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Thursday, February 6
 

8:15am CST

Registration
Thursday February 6, 2025 8:15am - 8:45am CST
Thursday February 6, 2025 8:15am - 8:45am CST

9:00am CST

Fostering Student Self-Regulation and Supporting Anxious Youth in the Early Childhood Classroom
Thursday February 6, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CST
In this presentation, Clinical Psychologist Dr. Caroline Adelman will provide an overview of the core features of anxiety in young children, will discuss an interpersonal model of both anxiety and self-regulation skills in young children, and will offer concrete tools for early childhood educators to effectively support anxious children and their families.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Caroline Adelman

Dr. Caroline Adelman

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Director and Founder, Chicago Psychotherapy
Dr. Adelman is the Clinical Director and Founder of Chicago Psychotherapy. Dr. Adelman completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She completed her pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships at the Child Study Center at Yale University... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CST
Alsdorf Auditorium, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

9:00am CST

Everything Old is New Again! Re-engaging The Concept of Community Partnerships in Early Childhood Education
Thursday February 6, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CST
In this session early childhood educators will learn historical ways that the concept of community has interacted in early childhood education. Participants will learn key ways that community partnerships enhance and progress the cause of early childhood development. We'll spend time thinking about our own working communities and how we can begin to re-engage or refresh community engagement within the early care and education spaces where we work. Participants will leave with an outline to create an action plan for building and sustaining strong, viable community partnerships in and around their centers.
Speakers
avatar for Crystal Elliott-O'Connor

Crystal Elliott-O'Connor

Principal Consultant, Get Back 2 Basics! Early Childhood Solutions
Crystal Elliott-O’Connor, MAT ECE, MDIV FCC, was born into an activist family in the north suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Until middle school, she thought every family advocated for rights and place and equity. In her diverse community, everyone did. With 30+ years in early childhood... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CST
Pullman Room, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

9:00am CST

Let's Talk About Brains, Baby: Engaging Families in Conversations about Neurodiversity
Thursday February 6, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CST
This workshop equips early childhood professionals with the tools to spark open, meaningful conversations with families about neurodiversity. We’ll explore how to talk about different neurotypes and communication styles in ways that celebrate each child’s unique strengths, fostering understanding and inclusion. Through practical strategies and tools, you'll learn how to guide families in embracing the natural diversity of minds, creating supportive environments where every child feels valued and connected.
Speakers
avatar for Stephanie Boron

Stephanie Boron

Speech and Language Pathologist, Assistant Clinical Professor, Northwestern University
Stephanie Boron is a speech and language pathologist and an assistant clinical professor at Northwestern University. With a focus on creating safe and accessible spaces, Stephanie specializes in neurodiversity-affirming, child-led care, with a special interest in gestalt language... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CST
Linnaeus Room, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

10:15am CST

Cultivating Deep Connections with the Outdoors: Interweaving creativity, natural materials, and the voices of children into meaningful learning experiences
Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CST
Experiences in nature have life-long, beneficial effects, which is why the outdoors is a cornerstone of play-based ECE programs. When children utilize the natural world in creative ways, rich learning takes place. Seedpods, leaves, and twigs lend themselves to shaping the landscape of imaginative, creative projects and inquiries. These natural materials have the power to showcase children’s voices, take their ideas further, and add richness to theories, queries, and reflections. This workshop explores the use of natural materials as artistic mediums and tools. Through hands-on experiences, we will investigate ways in which natural materials provide an authentic, creative context for learning and self-expression. This workshop is grounded in inspiration from the Reggio Emilia approach. Through this lens children are seen as protagonists in their own learning, and teachers become researchers and facilitators, learning alongside their students. The Reggio Emilia Approach focuses heavily on the importance of the “100 Languages”, a metaphor that highlights the significance of creative mediums, such as watercolor, clay, or dance, which promote the voice of each child. This workshop also takes inspiration from David Sobel’s work on place-based learning, and the authentic experiences that take place when children are given opportunities to build relationships with their outdoor spaces.
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Hassing

