Saturday, March 28, 2015, 12-‐3pm, Homewood Early Learning Hub: Early Learning Block Party. Please join PAEYC and The Homewood Children’s Village in kicking off 2015’s Month of the Young Child (April) at 7219 Kelly Street, 15208. There will be many fun activities for young children and their families including music, storytellers, crafts and more. Come rain or shine! Questions contact Becky at bmercatoris@paeyc.org. No registration necessary. Tuesday, March 31, 2015, 6pm: The Girls Coalition is partnering with WQED to screen episode two of ‘A Path Appears’. The screening will take place in the Fred Rogers studio at WQED and will be followed by a panel discussion. The entire event also will use Ovee which allows people to watch the screening and discussion online, and to participate through social media. One of the key messages presented in episode two of A Path Appears, the follow-‐up film to Nikolas Kristoff and Cheryl Wu Dunn’s Half the Sky, is the connection between lack of access to early education and poverty. This is a free event. To register, visit http://wqedapathappears.eventbrite.com. Thursday, April 2nd, 2015, 7pm, William Pitt Union, Assembly Room, Pitt Symposium. Open to the public. PAEYC and University of Pittsburgh School of Education Symposium: “A City Hall Meeting on Early Childhood Education” A panel of city officials, early learning providers, school board members, and other stakeholders in the field will discuss the importance of making Pittsburgh more kid-‐friendly and prioritizing policy in support of early childhood education. The panelists will also examine the efforts taking place in the City to promote early leaning, the challenges faced, and what can be done to overcome the challenges in terms of City policy and legislation. Questions contact Adrienne at abox@paeyc.org. No registration necessary. Month of the Young Child Proclamation at City Council, Tuesday, April 7, 2015, 10am: Thursday, April 9-‐Friday, April 10, 2015, @ the Ramada Greensburg Hotel & Conference Center. The 14th Annual Building Blocks Conference allows attendees to discover areas that are important in assisting them to define and implement best practices that help to support children with special learning needs. This year’s presenters will be sharing innovative approaches to creating a ‘well behaved’ environment. Sponsored by Westmoreland IU 7, PAEYC, & WCSI. Registration & fee required. Act 48 & PQAS approved. Questions contact Debi McKeever, buildingblocks@achieva.info. Thursday, April 9, 5-‐8pm, Auditorium, Westmoreland County Community College, Student Affiliate Dinner. The celebration is being co-‐sponsored by Carlow University and WCCC, with support from 1 PAEYC, will emphasize the benefits of play for young learners. A dinner for Early Education students and instructors; Dr. Roberta Schomburg, former Vice President of NAEYC, an educator who has conducted research and speaking engagements worldwide on play and other topics, as well as one of Carlow’s most delightful experts will keynote the event! Members from The Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative will present an interactive panel discussion, encouraging attendees to share their own thoughts, experiences and questions, as we appreciate the vital nature of student involvement in the discussions concerning current and future practices. Cost: $15. To register, please contact Molly at mollym@paeyc.org. Saturday, April 11, 2015, 8:30-‐3:30pm, PAEYC Early Learning Hub in Hazelwood, Home-‐based Providers Professional Development Day. Topics include ‘Everyday Interactions Matter’, the Importance of Play, Sensory Activities in the Home, and Storytime with Children. Sponsored by PAEYC, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, COTRAIC & Southwest Regional Key. Cost: $21. Breakfast & lunch provided as well as Act 48 & PQAS hours. Questions contact Kim at kzimmerman@paeyc.org. To register, visit www.pakeys.org. Sunday, April 12, 2015, 1-‐4pm, Father Ryan Arts Center, 420 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA: Bedtime STOry ROX! Hosted by Focus On Renewal (FOR), this free family-‐focused early literacy festival features celebrity storytellers and fosters learning, social interaction and fun activities for preschool-‐ age children and their families. April is the Month of the Young Child and the Father Ryan Arts Center will join with PAEYC and Brightside Academy to celebrate. Other partners include the FOR Sto-‐Rox Library and Focus On Renewal’s Family Foundations/Early Head Start, Positive Parenting Family Support centers. Preschoolers are welcome to wear pajamas and slippers while listening to storytellers, participating in fun arts and crafts, and enjoying milk and cookies. Questions contact Greg at gquinlan@forstorox.org. No registration necessary. Friday, April 17, 2015, 8am, Westmoreland County Legislative Breakfast, Greensburg Country Club: Friday, April 17, 2015, 5:30-‐7:30pm @The Kingsley Center: ‘One World…Many Stories’. A family reading event hosted by Jeremiah’s Place. The evening’s activities are geared toward