News

October 9, 2023

Upcoming Enrollment Application Assistance for Families

The Homewood Early Learning Steering Committee (HELSC) and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) – Homewood invite families to participate in a week-long enrollment application assistance event.

Families looking for assistance with completing online applications for open enrollment to early learning centers, schools, and neighboring educational programs can visit either of two locations from Monday, November 6 through Friday, November 10.

The event will be held at the Hub & Family Center (7219 Kelly Street, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15208) and CLP-Homewood (7101 Hamilton Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15208), during normal hours of operation.

Registration is not necessary to participate. Walk-ins are welcomed.

REGISTER

Note: All Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh locations offer drop in computer and scanning assistance during regular operating hours. Customers can also Book a Librarian for more 1-on-1 support.

More Information and Questions

For any questions or more information, please contact Toni Beasley, Director of The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center at toni@tryingtogether.org and/or Mary Phillips, Children’s Librarian CLP-Homewood at phillipsm3@carnegielibrary.org.

News

July 27, 2023

Resources for August Observances

Various organizations, states, and nations recognize a number of observances each month. Resources help parents, caregivers, and child care professionals acknowledge and navigate them.

Here is a list of resources for August observances:

Month-Long Observances

Summer Sun Safety Month

National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM)

Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month

Back to School Month

National Breastfeeding Month

Weeks of Recognition

August 6 – 12 is Exercise with Your Child Week

Days of Recognition

August 1 is National Night Out (NNO)

August 9 is National Book Lovers Day

August 15 is National Back To School Prep Day

August 26 is Women’s Equality Day

News

June 8, 2023

CDC Shares Sun Safety Tips for Schools

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have shared sun safety tips for schools, as recess and other outdoor activities can excessively expose children to the sun.

Teachers, school administrators, child care providers, out-of-school time (OST) professionals, and support staff can take steps to protect students from sun exposure and developing sun-related skin conditions later in life.

Sun Safety Tips For Schools

Increase Shade

Promote Sun-Safe Behaviors

  • Encourage students to wear hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen outdoors.
  • Try to avoid scheduling outdoor activities when the sun is strongest.
  • Provide breaks during outdoor activities so that students can reapply sunscreen and get water.

Use Proven Educational Programs

  • Proven skin cancer prevention interventions and educational programs are available for child care centers and schools.
  • The National Cancer Institute’s Evidence-Based Cancer Control Programs website lists sun-safety programs for schools.

Additional Information & Resources

About UV Rays and Sun Exposure

Ultraviolet (UV) rays are an invisible kind of radiation that comes from the sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps. UV rays can damage skin cells.

Protection from UV rays is important all year, not just during the summer. UV rays can reach individuals on cloudy and cool days, and they reflect off of surfaces like water, cement, sand, and snow.

In the continental United States, UV rays tend to be strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daylight saving time (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. standard time).

The UV Index forecasts the strength of UV rays each day. If the UV index is 3 or higher in your area, protect skin from too much exposure to the sun.

Additional Resources

The following resources offer additional information on sun exposure and sunscreen application:

Learn More

To learn more, visit the CDC website.

News

April 12, 2023

Applications Open for PA Farm-to-School Grant Program

The application period for the Pennsylvania Farm-to-School Grant Program is now open.

Through the program, any school, program, or center with a pre-kindergarten through 8th-grade classroom can apply for up to $15,000 in funding for healthy foods. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 19.

About the Farm-to-School Grant Program

The Pennsylvania Farm to School Grant Program aims to bridge the gap between children and the food system by connecting them to the fresh, healthy food available from Pennsylvania agricultural producers in their community and the surrounding areas.

Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (DOA), it can change food purchasing and education practices at schools and early childhood education sites, and help children become more aware and engaged with their local food system.

Farm-to-School Grant Program Details

Eligibility

All public school districts, charter schools, or private schools with pre-kindergarten classes, kindergarten classes, or elementary school classes through the eighth grade, and all center-based pre-schools located and operating within Pennsylvania may apply.

However, school districts wishing to submit multiple applications must have individual schools apply. This means that the applicant information must reflect the individual building, not the district or an individual person.

Grant Limitations

  • $500,000 is available for the Pennsylvania Farm-to-School Grant Program. Grants will be awarded on a funds-available basis.
  • Projects must be completed no later than June 30, 2025.
  • Grants will be funded as reimbursement grants.
  • A single grant shall be limited to 75% of the cost of the project.
  • Grant recipients must fund at least 25% of the project with a minimum 25% match cash or in-kind.
  • Each school may receive no more than $15,000 annually.
  • Recipients may use the value of in-kind support to match the amount granted.