Sarah Hassing

Atelierista , The College School
Sarah Hassing is an atelierista at The College School, in Saint Louis, Missouri, where she has collaborated with children for the pastseventeeneen years. Her background in the visual arts helps to bring the hundred languages to life in the studio. Sarah has visited the municipal... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CST
Classroom 8, Learning Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

10:15am CST

Fostering Student Self-Regulation and Supporting Anxious Youth in the Early Childhood Classroom
Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CST
In this presentation, Clinical Psychologist Dr. Caroline Adelman will provide an overview of the core features of anxiety in young children, will discuss an interpersonal model of both anxiety and self-regulation skills in young children, and will offer concrete tools for early childhood educators to effectively support anxious children and their families.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Caroline Adelman

Dr. Caroline Adelman

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Director and Founder, Chicago Psychotherapy
Dr. Adelman is the Clinical Director and Founder of Chicago Psychotherapy. Dr. Adelman completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She completed her pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships at the Child Study Center at Yale University... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CST
Alsdorf Auditorium, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

10:15am CST

Three Pillars of Partnership: Parents, Teachers & Environment
Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CST
Parents, teachers, and the child’s environments are essential pillars in supporting the development of the young child. In this session, we will highlight not only how teachers can be well-prepared in their work with children and their classroom spaces, but we will also focus on how teachers can partner with parents to guide them in their roles and in their home environments, all with the shared goal of helping each child reach their fullest potential!
Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CST
Classroom 1, Learning Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

10:15am CST

Everything Old is New Again! Re-engaging The Concept of Community Partnerships in Early Childhood Education
Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CST
In this session early childhood educators will learn historical ways that the concept of community has interacted in early childhood education. Participants will learn key ways that community partnerships enhance and progress the cause of early childhood development. We'll spend time thinking about our own working communities and how we can begin to re-engage or refresh community engagement within the early care and education spaces where we work. Participants will leave with an outline to create an action plan for building and sustaining strong, viable community partnerships in and around their centers.
Speakers
avatar for Crystal Elliott-O'Connor

Crystal Elliott-O'Connor

Principal Consultant, Get Back 2 Basics! Early Childhood Solutions
Crystal Elliott-O’Connor, MAT ECE, MDIV FCC, was born into an activist family in the north suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Until middle school, she thought every family advocated for rights and place and equity. In her diverse community, everyone did. With 30+ years in early childhood... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CST
Pullman Room, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

10:15am CST

Let's Talk About Brains, Baby: Engaging Families in Conversations about Neurodiversity
Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CST
This workshop equips early childhood professionals with the tools to spark open, meaningful conversations with families about neurodiversity. We’ll explore how to talk about different neurotypes and communication styles in ways that celebrate each child’s unique strengths, fostering understanding and inclusion. Through practical strategies and tools, you'll learn how to guide families in embracing the natural diversity of minds, creating supportive environments where every child feels valued and connected.
Speakers
avatar for Stephanie Boron

Stephanie Boron

Speech and Language Pathologist, Assistant Clinical Professor, Northwestern University
Stephanie Boron is a speech and language pathologist and an assistant clinical professor at Northwestern University. With a focus on creating safe and accessible spaces, Stephanie specializes in neurodiversity-affirming, child-led care, with a special interest in gestalt language... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CST
Linnaeus Room, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

10:15am CST

The Early Childhood Expert: Embracing your Expertise with Confidence and Self-Trust
Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CST
As the world of child-rearing, technology, and education continues to evolve, many educators find themselves wondering if their deep understanding of child development still holds true. When a parent seeks answers and guidance about their child, it can be challenging to know when to step in and when to recommend outside support. How do you navigate those conversations in a way that allows everyone, teachers/parents/directors/principals, to thrive in their role? Join Molly Pope, Ed.S., Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist, to embrace your expertise, and help parents put their trust in you. Because here’s the truth: you know more than you know. You understand the growth that happens in a child over the course of a year. You know how to meet a child where they are and scaffold learning. You have supported children through their separation anxiety and peer conflicts. Throughout this session, you will be reminded of what you already know about development and how to let that be the foundation to form healthy working partnerships with parents.
Speakers
avatar for Molly Pope

