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The Southern Arizona Association
for the Education of Young Children
cordially invites you to the
SAzAEYC Annual Conference
Growing Our Profession
Together: SAzAEYC
50 Years Strong
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Student Union Memorial Center
1303 E. University Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85719
SAzAEYC wishes to express our thanks to Dean Ronald W. Marx
and the University of Arizona’s College of Education
for sponsoring and supporting this conference.
Agenda
This year’s conference will meet primarily in the Student Union, with some sessions meeting in the College of Education building east of the Student Union.
Registration / Networking / Exhibitor Hall
7:30 am – 8:15 am
Buffet Breakfast / Welcome / Speakers
8:00 am – 9:15 am
Morning Sessions
9:30 am – 11:00 am
Mid-morning Sessions
11:15 am – 12:45 pm
Lunch / Special Members Event
12:45 pm – 1:45 pm
Afternoon Sessions
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Rate Information
The rates outlined below include:
• A full 8 hours of professional development
• A hot buffet breakfast, including seasonal fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, bacon,
home fried potatoes, french toast with butter and maple syrup, a selection of
juices, Seattle's Best regular and decaffeinated coffees, and Tazo teas.
• A boxed lunch with a choice of either turkey with brie and horseradish mayonnaise on a freshly baked croissant or avocado, sprouts, sliced tomatoes and
cucumbers with cheese on multigrain bread, along with herbed pasta salad,
whole fresh fruit, a chocolate chip cookie and an assortment of bottled water
and soft drinks, including diet.
SAzAEYC Members:
Non-Members:
Student*:
On-Site Registration
Online Registration
$60
$70
$55
Add $10 to listed amount
Add $3 to listed amount
*Student must provide current identification number. Undergraduate students must be
enrolled in nine or more credit hours, graduate students in six or more credit hours,
during the Fall 2015 semester to be eligible for the student rate.
SAzAEYC MEMBERSHIP The benefits of membership are endless, including discounts
to all SAzAEYC events and this conference. Please contact [email protected].
Your membership marks the true professional you are by being a part of this premier
early childhood education organization!
To become a member, sign up online at www.naeyc.org/membership/join. When
signing up for membership, be sure to check the “affiliate” box, and enter SAzAEYC so
you can receive SAzAEYC publications and invitations. For more information email
[email protected].
A limited number of scholarships for this conference may be available to current
SAzAEYC members.
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REGISTER ONLINE by following the links at www.sazaeyc.org/conference to pay with
your credit card. Please note that there is a small handling fee ($3) to register online.
Only cash and checks will be accepted by mail. We will have one computer available at
the conference for online payments, but cash and checks are recommended for speedier
service that morning. Online registration will be open until Friday, September 4.
REGISTER EARLY! Session requests are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Are
you a school district or organization paying with a purchase order? Contact registration
by email at [email protected] or call (520) 777-0867 to ensure all participants are registered without the delay of purchase order processing.
POSTMARK DUE DATE Pre-registrations must be postmarked by Friday, September
4, 2015. Registration and payment can be mailed to: SAzAEYC Conference, PO Box 308,
Arivaca, AZ 85601.
DIRECTIONS The University of Arizona Student Union is located south of 2nd St. on
Mountain Ave. Free parking is available in the 2nd St. Garage. Look for conference signs
and friendly volunteers to guide you to conference registration at the Student Union. Some
sessions meet in the College of Education. Details will be posted on www.sazaeyc.org.
Parking arrangements are subject to change due to unforeseen U of A events.
POCKET MONEY Attending the conference offers the opportunity to win door prizes. In
addition, plan on bringing some cash to buy raffle tickets and exhibitor offerings.
MAKE WAY FOR BOOKS BOOK DRIVE Please bring new or gently used children’s
board and picture books to donate to Make Way for Books and their Blue Book House
Program. Through the Blue Book House program, they distribute new and gently used
books to community locations where families may be sitting and waiting. Families are
encouraged to share books while they wait and take a book home to keep, creating a
greater culture of literacy in our community and getting more books into the homes and
hands of young children.
