10th Annual Preschool-Kindergarten Summit: Full Schedule

Add sessions to your personal schedule to register your attendance (Check-In).

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

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

Partnering with Community

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

Pullman Room, Regenstein Center

Speakers

Crystal Elliott-O'Connor

Principal Consultant, Get Back 2 Basics! Early Childhood Solutions

Thursday February 6, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CST
Pullman Room, Regenstein Center 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022

Partnering with Community

1:40pm CST

Book Signing & Conversation with Keynote, Kate Swenson

Thursday February 6, 2025 1:40pm - 2:15pm CST

Linnaeus Room, Regenstein Center

Get the opportunity to purchase one of Kate's books and be in conversation with her after her keynote address.

Speakers

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

Partnering with Community

1:40pm CST

Panel Discussion: Reimagining Collaboration - Building Stronger Communities Together

Thursday February 6, 2025 1:40pm - 2:15pm CST

Alsdorf Auditorium, Regenstein Center

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

Partnering with Community

2:30pm CST

Individual School Breakout Sessions

Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST

Burnstein Hall, Regenstein Center

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

Partnering with Children Partnering with Families Partnering with Community

2:30pm CST

Sharing Stories, Building Bonds: Documentation’s Role in Community Connectivity

Thursday February 6, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST

Linnaeus Room, Regenstein Center

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

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 →

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 →

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

Partnering with Children Partnering with Families Partnering with Community