February 5, 2010

Trends and Reports

• In The Eye of The Beholder: Critical Components of Observation When Assessing Disruptive Behaviors in Young Children
• The Heckman Equation - Highlighting the Importance of Investing in Early Care and Education
• Policy Brief on Integrating Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation with the Pyramid Model 

OCDEL Corner

• Release of the PA Keys to Quality:  Regional Key Professional Development Delivery and Management of Keystone STARS Request for Application (RFA)
• Pennsylvania's 'Race to the Top' Fueled by Effective Reforms, Strong Local Support - State Stands to Receive up to $400 Million in Federal Grants to Accelerate Ongoing Educational Gains
• Coming soon: Request for proposals for Keystone Babies

In the Community

• Mifflin & Juniata Counties Celebrate Dental Health Month

Upcoming Events

• 2010 Events
• Children’s Coalition of the Lehigh Valley’s Family Policy Summit - February 18, Bethlehem
• Math All Around Us - March 1, Morrisville
• Different Like You: Exploring Culture and Diversity - March 2, Allentown
• Family, Culture, and Community - March  2, Pittsburgh
• Communication: Way More Than You Say - March 3, Fayette
• Simple Science Fun - March 4, Dauphin

Employment Opportunities

• Assistant Executive Director - Child Care Consultants, Inc.
• Resource and Referral Coordinator - Child Care Consultants, Inc.
• Subsidy Specialist - Child Care Consultants, Inc.
• Clinical Service Provider/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant - Penn State Harrisburg

Into Action

• ECE Professionals Needed for Wellness Assessment Pilot Project

Resources

• Making doctor's visits a bit easier for Pennsylvania Families
• Early Intervention Newsletter Winter 2009 Now Available
• Develop Skills and Techniques to Support ELL Students Effectively
• Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures Program
• New Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care Website!
• When to Call Your Child's Teacher
• Online Resources on Challenging Behaviors
• Funding Opportunity: Delaware County Intermediate Unit Extends Invitation to Child Care Agencies
• Funding Opportunity:  Heinz Endowments Announces Request for Proposals to Improve Lives of Pittsburgh Region African American Men and Boys
• Funding Opportunity:  Sprint Character Education Grant Program
• Funding Opportunity:  ConAgra Foods Foundation Community Impact Grants
• Funding Opportunity:  US Department of Education – Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems Grant
• Funding Opportunity:  US Department of Education - School Counseling Grants

Trends and Reports

In The Eye of The Beholder: Critical Components of Observation When Assessing Disruptive Behaviors in Young Children

Zero to Three has released In The Eye of The Beholder: Critical Components of Observation When Assessing Disruptive Behaviors in Young Children by Barbara A. Danis, Carri Hill, and Lauren S. Wakschlag.  Clinical observation is an essential component of a sensitive and accurate diagnostic assessment. The Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS) is a structured diagnostic tool encompassing 3 essential features of observation:

(a) the use of challenging tasks to elicit behaviors of interest; and

(b) opportunities to observe behavior with different people; and

(c) the clinician's conscious and deliberate use of self to offer various levels of support to better assess the child's capacities for self-regulation.

To read the report, please visit the Zero to Three website (pdf).

The Heckman Equation - Highlighting the Importance of Investing in Early Care and Education

The Heckman Equation Project has a website featuring Nobel prize-winning economist James Heckman's work to better understand the long-term benefits of investing in early care and education for disadvantaged children and their families. It includes a slideshow on "The Heckman Equation" and a variety of tools, videos, videos in Spanish, and speeches highlighting the long-term gains to be had by investing in early and equal development of human potential.

Policy Brief on Integrating Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation with the Pyramid Model

The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) has published a new policy brief, entitled Integrating Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation with the Pyramid Model (pdf) by Deborah F. Perry & Roxane K. Kaufmann. The brief provides an overview of Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation and how it can support implementation of the Pyramid Model for promoting the social emotional competence of infants and young children. Policy issues that arise when administrators seek to integrate these two approaches at the state and local levels are also discussed.

