Keynote Presentation

Morning Keynote Speaker
9 am and 10:30 am

Julie Austin
Hand in Hand Productions
Scottdale, GA

Let Them Sing! How to Actively Involve Children Through Song and Movement
Sing and move along to music from Julie's award winning recordings while learning how to keep children creatively engaged during circle time. Children offer their own ideas and the teacher weaves them into the songs and chants which increases children's language skills. Guaranteed to have your hands clapping, your fingers snapping and your toes tapping!

Keynote Presentation

Afternoon Keynote Speaker
1 pm and 2:45 pm

Ronda Rich
Ronda Rich Creative, Inc.
Gainesville, GA

Finding Your Dream when Everyone Thinks It's Impossible
Let's face it! You seem to be working against the odds! Your daily challenges are frustrating and overwhelming -- high turnover, low pay, overwhelming numbers, lack of funding, staying open in the current economy. This is just the short list! The goal of providing high quality care and education for the children in your care could seem impossible. Together we will focus on the importance of staying committed to our dreams and turning the impossible into opportunities to impact the future of Georgia's children.

Conference Agenda

8:00 - 9:00 AM
- Conference Check In, Continental Breakfast and Exhibits

9:00 - 10:15 AM or 10:30 - 11:45 AM
- Morning Workshops

• Doing Science at Home: Promoting Scientific Thinking in Children
  This presentation is going to offer a discussion of how to engage children in doing science and developing scientific thinking at home. There will be a short discussion of characteristics of modern science education. Emphasis will be placed on the inquiry approach to science. There will be examples of small science investigations and activities that parents can do with their children.
  Yasar Bodur, Assistant Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA


• The Power of Healthy Snacks
  Typically snacks provide about 9-10% of the daily recommended calories for children. Family members and the school environment should optimize the nutritional density of snack foods to promote health and prevent disease among children. This session will focus on the health benefits of nutritious snacks for children. The endless variety of snack foods and their relevance to dietary guidelines will be discussed. Practical ideas and recipes for planning kid-pleasing nutritious snacks will be offered, along with some yummy food samples for your tasting pleasure.
  Padmini Shankar Associate Professor, Department of Health and Kinesiology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA


• Look What I Made! The Block Center
  For many many years, blocks have been an essential material in classrooms for young children. Block play enhances all areas of a child’s development. This active session will present ideas and show examples of appropriate block play in the childcare setting for children ages 1-5. So dust off the blocks and let’s build.
  Becky Waters & Tinnie Lee, Lead Teachers, Child Development Center, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA


• Strengthening Families through Early Care and Education Model
  The Strengthening Families through Early Care and Education Model raises the importance and benefits of meaningful partnerships with families. It identifies and describes the five protective factors and their role in preventing child abuse and neglect. In this workshop we will use the Strengthening Families Model to list the seven program strategies and understand their importance in building the five protective factors.
  Sarah Benton, Consultant, Bright From the Start, Savannah, GA


• Tummy Time
  This hands-on interactive workshop has been designed to assist child care providers in increasing the use of tummy time with children. Participants will learn to identify proper techniques to use during tummy time, the muscles that are affected by tummy time, and ways to integrate academic learning with tummy time. By understanding the fine and gross motor skill building of tummy time, child care providers will make tummy time a valuable part of the learning experience for infants.
  Melissa Lovett, Technical Assistance Team Leader for Child Care Resource and Referral, Savannah Technical College, Savannah, GA


• Every Child’s an Individual
  Learn how to improve your skills in working with individual children. Participants will gain an understanding of temperamental differences and assess their own temperament. This will help caregivers work more responsively and effectively with the infants and toddlers in their care.
  Lisa D. Jordan, Director, Chatham Childcare Collaborative (CCC), Savannah, GA


• NAEYC Accreditation: The Gold Standard for Quality
  Come learn about NAEYC Accreditation and what makes it the gold standard for quality in early childhood programs! We’ll discuss information about NAEYC Accreditation, share our experiences with the NAEYC Accreditation process, and give you an opportunity to ask your own questions.
  Jennifer L. Waters, Panel Chairperson, GAYC Quality Improvements and Accreditation, Atlanta, GA; Beth Parr, NAEYC Assessor, Washington, DC; Cynthia S. Edenfield, Director, Child Development Center, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, and Pamela Whitney, Director, Northside Hospital Child Development Center, Atlanta, GA