Morning Sessions
#A01: A Partnership Plan for Child Find (NE, EE, NA, EA)
This presentation will effectively combine child find procedures and best-practice family
support strategies to guide providers through the process of referring children for early
intervention and preschool special education services. The ADE Exceptional Student
Services and Raising Special Kids presenters will demonstrate the importance of partnerships to meet the unique developmental needs of children. Instruction—linked to
session activities and take-home resources—will help participants make sure children
with disabilities are located, identified, and evaluated.
Becky Raabe, MA, and Kathy Gray-Mangerson, MBA, have a combined total of more than 40
years of state agency and non-profit service to families, educators, providers, and community
members. Their expertise in the disabilities field includes consultation, training, resource development and dissemination, and team building. Becky is the ADE, Exceptional Student Services, Child
Find Coordinator. Kathy is a Raising Special Kids Family Support Specialist in Southern Arizona.
NE = New Educator / EE = Experienced Educator / NA = New Administrator / EA = Experienced Administrator
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#A02: Understanding and Working with Children Involved with DCS and Foster
Care (NE, EE, NA, EA)
In order to support children who are involved with DCS we need an understanding of
the journey a child takes during their involvment with DCS, foster care, and/or being in
an out-of-home placement. Gain insight and explore interventional strategies that help
children develop age-appropriate coping skills.
Kayla Castillo is a Child Care Support Specialist with “Project Me Too!” at the Easter Seals Blake
Foundation. Kayla has worked in the field of early childhood for over 15 years. She has a Bache lor’s Degree in Elementary Education and is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Business and Leadership. Kayla is a proud mother of a beautiful and spirited seven year old daughter. A newlywed,
she married her soulmate Rob, June 14, 2015. Kayla and her family enjoy spending time with
their two rescue dogs, Jericho and Desitny. Kayla enjoys going to the gym, power lifting, watching movies, baking, yard sales, and cherishing the little moments in life…because those are the
moments that matter the most to her!
#A03: Born Different (NE, EE, NA, EA)
Learn about gender identity and children who do not identify with the gender they were
assigned at birth. Explore medical issues that could contribute to a child becoming a
transgendered child. Begin a conversation with your peers on how we as professionals
can support the child, the family, and the environment of the child born different.
Jane Gariepy is an Early Childhood Educator with 20+ years experience teaching PreK and
Kindergarten. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a degree in Child Development
and Family Relations, plus an Arizona K-8 Teacher’s Certificate with both Early Childhood and
English as a Second Language Endorsements. She has been married for 28 years to her husband
Peter, and together they are the parents of Lauren, Becca, and Noah, their transgendered son.
#A04: A Close Encounter with Paper (NE, EE, NA, EA)
This workshop is a hands-on, minds-on collaborative experience with paper that will
connect participants to the educational benefit of developing relationships with materi als and learning about their potential to support children in all aspects of development,
including in developing creative and critical thinking skills. Estan invitados todos a esta
presentacion. Los presentadores apoyan la educacion bilingue y fomentan la participación de todos de habla español.
Pauline Baker is a studio teacher, artist, and designer who works with teachers on the learning environment, curriculum design and implementation, documentation, and studio projects.
She works as a consultant for Head Start and other public and private programs in Arizona.
Pauline has taught college and community classes focused on the role of materials in teaching
and learning, creativity, and the study of the Reggio Emilia approach to education. Pauline re ceived an M.F.A. degree from The University of Texas at Austin. In presenting this workshop she
is assisted by Mimi Gray, Director of Program Development at Tucson Children’s Project and
Teresa Acevedo, Director of Children’s Services at Child-Parent Centers, Inc.