OCDEL Corner

Release of the PA Keys to Quality:  Regional Key Professional Development Delivery and Management of Keystone STARS Request for Application (RFA)

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning on behalf of the Department of Public Welfare announces the release of the PA Keys to Quality: Regional Key Professional Development Delivery and Management of Keystone STARS Request for Application (RFA).

The purpose of the RFA is to identify six Regional Key contractors to provide leadership, management and administration of all aspects of the Keys to Quality initiative at the Regional Level.

The mission of this initiative is to maintain a quality improvement system in which all early learning programs and practitioners are encouraged and supported to improve child outcomes.  Improvements in programming are designed to increase the capacity to support children's learning and development; increase educational attainment among practitioners; enhance professional skills and competencies in support of children's learning and development.

A direct link to the RFA is available. The RFA number is RFA 21-09.  Application deadline is two o’clock p.m. (2:00 P.M.) on March 31, 2010.

Questions regarding this RFA must be submitted no later than February 18, 2010 via email only (with the subject line “RFA #21-09 Question”) to RA-ocdearlylearning@state.pa.us.  The Issuing Office shall post the answers to the questions on the DGS website by February 25, 2010.

An optional Preproposal Conference will be held from 9:30-12:30 on February 18, 2010 at the Harrisburg PaTTAN 6340 Flank Drive Harrisburg, PA 17112.   Since facilities are limited, it is requested that prospective bidders limit representation to 2 individuals.

Pennsylvania's 'Race to the Top' Fueled by Effective Reforms, Strong Local Support - State Stands to Receive up to $400 Million in Federal Grants to Accelerate Ongoing Educational Gains

Pennsylvania's impressive record of academic gains, coupled with an innovative strategy for building on those achievements, puts the state in a strong position to land up to $400 million through the highly competitive federal “Race to the Top" program, Governor Edward G. Rendell said on January 19, 2010.

"We have worked hard in recent years to increase the performance of our students, as well as boost the state's commitment to adequate education funding - and we are getting results," Governor Rendell said. "Race to the Top provides us with a unique opportunity to accelerate our efforts."

On January 19, 2010, the commonwealth formally submitted a "Race to the Top" grant application to the U.S. Department of Education that seeks $400 million for education reforms - the maximum that Pennsylvania would be eligible to receive under federal guidelines.  Included with the grant was requested funding to expand the Early Learning Network to Kindergarten.

Pennsylvania and its participating school districts and charter schools plan to use the funding to implement a series of bold and ambitious initiatives at the state and local levels that will provide a strong catalyst towards the goal of ensuring every child receives a quality education that will be the foundation of a lifetime of success.

More than implementing reform, the participating districts and charter schools have made a commitment to meeting ambitious student achievement targets over the next four years, according to Education Secretary Gerald L. Zahorchak.

Zahorchak noted the list of participating districts and charter schools represents a diverse cross-section of students and includes many of the largest districts in Pennsylvania. The school districts and charter schools that submitted signed agreements collectively enroll more than 650,000 students, including 56 percent of all low-income students, 75 percent of all African-American students, and 71 percent of all Hispanic students.

Zahorchak said Pennsylvania's Race to the Top application will stand out nationally thanks to the strong commitment by local education leaders across the state.

In order to participate in Pennsylvania's Race to the Top application, a school district's superintendent, school board president, and local teacher's union president were required to sign an agreement committing to implement required activities and to meeting student achievement targets. Few states will be able to demonstrate such deep commitment to reform from critical stakeholders, according to Zahorchak.
 
Pennsylvania's application also includes letters of support from more than 130 individuals and entities from across Pennsylvania, including federal and state lawmakers, mayors, business leaders and educators.

The U.S. Department of Education has indicated it will use the level of local support for education reforms as one of the key criteria for gauging the strength of each state's Race to the Top application.