• Make Dramatic Play More Than Home Living
  A Dramatic Play Learning Center teaches children social skills, language and literacy, social studies, and much more. Learn creative ways to change dramatic play to correspond with your curriculum in creative and inexpensive ways.
  Alice H. Hall,Associate Professor, Child and Family Development, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA

11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
- Conference Luncheon and Exhibits

12:15 PM - 12:45 PM
- Special Lunch time Presentation

• Come Play With Us!
  Come play with Championship Chess and see how we build academic skills through chess activities designed to capture the interest of young children. Our chess readiness curriculum introduces children to the “world of chess” through short, fun songs that invite kids to dance and sing along while improving spatial skills, developing math and reading readiness skills, and reinforcing skills in listening and following directions.

1:00 - 2:15 PM or 2:45 - 4:00 PM
- Afternoon Workshops

• The Discovery Zone: Science in the Early Years
  This interactive workshop will explore the world of science in an early child care learning environment. Children should have an opportunity to use their five senses to explore the world around them and this workshop will provide the opportunity for its participants to gain an understanding through hands on activities. Participants will also gain an understanding of how to expose young children to developmentally appropriate nature and science experiences. Individuals working directly with children will benefit from this session.
  Johnnye Rogers, Outreach/Enhanced Referral Specialist, Child Care Resource & Referral of Southeast Georgia, Savannah, GA


• Parents as Partners: Closing the Communication Gap
  School and parent partnerships have become an educational priority. No Child Left Behind is encouraging parents to get involved and requiring schools to develop strategies to promote parental involvement. This workshop will provide easy and effective parent communication strategies that eliminate personal behaviors that may serve as barriers to communication with families.
  Denise Weems, Assistant Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA


• Give Your Storytelling A Lift
  Use the flannel board, scissors, puppets, paper, and music to make story time the favorite time of the day. You will leave with many ideas to use with three year olds and up.
  Beverly Campbell, K - 4 Teacher, Bulloch Academy, Statesboro, GA


• Open the Windows, Let in the World! Thematic Lesson Plans
  Our world provides countless opportunities to teach our children. As educators it is our responsibility to open their eyes, bring awareness, and expose them to the many possibilities for learning. One really great way to do this is by teaching with thematic lesson plans. We will discuss the many ways to find a theme and develop that theme into a day, week or monthly lesson.
  Pamela Holmes, Technical Assistance Coordinator/Training Team Leader, Child Care Resource & Referral of Southeast Georgia Savannah, GA


• Bulletin Boards Teach, Too
  This hands-on interactive workshop has been designed to assist child care providers in increasing the use of bulletin boards for specific purposes as learning tools. Participants will learn to identify proper techniques to make bulletin boards examples of child-friendly real-world experiences and ways to integrate academic learning with interactive bulletin boards.By understanding the use of interactive and real-world bulletin boards, child care providers will make bulletin boards a valuable part of the learning experience for all age groups.
  Melissa Lovett, Technical Assistance Team Leader for Child Care Resource and Referral, Savannah Technical College, Savannah, GA


• Feeding Infants and Toddlers The Healthy Way
  Come discuss information about infant and toddler nutrition. Explore ways to encourage healthy eating habits, and develop new recipe ideas. Walk away with new ideas that will transform your mealtimes into a fun learning experience.
  Niya Randolph, Curriculum Specialist, Kids ‘R’ Kids International, Atlanta, GA


• Response to Intervention for PreSchoolers
  Learn about identifying and doing interventions for children 3 & 4 years old who may have speech, behavior or other needs “before” automatically referring to special education. We will also discuss where services are available in all counties for 3 year olds.
  Marilyn Dryden,Bulloch County School System, Statesboro, GA


• Director’s Round Table: Boom or Bust
  A successful child care needs to be planning ahead for success! Meet with other Center Directors and Administrators to discuss what’s working and what’s not. Network, organize, and plan to insure your energies for success are logical and not haphazard!
  Facilitators: Cynthia S. Edenfield, Director, Child Development Center, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA and Michelle Smith Lank, Owner, Kid’s World Learning Center, Statesboro, GA

4:00 PM
- Conference Evaluations Collected

Note: There will be a beverage break from 2:15 - 2:45 PM to refresh ourselves and allow additional time with our sponsors and exhibitors.