Air Quality Index Nano Training & Supporting Materials

The Environmental Health Capacity (EHC) Program invites child care professionals to participate in a short nano learning course on air quality. The EHC program is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded program under the Division of Environmental Health Epidemiology (DEHE) with the Pennsylvania Department of Health. EHC seeks to provide outreach and education on topics related to children’s environmental health. After completing the training, please provide feedback by answering a few short questions to inform future outreach efforts to child care providers. Learn more and get the resources included with the training.

WIDA Early Years Sunsetting June 30, 2023

WIDA Early Years as a membership program for Pennsylvania is ending June 30, 2023. The four current free one-hour, self-paced, WIDA Early Years trainings that are in the PD Registry will no longer be available as of July 1, 2023. WIDA Early Years training coursework must be completed by July 1, 2023, to receive credit for the training. 

Trainers who completed the WIDA cohort may still offer in-person WIDA courses in the PD Registry (www.papdregistry.org) for a fee.

Although the WIDA Early Years program is ending, WIDA will continue to make PreK–3 resources available on the WIDA website under Early Language Development (this page will be renamed Teaching in PreK–3 starting July 1, 2023). Dual language learner resources can also be found on the Pennsylvania Key Dual Language Learners webpage.

As of September 1, 2023, WIDA will offer two new PreK-3 resources:

1. A new self-paced workshop, Exploring the WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions, will introduce educators to the new WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions. Educators will have an opportunity to build their knowledge and understanding of the Essential Actions and to reflect on their own ideologies, practices, and settings. Access to the course will require a WIDA Secure Portal account. Visit www.papdregistry.org and search the training calendar for Exploring the WIDA PreK-3 Essential Actions or contact Barry Wiestling ([email protected]) for information about how to set up a WIDA Secure Portal account and access this and other WIDA self-paced offerings.
2. A new Are We Ready? This resource will support PreK–3 educators to promote and provide equitable transitions for multilingual children and their families as they move through PreK-3. This resource will be available on the WIDA website.

If you have any questions please contact Barry Wiestling at [email protected]. 

ECE Recap To End

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has determined there is no longer a need to distribute the ECE Recap. The ECE Recap was developed during the pandemic to ensure providers and partners with a recap of the important email correspondence from OCDEL from the previous week.

OCDEL has been intentional around how often critical messages are being sent which has made the distribution of the ECE Recap unnecessary. The ECE Recap will be sent through June 2023, and the last edition will be sent on Monday, June 26, 2023.

OCDEL will continue to send important information via the Early Education News (monthly edition and Special Announcements) and the Certification News. Please sign up for both and other newsletters on the Pennsylvania Key website here.  

June Newsletters Now Available

Now available are the June release of newsletters from the Office of Child Development and Early Learning.

• PA Early Ed News
• Learning is Everywhere Family Newsletter
• Kindergarten Here I Come Newsletter
• Kindergarten Here I Am Newsletter

Free Summer Professional Development Series: First Series Starts Thursday!

Thursday, June 15, 2023, is the next workshop of the Learning Lamp and the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children's free summer professional development series to help school-age child care providers gain access to needed training.

Workshops will take place monthly through August from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the third Thursdays of the month via Zoom.

The series will offer numerous strategies to deliver high-quality summer camp sessions for pre-school and school-aged children.

PQAS hours and/or Act 48 credits will be awarded to participants for each completed two-hour session. For more information, visit www.thelearninglamp.org/events.

Two Weeks Remain: Child Care Providers to Order Two Free Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Two weeks remain until the June 30, 2023, deadline for Pennsylvania certified child care providers to order one or two Carbon Monoxide Detectors. 

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is making these detectors available to certified child care providers, but the ordering and placement of detectors is not a regulatory requirement. Certified child care providers should have received an email from School Health on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, with directions. See the original release for more details. 

Renewing Medicaid and CHIP Coverage

Pennsylvanians throughout the state may get information in the mail about renewing their Medicaid or CHIP coverage. If they and/or their children get health coverage through the state, they must complete a renewal every year. If this renewal is not completed, they and/or their children could lose Medicaid or CHIP coverage.

When this packet arrives, they must complete and return it by the date printed on the packet. They can send it in by mail or deliver it in-person at any local County Assistance Office. They can also complete the renewal by phone at 1-866-550-4355 or online at dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS.

To help spread the word to the families you serve, check out DHS’ Communications Toolkit (pa.gov) for print material, social media posts, and newsletter blurbs.