Category Archives: Kids

West Penn Recreation Center 2015 Programs

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West Penn Recreation Center has released their 2015 program guide with new programs for kids and adults.

Exercise rooms
Open 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Mon – Fri,  10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturdays.  Fee: $5/month for unlimited visits.

Athletic Trauma Unit (Mondays 8-9 p.m.)
A workout group dedicated to help everyone reach their own personal fitness goals.  Free.

Girls Volleyball
Ages 9-16.  Registration and info meeting January 5th 7 p.m.  Fee:  $20.

Yoga    (Mondays 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.)
Starting in January, with instructor Caitlin Laskey of Pittsburgh Yoga Collective..  Fee:  $20 for 12 sessions.

Bocce Ball League (Wednesdays 10 – 12 p.m. )
Starting Jan. 7.  For adults 18 and over.  Fee:  $10 for the season.

Youth/Teen Karate  (Wednesdays and Fridays)
Co-ed groups 8-11 yr (6-7 p.m.) and 12-17 yr (7-8 p.m.).  Fee:  $20/12 sessions

Kindersports (Tuesdays 10 – 11 a.m.)
Starting in February.  For kids 0-5 years old and a parent.  Fee:  $20/12 sessions.

Youth Soccer (Fridays 6-7 p.m.)
Starting in February.  Co-ed ages 6-8.  Fee:  $10.

And coming up this spring and summer,
Sand Volleyball (starting in June)
Summer Sports Camp, a weeklong camp focusing on single sports, including basketball, volleyball, soccer, skateboarding, and more.

All fees go to the West Penn Advisory Council to benefit youth programming and equipment needs.  Check out the West Penn 2015 Program Guide for more details.  To register for any program or for more information, call 412.622.7353 or email steve.rothhaar@pittsburghpa.gov.

Calling all Polish Hill parents!

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Calling all polish hill Families

Anyone who lives in Polish Hill has probably noticed that there are a lot more kids around these days. If you have school aged children, you probably know that our neighborhood feeds into the following public schools:
— Woolslair K-5,
— Arsenal PreK-5,
— Arsenal 6-8, and
— Milliones 6-12 (also known as University Prep)

Student achievement at all of these schools is in the lowest 15% of Pennsylvania’s public schools.

A group of Polish Hill parents hope to create a network of families in the neighborhood who know one another, want to enhance Polish Hill’s amenities for children, and who are interested in demanding better learning environments for our children in the public schools.

Join them for a brainstorming session about what this could look like on Tuesday, October 28 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. at 3029 Pulawski Way. Children are welcome. RSVP if possible to rainandgran@gmail.com.

Summer Reading Extravaganza at Carnegie Library in Oakland on June 8

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Enjoy an afternoon of free family activities at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s 14th Annual Summer Reading Extravaganza on Sunday, June 8 from noon – 5 pm at CLP Main branch, 4400 Forbes Avenue in Oakland.  Here’s a sample of some of the fun things you can do at this year’s Extravaganza:

Be inspired by musical and theatrical performances (see full schedule here)

Browse the annual book sale

Check out a demonstration of a 3D printer

Personalize a Smiley Cookie with Eat ‘n Park

Rock out with Radio Disney and Friends

Take a ride on Molly’s Trolleys

Get some temporary ink from Rankins Airbrush Tattoos

Try your hand with science experiments

Support your Library and so much more!

For more information, call 412.622.3122 or email children@carnegielibrary.org.

Have you checked out Weather Permitting yet?

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Weather Permitting is a family-friendly outdoor concert series that takes place on Sundays at the Shadyside Nursery, at 510 Maryland Avenue (near Ellsworth, behind the gas station next to Harris Grill).  The series started in June and will run thru the end of August.  Here’s a great article about Weather Permitting, with more photos.

This Sunday, August 18, the featured bands are Grand  Piano, the Black Honey Rollers, Batamba (Local Latin/Afro pop infused Funk and Soul), and AppalAsia (combines the influences of Appalachian and Asian music traditions)

The event will also have activities for kids, food trucks, and a complimentary beverage.  Admission is $10.  Check here for more information.

Carnegie Library's Extravaganza Outdoor Family Festival on Sunday, June 9

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On Sunday, June 9 from 12 – 5 p.m., Carnegie Library’s Main branch in Oakland has their Extravaganza Outdoor Family Festival on the lawn in front of the library.  It’ll be a great afternoon packed with live entertainment, crafts and cool activities for every member of the family.  There are lots of activities for kids (and adults), and performances from local musicians.

Performance Schedule:

12 pm – Pittsburgh Puppetworks – PBS Kids go Writer’s Contest Show (Performance Tent)

12:40 pm – Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Welcome

1 pm – Undercroft Opera presents highlights from Carmen (inside the Library)

1 pm – Pittsburgh Musical Theater (Performance Tent)

1:30 pm – The Squirrel Hillbillies (inside the Library)

2 pm – Obama Academy Steel Band (Performance Tent)

2:30 pm – South Hills Brass (inside the Library)

3 pm – Crusic Percussion with Colin Pinto Martin (Performance Tent)

3:30 pm – The Uncommon Q-tet – Members of the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra (inside the Library)

4 pm – Timbeleza (Performance Tent)

For information check out the Carnegie Library’s info page for the event http://www.carnegielibrary.org/summer/extravaganza/

An online survey to provide feedback to Pittsburgh Public Schools

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A message from the Pittsburgh Public Schools “Envisioning Excellence” Team:

Pittsburgh Public Schools has an urgency to think differently about how it delivers a 21st Century education to all students – especially during a time when revenues are flat and expenditures are increasing. The District faces the challenge of closing a $50MM budget shortfall while ensuring that the structures are in place to support its vision that 80% of Pittsburgh Public Schools students earn a post-secondary degree or workforce certification. In January 2013, the District embarked on a large scale visioning process called Envisioning Education Excellence: A Plan for All of Pittsburgh’s Students to address the current state challenges and future goals of the District. Continued engagement of students, teachers, principals, funders, and the broader community is critical to the success of this project.

