Stable and Secure: Supporting Children Through Trauma Sensitive Approaches

Archive of 2024 OCDEL Conference held Monday, March 25, 2024, and Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Hershey, Pennsylvania

Monday, March 25, 2024

Archive of Schedule of Events
& Conference Resources

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Archive of Schedule of Events
& Conference Resources

Monday, March 25, 2024

Registration from 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM

Opening Remarks & Keynote

from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM. Click the "+" to expand for more information.

Opening Remarks(Room: Chocolate Ballroom)

Opening Remarks

Presenter: Valerie A. Arkoosh, MD, MPH, Secretary, Department of Human Services and Shante’ A. Brown, Deputy Secretary, Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL)

Audience: All Audiences

Location: Chocolate Ballroom

Keynote -The Role of Culture and Behavioral Expectations (Room: Chocolate Ballroom)

Keynote

Title: The Role of Culture and Behavioral Expectations

Presenters: Dr. Rosemarie Allen, MSU Denver, Associate Professor, Early Childhood Education Faculty, Georgetown University and President & CEO Institute for Racial Equity & Excellence

Description: Young children with social-emotional and behavioral concerns in child care settings may benefit from additional services such as Infant Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Consultation or Early Intervention (EI). During this session, participants will learn more about IECMH and EI in Pennsylvania, including their distinct purposes, procedures, and services. Participants will gain a better understanding of what they can expect when they contact either of these programs to support the social-emotional needs of young children in their care.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Wild Rose B

Morning Breakout Sessions

from 10:45 AM to 12:00 PM. Click the "+" to expand for more information about a session.

Session A1 -Follow-Up Session to Dr. Rosemarie Allen’s Keynote (Room: Wild Rose A)

Session A1

Title: Challenging Behaviors: Who’s the Problem, Them or You? – Part 1

Presenter: Dr. Rosemarie Allen, MSU Denver, Associate Professor, Early Childhood Education Faculty, Georgetown University and President & CEO Institute for Racial Equity & Excellence

Description: When children are engaged in persistent behaviors that are difficult to manage, adults frequently experience powerlessness, especially when working with young children they describe as defiant or oppositional. This results in harsh discipline of young children. This workshop discusses the relationship between children’s behavior and adult’s responses. It also highlights the difference between typical behavior and behaviors that challenge adults. The role of implicit bias on behavioral expectations will be discussed and strategies will be provided to prevent and address undesired behaviors.

Audience: All Audiences

Location: Wild Rose A

Documents:

Session A2 -When in Doubt, Reach Out: What to Expect When I Ask for Help from IECMH or EI (Room: Wild Rose B)

Session A2

Title: When in Doubt, Reach Out: What to Expect When I Ask for Help from IECMH or EI

Presenters: Leslie Rapsey and Elizabeth Gould, IECMH Consultants and Joy Polignano, Ph.D., NCSP, EITA Consultant

Description: Young children with social-emotional and behavioral concerns in child care settings may benefit from additional services such as Infant Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Consultation or Early Intervention (EI). During this session, participants will learn more about IECMH and EI in Pennsylvania, including their distinct purposes, procedures, and services. Participants will gain a better understanding of what they can expect when they contact either of these programs to support the social-emotional needs of young children in their care.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Wild Rose B

Documents: 

Session A3 -Trauma Sensitive Pyramid Model (Room: Empire A)

Session A3

Title: Trauma Sensitive Pyramid Model

Presenters: Jeanne Frantz, Lisa Stauffer and Carrie Kitchen, The Pennsylvania Key

Description: Trauma has a significant impact of young children, their families, and even the workforce that support them.  Adding a Trauma-Informed Care lens to your existing Pyramid practices will help to implement practices that promote children’s social emotional development, healing, and resilience. This includes creating nurturing and responsive relationships with children, families, and each other, as well as creating safe learning environments.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Empire A

Documents:

Session A4 -Pyramid Model Practices Overview (Room: Empire D)

Session A4

Title: Pyramid Model Practices Overview

Presenters: Karen Neifer, EITA Consultant and Penny Cordera, IECMH Consultant

Description: The Pyramid Model was designed and based on the premise that we want to support all children in an inclusive early childhood setting where they can thrive. This session will focus on Pyramid Model prevention, promotion, and intervention practices that support social emotional development and learning.  Participants will be connected with various resources as well as professional development options to expand their learning in meaningful ways.