The Race to the Top grant competition represents the largest discretionary funding effort for education reform ever made available by the federal government -- $4.3 billion nationwide. The grants are not formula-based, but rather will be awarded to states that can show the strongest strategies and coordinated commitments to reform.

Pennsylvania's Race to the Top strategies will benefit each of the 1.8 million students in every one of its 500 districts. That's because the commonwealth will use a significant portion of its Race to the Top funding to build and deliver state-level tools and resources for all schools and all districts.

For additional details regarding Pennsylvania's Race to the Top application, including the primary objectives, accomplishments, and participating school districts, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education website.  For additional information on the Early Learning Network, please visit the PA Key website. 

Coming soon: Request for proposals for Keystone Babies 

Keystone Babies is a voluntary, center-based program offered to Pennsylvania Keystone STAR 3 or STAR 4 programs applying for  a classroom of infants and toddlers who are enrolled in the Child Care Works program. Keystone Babies uses evidence-based approaches to fill gaps in early childhood services, to extend high quality learning opportunities to Pennsylvania’s infants and toddlers, to promote all areas of child development (language, thinking, physical health, and social-emotional development), and offer supportive resources to their families. 

The anticipated start date of the program would be in April 2010, with services beginning in May.  Counties and cities eligible to apply were selected based  on availability of STAR 3 or 4 providers, high poverty and low reach informed by the 08/09 Pennsylvania Reach and Risk Study.  Identified counties include:  Armstrong, Blair, Bradford, Cambria, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Lycoming, Mercer, Mifflin and Venango. Programs in the following cities will also be eligible to apply:  Allentown, Bethlehem, Chester, Erie, Lebanon, McKeesport, Norristown, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, Scranton and York.

The program guidance and application information will soon be posted on the PA Key website.

In the Community

Mifflin & Juniata Counties Celebrate Dental Health Month

To celebrate February’s Dental Health Month Success By 6/United Way of Mifflin-Juniata will be highlighting the importance of good oral health by educating over 1,000 young children in Mifflin and Juniata County. For the third year, the presentations are made possible through collaboration with the Mifflin County Kiwanis, the Juniata County Kiwanis, and the Mifflin-Juniata Dental Clinic. The popularity of the Success By 6 Dental Outreach has grown from 12 presentations in 2009 to 55 presentations in 2010.  This year also includes the addition of the Lewistown Hospital School of Nursing students to be presenters. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reports that tooth decay (also called early childhood caries, or ECC) is the most common chronic children’s disease in the country. Approximately one out of ten two- year-olds already have one or more cavities; by age three, 28 percent of children do and by age five, nearly 50 percent of children do. Many parents assume that cavities in baby teeth don’t matter, because they’ll be lost anyway. But that’s not true. Dental decay in baby teeth negatively affects the permanent teeth and leads to future dental problems.

Information covered during the presentations will include; the proper way to brush and floss, what to expect when you go to the dentist, and eating healthy to keep your teeth healthy.  Each child will have the chance to ‘practice’ brushing the teeth of a stuffed animal with fake teeth as well as participate in an interactive healthy eating game. A ‘dental bag’ for each child includes a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, an hourglass style timer, dental health coloring book, a story book, and a Success By 6 Family Newsletter. 

Participating early childhood programs include; Rainbow Connection Day Care, Sonbeam Day Care, Presbyterian Preschool, Children of the Ark, St. John’s Christian Day Care, Snyder, Union, Mifflin Child Development, Panda Preschool & Day Care, Hide n Seek Christian Day Care, Calvary Bible Preschool, the Juniata Valley Y.M.C.A., Teddy Bear Day Care, Trinity Tots, Burnham United Methodist, McVeytown United Methodist, TIU #11 Even Start, Juniata County Head Start, Belleville Mennonite School and Patchwork Pals. This year Success By 6 is also piloting their Dental Outreach in the Kindergarten classrooms of the Juniata County School District.   