Molly Pope

Founder, Consultant, and Parent Coach, Molly Pope Coaching and Consulting
Molly Pope, EdS, I/ECMH-C, is an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant specializing in supporting children, families, and classrooms. She has worked with young children and families as a school psychologist for 17 years. She strongly believes that for children to learn... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CST
Classroom 6, Learning Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

11:30am CST

Lunch
Thursday February 6, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CST
Enjoy lunch with new friends and colleagues!
Thursday February 6, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CST
Burnstein Hall, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

11:30am CST

Finding Joy and Partners in the Secret World of Autism
Thursday February 6, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CST
Join parent and advocate Kate Swenson as she reflects back on her family's journey through an autism diagnosis, early intervention, and transition to school services, and the emotional toll these processes can take on a family. In this presentation, she will discuss the transformation she made as not only a parent, but as a person, and the support that parents need from professionals, family members, and those within their community to help their family adjust to this new chapter of life. This presentation will not only inspire but also educate whomever is listening.
Speakers
avatar for Kate Swenson

Kate Swenson

Founder, Finding Cooper's Voice
Kate Swenson is the creator of Finding Cooper's Voice, an online and in-person community, where families of children with disabilities can come together to celebrate, laugh, cry, learn and get support. With over a million followers her goal is to normalize the stigmas surrounding... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 11:30am - 12:30pm CST
Alsdorf Auditorium, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

12:35pm CST

Lunch
Thursday February 6, 2025 12:35pm - 1:35pm CST
Enjoy lunch with new friends and colleagues!
Thursday February 6, 2025 12:35pm - 1:35pm CST
Burnstein Hall, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

12:35pm CST

Finding Joy and Partners in the Secret World of Autism
Thursday February 6, 2025 12:35pm - 1:35pm CST
Join parent and advocate Kate Swenson as she reflects back on her family's journey through an autism diagnosis, early intervention, and transition to school services, and the emotional toll these processes can take on a family. In this presentation, she will discuss the transformation she made as not only a parent, but as a person, and the support that parents need from professionals, family members, and those within their community to help their family adjust to this new chapter of life. This presentation will not only inspire but also educate whomever is listening.
Speakers
avatar for Kate Swenson

Kate Swenson

Founder, Finding Cooper's Voice
Kate Swenson is the creator of Finding Cooper's Voice, an online and in-person community, where families of children with disabilities can come together to celebrate, laugh, cry, learn and get support. With over a million followers her goal is to normalize the stigmas surrounding... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 12:35pm - 1:35pm CST
Alsdorf Auditorium, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

1:40pm CST

Book Signing & Conversation with Keynote, Kate Swenson
Thursday February 6, 2025 1:40pm - 2:15pm CST
Get the opportunity to purchase one of Kate's books and be in conversation with her after her keynote address.
Speakers
avatar for Kate Swenson

Kate Swenson

Founder, Finding Cooper's Voice
Kate Swenson is the creator of Finding Cooper's Voice, an online and in-person community, where families of children with disabilities can come together to celebrate, laugh, cry, learn and get support. With over a million followers her goal is to normalize the stigmas surrounding... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 1:40pm - 2:15pm CST
Linnaeus Room, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

1:40pm CST

Panel Discussion: Reimagining Collaboration - Building Stronger Communities Together
Thursday February 6, 2025 1:40pm - 2:15pm CST
Join a panel of educators who are engaging their communities in ways that invite partnership and innovation.
Thursday February 6, 2025 1:40pm - 2:15pm CST
Alsdorf Auditorium, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