Audience: Preschool age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Empire D

Documents:

Session A5 -Foundations of Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health (Room: Empire C)

Session A5

Title: Foundations of Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health

Presenters: Lindsey Van Dyke and Lauren Kryston, The Pennsylvania Key

Description: Challenging behavior inhibits healthy learning and development, derails engagement and learning, and can leave professionals feeling stuck, stumped, and even resentful. In this workshop, participants will learn to leverage the foundations of Infant Early Childhood Mental Health, connection and regulation, to reformulate challenging behavior problems. Participants will enhance their capacity to notice with soft eyes, respond effectively to challenging behavior, and reduce disengagement and resistance in their work with children and families.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; school age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Empire C

Documents:

Session A6 -Classroom-wide Practices to Support ALL Children and Decrease Challenging Behaviors (Room: Empire B)

Session A6

Title: Classroom-wide Practices to Support ALL Children and Decrease Challenging Behaviors

Presenter: Lisa Gragg, EITA Consultant

Description: Participants will learn about five research-based preventative classroom-wide practices promoted by the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations to impact challenging behaviors and promote desirable behaviors by all children. Participants will self-assess their own classroom practices and further learn about positive classroom-wide practices to build upon what they are already doing to be more intentional and systematic with their implementation of these five preventative practices. Participants will learn about resources to support continued implementation of these practices with fidelity and will leave the session with action steps to implement these five practices within their classrooms tomorrow or next week.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information

Location: Empire B

Documents:

Session A7 -Youth Behavior Reflection Tool (Room: Magnolia A)

Session A7

Title: Youth Behavior Reflection Tool

Presenters: Lauren Walter and Betsey Saatman, The Pennsylvania Key

Description: The Youth Behavior Reflection Support Tool (YBRST) was specifically developed for program teams to use when they are faced with challenging behaviors within their K-6 School-Age Child Care (SACC) program. The purpose of the tool is to help programs get started on looking at the behavior at hand, the youth’s needs, their current practices, sorting through their feelings, their family connection, and begin adjusting the program to support SACC students. Presenters will introduce and model use of the tool and participants will have the opportunity to use the tool with support from the presenters.

Audience: School age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Magnolia A

Documents:

Session A8 -Teaching and Implementing Routines within Routines (Room: Magnolia B)

Session A8

Title: Teaching and Implementing Routines within Routines

Presenter: Toni Miguel, Ph.D, EITA Consultant

Description: Join us in this session focused on practical strategies for early childhood teachers in teaching and implementing routines within routines. Discover effective methods to seamlessly integrate structure into the daily activities of young learners. Learn how these routines can enhance classroom management, promote independence, and create a positive learning environment for both teachers and students.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Magnolia B

Documents:

Session A9 -Ages and Stages Screening Tool (Room: Magnolia D)

Session A9           

Title: Ages and Stages Screening Tool

Presenters: Leah Tressler, Masha Levin, and Alyssa Hegenstaller, The Pennsylvania Key

Description: This session will provide an overview of the ASQ and ASQ:SE screening tools for children ages 3 months to 5 years often used in early childhood program universal screening efforts. The session will discuss tips and best practices for administration, scoring, informed decision making and courageous conversations with families when a referral is indicated.  Participants will be connected with resources as well as additional professional development options to expand their learning in meaningful ways.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Magnolia D

Documents:

Session A10 -The Growing Brain from Birth to Five Years Old: Factors Affecting Brain Growth and Development (Room: Magnolia C)

Session A10

Title: The Growing Brain from Birth to Five Years Old: Factors Affecting Brain Growth and Development

Presenters: Colleen Kutchkus, M.S., CCC-SLP, and Jodie Holmberg, EITA Consultants

Description: The early years are critically important for brain development. It is the time of greatest opportunity to nurture positive, strong brain development and the time of greatest vulnerability. Participants will identify factors that affect brain growth and learn about the key components they can use in everyday interactions with young children to support healthy brain development.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; school age specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Magnolia C

Documents:

Lunch

from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM in the Chocolate Ballroom

Afternoon Breakout Sessions

from 1:30 PM to 2:45 PM. Click the "+" to expand for more information about a session.