For additional information, please contact either Cristy Yoders at cyoders@mjunitedway.org or 717-436-0212, or Alison Eckley at successby6@mjunitedway.org or 717-436-0212.

Upcoming Events

2010

• February 4:  Loving Literacy, 717-270-4391
• February 4:  Taming the Stress Monster, 610-437-6000, x 7970
• February 6:  Countdown to Kindergarten, State College, 814-238-0331
• February 8:  Fighting Children's Obesity:  They Are What They Eat, 570-296-3400
• February 10:  Early Learning Advocacy Network Meeting, 610-253-5376
• February 11:  Professional Development Resources at Your Library, Altoona, (814) 946-0417 x156
• February 9-10:   Building Blocks Conference IX
• February 12:  Positive Discipline Conference, Fulton County, 717-485-5038
• February 19:  Language-based Approaches to Teaching Children with Autism
• Through February:  Webinar:  What's New with the Early Childhood Standards?
• February 25 & March 25:  The Philadelphia Foundation Open House
• March 16-17:   Parent Education and Advocacy Leadership (PEAL) Center 4th annual conference “Building Communities of Peace, Harmony and Respect”
• March 23:  Exploring Learning Styles, Bellwood, (814) 946-0417 x156

Children’s Coalition of the Lehigh Valley’s Family Policy Summit - February 18, Bethlehem

All community members are invited to attend the Children’s Coalition of the Lehigh Valley’s Family Policy Summit to be held on Thursday, February 18 from 8 am to 10 am at Moravian College, Haupert Union Building-UBC Rooms.  The Summit serves as an opportunity for you to:

Listen to the following guest speakers discuss the impact of Governor Rendell’s proposed 2010-2011 state budget on early childhood education, public education, and child welfare: 

• Mr. Ron Cowell, President of The Education Policy and Leadership Center
• Mr. Todd Klunk, Deputy Secretary for Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning
• Mr. Charles Songer, Executive Director of Pennsylvania Children and Youth Administrators Group

Learn about the key issues advocates must consider during the budget season and network with other advocates interested in children’s issues.

For those interested in attending, please R.S.V.P. directly to Carol Obando-Derstine, Executive Director of the Children’s Coalition of the Lehigh Valley at:  610-868-2805 or ed@childlv.org.  Registration can also be done on the Children's Coalition of Lehigh Valley website in the Upcoming Events section. 

Math All Around Us - March 1, Morrisville

This workshop will provide teachers with a variety of hands on engaging math ideas and activities to implement in the early childhood classroom. It will focus on the importance of integrating the Pennsylvania Early Learning Math Standards into the curriculum, while providing instruction in bridging informal and formal mathematical knowledge. 

For additional information, please contact Pat Miiller, Bucks County QCCC at pmiiller@earthlink.net or 215-806-2802.  

Different Like You: Exploring Culture and Diversity - March 2, Allentown 

Cultural identify is vital to a child's self concept. Are you culturally competent? Are you aware of your own perceptions, prejudices, and stereotypes? Join us as we discuss our similarities and differences and work towards accepting and respecting all cultures and families in our programs. 

For additional information, please contact Sheila Rapchak, Community Services for Children, Inc.  
at srapchak@cscinc.org or 610-437-6000, ext. 7970.

Family, Culture, and Community - March 2, Pittsburgh

Culturally relevant and anti-bias education requires us to understand the families, the culture of early childhood programs, and the communities in which we live and work. This session will support participants in identifying and learning more about the community and cultural context in which they work, as well as learn practical strategies for working with children and families to provide culturally relevant and anti-bias curriculum. Participants will engage in creating profiles of their communities and also develop diversity charts of the families they serve.  
  
For additional information, please contact Jennifer Fustich, Pittsburgh Public Schools Early Childhood Programs at jfustich1@pghboe.net or 412-325-6793.

