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Summer Food Service Program: Free Meals & Activities

News

June 11, 2019

Summer Food Service Program: Free Meals & Activities

The Summer Food Service Program is a federal program providing free meals and fun activities to kids 18 and under during the summer when school is out of session.

Who Can Visit A Summer Food Site?

Hundreds of sites are opening this summer throughout Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Somerset and Washington counties. Meals are served free to any kid 18 and under. There is no registration required to participate, kids can visit any site during its specified serving time to receive a free meal.

Find A Summer Food Site Near You

To find a summer food site near you:

More Information

For questions, call the United Way hotline at 2-1-1.

*Information provided by Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank

Empowering and Strengthening Relationships Across Early Childhood Settings

News

June 4, 2019

Empowering and Strengthening Relationships Across Early Childhood Settings

Join the Harvard Graduate School of Education on June 27 and 28 for “Empowering and Strengthening Relationships Across Early Childhood Settings,” a new program intended for early education leaders, principals, program directors, administrators, and teacher leaders.

About

“Empowering and Strengthening Relationships Across Early Childhood Settings” is offered as part of the Zaentz Professional Learning Academy, featuring the tools and resources of “Simple Interactions,” a collaboration between the Fred Rogers Center on Early Learning and Children’s Media and the Zaentz Initiative.

Led by Faculty Co-Chairs Junlei Li, Nonie Lesaux, and Stephanie Jones, this two-day on-campus institute offers participants a combination of practice-based learning experiences, research and theoretical insights from both within and beyond the early childhood field, and community-supported problem-solving.

Program Objectives

Participants will:

    • Define what is a developmental human interaction and how such interactions contribute to the full range of child development goals from language to social and emotional learning;
    • Envision and plan how to support the development of young children’s helpers and empower adult-child human interactions; and
    • Engage in practice-based conversations for professional learning settings and re-examine early childhood systems with a relationship-focused lens.

Program Costs

The program will be hosted on campus and will require a $199 tuition payment per person. Special rates are available for Program, Community, District, and Network Teams. Participants will receive a certificate of participation and a letter confirming clock hours of instruction.

Tuition includes all instructional materials, however, participants will have to pay for associated travel expenses and hotel accommodations. For more information, visit their Payment page.

Registration

Registrations must be submitted by June 20, 2019, via the event website.

More Information

For more information, visit the event webpage or email ppe@gse.harvard.edu.

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APOST Summer Conference for Out-of-School Time

News

June 3, 2019

APOST Summer Conference for Out-of-School Time

Join Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School-Time (APOST) on June 14 for their Summer Conference for Out-of-School Time. PQAS/Act 48 credit available upon request.

About

The APOST Summer Conference for Out-of-School Time is a professional development conference that shares best practices in youth development. This conference is open to youth practitioners who desire to increase their skills in working with youth in out-of-school time programs or in mentoring relationships. This year’s event will feature Keynote Speaker Timothy Jones, an expert in youth development and hip-hop culture/pedagogy who has developed, implemented, and evaluated out-of-school time programs inside and outside of schools for over 20 years.

Limited free parking is available, but carpooling is recommended.

More Information

To learn more and register, visit APOST’s Eventbrite page.

For questions, contact APOST via phone at 412.456.6876.

HundrED Announces Pittsburgh Spotlight Selections

News

May 29, 2019

HundrED Announces Pittsburgh Spotlight Selections

In March of 2019, HundrED released their full list of Pittsburgh Spotlight innovation submissions. Now, after two months of careful deliberation and assessment, HundrED has announced their 12 featured innovative solutions.

About the Spotlight

In partnership with the Grable Foundation and Remake Learning, HundrED’s Pittsburgh Spotlight shines a light on the educators and innovators doing extraordinary things to help students in southwestern Pennsylvania succeed. Receiving 82 individual submissions from southwestern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia schools, museums, libraries, nonprofits, government agencies, and more, the Pittsburgh Spotlight is a great opportunity for changemakers to highlight, celebrate, and learn more about the work happening in local communities.

While HundrED Spotlights are designed to identify 10 of the most inspiring innovations that focus on a location or theme, Lasse Leponiemi, Executive Director and Co-Founder of HundrED said,

“Pittsburgh broke that mold. The response was so robust that we chose to expand our selection to 12 innovations.”