Session B1 -Follow-Up Session to Dr. Rosemarie Allen’s Keynote (Room: Wild Rose A)

Session B1

Title: Challenging Behaviors: Who’s the Problem, Them or You? – Part 2

Presenter: Dr. Rosemarie Allen, MSU Denver, Associate Professor, Early Childhood Education Faculty, Georgetown University and President & CEO Institute for Racial Equity & Excellence

Description: When children are engaged in persistent behaviors that are difficult to manage, adults frequently experience powerlessness, especially when working with young children they describe as defiant or oppositional. This results in harsh discipline of young children. This workshop discusses the relationship between children’s behavior and adult’s responses. It also highlights the difference between typical behavior and behaviors that challenge adults. The role of implicit bias on behavioral expectations will be discussed and strategies will be provided to prevent and address undesired behaviors.

Audience: All Audiences

Location: Wild Rose A

Documents:

Session B2 -When in Doubt, Reach Out: What to Expect When I Ask for Help from IECMH or EI (Room: Wild Rose B)

Session B2

Title: When in Doubt, Reach Out: What to Expect When I Ask for Help from IECMH or EI

Presenters: Leslie Rapsey and Elizabeth Gould, IECMH Consultants and Joy Polignano, Ph.D., NCSP, EITA Consultant

Description: Young children with social-emotional and behavioral concerns in child care settings may benefit from additional services such as Infant Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Consultation or Early Intervention (EI). During this session, participants will learn more about IECMH and EI in Pennsylvania, including their distinct purposes, procedures, and services. Participants will gain a better understanding of what they can expect when they contact either of these programs in order to support the social-emotional needs of young children in their care.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Wild Rose B

Documents:

Session B3 -Trauma Sensitive Pyramid Model (Room: Empire A)

Session B3

Title: Trauma Sensitive Pyramid Model

Presenters: Jeanne Frantz, Lisa Stauffer and Carrie Kitchen, The Pennsylvania Key

Description: Trauma has a significant impact of young children, their families, and even the workforce that support them.  Adding a Trauma-Informed Care lens to your existing Pyramid practices will help to implement practices that promote children’s social emotional development, healing and resilience. This includes creating nurturing and responsive relationships with children, families, and each other, as well as creating safe learning environments.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Empire A

Documents:

Session B4 -Pyramid Model Practices Overview (Room: Empire D)

Session B4

Title: Pyramid Model Practices Overview

Presenters: Karen Neifer, EITA Consultant and Penny Cordera, IECMH Consultant

Description: The Pyramid Model was designed and based on the premise that we want to support all children in an inclusive early childhood setting where they can thrive. This session will focus on Pyramid Model prevention, promotion, and intervention practices that support social emotional development and learning.  Participants will be connected with various resources as well as professional development options to expand their learning in meaningful ways.

Audience: Preschool age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Empire D

Documents:

Session B5 -Foundations of Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health (Room: Empire C)

Session B5

Title: Foundations of Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health

Presenters: Lindsey Van Dyke and Lauren Kryston, The Pennsylvania Key

Description: Challenging behavior inhibits healthy learning and development, derails engagement and learning, and can leave professionals feeling stuck, stumped, and even resentful. In this workshop, participants will learn to leverage the foundations of Infant Early Childhood Mental Health, connection and regulation, to reformulate the challenging behavior problem. Participants will enhance their capacity to notice with soft eyes, respond effectively to challenging behavior, and reduce disengagement and resistance in their work with children and families.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; school age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Empire C

Documents:

Session B6 -Classroom-wide Practices to Support ALL Children and Decrease Challenging Behaviors (Room: Empire B)

Session B6

Title: Classroom-wide Practices to Support ALL Children and Decrease Challenging Behaviors