Communication: Way More Than You Say - March 3, Fayette

Communication is trickier than you think, regardless if it's with children or adults! But it's the key to building relationships. In this interactive workshop, we'll explore what we can learn from Fred Rogers! Play some fun communication games to remind us of what's really important when we're trying to be effective. 
  
For additional information, please contact Jan Jordan, Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus at jxj8@psu.edu or 724-430-4211.

Simple Science Fun - March 4, Dauphin 

Would the kids in your care love to make their own worm farm, grow a caterpillar Chiai pet, enjoy the insect Olympics, having pet crickets or making ice cream in a bag? If so, then you will want to join us for numerous ideas for science activities and crafts you can do with kids of all ages that draw upon all disciplines.

For additional information, please contact Sandra Hall at Penn State Cooperative Extension, at sph3@psu.edu or 717-270-4391. 

Employment Opportunities

Assistant Executive Director - Child Care Consultants, Inc.

Child Care Consultants, Inc. is seeking an energetic, self-motivated individual to serve as Assistant Executive Director, Regional Key and Resource & Referral.  This position works closely with the Executive Director in the leadership of the agency and as Associate Director for the South Central Regional Key.  Provides supervision to the Resource & Referral Coordinator and STARS Coordinator as well as certain Specialist positions within the South Central Regional Key.   Strong organizational, analytical, communication and presentation skills are needed, as well as a thorough understanding of PA's early education and care system.  Must be able to adapt to a continually evolving environment and thrive in an autonomous and deadline-oriented workplace.  Requires frequent travel throughout the eight-county South Central region.  Minimum qualifications include:  Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field, as defined by the PA Keys to Quality Career Lattice.  Master's Degree a plus.  Five years related experience in early care and education, government, or human services as well as five years supervisory and management experience.  Word processing and database skills along with the ability to relate to a diversity of people required.

Send cover letter, resume, and salary history to:  Child Care Consultants, Inc., 13 West Market Street, York, PA  17401, Attn:  Executive Director, or info@ChildCareConsultants.org with the Subject line "Assistant Executive Director" by February 15, 2010.  EOE 

Resource and Referral Coordinator - Child Care Consultants, Inc.

Child Care Consultants, Inc. is seeking an experienced early education professional for the position of Resource and Referral Coordinator.  This individual will work under the general supervision of the Assistant Executive Director to plan and coordinate the day-to-day operations of the Parent Referral, Child Nutrition, and Child Care Recruitment and Support programs. Will supervise a staff of 6.  Minimum qualifications include:  Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education or a related field, as defined by the PA Keys to Quality Career Lattice.  Three years related experience in early care and education, government, or human services, including two years supervisory and management experience.  Familiarity with CACFP regulations strongly preferred.  Word processing and database skills along with the ability to relate to a diversity of people required.

Send cover letter, resume, and salary history to:  Child Care Consultants, Inc., 13 West Market Street, York, PA  17401, Attn:  Executive Director, or info@ChildCareConsultants.org with the Subject line "R&R Coordinator" by February 15, 2010. EOE

Subsidy Specialist - Child Care Consultants, Inc.

Child Care Consultants, Inc., the CCIS of York County, is seeking highly organized and detail oriented person for casework position, assisting families in need of help paying for child care. Must be computer literate, possess excellent communication skills, strong math aptitude, ability to work with diverse populations.  Experience with state regulations and/or the child care delivery system helpful. Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus.  Degree in human services or related field strongly preferred.

Send cover letter, resume, and salary history to:  Child Care Consultants, Inc., 13 West Market Street, York, PA  17401, Attn:  Subsidy Program Coordinator, or info@ChildCareConsultants.org with the Subject line "Subsidy Specialist" by February 15, 2010.  EOE

Clinical Service Provider/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant - Penn State Harrisburg

Penn State Harrisburg is accepting applications for a Clinical Service Provider/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant.  This is a full-time Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant position with The Capital Area Early Childhood Training Institute, a community outreach professional development organization.  This position will provide support services to practitioners working with children ages 0-5 years exhibiting challenging behaviors in early childhood programs.  Travel is required within an 8-county area.  Candidates must have a strong knowledge of child development, strengths-based communication skills and early intervention experience.  A degree in Early Childhood, Special Education, Social Work or Elementary Education or a related field is necessary.  Minimum Qualifications: Master’s degree or equivalent knowledge and one-yr. work-related experience working with young children.  