#A05: Stretching Bodies, Stretching Imaginations: Yoga Storytime (NE, EE)
Come ready to stretch and use your imagination! Learn how Story Time plus yoga sets
the stage for fun. Participate in Total Physical Response (TPR) activities with big books,
a favorite tale, and transition time ideas for young children. No previous yoga experience or knowledge of yoga needed, after all yoga poses are “shapes you make with your
bodies” and Story Time is all about literacy skills, focus, and concentration. This presentation would have most impact for Early Childhood care and education settings serving
toddler through primary age.
Dari Johnson is a retired Early Childhood Consultant. Currently a Pima County Library Educational Program Presenter for “Stretching Bodies, Stretching Imaginations: Yoga Storytime” as
well as a volunteer Yoga Storytime facilitator in five TUSD schools. Dari has additional training
over the years which includes but is not limited to Infant Stimulation & Neuro-developmental
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NE = New Educator / EE = Experienced Educator / NA = New Administrator / EA = Experienced Administrator
Therapy Educators Course, NAEYC Validator Training, Lekotek Play Program Leader, Certified
Infant Massage Instructor, and MiniYogis Certification.
#A06: What a Writer Needs: Thinking about Writing in the Early Childhood
Classroom (NE, EE)
After an examination of how young children’s emergent writing moves from scribbles to
conventional print, we’ll explore developmentally appropriate classroom activities (including dictated stories, “power writing,” portable writing baskets, and independent
center activities) that can be used to move children through their own zones of proximal development. You will leave with a deeper understanding of the stages of writing as
well as plenty of practical ideas for creating confident writers in your classroom.
After earning her B.A. in Psychology and a California Teaching Credential from Occidental Col lege, Debbie Lingrey taught lower primary grades in Arizona and Texas, and then taught preK for 15+ years in Houston, Texas. As part of her ongoing work with Rice University’s early liter acy outreach program, School Literacy and Culture (SLC), she taught the Summer Creative
Writing Camp classroom for entering kindergartners for seven years. Debbie continues to consult with SLC and recently led “Writing Across the Curriculum,” a three-day SLC summer work shop for teachers of young children.
#A07: Explorando Nuestro Mundo Sensorial (NE, EE)
Les invitamos a explorar el mundo sensorial de la perspectiva de la infancia. Apren derán cómo las experiencias sensoriales les ayudan a los infantes y niños pequeños a
desarrollar sus destrezas socio emocionales, cognitivas y lingüísticas.
Sunni Lopez y Julie Friberg son Asesoras de Alfabetización Temprana de la organización no
lucrativa Make Way for Books: El Centro de Recursos de Alfabetización Temprana del Sur de
Arizona. Juntas, tienen más de 40 años de experiencia total en educación para la primera infan cia. Sunni cuenta con una maestría en educación para la primera infancia con especialización
en lectura y ESL, y una licenciatura en educación primaria. Julie cuenta con una maestría en id iomas, lectura, y cultura y una licenciatura en educación primaria bilingüe con especialización
en educación para la primera infancia.
#A08: Cuidando a la Proveedora (NE, EE)
El cuidado de niños es un trabajo muy gratificante y emocionante, pero también tiene
mucho estrés. El personal sólo puede cuidar bien de los niños si ellos, ¡también están
tomando buen cuidado de sí mismos!
Lourdes Rodriguez nació y se crio en Puerto Rico. Posee un Bachillerato con dos concentra ciones: Educación Preescolar e Historia. En PR dirigió un centro preescolar católico por 10 años
con una matrícula promedio de 250 niños desde los 18 meses hasta el Kindergarten inclusive;
durante 15 años fue Coordinadora de Actividades para dos campamentos de verano con una
matrícula de 1,000 camperos; fue dueña de un estudio de ballet donde se enseñaba ballet, jazz y
aeróbicos. Se mudó a AZ hace dos años y trabaja en el programa Project “Me Too!” de ESBF.
