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2024 Educare Learning Network Meeting

Events
In-Person
May 1-3, 2024
Sioux City, Iowa

We are excited to announce that the 2024 Educare Learning Network Meeting will be hosted in partnership with Educare Winnebago!

The Educare Learning Network meeting provides a forum in which Network members share, problem-solve and receive technical assistance and support regarding issues of program and policy development, implementation and continuous improvement of the Educare Model. The Network meeting also provides an opportunity to reflect on the successes and challenges of the work. As a platform for policy and systems change, the Network Meeting also offers an opportunity to define, discuss and address critical issues facing the early childhood field and identify partnerships that best leverage state and local investments for young children in disinvested communities.  

What to Expect

Our annual Network Meeting is a collaborative event that brings together representatives from each Educare school, parents/caregivers, researchers, public- and private-sector partners and other key contributors in the early childhood field. Each meeting includes: 

  • A plenary session which features program, research and policy experts from the early childhood and related fields as our keynote speaker 
  • Concurrent sessions (including data dialogues) led by Network members and partners that focus on relevant issues or core features of the Educare model  
  • Sessions for work groups and committees to convene  

Historically, in-person Network Meetings are hosted yearly with the meeting location rotating between Educare schools. 

Audience

  • Boards of directors, executive directors & school directors 
  • Family support staff & supervisors 
  • Funders & philanthropists 
  • Local evaluation partners (LEPs) and national evaluation partners (NEPs) 
  • Mentor teachers, coaches, curriculum & instruction managers, education coordinators
  • Parents/caregivers 
  • Program administrators 
  • Teaching staff & all other Educare staff 
  • Invited guests 

For more information, please reach out to support@educarenetwork.org.

Event Details

Steering Committee

The Educare Network Meeting is informed by the Network Meeting Steering Committee, which is comprised of members of the Network and contributing partners, who work collaboratively with the Educare National Coordinating Office to design an engaging and inclusive annual meeting that is representative of the diverse needs of the Network and advances the Network’s learning and evolution. Membership from all roles within the Network, including parents/caregivers, is encouraged. Steering Committee membership runs from the fall to late spring. Responsibilities include:

  • Guiding the direction of the theme/content
  • Speaker selection and session development
  • Elevating innovations in practice, policy and research to the broader Educare Network
  • Informing planning by leveraging and utilizing learning group and work group participation
  • Engaging in monthly planning meetings
  • Promoting the Call for Proposals process and reviewing session proposals
  • Serving as a liaison between Educare schools and the Steering Committee to inform content and logistics planning
  • Serving as a meeting ambassador for first-time attendees and parents/caregivers
  • Moderating or introducing sessions

We would like to thank the following individuals who volunteered to be part of the committee this year:

  • Sarah Baird, Educare Omaha and Winnebago, Assistant Project Director/LEP
  • Andrew Bourassa, Educare Central Maine, Coach/Supervisor/Special Projects
  • Nikki Burnett, Educare Springfield, Executive Director
  • Tatjyana Elmore, Educare Atlanta, School Director
  • Heidi Fogg, Educare Springfield, Mentor Teacher
  • Gladys Haynes, Buffett Early Childhood Fund, Director Nebraska Early Learning Initiatives
  • Dana Hilbert, Tulsa Educare, Curriculum & Inclusion Coordinator
  • Airica Hill, Educare Chicago, Teacher Aide
  • Keri LaPointe, Educare Winnebago, Head Start Director
  • Amy LaPointe Houghton, Educare Winnebago, Education Director
  • Peggy LaRose, Educare Winnebago, Director
  • Erica Palmer, Educare Central Maine, Education Manager
  • Jane Pirnat, Educare Omaha Indian Hill, Mentor Teacher Supervisor
  • Lori Pittman, Educare Seattle, Policy, Advocacy & Government Relations
  • Donna Quiroz, Educare West DuPage, Family Engagement Supervisor
  • Natasha Roberts, Educare Seattle, Executive Director
  • Kelli Roehr, Educare Kansas City, School Director
  • Cheryse Singleton-Nobles, Educare Chicago, Parent
  • Jamie Steel, Educare Tulsa at MacArthur, Assistant Director
  • LaDonna Stevens, Educare Tulsa at Celia Clinton, Mentor Coach
  • Ealasha Vaughner, Educare Denver, Manager, Policy & Advocacy
  • Colleen Walling, Educare Tulsa at MacArthur, Lead Infant/Toddler Teacher
  • Serenity Weeden-Umelo, Educare Tulsa at Kendall-Whittier, Family Engagement Coordinator

Schedule

The schedule-at-a-glance will be available in January 2024 along with registration.

The 2024 Network Meeting will be an in-person experience.

Call for Proposals

The call for proposals process offers an opportunity for Network members to present at our in-person meeting to create a collective and engaging experience for attendees.

The call for proposals will open later this year.

Venue and Accommodations

Meeting Location: Sioux City Convention Center (801 4th St, Sioux City, IA 51101)

Hotels: