best practices in social-emotional learning and bullying prevention. Participants will be provided with some simple, hands-on strategies to implement in their schools and classrooms that will support students and teachers in building a positive, cohesive, and welcoming environment. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage!
March 3, 2020 Managing Infectious Diseases in Early Education and Child Care Settings Join the national American Academy of Pediatrics on March 11 for a one-hour webinar to learn more about two new tools that help professionals meet national early education and child care training requirements for managing infectious diseases. Included Topics Participants will learn about the following: the important role managing infectious diseases training plays in early childhood settings; a free, new online managing infectious diseases module for any early learning provider; a free, fully downloadable managing infectious diseases training curriculum that can be tailored for your audience’s needs; and training tips that can help you share information about managing infectious diseases with your early care and education community. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage. More Information For more information, contact Eleni Victoria at evictoria@aap.org.
February 3, 2020 Recall Issued on More Than 165,000 Infant Incline Sleepers The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), along with four other companies, issued a recall on more than 165,000 infant incline sleepers due to a risk of suffocation. About According to the CPSC, the following companies have been impacted by the recall: Summer Infant, Graco, Delta Enterprises Corp., and Evenflo. The recall was issued due to reported infant fatalities after “the infants rolled from their back to their stomach or side, or under other circumstances” while using an infant incline sleeper. The CPSC urges consumers to immediately stop using the products listed below and to contact the companies to learn more about refund options. Recalled Products Recalled products include: Summer Infant’s SwaddleMe By Your Bed Sleeper Model Number 91394 Graco Little Lounger Rocking Seat Model Numbers 1872034, 1875063, 1875102, 1877160, 1882081, 1896313, 1908957, 1914283, 2047734, and 1922809 Delta Enterprise Corp. Deluxe Incline Sleeper Model Numbers 27404-2255, 27404-437, 27404-758, and 27404-942 Evenflo Pillo Portable Napper Model Number 12132125 More Information To learn more, read the full WTAE article. *Information provided by WTAE
October 22, 2019 Webinar Available | Meeting the Requirements of CPSL In response to changes to the child abuse clearances required of child care providers, the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) partnered with the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) to conduct the webinar, “Meeting the Requirements of CPSL: Ensuring the Safety of all Children in Care throughout PA.” About Due to high demand, PACCA posted a recording of their live webinar that was hosted on October 9, 2019. Featuring Tanya Vazquez and Diane Michel from OCDEL’s Bureau of Certification, the webinar discusses changes in Child Protective Services Legislation (CPSL). Webinar Topics Webinar topics include: requiring the National Sex Offender Registry verification certificate (NSOR), requiring individuals who have resided outside of Pennsylvania within the past five years to provide clearances from their previous state(s) of residency, and changes to clearance requirements for volunteers and individuals with an ownership interest in regulated child care. Watch the recording or visit their page to learn more. More Information For questions, contact your Regional Office of Child Development and Early Learning: Central Region: 717.772.7078 or 800.222.2117 Northeast Region: 570.963.4371 or 800.222.2108 Southeast Region: 215.560.2541 or 800.346.2929 Western Region: 412.565.5183 or 800.222.2149
October 17, 2019 CitiParks Annual Track & Treat Join Citiparks on October 26 for its annual “Track and Treat” event at the Bud Harris Cycling Track on Washington Boulevard. About Citiparks Track and Treat is a free, fun, and active seasonal event for children and families with a Halloween theme. Children and families are welcome to wear their Halloween costumes, bring their own bikes, or borrow one! Cycle around the Bud Harris Cycling Track–stopping along the way to learn bike etiquette, safety, and maintenance from the Pittsburgh Police Bicycle Unit and have fun decorating their bikes. Children can play a host of Halloween and seasonal games and win prizes, enjoy Pittsburgh Puppet Works Halloween shows and the Dr. Sparks Science Show, and enjoy giant bubble making, balloons, and face painting. Generous donations include Eat n’ Park Monster Mash Cookies and Bike PGH information and resources. Children and families can enjoy life-size hand-painted seasonal decor including a haunted house facade, a barn and barnyard characters, minion city, pumpkin people, and more. Games and Activities Games and activities include: Halloween Costume Contest (2 p.m.), Pumpkin Decorating, Inflatable Games, Pumpkin Cone Toss, Spider Corn Hole Toss, Pumpkin Bowling, Guess How Many (Candy Corn), Break a Balloon, and more! More Information To learn more, visit the CitiParks website.