Presenters: Lisa Gragg, EITA Consultant

Description: Participants will learn about five research-based preventative classroom-wide practices promoted by the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations to impact challenging behaviors and promote desirable behaviors by all children. Participants will self-assess their own classroom practices and further learn about positive classroom-wide practices to build upon what they are already doing to be more intentional and systematic with their implementation of these five preventative practices. Participants will learn about resources to support continued implementation of these practices with fidelity and will leave the session with action steps to implement these five practices within their classrooms tomorrow or next week.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information

Location: Empire B

Documents:

Session B7 -Overview of Prevent, Teach, Reinforce Options for Early Childhood (Room: Magnolia A)

Session B7

Title: Overview of Prevent, Teach, Reinforce Options for Early Childhood

Presenters: Susan P. Zeiders, M. Ed., BCBA and Kelly Fisher and, EITA

Description: Prevent, Teach, Reinforce (PTR) is an early childhood friendly process for creating behavior plans for children who need individualized support.  This session will describe the options available for use in classrooms and in homes and teach what is expected of members of a PTR team.  Information will be provided for how to learn more if participants wish to learn to guide the process.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Magnolia A

Documents:

Session B8 -Teaching and Implementing Routines within Routines (Room: Magnolia B)

Session B8

Title: Teaching and Implementing Routines within Routines

Presenter: Toni Miguel, Ph.D, EITA Consultant

Description: Join us in this session focused on practical strategies for early childhood teachers in teaching and implementing routines within routines. Discover effective methods to seamlessly integrate structure into the daily activities of young learners. Learn how these routines can enhance classroom management, promote independence, and create a positive learning environment for both teachers and students.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Magnolia B

Documents:

Session B9 -Ages and Stages Screening Tool (Room: Magnolia D)

Session B9

Title: Ages and Stages Screening Tool

Presenter: Leah Tressler, Masha Levin, and Alyssa Hegenstaller, The Pennsylvania Key

Description: This session will provide an overview of the ASQ and ASQ:SE screening tools for children ages 3 months to 5 years often used in early childhood program universal screening efforts. The session will discuss tips and best practices for administration, scoring, informed decision making and courageous conversations with families when a referral is indicated.  Participants will be connected with resources as well as additional professional development options to expand their learning in meaningful ways.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Magnolia D

Documents:

Session B10 -The Growing Brain from Birth to Five Years Old: Factors Affecting Brain Growth and Development (Room: Magnolia C)

Session B10

Title: The Growing Brain from Birth to Five Years Old: Factors Affecting Brain Growth and Development

Presenter: Colleen Kutchkus, M.S., CCC-SLP, and Jodie Holmberg, EITA Consultants

Description: The early years are critically important for brain development. It is the time of greatest opportunity to nurture positive, strong brain development and also the time of greatest vulnerability. Participants will identify factors that affect brain growth and learn about the key components they can use in everyday interactions with young children to support healthy brain development.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; school age specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Magnolia C

Documents:

Keynote: R.E.F.I.L.L. Soul Care for Leaders and their Staff

with Dr. Veidre Jackson from 3:00 PM to 4:15 PM in the Chocolate Ballroom

Compassion Satisfaction is a lifeline for any professional facing physical and emotional exhaustion that can shadow work in the helping professions. R.E.F.I.L.L. activities guide participants through experiential tasks designed to target specific areas in their personal and professional lives in order to lift the “lid” to their effectiveness and their impact on those they influence. R.E.F.I.L.L. provides six concrete strategies to help participants develop a personalized plan for identifying, transforming, and refilling depleted areas from compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout in order to reconnect with purpose.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Registration from 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM

Welcoming Remarks & Keynote

from 8:30 AM to 9:45 AM in the Chocolate Ballroom. CLICK THE "+" TO EXPAND FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Welcoming Remarks(Room: Chocolate Ballroom)

Welcoming Remarks

Presenter: Angela Fitterer, Executive Deputy Secretary, Department of Education and Shante’ A. Brown, Deputy Secretary, Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL)

Audience: All Audiences

Location: Chocolate Ballroom

Keynote -What Every Care Provider Needs to Know about Children with Behavior that Challenges Them (Room: Chocolate Ballroom)

Keynote

Title: What Every Care Provider Needs to Know about Children with Behavior that Challenges Them

Presenters: Lise Fox, Ph.D.