Electronically submit a cover letter and resume at the Penn State Job website or mail to The Pennsylvania State University, Employment and Compensation Division, Job #A-31426, Fifth Floor James M. Elliott Building, University Park, PA  16802 or fax to 814-865-3750.  Review of applications will begin on February 8, 2010 and continue until the position is filled.  Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity and the diversity of its workforce.

Into Action

ECE Professionals Needed for Wellness Assessment Pilot Project

Are you looking for an opportunity to enhance your consultant skills in the areas of children's nutrition and physical activity? If so, please consider this professional development opportunity for Consultants/Technical Assistants (pdf), Directors and Home Child Care Providers (pdf). There is mounting evidence for the association between physical activity and nutrition and academic performance. Early care professionals can have a huge impact on the development of healthy habits in children.  The Keystone Kids Go! workgroup is in search of early childhood programs interested in participation in this wellness assessment pilot project during February, March and April 2010. Programs must be a Keystone STARS provider.

Resources

Making doctor's visits a bit easier for Pennsylvania Families

Learning is Everywhere February welcomes families to the doctor's office with activities to assist families of children birth to Kindergarten in becoming more familiar with what to expect in a doctor's office, and activities to help pass the time while waiting.  Families can also find a new resource Your Child, Your Family and Your Healthcare Professional, to help them find the right healthcare professional for their child.  Information on Pennsylvania CHIP is also available. 

The Learning is Everywhere web pages wouldn't be complete without the recommendations from the Pennsylvania Commonwealth librarians on their favorite doctor themed books, as well as a listing of doctor themed songs!

Early Intervention Newsletter Winter 2009 Now Available

The Early Intervention Newsletter, Winter 2009 edition, Focus on Early Childhood Inclusion (pdf), is now available.

This edition features articles What Do We Mean by Early Childhood Inclusion?,  What Does the Research Say About Early Childhood Inclusion?, Family Perspectives on Inclusion, Inclusion and Universally Designed Learning, and many more!

Develop Skills and Techniques to Support ELL Students Effectively

This spring Pennsylvania’s PBS TeacherLine (pdf) is offering a series of online courses that focus on the specialized skills and techniques teachers can use to help English language learners accelerate their mastery of English while staying on track with classroom instruction.  Scholarships are available for PBS TeacherLine series of online courses that focus on the specialized skills and techniques teachers can use to help English language learners accelerate their mastery of English while staying on track with classroom instruction.

To register for this series of courses, visit WQLN website or call 1-800-727-8854 ext. 101.

Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures Program

Celebrate Dental Health Month with the Return to Tooth Kingdom supplemental kit, designed to enhance and extend the materials you are already using in your classroom. This year's components include classroom focused supplies:

• Return to Tooth Kingdom Board Game
• Updated Teacher’s Guide
• NEW! Bright Smiles for Children Oral Health Digest

And for each student:

• My Bright Smile™ Storybook (English & Spanish)
• Bright Smiles at Home Family Booklet (English & Spanish)
• Colgate® Kids Toothbrush
• Colgate® Kids Toothpaste

New Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care Website!

CLASP has redesigned the web resources for the Charting Progress for Babies in Child Care project. New pages for each of the project’s 15 recommendations feature easy-to-navigate tabs that contain:

• Research to “make the case” for the recommendation;
• A research bibliography;
• Policy ideas that states can use to move toward the recommendation;
• State examples including links to relevant legislation and regulations, a description of how the state developed and implemented the policy, and any cost data and evaluations or other data; and
• Online resources.