#A09: Dr. Bob’s Favorite New Picture Books (NE, EE, NA, EA)
This session will share the newest and best of picture books appropriate for preK to
third grade children. Reading aloud has been proven to be the best way to engage young
children naturally into reading and these books are specifically chosen to represent a
variety of genres that read well aloud. Reading aloud is encouraged often during the day
for a variety of purposes at all levels at school and at home. Resources for teachers will
be shared in addition to the opportunity to browse through great new books.
Dr. Bob Wortman is Associate Professor of Practice in the TLS Department in the College of
Education. He has 13 years experience as a K-1 teacher, 13 years experience as a primary school
principal, and 5 years experience as the Director of School Improvement (Balanced Literacy, K3 Programs, Early Childhood Programs and Title I) all in Tucson Unified School District. He cur rently teaches undergraduate and graduate literacy courses at the University of Arizona.
NE = New Educator / EE = Experienced Educator / NA = New Administrator / EA = Experienced Administrator
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#A10: Nacidos para Mover! Actividades Intencionales para Apoyar el Desarrollo
Fisico de los Niños Pequeños (NE, EE)
La actividad física es un componente esencial de un estilo de vida saludable y debe
comenzar en la infancia y se extienden a lo largo de la edad adulta. La actividad física
regular promueve la salud física, el bienestar psicológico, que puede aumentar el
autoestima y la capacidad de aprendizaje, y puede ayudar a los niños a manejar el estrés.
Maricruz R. Ruiz works at the Regional Connections Office in Green Valley, a satellite office of
United Way. She earned her degrees at the University of Arizona: a Bachelor of Arts in History and
a Master of Science in Mexican American Studies with focus on Latino Health. She is completely
bilingual and bicultural. Prior to coming to United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, Maricruz
worked as Project Director for a research study on diabetes and Mexican Americans at the U of A
College of Nursing. Maricruz resides in Sahuarita with her husband and three children.
#A11: Teaching S.T.E.M. through a Sustainable Scaffold (EE)
A hands on, use-Monday-morning idea workshop! We will take you through several activities that will match your group’s developmental needs and incorporate science, technology,
engineering and mathematics. We will give ideas on how to create boxes that will meet every
child’s developmental stage and push them to want to learn more. We will work on building
a school community that builds on the strengths of children, families, and teachers.
Robin Patch has been in the early childhood field for over 30 years. Robin currently teaches,
writes an early childhood blog about teaching, and runs a not-for-profit charity to help all children get art materials called Art Angel. Colleen Fabel-Epstein is Director at St. Alban’s
Preschool and has been teaching for over 30 years.
Mid-Morning Sessions
#B12: Beyond the Binary: Supporting Gender Creative Children in Early Childhood
Settings (NE, EE, NA, EA)
What are areas of concern for your school when it comes to students who don’t express
themselves as the gender they are perceived? Do you feel worried about saying the
“wrong thing” to a gender creative child? How can you talk with family members who
may have questions about their child’s identity development? All of these issues will be
addressed in this interactive session where questions will be encouraged and answered.
Resources for teaching and support, both for your school and for families, will also be
shared with session attendees.
Diana Wilson is a Senior Academic Advisor for Biomedical Engineering students at the U of A,
but more importantly, she’s mom to a fabulous gender creative son and his supportive younger
brother. She founded and directs Camp Born This Way here in southern Arizona in 2012, which
is an annual long weekend camp for gender creative and transgender children and their fami lies that is completely funded by grants and grassroots fundraising. She co-facilitates a local
support group for supportive families with gender creative kids and has done several volunteer
trainings around town for preschools, elementary schools and K-12 educators who want to
learn how to support their children who may express themselves differently than the gender bi nary. She worked with TUSD last year to successfully amend their nondiscrimination policy to
include protection for gender identity and expression and continues to encourage training
around gender issues for all teachers and staff.