2:30pm CST

Book Talk with the Librarians: Fostering Partnerships with Young Readers
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Librarians can be your best allies! Join representatives from Glencoe, Wilmette, and Winnetka-Northfield Public Libraries as they highlight books that help foster partnerships with young readers. Not only will you walk away with a list of great classroom titles, you will also learn what resources the library can offer you!
Speakers
avatar for Susan Schober

Susan Schober

Children's Librarian, Glencoe Public Library
Susan has been working with young children in schools and libraries for over 20 years, with special interests in both literacy and folk music. In her seven years at the Glencoe Public Library she has presented hundreds of storytimes, developed the Reader, Discovery Pack, and Parenting... Read More →
avatar for Ruth Bell

Ruth Bell

Youth Services Outreach Librarian, Wilmette Public Library
Ruth Bell is the Preschool Engagement Librarian at Wilmette Public Library. She enjoys bringing storytimes and library services to the local schools and is passionate about connecting people to resources and supporting the community’s love of knowledge and discovery.
avatar for Tom Malinowski

Tom Malinowski

Youth Services Librarian, Winnetka-Northfield Public Library
Tom Malinowski has been a librarian for over 10 years serving western and northern suburbs of Chicago, even a brief stint in Boise, Idaho!. He's been at Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District for almost two years. Creative play is important! When he's not librarian-ing Tom likes... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Classroom 1, Learning Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

2:30pm CST

Cultivating Deep Connections with the Outdoors: Interweaving creativity, natural materials, and the voices of children into meaningful learning experiences
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Experiences in nature have life-long, beneficial effects, which is why the outdoors is a cornerstone of play-based ECE programs. When children utilize the natural world in creative ways, rich learning takes place. Seedpods, leaves, and twigs lend themselves to shaping the landscape of imaginative, creative projects and inquiries. These natural materials have the power to showcase children’s voices, take their ideas further, and add richness to theories, queries, and reflections. This workshop explores the use of natural materials as artistic mediums and tools. Through hands-on experiences, we will investigate ways in which natural materials provide an authentic, creative context for learning and self-expression. This workshop is grounded in inspiration from the Reggio Emilia approach. Through this lens children are seen as protagonists in their own learning, and teachers become researchers and facilitators, learning alongside their students. The Reggio Emilia Approach focuses heavily on the importance of the “100 Languages”, a metaphor that highlights the significance of creative mediums, such as watercolor, clay, or dance, which promote the voice of each child. This workshop also takes inspiration from David Sobel’s work on place-based learning, and the authentic experiences that take place when children are given opportunities to build relationships with their outdoor spaces.
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Hassing

Sarah Hassing

Atelierista , The College School
Sarah Hassing is an atelierista at The College School, in Saint Louis, Missouri, where she has collaborated with children for the pastseventeeneen years. Her background in the visual arts helps to bring the hundred languages to life in the studio. Sarah has visited the municipal... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Classroom 8, Learning Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

2:30pm CST

Fostering Student Self-Regulation and Supporting Anxious Youth in the Early Childhood Classroom
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
In this presentation, Clinical Psychologist Dr. Caroline Adelman will provide an overview of the core features of anxiety in young children, will discuss an interpersonal model of both anxiety and self-regulation skills in young children, and will offer concrete tools for early childhood educators to effectively support anxious children and their families.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Caroline Adelman

Dr. Caroline Adelman

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Director and Founder, Chicago Psychotherapy
Dr. Adelman is the Clinical Director and Founder of Chicago Psychotherapy. Dr. Adelman completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She completed her pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships at the Child Study Center at Yale University... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Alsdorf Auditorium, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