Grant Uses

Grants can be used for:

  • training for teachers and staff
  • procuring local foods for school cafeterias
  • food supplies
  • educational opportunities:
    • classroom curricula
    • experiential learning
    • family and community involvement
    • field trips to local farms or other agricultural operations
    • school gardens for the purpose of education or to supply the cafeteria

Apply for a Farm-to-School Program Grant

Interested applicants must submit an application through the Single Application for Assistance online application between system before 5 p.m. on May 19. The DOA will not consider or review applications received after that time.

Applications Requirements

Interested applicants must:

Learn More

To learn more, visit the Farm-to-School Program Grant webpage, the Pennsylvania Bulletin website, or contact Patrick Andrews at RA-AGFARMTOSCHOOL@pa.gov or 717-772-1429.

News

April 27, 2021

New Recess Advocacy Toolkit

Amid concern for the welfare of children during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Recess Advocacy Team, co-led by Trying Together and the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, have created a toolkit highlighting research, strategies, and advocacy opportunities for play and physical activity at home and at school. Families and educators may use the toolkit to discover new ways to play this summer and to advocate for playful learning next school year.

About the Toolkit

The Recess Advocacy Toolkit is designed to be a resource for educators and families on the importance of recess and play for the healthy social-emotional growth of children and includes:

  • information on different types of play;
  • research to inform educators and administrators on the benefits  of recess;
  • testimonials and tips from Physical Education teachers; and
  • template emails and social media posts for digital advocacy.

Learn More

Families and educators may access The Recess Advocacy Toolkit on the Trying Together website. The creation of this toolkit was made possible by The Grable Foundation and Remake Learning Tomorrow Grants. For questions or suggestions, please contact recess@tryingtogether.org.

News

March 2, 2021

Study Opportunity: Parents Promoting Early Learning

Are you interested in participating in a fun, compensated research study? Sign up for the University of Pittsburgh’s Parents Promoting Early Learning study!

About

Parents Promoting Early Learning studies how parents and their two-year-old children (up to 38 months) interact and how such interactions help prepare the child for school. Due to COVID-19, this study will be conducted online. Laptops and WiFi are available by request.

Requirements

Study participants will be compensated and must complete:

    • two to three online video calls where the parent and child complete games and assessments,
    • questionnaires and interviews about the child’s development and activities, and
    • a one-year follow-up visit for more games and assessments.

Enrollment

If you are interested in enrolling, complete the study contact form.

More Information

For questions, please contact ppel@pitt.edu or 412.204.6845.

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News

December 11, 2020

New Mitigation Efforts To Take Effect 12/12

On December 10, Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine introduced temporary protective mitigation measures that will take effect in Pennsylvania on December 12 at 12:01 a.m.

About

Temporary mitigation measures will take effect on December 12, 2020, at 12:01 a.m., and remain in effect until 8 a.m. on January 4, 2021. These mitigation efforts were put into place to:

    • stop the devastating spread of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth,
    • keep Pennsylvania hospitals and health care workers from being overwhelmed, and
    • help Pennsylvanians get through the holiday season – and closer to a widely available vaccine – as safely as possible.

These efforts do not apply to educational instruction but do apply to school activities within and outside of the classroom that are not related to educational instruction, including, but not limited to, assemblies, school board meetings, staff meetings, and extracurricular activities. View the Frequently Asked Questions page for more information on school operations.

Limited-Time Mitigation Measures

Capacity Limits for Businesses
    • All in-person businesses serving the public may only operate at up to 50 percent of the maximum capacity stated on the applicable certificate of occupancy, except as limited by existing orders to a smaller capacity limit.
Indoor Gatherings and Events
    • Indoor gatherings and events of more than 10 persons are prohibited.
    • Groups of people who share space within a building in the ordinary course of operations, such as in an office building, classroom, licensed child care, and non-licensed school-age programs, production floor, or similar regularly occurring operation of a business or organization, are NOT classified as events or gatherings.
    • Churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, and other places of congregate worship are specifically excluded from the limitations set forth on indoor gatherings during religious services. However, these institutions are strongly encouraged to find alternative methods for worship, as in-person gatherings pose a significant risk to participants at this time.
Outdoor Gatherings and Events
    • Outdoor gatherings and events of more than 50 persons are prohibited.
In-Person Extracurricular School Activities
    • Voluntary activities sponsored or approved by a school entity’s governing body or administration are suspended, but these extracurricular activities may be held virtually. This includes, but is not limited to, attendance at or participation in activities such as musical ensembles, school plays, student council, clubs, and school dances.
K-12 School Sports and Youth Sports
    • All sports at K-12 public schools, nonpublic schools, private schools and clubs, travel, recreational, intermural, and intramural sports are paused.
In-Person Dining and Alcohol Sales
    • All in-person indoor dining at businesses in the retail food services industry, including, but not limited to, bars, restaurants, breweries, wineries, distilleries, social clubs, and private catered events are prohibited.
    • Outdoor dining, take-out food service, and take-out alcohol sales are permitted and may continue, subject to any limitations or restrictions imposed by Pennsylvania law, or this or any other Order issued by the Secretary of Health or by the Governor.