Description: Knowing what to do when children have behaviors that challenge adults is one of the greatest needs of care providers. In this session, Lise Fox of the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations will provide guidance on how to view behavior and respond effectively and confidently.

Audience: All Audiences

Location: Chocolate Ballroom

Documents:

Breakout Sessions

from 10:00 AM to 11:15 AM. Click the "+" to expand for more information about a session.

Session C1 -Keeping Calm and Carrying On: Responding to Challenging Behavior in the Moment (Room: Magnolia A)

Session C1

Title: Keeping Calm and Carrying On: Responding to Challenging Behavior in the Moment

Presenter: Dr. Lise Fox

Description: Knowing how to respond to behaviors that challenge adults is important for everyone in the classroom. Join this discussion to learn about the escalation cycle, when to step in, how to step back in supporting a child in distress, and strategies to help you keep calm and carry on.

Audience: Infant and toddler and preschool teachers and director specific information

Location: Magnolia A

Documents:

Session C2 -The Growing Brain From Birth to Five Years Old: Social-Emotional Development (Room: Wild Rose B)

Session C2

Title: The Growing Brain From Birth to Five Years Old: Social-Emotional Development

Presenters: Dr. Donna Miller and Sue Ann Boyles, EITA Consultants

Description: Young children’s social-emotional development influences their academic and social success later in life. Caring and supportive relationships provide young children with a sense of comfort, safety, and confidence. This session will identify areas of the brain involved in social interactions and emotional interactions and look at how social-emotional development unfolds in the first five years of life.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Wild Rose B

Documents:

Session C3 -Empowered to Navigating the Pain of Change (Room: Empire A)

Session C3

Title: Empowered to Navigating the Pain of Change

Presenter: Dr. Veirdre Jackson

Description: Many have heard the quote that “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” Growth stops when you lose the tension of where you are and where you could be. Successfully navigating a time of tension is possible if leaders are willing to explore 4 strategies to R.E.A.L. team growth and empowerment.

Audience: Directors and Leaders

Location: Empire A

Session C4 -OCDEL Social Emotional Resources that You Can Access Anytime. (Room: Empire C)

Session C4

Title: OCDEL Social Emotional Resources that You Can Access Anytime.

Presenters: Lindsey Van Dyke, IECMH Supervisor & Lisa Gragg, EITA Consultant

Description: Looking for resources to help support young children develop positive social skills and to support staff’s implementation of effective strategies to decrease challenging behaviors? Connect with professionals during this session to learn where to access all the OCDEL and PA developed resources and trainings to support all your needs.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Empire C

Documents:

Session C5 -Self and Co Regulation Instructional Strategies for Young Children (Room: Magnolia B)

Session C5

Title: Self and Co Regulation Instructional Strategies for Young Children

Presenters: Toni Miguel, Ph.D and Kelly Fisher, EITA Consultants

Description: Explore effective teaching methods for helping young children learn to manage their emotions and work together in this conference session. Discover practical strategies that empower educators to create a supportive classroom environment, fostering skills like self-awareness and social competence. Participants will have the opportunity to practice embedding these skills into daily activities and routines.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Magnolia B

Documents:

Session C6 -Let’s Build Some Brains (Room: Empire B)

Session C6

Title: Let’s Build Some Brains

Presenters: Mike Brink, Assistant Director, EITA and Heather Powell, EITA Consultants

Description: The Brain Architecture Game provides a hands-on experience that helps develop an understanding of the powerful role experiences play on early brain development. Participants will learn what promotes or derails early brain development as they work together in teams to build a brain!

