Latest News

Million Girls Moonshot Comes to Pennsylvania! State’s Afterschool Network Joins Nationwide Effort To Close the Gender Gap in STEM

The STEM Next Opportunity Fund announced a multi-year grant to PSAYDN as part of the Million Girls Moonshot. The Intel Foundation and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation have joined STEM Next Opportunity Fund and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to launch the Million Girls Moonshot. The effort is designed to engage one million school-age girls in the United States in STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — learning opportunities over the next five years. The organizations will provide grant funding and in-kind resources to Mott-funded afterschool networks in all 50 states to increase access to hands-on, immersive STEM learning experiences. The first-year Pennsylvania grant, just awarded, is for $55,500.

Keynote Speakers announced for 2020 Paving the Way to Educational Success conference

This virtual event Oct 13 through Oct 15, 2020, is a unique opportunity is a unique opportunity for school district foster care points of contact, homeless liaisons, child welfare agency points of contact, child welfare private providers, shelter staff, educators, school social workers, pupil services personnel, school counselors, and any other professionals to deepen knowledge and practice for working with students experiencing homelessness and students in foster care.

Shine Your Light

Center for Schools and Communities and Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) are gearing up for the 21st Lights On Afterschool on Thursday, October 22, 2020 by getting the word out! Now more than ever, afterschool programs are rising to the moment to keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic — and Lights On Afterschool shines a national spotlight on their impact! Join us for a Lights On celebration like none other!

When you register your event as an official Lights On Afterschool celebration, you will receive an event starter kit, which includes 10 free posters to help you promote your event, and make you eligible for cool prizes each week.

New Report Cites Importance of Balancing Changes for COVID-19 with Security Protocols to Prevent Violence

Center for Safe Schools Offers School Safety Assessment Services
Recently, the United States Department of Justice released a report that highlights key practices to prevent school attacks, as well as the importance of comprehensive school safety assessments. The Center for Safe Schools Certified Assessment Team conducts comprehensive safety assessments that meet and often exceed all recommendations and requirements of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

Parents Providing Support: Helping Our Children Return to School

Monday, August 24, 2020  |  3:00-4:30 p.m.  |  Online Panel, FREE

CPSEL is pleased to announce this online panel discussion to help parents with students who are returning or have just returned to school – whether virtually, hybrid or live. Through the lens of social and emotional learning, our panelists will share thoughts, strategies and practices for helping our students returning to school during this challenging time in history.

Reopening of School and Planning Remote Learning in Afterschool

Center for Schools and Communities and its initiative Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network are pleased to announce this free webinar offered in partnership with leading state organizations on Thursday, August 27 at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

As schools reopen, students will experience a variety of learning methods based upon each local school and health district plan. Some schools may be teaching in a remote manner, while youth participate in afterschool programs all day.

2021 English Language Development Virtual Professional Learning Summit – Call for Proposals

The Center for Schools and Communities, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), is seeking presentation proposals for the 2021 ELD Virtual Professional Learning Summit. This summit is designed to provide a space for parents, teachers, administrators, scholars, and PDE staff to engage in professional practices of knowledge sharing, discussion, critical analysis, and re-visioning of educational policies and practices to advance the quality of educational experiences for English learner students and families. The planning committee seeks high-quality, virtual sessions that explicitly draw connections between current theory and research and educational practice.

Interstate Summer Virtual Camp for Migrant Middle School Students a Success

Brain STEM: An Interstate Summer Virtual Camp for Migrant Middle School Students began Monday, August 3 with more than 50 students from Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Colorado, Nebraska and Pennsylvania. Languages spoken among the student population were Nepali, Swahili, Somali, Khmer, Gwich’in (Alaska Native), Qʼanjobʼal (Mayan/Guatemala), and Spanish.

Webinar Addresses Needs of Grieving Children and Family

Center for Schools and Communities Family Support Initiative, with support from the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) will host “Weaving Together Love and Loss: Supporting Grieving Children and Families” webinar on Wednesday, August 12 at 10:00 a.m. EDT.

PSAYDN’s Youth Entrepreneurial Pitch Program Looking for Afterschool Participants

Deadline: Friday, August 14, 2020
Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) is seeking afterschool programs who would be interested in participating in the Youth Entrepreneurial Pitch Program. This program encourages middle and high school students to explore creating and developing their own product or business and pitching their idea to their family, friends, and afterschool partners in an afterschool event.

English Language Development Virtual 2020-2021 Workshops – Registration Now Open

Join Center for Schools and Communities English language development (ELD) experts for these free virtual workshops. Events are open to any educator who is currently employed by a public licensed educational agency. Space is limited in each session; register today!

First Interstate Migrant Education Summer Virtual Program includes students from Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska and Pennsylvania

Camp Connect is a 4-day virtual camp offered July 20-23, 2020 and is designed for high school migrant students. Through virtual learning, participants will gain leadership skills and strengthen academics around STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math). This virtual camp allows the student’s unimpeded access to build relationships with other campers, feel safe and secure, and establish rapport with the instructors and other staff.