Users can also navigate to technical assistance tools that CLASP is developing to help states chart their own progress in improving infant/toddler care, as well as other related resources in CLASP’s Child Care and Early Education work.

When to Call Your Child's Teacher

It used to be that parents and teachers had set days and times for parent-teacher conferences, and communication outside the conference was rare. Thanks to email, school websites and social networking sites, parents and teachers can communicate with each other more easily and frequently. Despite that, some parents are still reluctant to contact their child's teacher. Don't be! A quick conversation or email exchange can solve simple misunderstandings, or make it clear that a longer, more formal conversation is needed.

The Reading Rocket website now offers a guide for families (pdf) that can assist them with contacting their child's teacher.

Online Resources on Challenging Behaviors

Thanks to generous funding by the Carl and Rebecca Deutsch Foundation, ZERO TO THREE has developed a set of resources designed to help you better understand and cope with some of the typical challenges parents face in the early years: Aggression, Defiance, Inconsolable Crying, Slow-to-Warm-Up Children, and Sleep. Visit the Zero to Three website to learn more.

Funding Opportunity: Delaware County Intermediate Unit Extends Invitation to Child Care Agencies

The Delaware County Intermediate County (DCIU) is inviting qualified child care agencies to submit proposals to provide early child care classrooms and education services on-site at the Pennington School, 245 Bethel Road, Glen Mills, PA  19342 and the Marple Campus, 85 North Malin Road, Broomall, PA  19008.  The Request for Proposal can be found on the front page of the DCIU website. 

Submission deadline:  4:00 p.m. of the 15th day of March, 2010.  Contact person:  Susan Handschuh, 610-938-9000 x 2287, shandschuh@dciu.org.

Funding Opportunity:  Heinz Endowments Announces Request for Proposals to Improve Lives of Pittsburgh Region African American Men and Boys                                                                           

The Heinz Endowments is seeking proposals for programs in targeted priority areas that will improve and increase life opportunities for African American boys and young men in the Pittsburgh region.  All proposals should seek to improve the well being of boys and young men and must address one or more of the program's priority areas — economic opportunity; educational opportunity; and identity, gender, and character development. 

For additional information, please visit the website of The Heinz Endowments.   

Funding Opportunity:  Sprint Character Education Grant Program

Sprint has announced the launch of the 2010 application period for the Sprint Character Education Grant Program, its annual character-education grant program for schools and school districts across the United States.  Now in its third year, the program awards Sprint Foundation grants to school districts and individual schools to fund resources that facilitate and encourage character education among K-12 students.  The program is open to all U.S. public schools (K-12) and U.S. public school districts.  The program will accept applications for character-education programs that promote and/or address youth leadership, youth volunteerism, a positive school culture, and drop-out prevention. 

For additional information, please visit the website for Sprint.   

Funding Opportunity:  ConAgra Foods Foundation Community Impact Grants

The mission of the ConAgra Foods Foundation is to pursue sustainable solutions to end childhood hunger and teach kids about nutrition so that children can get the nourishment they need today to flourish. The Foundation’s Community Impact Grants program provides grants to grassroots organizations that address childhood hunger and nutrition needs in communities where ConAgra Foods' employees live and work or states where 20% or more of children are food insecure. This includes Pennsylvania.

For additional information, please visit the ConAgra website.

Funding Opportunity:  US Department of Education – Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems Grant

The purpose of the Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems Grant is to increase student access to high-quality mental health care with innovative approaches that link school systems with local mental health systems. 

For additional information, please visit the website for the US Department of Education. 

Funding Opportunity:  US Department of Education - School Counseling Grants                               

The US Department of Education is offering School Counseling Grants to support efforts by local educational agencies to establish or expand elementary and secondary school counseling programs.   Any local education agency that does not currently have an active elementary and secondary school counseling grant is eligible to apply. 

For additional information, please visit the website for the US Department of Education, and reference CFDA Number: 84.215E