2:30pm CST

Individual School Breakout Sessions
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
If your school has elected to take this time to connect and process at the end of The Summit, then this is the selection for you. The Collaboration Session is designated to allow for reflecting, processing, goal setting, and defining your next steps. Enjoy coming back together with your team, exploring what you have learned, and planning what you would like to take forward in your practice as a school.
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Burnstein Hall, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

2:30pm CST

Sharing Stories, Building Bonds: Documentation’s Role in Community Connectivity
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
In this session, educators will discover innovative approaches to leveraging documentation of student learning as a catalyst for fostering meaningful connections within the school community. Participants will explore practical strategies for engaging parents/caregivers, fellow teachers, students, and visitors through compelling documentation practices. This session is ideal for teachers, administrators, and education professionals seeking to enhance community engagement and collaboration within their school environment.
Speakers
avatar for Meg Fitzgerald

Meg Fitzgerald

Early Childhood Director, Bennett Day School
With a strong love for early childhood education and a passion for best-practice teaching, Meg returns to the Bennett Day School as the Early Childhood Director, bringing seventeen years of experience working with our youngest learners and families. Meg earned a B.S. in Early Childhood... Read More →
avatar for Molly Simmons

Molly Simmons

Lead PreK Teacher, Bennett Day School
As a PreKindergarten teacher with over ten years of experience, Molly has developed a love for teaching within an emergent curriculum that emphasizes a family-focused approach. With a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Erikson Institute, her passion for family-school... Read More →
avatar for Allison Bartolozzi

Allison Bartolozzi

Lead PreK Teacher, Bennett Day School
Allison began her journey working with children during her undergraduate years at Ohio University, where she was first introduced to the Reggio Emilia approach. This inspiring experience in an early childcare center sparked her commitment to progressive education. After several years... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Linnaeus Room, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

2:30pm CST

Everything Old is New Again! Re-engaging The Concept of Community Partnerships in Early Childhood Education
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
In this session early childhood educators will learn historical ways that the concept of community has interacted in early childhood education. Participants will learn key ways that community partnerships enhance and progress the cause of early childhood development. We'll spend time thinking about our own working communities and how we can begin to re-engage or refresh community engagement within the early care and education spaces where we work. Participants will leave with an outline to create an action plan for building and sustaining strong, viable community partnerships in and around their centers.
Speakers
avatar for Crystal Elliott-O'Connor

Crystal Elliott-O'Connor

Principal Consultant, Get Back 2 Basics! Early Childhood Solutions
Crystal Elliott-O’Connor, MAT ECE, MDIV FCC, was born into an activist family in the north suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Until middle school, she thought every family advocated for rights and place and equity. In her diverse community, everyone did. With 30+ years in early childhood... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Pullman Room, Regenstein Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

2:30pm CST

The Early Childhood Expert: Embracing your Expertise with Confidence and Self-Trust
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
As the world of child-rearing, technology, and education continues to evolve, many educators find themselves wondering if their deep understanding of child development still holds true. When a parent seeks answers and guidance about their child, it can be challenging to know when to step in and when to recommend outside support. How do you navigate those conversations in a way that allows everyone, teachers/parents/directors/principals, to thrive in their role? Join Molly Pope, Ed.S., Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist, to embrace your expertise, and help parents put their trust in you. Because here’s the truth: you know more than you know. You understand the growth that happens in a child over the course of a year. You know how to meet a child where they are and scaffold learning. You have supported children through their separation anxiety and peer conflicts. Throughout this session, you will be reminded of what you already know about development and how to let that be the foundation to form healthy working partnerships with parents.
Speakers
avatar for Molly Pope

Molly Pope

Founder, Consultant, and Parent Coach, Molly Pope Coaching and Consulting
Molly Pope, EdS, I/ECMH-C, is an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant specializing in supporting children, families, and classrooms. She has worked with young children and families as a school psychologist for 17 years. She strongly believes that for children to learn... Read More →
Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Classroom 6, Learning Center  1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022
 
10th Annual Preschool-Kindergarten Summit
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