Selected Innovations

    • Simple Interactions: This research project of the Fred Rogers Center creates free tools and resources to give educators a language for noticing and affirming their interactions with young children. These simple interactions support relationships between children and adults.
    • Fabricating Change in Mental Wellness: Students diagnosed with mental health conditions work side by side with social workers, therapists, and teachers in this digital Fab Lab at Intermediate Unit 1. The results: increased participation, improved engagement, and fewer disruptions.
    • The Finch: Borne out of research about what engages and excites students in learning computer science, this robot developed by BirdBrain Technologies can be programmed to do physical actions in 9 different coding languages. A free loan program makes it widely available to schools.
    • Global Minds Initiative: Founded, designed, and run by students, this after-school program combats intolerance by fostering intercultural friendships and global understanding. Immigrant and refugee students come together with their peers in safe, inclusive spaces.
    • Hillman Academy: At this 8-week full-time summer program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, high school students perform cancer research under the mentorship of world-renowned scientists in a rigorous, supportive, real-world STEM environment.
    • JAM: Two first-grade girls’ interest in making things to help their community has blossomed into an after-school maker learning program at Avonworth School District that is a catalyst for kindness in school and an engine for raising funds for community causes.
    • MAKESHOP: The first museum makerspace, this permanent exhibit at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is a research-based learning environment where children and families make, play, and design using “real stuff.”  And they offer professional development, maker learning resources, and more.
    • Summer Dreamers Academy: By combining the academic benefits of summer school with the fun of camp, this free summer program run by Pittsburgh Public Schools reduces summer learning loss while giving Pittsburgh students fun, enriching summer experiences.
    • transformED:  Allegheny Intermediate Unit is rethinking teacher professional development and support for school districts implementing innovative practices. At transformED, educators explore, discover, invent, and learn.
    • Youth Express: Students use the tools of radio to create and distribute original programming through Saturday Light Brigade‘s 24/7 radio station. Programming is based on the idea that when youth realize that their voice matters, they realize that they matter.

To learn more, visit the HundrED website.

See HundrED’s official release.

About HundrED

HundrED is a not-for-profit organization that researches, highlights, and propels K-12 education innovations in an effort to improve education and inspire a grassroots movement by encouraging pedagogically sound, ambitious inventions to spread across the world. The Pittsburgh Spotlight is one of 6 individual spotlight categories, all centered around specific regions or topics. Through this spotlight, HundrED seeks to highlight educators and innovators in our area that are doing extraordinary things to help students.

Interested in highlighting your innovative solution? Submit your innovation for HundrED’s 2020 Global Collection by June 30, 2019.

*Information provided by HundrED

Cast Your Vote: 2019 WQED Reader’s Choice Award

News

May 28, 2019

Cast Your Vote: 2019 WQED Reader’s Choice Award

Community members are invited to take part in selecting the 2019 WQED Reader’s Choice Award Winner by casting their votes by Friday, May 31.

About

For the past 10 years, WQED has partnered with The EQT Corporation to present the Writers Contest to children throughout their viewing area. Through the support of EQT, WQED has been able to reach out directly to schools, libraries, and families throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia to encourage children to submit their original stories and illustrations.

In the 10 years of sponsorship from EQT, WQED has received over 12,000 story entries, communicated with hundreds of teachers and librarians to provide them with resources, impacted thousands of WQED viewers with messages about the contest, and provided a website full of information that encourages students and arms adults with relevant literacy information.

Cast Your Vote

Voting is now open and will end on Friday, May 31st at 12:00 p.m. The Reader’s Choice Award Winner will be announced on Monday, June 3. To learn more and cast your vote, visit the WQED website.

*Information provided by WQED

City Receives Grant to Support Safe Travel for Schoolchildren

News

May 22, 2019

City Receives Grant to Support Safe Travel for Schoolchildren

On May 22, 2019, officials from Mayor William Peduto’s administration discussed a state grant of more than $450,000 to support safe routes to school for elementary and middle school students in Pittsburgh.

About

A bill was discussed at Pittsburgh City Council’s standing committees meeting accepting $464,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT) Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program, which provides assistance to municipalities to support the creation of safe and appealing alternatives to single occupant vehicle travel.

More than 30 million Americans nationwide transport their children to and from schools every day, which research shows increases hazardous road conditions and harms the environment. The Safe Routes to School program seeks to address that by supporting walking and biking to school, leading to eased traffic conditions and better health for schoolchildren.

“The ability to walk or bike to school has long been one of the classic characteristics of Pittsburgh, but over recent decades it has become increasingly hazardous for children, who are our most valuable and vulnerable travelers,” said Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) Director Karina Ricks. “This grant will allow us to dedicate resources to help us collaborate with school leaders and parents to identify areas where low-cost improvements can be rapidly implemented.”

What’s Next?

DOMI is proposing using the PennDOT grant to hire a Safe Routes to School coordinator who is part educator, part engineer and will work on programming for students to walk and bike more easily. The coordinator will work on traffic calming and other safety improvements on streets near schools best suited for walking and biking.

Once approved, DOMI plans to have a person in the position by the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year.

Learn More

To learn more about PennDOT’s Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside program, visit their website.

*Information provided by the City of Pittsburgh

Development Through the Eyes of an ELL Child

News

May 20, 2019

Development Through the Eyes of an ELL Child

Join Professor Lois Wachtel in this edWebinar as she discusses early childhood developmental milestones through the eyes of a child, particularly an English language learner (ELL) child. Those who work with three- and four-year-old children will have the opportunity to take a closer look at their growth.