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; director specific information, teacher specific information

Location: Empire B

Documents: 

Session C7 -Behavior has Meaning (Room: Magnolia C)

Session C7

Title: Behavior has Meaning

Presenters: Leah Tressler, Liz Gould, Clara Uhalde, and Shanta Austin, The Pennsylvania Key

Description: This session will help participants to understand the importance of children’s behavior as communication. We will analyze and interpret the meaning of children’s behavior and discuss how to create a team to better help find meaning behind the behaviors. Finally we will cover strategies to connect with children and respond to behaviors and build a supportive environment.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Magnolia C

Documents:

Session C8 -Teaching Social Problem Solving to Toddlers and Preschoolers (Room: Magnolia D)

Session C8

Title: Teaching Social Problem Solving to Toddlers and Preschoolers

Presenters: Sue Zeiders, Project Manager, EITA

Description: This session will address instructional strategies for supporting young children social problem-solving skills in classroom settings. Participants will learn the developmental trajectory of social problem solving. They will learn evidence-based strategies for teaching social problem solving and access resources for communicating problem solving skills and knowledge to families.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Magnolia D

Documents:

Session C9 -Big Emotions (Room: Empire D)

Session C9

Title: Big Emotions

Presenters: Lauren Walter and Betsey Saatman, The Pennsylvania Key

Description: When youth have big feelings, they may display them through behaviors. This course will help providers identify big feelings with the youth and provide techniques to manage the big feelings. An overview of brain development including trauma will be reviewed as well as preventative strategies that rely on the environment and the role of the teacher. Strategies including co-regulation and classroom management along with multiple tools will be shared.

Audience: School age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Empire D

Document:

Session C10 -An Introduction to Mindfulness: Strategies to Harness the Power of Pause (Room: Wild Rose A)

Session C10

Title: An Introduction to Mindfulness: Strategies to Harness the Power of Pause

Presenter: Dr. Marnie Aylesworth, The Pennsylvania Key

Description: Mindfulness has the potential to build our capacity for happiness, even in the most challenging times. In this session we will delve into the research surrounding mindfulness and examine the benefits of practicing moments of presence and pause. We will practice some simple strategies and review resources to build personal practice.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; school age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information; focus is on self-care of adults

Location: Wild Rose A

Documents:

Keynote: Compassion for Self: The Act of Taking Back Our Power

with Dr. Marnie Aylesworth from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM in the Chocolate Ballroom

Proclaiming that self-care is the antidote to the unprecedented challenges we face as early childhood professionals is not only out of touch, it is harmful.  As a collective profession and with common humanity in the forefront of our minds, we will discuss the need for a community of care approach. We will discuss strategies for connection and resilience that go beyond the typical self-care strategies so that we can regain the power of pause and presence, equipping us for a life of well-being.

Lunch

from 12:30 PM to 1:45 PM in the Chocolate Ballroom

Afternoon Breakout Sessions

from 1:45 PM to 3:00 PM. Click the "+" to expand for more information about a session.

Session D1 -Action Planning Session (Central Region- Counties: ​Adams, Blair, Centre, Clinton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntington, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lycoming, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Tioga, Union, York) (Room: Magnolia A)

Session D1

Title: Action Planning Session (Central Region- Counties: ​Adams, Blair, Centre, Clinton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntington, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lycoming, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Tioga, Union, York)

Presenter: First Up Staff and Conference Staff Support

Description: Join other early childhood educators and leaders from your region to talk about key reflections from this conference and ways to use new ideas and concepts in your own program or classroom.

Audience: All Audiences

Location: Magnolia A

Session D2 -Action Planning Session (Northeast Region- Counties: ​Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montour, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming) (Room: Magnolia D)

Session D2

Title: Action Planning Session (Northeast Region- Counties: ​Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montour, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming)

Presenter: First Up Staff and Conference Staff Support

Description: Join other early childhood educators and leaders from your region to talk about key reflections from this conference and ways to use new ideas and concepts in your own program or classroom.

Audience: All Audiences

Location: Magnolia D

Session D3 -Action Planning Session (Southeast Region- Counties: Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware) (Room: Empire A)

Session D3

Title: Action Planning Session (Southeast Region- Counties: Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware)

Presenter: First Up Staff and Conference Staff Support

Description: Join other early childhood educators and leaders from your region to talk about key reflections from this conference and ways to use new ideas and concepts in your own program or classroom.