More Information

To view the full list of mitigation efforts, read the full press release. Answers to frequently asked questions are also available.

News

November 24, 2020

Free Tutoring Available for K-12 Students

Gwen’s Girls will continue to offer its free Academic Support Initiative virtual tutoring services for the upcoming 2020-21 school year. These services are available to any K-12 student who is attending school in Allegheny County.

About

Academic Support Initiative (ASI) tutoring is a free service offered to any K-12 student in the Pittsburgh area. Available tutors have a wide skill range that includes English Language Arts (ELA), Math, Science, Foreign Language, Special Education, and others. Tutoring services are offered throughout the academic year.

Gwen’s Girls offers group sessions for grades K-8 that are available Monday through Friday from 9 to 11 a.m., as well as individual sessions that are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tutoring services will be provided through remote live sessions.

Registration

To register for tutoring, visit the Gwen’s Girls website. Gwen’s Girls will assist families in getting the necessary equipment for success.

More Information

For questions, contact Gwen’s Girls at 412.904.4239 or contactus@gwensgirls.org.

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News

November 20, 2020

Tuition-Free Courses Available for ECE Professionals

Are you an early learning professional who is interested in earning an Associate’s Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, or Child Development Certificate? No- and low-cost options are available for eligible professionals in Pennsylvania through the Professional Development Organization (PDO).

Professional Development Organization

The Professional Development Organization (PDO) is a grant-funded educational collaboration among four universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and numerous partner universities, colleges, and community programs across the state to advance the career pathways of the early childhood workforce. PDO funding covers tuition, expenses, and other supports to help eligible early childhood educators earn credit-bearing credentials and degrees.

Tuition-Free Courses

Tuition-free courses are eligible for early childhood professionals who:

    • are Pennsylvania residents,
    • work in a Keystone STARS program, and
    • work a minimum average of 25 hours per week over an entire work year (during non-COVID times).

To determine your eligibility, complete the online application. Once your eligibility is confirmed, a PDO Liaison from your region will contact you to discuss your professional development options.

Available Pathways

The following pathways are available to advance your academic and professional development:

    • Child Development Associate Certificate (CDA)
    • Associate’s Degree, Early Childhood Education
    • Bachelor’s Degree, Early Childhood Education

Steps To Take

If you are interested in taking advantage of this limited-time opportunity, complete these three steps:

    • Apply for Tuition Assistance 

      Complete the application. Once submitted, an ECE Liaison will contact you to confirm your eligibility for tuition assistance, guide you through the application at a PDO partner university, college, or program, and help you register for classes. Be sure to check your spam folder as it may contain an email from your ECE Liaison.

    • Register for Classes 

      Class offerings at all schools and programs may change each semester. Check with an ECE Liaison or the school for details. View this document for examples of available classes.

More Information

For more information, contact Mimi Loughead at mimi@tryingtogether.org.

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News

November 16, 2020

Support Available Through Family Hotline

Need assistance in navigating the academic and personal needs of those in your household? Call this Family Hotline offered by the Pittsburgh Learning Collaborative.

About

In August 2020, A+ Schools, ARYSE, Lawrenceville United, the Latino Community Center, the Boys & Girls Club, and Heinz Fellows launched their new Family Hotline to answer questions and offer support to families as they navigate the academic and personal needs of those in their household.

The Hotline is available in 14 languages, including English, Spanish, Uzbek, Swahili, Nepali, Tigrinya, Kinyarwanda, Mandarin, Hindi, Burmese, French, Dari, Portuguese, and Arabic. Calls can be received 24/7. A representative may answer your call, but if not, please leave a voicemail. You will receive a call back within 48 hours on weekdays. Voicemails can be left in any language.

Hotline Phone Numbers

    • For calls in any language: 412.256.8536
    • Para llamadas en Español: 412.335.7446

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