In an effort to incorporate the community’s feedback on Pittsburgh Public Schools into the Envisioning work, we’d like for you to take this short survey. It should take ~10 minutes to complete and your responses will remain anonymous. Your input will be used internally to assist in future decision making and evaluate proposed actions for the District. All are encouraged to respond- not just those with children being served in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

You can find the link to the survey here: Pittsburgh Public Schools Online Survey. It will be open until Friday, June 7th.

Please forward this message along to your networks so that others can take the survey. If you want to learn more about the work we are doing, please visit our website: Envisioning Educational Excellence. You may also feel free to email envisioning@pghboe.net with any questions.

Puppet show Friday evening at Lili!

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This Friday at 6:00 p.m., the puppet group Hem Haw See n Saw will be performing their puppet show “Mix and Match”, a play in three acts, at Lili Coffee* Shop.

Act I. Kerfluffle Shuffle
Act II. Eye Obscura
Act III. The Crow and the Pitcher.

Heidi of Lili says “the Hem Haw See n Saw group are locals, Sarah Banach and Maggie Bogdanich and they are great!  Bring kids if you got ’em!”  Oh — and it’s free.

(Couldn’t find an image of Hem Haw See n Saw, so here is Punch and Judy by George Cruikshank, circa 1828,  from this site)

RADical Days are here: get out there and check out what Pittsburgh has to offer — free!

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The Allegheny Regional Asset District – or RAD – is your local sales tax dollars in support of our regional libraries, parks and trails, sports facilities, and arts and culture.  Since 1994, RAD has funded more than $1.3 billion in grants to places and to organizations that create a positive impact on the lives of residents of and visitors to Allegheny County.  RADical Days is a “thank you” to the public for its support of the assets through RAD.

RADical Days started on September 20 and continues through Saturday, October 13.  This is your chance to check out some of the cultural attractions that Pittsburgh has to offer — free of charge.  For three weeks each fall, dozens of Pittsburgh institutions offer free admission.  The options expand each weekend, there are several places to choose from, many of which are offering special programming — for all ages, and again, all free.  Here’s what’s coming up this weekend:

Saturday, September 29
Frick Art and Historical Center:  free family activities including scavenger hunts, games and art activities.
Fort Pitt Museum
Young Men and Women’s African Heritage Association:  Nia Quilt Guild, and music by the Nia Steel Pan Drum Ensemble.
Hartwood Acres Hay Day:  hayrides, pony rides, petting zoo, music, arts and crafts, book fair, and food vendors.

Sunday, September 30
Heinz History Center:  In addition to the museum collection and the Sports History Museum, there will be performances by the Pittsburgh Academy of Musical Theater, Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, and the South Hills Chorale.
National Aviary:  did you know they have a penguin colony here?
Young Men and Women’s African Heritage Association:  Nia Quilt Guild, and music by the Nia Steel Pan Drum Ensemble.
Carnegie Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History
Children’s Museum:  all the usual fun, and performances by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Fiddlesticks, and the Bulgarian Dance Troupe Otets Paissii.
Carnegie Main Library: Cy Hungerford exhibit and discussion.

That’s just this weekend — there are things to do every day — on weekends, many things — through October 13.  To see the whole RADical Days schedule and information, click here or visit the PHCA office to pick up a brochure.

Register now for Pittsburgh public schools early childhood programs

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Did you know that Pittsburgh public schools’ early childhood programs are free for three and four-year-olds?  The programs offer certified and experienced teachers as well as comprehensive services including health, mental health, social services and parent involvement.  The centers operate Monday through Friday, six hours each day.  The curriculum aligns with Pittsburgh Early Learning Standards.

To register your child, you will need proof of income, the child’s birth record, immunizations record, two proofs of residency.  You will also need to provide documentation of recent physical and dental exams, or appointment dates).

Click here for more information, or call 412,325-4291.

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Summer Reading Extravaganza, Sunday June 10

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Kick off your summer reading with free family fun, including entertainment, crafts and activities for kids and teens!  On Sunday, June 10 from 12 – 5 pm, the Carnegie Library holds its Summer Reading Extravaganza, a free family festival on the lawn at CLP Main in Oakland.

Here’s a sample of some of the things to do at Extravaganza:
Watch fun performances
Personalize a Smiley Cookie with Eat’n Park
Rock out with Radio Disney & Friends
Check out the wares from I Made It! Market crafters
Visit the annual Used Book Sale
Visit with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Support your Library

Visit www.carnegielibrary.org/extravaganza for a full schedule of events.
Click here to pre-register for Extravaganza and Summer Reading!