About

While we know all young children are amazing individuals, can you recall the vast amount of growth that is taking place in their world on a regular basis? At what age can we expect young children to be able to answer a simple question, name familiar colors, throw a ball, or demonstrate simple problem-solving skills?

During this webinar, Wachtel will discuss all this and more, providing a well-rounded perspective of how young children are building language, physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and motor development skills. Specific examples will be provided with ELLs in mind.

Time for questions will be provided. Continuing Education Credits available.

Registration

For more information and to register, visit the event website.

Allegheny County Children’s Fund Community Meeting

News

Allegheny County Children’s Fund Community Meeting

Spanish-speaking community members are invited to join the Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group on June 18 at the YWCA Building in Downtown Pittsburgh to share their views on what works best and what additional support is needed when it comes to early learning and out-of-school time.

About

Allegheny County’s goal is to make sure that every child can benefit from quality early learning and out-of-school time. A series of six Community Meetings are being held across the County to learn from families, caregivers, and educators what access to quality early learning and out-of-school time looks like today—from your perspective and in your community.

Each meeting will include child care, refreshments, and opportunities for community members to voice their input on how Allegheny County can be a leader for kids moving forward.

Community Meeting Dates

The Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group and community members will convene on the following dates:

    • City Meeting – May 30 | 6:30 p.m. | Jeron X Grayson Center, Hill District
    • West Meeting – June 3 | 6:30 p.m. | The Landing Community Center, Moon Township
    • South Meeting – June 4 | 6:30 p.m. | Bethel Park Community Center
    • North Meeting – June 5 | 6:00 p.m. | Shaler North Hills Library
    • East Meeting – June 12 | 6:30 p.m. | Founders Hall Middle School, McKeesport
    • Spanish-Language Meeting – June 18 | 6:30 p.m. | YWCA Building, Downtown Pittsburgh

Registration & Questions

Visit the Community Meeting website to learn more, RSVP, or contact event organizers.

Allegheny County Children’s Fund Community Meeting

News

Allegheny County Children’s Fund Community Meeting

Join the Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group on June 12 at Founders Hall Middle School in McKeesport to share your views on what works best and what additional support is needed when it comes to early learning and out-of-school time.

About

Allegheny County’s goal is to make sure that every child can benefit from quality early learning and out-of-school time. A series of six Community Meetings are being held across the County to learn from families, caregivers, and educators what access to quality early learning and out-of-school time looks like today—from your perspective and in your community.

Each meeting will include child care, refreshments, and opportunities for community members to voice their input on how Allegheny County can be a leader for kids moving forward.

Community Meeting Dates

The Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group and community members will convene on the following dates:

    • City Meeting – May 30 | 6:30 p.m. | Jeron X Grayson Center, Hill District
    • West Meeting – June 3 | 6:30 p.m. | The Landing Community Center, Moon Township
    • South Meeting – June 4 | 6:30 p.m. | Bethel Park Community Center
    • North Meeting – June 5 | 6:00 p.m. | Shaler North Hills Library
    • East Meeting – June 12 | 6:30 p.m. | Founders Hall Middle School, McKeesport
    • Spanish-Language Meeting – June 18 | 6:30 p.m. | YWCA Building, Downtown Pittsburgh

Registration & Questions

Visit the Community Meeting website to learn more, RSVP, or contact event organizers.

Allegheny County Children’s Fund Community Meeting

News

Allegheny County Children’s Fund Community Meeting

Join the Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group on June 5 at the Shaler North Hills Library to share your views on what works best and what additional support is needed when it comes to early learning and out-of-school time.

About

Allegheny County’s goal is to make sure that every child can benefit from quality early learning and out-of-school time. A series of six Community Meetings are being held across the County to learn from families, caregivers, and educators what access to quality early learning and out-of-school time looks like today—from your perspective and in your community.

Each meeting will include child care, refreshments, and opportunities for community members to voice their input on how Allegheny County can be a leader for kids moving forward.

Community Meeting Dates

The Allegheny County Children’s Fund Working Group and community members will convene on the following dates:

    • City Meeting – May 30 | 6:30 p.m. | Jeron X Grayson Center, Hill District
    • West Meeting – June 3 | 6:30 p.m. | The Landing Community Center, Moon Township
    • South Meeting – June 4 | 6:30 p.m. | Bethel Park Community Center
    • North Meeting – June 5 | 6:00 p.m. | Shaler North Hills Library
    • East Meeting – June 12 | 6:30 p.m. | Founders Hall Middle School, McKeesport
    • Spanish-Language Meeting – June 18 | 6:30 p.m. | YWCA Building, Downtown Pittsburgh

Registration & Questions

Visit the Community Meeting website to learn more, RSVP, or contact event organizers.