By Stefanie Camoni How long have you been a Quality Coach/STARS specialist? Meet Aubryn Wojtkielewicz. She started with Community Services for Children in October of 2015. When she first started with the agency, Aubryn was a Race to the Top Specialist. She was later promoted to an RTT Coach and is currently a Quality Coach...Read More

Submitted by Tracy Walter Early in 2019, the PA Key Program Quality Assessment team began orientations in partnership with the Branagh Group to introduce the LearnERS platform. LearnERS helps guide programs through a quality improvement process using the Environment Rating Scales. LearnERS is an online platform offered to center-based programs through a limited number of...Read More

Although the 5:00 pm March 19, 2021, deadline is fast approaching, there is still time for early childhood education (ECE) professionals to participate in the ECE Special Initiative for Janssen, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 Vaccine. ECE program directors should complete the Survey for Immunization Needs by 5:00 pm Friday, March 19, 2021, to provide a count of...Read More

Amy Hoffman A few weeks ago, a friend commented that her 5-year-old had been “feeling all the feelings” earlier in the day. He was reacting to those feelings by crying when she left his sight, yelling at his younger sister, and refusing to follow directions. And how did my friend react to this? She set...Read More

Early Childhood Education (ECE) professionals who did not submit their information during the initial phase of the Special Initiative for Janssen, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 Vaccine will have the opportunity to register during a second survey collection phase that will be open until 5:00 pm on Friday, March 19, 2021. Information from providers who submitted their registration...Read More

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) was awarded funding from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 (CRRSA). This funding will further support child care providers across Pennsylvania. Child Care Providers are authorized to use CRRSA funds to sustain business operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples of uses to...Read More

By Michelle Mallonee Long In a previous article “WYSIWYG” I shared the story of “The Trouble Tree” – Author unknown; and suggested using Shel Silverstein’s “The Giving Tree” as a starting point for a staff motivational series with a tree as the theme. I thought it may be a good idea to extend the topic....Read More

Governor Wolf will announce a free program that will help schools and child care facilities identify and address potentially harmful lead exposure to children. With federal funding from the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, the Office of Governor Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) launched the Pennsylvania Voluntary Lead...Read More

Deadline for Exclusive Enrollment Period—March 9, 2021, 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) To reach small businesses, such as family- and center-based child care providers, President Biden announced an exclusive Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application period for loans to businesses with fewer than 20 employees and to sole proprietors. Tuesday, March 9, 2021, at 5:00 p.m....Read More

Thank you for submitting your response to the OCDEL Survey of Immunization Needs. Please forward the Initiative ECE Registration Request Form to all eligible and interested staff link: Click here to access the Special Initiative ECE Registration Request Form. Staff must complete and submit the online form by 12:00 noon, Friday, March 12, 2021, in order...Read More