National Educare schools come together to celebrate accomplishments and leadership
May 13, 2015
School leaders, master teachers, family support supervisors and funders from all 21 Educare schools came together April 28-30 in West DuPage, IL, to reflect and build upon how they can lead the early childhood field to create change for young children and families. The annual Educare Learning Network Meeting is an opportunity for 250 Network members to discuss early learning strategies, reflect and collaborate on best practices and share success stories about their work.
“We’re constantly pushing the envelope looking for new ways to improve the Educare network, our schools and early learning practices,” said Cynthia Stringfellow, senior vice president, Educare Learning Network. “Together we accomplish so much more.”
The Network Meeting also included a keynote presentation by Dr. Gail Joseph, associate professor of educational psychology and the director of the Early Childhood and Family Studies program at the University of Washington. Dr. Joseph’s interactive presentation “Building a House with Windows and Mirrors,” explored what it takes to improve the quality of early childhood teaching and learning. Educare school staff also presented on informative topics related to Educare’s core features, including:
- Educare Miami-Dade on data utilization
- Educare Kansas City on intensive family engagement
- Educare Denver on high-quality teaching practices
- Educare Arizona on embedded professional development
In addition, the meeting included a tour of this year’s host school, Educare West DuPage, which serves 150 young children in West Chicago, IL. School staff welcomed attendees with mariachi music and dancing, and cheered on fellow Network members for their collective work across the country.
During the tour, attendees learned more about Educare West DuPage and the school’s dual-language approach that gives young children a solid foundation in English and Spanish.
Watch the video shown at the Network Meeting: Leading Together. Driving Change.