young children and their parent and will include Reading Circles, which will include local authors and character meetings. Each child will receive a “passport” and travel around to the reading circles, listening to stories and receiving a stamp in their passport. Children will be able to create passport photos using a polaroid camera. Art supplies will be provided to decorate children’s One World -‐ Many Stories passports and add a personal message or drawing to the Birthday Banner to celebrate Jeremiah’s Place first year anniversary. Finally children will select one book to take home in addition to the books and or activities from the reading circles. This is a free event. Questions contact Eileen at volunteer@jeremiahsplace.org. Saturday, April 18, 2015, Hilton Hotel in Harrisburg. All day, Leadership in Action: PA Early Childhood. Forum Join us all day at the Hilton Hotel in Harrisburg on Saturday, April 18, 2015 for an exciting day of professional development offered through an array of workshop sessions to support your journey in leadership and public policy. Keynote speaker, Luis A. Hernandez will provide a motivating and energizing presentation and will share insights from the field during his keynote “The Power of Passion!.” Questions contact Rose, rsnyder@pennaeyc.org. To register visit, www.pennaeyc.org. 2 Tuesday, April 21, 2015, 6-‐8pm, Allegheny Intermediate Unit at 475 East Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA 15120: Family Fun Night to Celebrate Young Learners. The event will include a visit from Clifford, Wonder Red and PBS, who will provide technology support. There will be fun art activities, sensory experiences and the Imagination Playground. Information regarding literacy, speech and language therapy, health/safety, summer camps and more will be provided. This is a free event. No registration required. Thursday, April 23, 2015, 10-‐11am, Hazelwood Library, Meet the Author & Illustrator: Greg Pizzoli. Number One Sam introduces young readers to Sam, the best race-‐car driver in history -‐-‐ always finishing first in every race. When his best friend, Maggie, shows that she has racing talent of her own, Sam doesn't know how to handle coming in second place and learns that some things are more important than being number one. The 2015 One Book, Every Young Child selection, Number One Sam, by Philadelphia, PA author Greg Pizzolli, uses repetition, vivid pictures and action words to help preschoolers develop such early learning skills as vocabulary, letter knowledge and print awareness. Mr. Pizzolli will read Number One Sam during a celebration of reading, which will includes activities designed specifically for children age 3-‐6 and their families. This event is free to the public; please register online @ the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh website or by calling 412-‐421-‐2517. Thursday, April 23, 2015, 6-‐8pm: PA One Book Professional Development Session. (Number One Sam, Greg Pizzoli). The PA One Book, Every Young Child program promotes early literacy. This workshop will provide practitioners with lesson plans, book lists, songs and finger plays for this year's book, Number One Sam by Greg Pizzoli. Sponsored by PAEYC, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh & the Southwest Regional Key. Questions contact Kim at kzimmmerman@paeyc.org. To register visit, https://eventbrite.com/event/16207434874/. Special thank you to our sponsors First National Bank. Friday, April 24, 2015-‐Tuesday, April 28, 2015, Pittsburgh: NAEYC Governing Board Meeting. Full itinerary to be determined. Board members will attend the Ultimate Play Day on Sunday, April 26th and visit the Homewood Hub on the morning of Tuesday, April 28th. Sunday, April 26, 2015, 1-‐4pm, Burgwin Park, Greater Hazelwood: Ultimate Play Day! Bring your family and enjoy a day of play. Hosted by the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, this event is a great way to experience the importance of play in your life. Held at Burgwin Park in Greater Hazelwood, this year's event will have you hula-‐hooping, creating games from recycled materials, drumming, exploring nature and more. This is a free event. No registration required. Wednesday, April 29, 2015, 1-‐2pm, Hosanna House Child Development Center, 807 Wallace Avenue, Wilkinsburg, PA 15221: Gainey Community Forum on Early Childhood Education hosted by Representative Gainey. Free & open to the public. Wednesday, April 29, 2015, 4-‐8pm, Carnegie Museum of Art: Celebration Dinner. Sponsored by First National Bank. This annual event is a night to celebrate YOU, the early childhood practitioner. You will be joined by Rhian Evans, Executive Director of NAEYC followed by Junlei Li, Fred Rogers Center, St. Vincent College for the keynote. Join your colleagues for a night of networking, an opportunity to remember those who have worked so hard in the field and celebrate the work you do each day. Photo booth, live entertainment, drinks, appetizers and dinner will be provided. To register, visit, http://2015paeyccelebrationdinner.eventbrite.com. 3