Audience: All Audiences

Location: Empire A and B

Session D4 -OCDEL Social Emotional Resources that You Can Access Anytime. (Room: Empire C)

Session D4

Title: OCDEL Social Emotional Resources that You Can Access Anytime.

Presenter: Lindsey Van Dyke, IECMH Supervisor & Lisa Gragg, EITA Consultant

Description: Looking for resources to help support young children develop positive social skills and to support staff’s implementation of effective strategies to decrease challenging behaviors? Connect with professionals during this session to learn where to access all the OCDEL and PA developed resources and trainings to support all your needs.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Empire C

Documents:

Session D5 -Self and Co Regulation Instructional Strategies for Young Children (Room: Magnolia B)

Session D5

Title: Self and Co Regulation Instructional Strategies for Young Children

Presenter: Toni Miguel, Ph.D and Kelly Fisher, EITA Consultants

Description: Explore effective teaching methods for helping young children learn to manage their emotions and work together in this conference session. Discover practical strategies that empower educators to create a supportive classroom environment, fostering skills like self-awareness and social competence. Participants will have the opportunity to practice embedding these skills into daily activities and routines.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Magnolia B

Documents:

Session D6 -Let's Build Some Brains (Room: Empire B)

Session D6

Title: Let’s Build Some Brains

Presenters: Mike Brink, Assistant Director, EITA and Heather Powell, EITA Consultants

Description: The Brain Architecture Game provides a hands-on experience that helps develop an understanding of the powerful role experiences play on early brain development. Participants will learn what promotes or derails early brain development as they work together in teams to build a brain!

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information; preschool age specific information; director specific information, teacher specific information

Location: Empire B

Documents: 

Session D7 -How to Use Predictable Schedules to Help Children (and Their Teachers) Navigate the Day (Room: Wild Rose B)

Session D7

Title: How to Use Predictable Schedules to Help Children (and Their Teachers) Navigate the Day

Presenter: Sue Ann Boyles, EITA Consultant

Description: Are you using your classroom schedule to give predictability and stability to your children (and yourself)? Do you find it difficult to balance your schedule and keep it consistent each day? Do you notice challenging behavior when the schedule changes? Learn about using your schedule to provide harmony throughout the preschool day in this session through collegial conversation and real-world examples.

Audience: Preschool age specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Wild Rose B

Documents:

Session D7 -Action Planning Session (Southwest Region- Counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Butler, Cambria, Clearfield, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Somerset, Washington, Westmoreland & Northwest Region- Counties: Cameron, Clarion, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Warren , Venango) (Room: Magnolia C)

Session D7

Title: Action Planning Session (Southwest Region- Counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Butler, Cambria, Clearfield, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Somerset, Washington, Westmoreland.)

Presenter: First Up Staff and Conference Staff Support

Description: Join other early childhood educators and leaders from your region to talk about key reflections from this conference and ways to use new ideas and concepts in your own program or classroom.

Audience: All Audiences

Location: Magnolia C

Session D8 -Big Emotions (Room: Empire D)

Session D8

Title: Big Emotions

Presenter: Lauren Walter and Betsey Saatman, The Pennsylvania Key

Description: When youth have big feelings, they may display them through behaviors. This course will help providers identify big feelings with the youth and provide techniques to manage the big feelings. An overview of brain development including trauma will be reviewed as well as preventative strategies that rely on the environment and the role of the teacher. Strategies including co-regulation and classroom management along with multiple tools will be shared.

Audience: School age specific information; director specific information; teacher specific information

Location: Empire D

Document:

Session D9 -Child Care and Early Intervention: Working Together to Support All Children and the Adults Who Care for Them (Room: Wild Rose A)

Session D9

Title: Child Care and Early Intervention: Working Together to Support All Children and the Adults Who Care for Them

Presenter: Dr. Jennifer Furness and Melissa Mecke, EITA Consultants

Description: Early Intervention is partnering with child care to learn specific supports called Embedded Instruction so that children are fully engaged throughout daily routines and adults are competent and confident in their ability to teach all children.

Audience: Infant toddler age specific information, preschool age specific information, director specific information, teacher specific information

Location: Wild Rose A

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