ELRC Region 5

This week's Provider Tip of the Week features health and safety tips for summer activities. As the weather gets warmer and outdoor play increases, remember to focus on sun safety and hydration!

• Encourage children to drink water throughout the day, even before they say they are thirsty.
• Plan outdoor activities during cooler parts of the day when possible, and remind families to send labeled water bottles, sunscreen (if permitted), and weather-appropriate clothing such as hats and lightweight layers.
• Regular handwashing after outdoor play and water activities also helps keep children healthy and safe during the busy summer season!

Find more useful information for early childhood education providers in this week's newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/alleghenycounty/elrc-providers-5023379

Looking for more tips like these? Subscribe to the ELRC Region 5 provider newsletter for a new tip each week: https://www.elrc5.alleghenycounty.us/enewsletter-sign-up

Next week, join ELRC Region 5 and our quality partner Trying Together for Introduction to ASQ-3®, a PD course that covers how to use the ASQ-3 as a screening tool for children ages 3 months to 5 years.

🗓️ Thursday, June 25
⏰ 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
📍 Virtual (Zoom)

The session provides information on why a developmental screening tool is administered in early childhood programs, how to administer and score the screener, strategies for sharing results with families of diverse backgrounds, and supporting resources for making referrals to additional services if needed.

Learn more and register today: https://www.elrc5.alleghenycounty.us/events/intro-to-asq-june25

Introduction to ASQ-3 — Early Learning Resource Center Region 5 Participants will learn how to use the ASQ-3 as a screening tool for children ages 3 months to 5 years.

The ELRC Region 5 weekly newsletter for early learning providers is delivered to subscribers every Friday afternoon. Each weekly issue contains useful news updates, resources, and tips for providers.

Here is last week's newsletter from 6/12: https://mailchi.mp/alleghenycounty/elrc-providers-5023379

Looking to subscribe and receive each newsletter straight to your inbox? Sign up on our website: https://www.elrc5.alleghenycounty.us/enewsletter-sign-up

Attention providers: in case you missed it, OCDEL’s Bureau of Policy and Professional Development and Bureau of Certification Services (BCS) have released an announcement to clarify the applicability of program licensure requirements.

Please visit the ELRC Region 5 website to read up on the announcement: https://www.elrc5.alleghenycounty.us/news/ocdel-clarifies-requirements-regarding-program-licensure

OCDEL Clarifies Requirements Regarding Program Licensure — Early Learning Resource Center Region 5 The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) has made a clarification regarding program licensure requirements.

PLEASE NOTE: All ELRC Region 5 offices will be closed this Friday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth. If possible, please reach out with any concerns or requests by end of day Thursday, June 18; otherwise we will be happy to assist you on Monday, June 22.

IMPORTANT ALERT: As of June 13, 2026, all Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula has been recalled. Nara Organics infant formula is a powdered formula sold at Target retail stores, Target.com, and Nara.com.

Please note: this recall does NOT affect all powdered infant formulas – only the Nara Organics line. This brand of formula makes up less than 1% of all infant formula available in the United States, and shortages of infant formula resulting from this recall are not expected.

Find more information on the ELRC Region 5 website: https://www.elrc5.alleghenycounty.us/news/cdc-issues-recall-for-powdered-infant-formula-linked-to-botulism

CDC Issues Recall for Powdered Infant Formula Linked to Botulism — Early Learning Resource Center Region 5 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a recall for a specific brand of powdered infant formula.

Get ready for summer fun under the stars! Pittsburgh’s Dollar Bank Cinema in the Park series will kick off in early June at 13 parks across the city.

A number of family-friendly movies will screen for free this summer - including Pixar’s “Cars,” the 1978 musical adaptation “The Wiz,” “Wicked for Good,” “The Bad Guys 2,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “Hoppers,” the filmed version of “Hamilton,” and “A Minecraft Movie.”

You can find information about the complete movie schedule for all participating parks at the ELRC Region 5 website: https://www.elrc5.alleghenycounty.us/news/dollar-bank-cinema-in-the-park-series-begins-in-early-june

Dollar Bank Cinema in the Park Series Begins in Early June — Early Learning Resource Center Region 5 Pittsburgh’s Dollar Bank Cinema in the Park series will kick off for the summer in early June in 13 parks in the city.

Calling all relative providers! You're invited to join the ELRC Region 5 Early Learning Program Engagement Specialists (ELPES) for a monthly Zoom roundtable to connect, receive information and resources, ask questions, and get support. Roundtables occur at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. every third Wednesday of the month, and the next date will be June 17.

Join the 1 p.m. Zoom meeting: https://www.elrc5.alleghenycounty.us/events/relative-provider-monthly-roundtable-ggxap-l57c8-pfc79-j3yec-n5nsl-xxprs-km38k

Join the 7 p.m. Zoom meeting: https://www.elrc5.alleghenycounty.us/events/relative-provider-monthly-roundtable-1-32gj7-yrhke-std6y-3j595-r2tjl-txfwl-8zmez-tmyap

Relative Provider Monthly Roundtable — Early Learning Resource Center Region 5 Relative providers are invited to join the ELRC Region 5 Early Learning Program Engagement Specialists for a monthly Zoom call to connect, receive information and resources, ask questions, and get support.

Did you know? ELRC Region 5's quality partner Trying Together maintains an ECE Lending Library, which offers early learning providers a variety of materials to borrow that can help to inspire children to take greater interest in what they are learning.

The library, located at 5604 Solway Street, was created to be a community space for child care providers in Allegheny County. Materials in the library support and recognize learning abilities, promote cultural diversity, and cover everything from health to safety. The library offers:

• Books for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers
• Infant social-emotional support kits
• Toddler dress up trunks
• Puppet sets
• STEM and coding kits
..and so much more!

You can visit ELRC Region 5's website to learn how to access the ECE Lending Library portal, which has details about how to visit the library, how to check out items, and to view a full list of available items: https://www.elrc5.alleghenycounty.us/news/trying-togethers-ece-lending-library-provides-materials-that-help-to-inspire-love-of-learning

Trying Together’s ECE Lending Library Provides Materials That Help to Inspire Love of Learning — Early Learning Resource Center Region 5 Trying Together’s ECE Lending Library offers early learning providers a variety of materials to borrow that can help to inspire children to take greater interest in what they are learning.

This week's Provider Tip of the Week features tips for summer camp schedules. If your before- or after-school care program will soon transition to a summer camp, preparing ahead of time for the move to full-day summer care can help create a smoother experience for staff, children, and families, especially with mixed-age elementary groups coming together.

Learn how to make the most of summer and plan ahead for safety and parent communication in this week's newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/alleghenycounty/elrc-providers-05292026

Looking for more tips like these? Subscribe to the ELRC Region 5 provider newsletter for a new tip each week: https://www.elrc5.alleghenycounty.us/enewsletter-sign-up