#B13: Appreciative Inquiry: A Tool for Early Childhood Leaders (NA, EA)
Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is an organizational management technique that helps leaders
move from focusing on problems to instead focusing on how a team can move towards a
brighter future. In this participatory session, you will learn about how to apply AI in ECE
settings and how it can enhance your leadership style.
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NE = New Educator / EE = Experienced Educator / NA = New Administrator / EA = Experienced Administrator
Mona Qafisheh’s career in early childhood began as a toddler teacher in a private early learn ing center in Massachusetts in 2001. Over the last decade, she has gained experience working in
various teaching and leadership positions, including being the director of an early learning center for three years. Mona is currently the Quality Assurance Manager with First Things First and
holds a Master of Education in Early Childhood Education from NAU.
#B14: Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Not Just for Children! (NE, EE, NA, EA)
This interactive session will address Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) in the
context of working with colleagues and other adult learners. Participants will discuss what
motivates adult learners, the influence of life experience, and the impact of generational differences on personal preferences and behavior. Strategies to expand circles of influence for
the early childhood profession through intentional actions and planning will be shared.
Dr. Martha Muñoz is an Assistant Professor of early childhood in the College of Education at
Northern Arizona University. She brings over thirty years of experience in education that in cludes teaching preschool, Head Start, and kindergarten. Dr. Muñoz was a child care center di rector for over a decade at an NAEYC accredited campus laboratory school. She is the President
of the Arizona Association for the Education of Young Children (AzAEYC). In addition to service at
the state level, Dr. Muñoz is a Commissioner for the National Association for the Education of
Young Children, Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation system. Dr. Muñoz earned a doctorate in educational leadership from The University of Texas at Austin in 2008. She also earned
MEd and BA degrees from Arizona State University with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education. She was also awarded an AAS degree in Child Care Administration from Phoenix College.
#B15: FUN and LEARN Go Together! (NE, EE, NA, EA)
I believe that teaching begins by learning. For as long as we want to call ourselves teach ers, we need to keep learning. This presentation is intended to create opportunities for
practitioners including teachers, teacher educators, family care providers, and education administrators to reflect on their interactions within their environment and find
ways in which these everyday experiences are used to enhance scientific learning (Vygotsky 1978). These unique learning experiences can further be embedded into relevant
curricula to meet the intended learning outcomes. Similarly, the experiences can be in corporated into assessment activities resulting into qualitative as well as quantitative
data. Approaching the activities from culturally relevant perspective, the session will
demonstrate practices that build on existing strengths of the learning partners and thus
nurture family funds of knowledge (Gonźalez, 2005).
Shelina Walli is a Lecturer at Aga Khan University Institute of Educational Development East
Africa, based in Tanzania. She has been involved in the field of Early Childhood Education for a
number of years from being a classroom teacher, a teacher educator and a principal. She is cur rently pursuing her PhD at the University of Arizona College of Education in the department of
Teaching and Teacher Education Majoring in Early Childhood Education.
#B16: Stretching Bodies, Stretching Imaginations: Yoga Storytime (NE, EE)
See #A05 for session description and presenter bio.
#B17: What a Writer Needs: Thinking about Writing in the Early Childhood
Classroom (NE, EE)
See #A06 for session description and presenter bio.
#B18: Creando Oportunidades de Aprendizaje Efectivas Cuidando Nuestro
Presupuesto (NE, EE)
Estás buscando ideas y actividades apropiadas, económicas y divertidas para el aprendizaje temprano donde puedas promover lenguaje, desarrollo social, y alfabetismo. Este
es el taller para ti donde exploras y encontrarás ideas sin tener que gastar mucho.
NE = New Educator / EE = Experienced Educator / NA = New Administrator / EA = Experienced Administrator
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Marina McCormick: Tengo un titulo en Educacion Temprana del Colegio Comunitario de Tucson, tengo 22 anos de experiencia trabajando como maestra. Disfruto mucho ver a los ninos cre cer y aprender a travez del juego. Mi ultima pasion es de comprar en las tiendas de segunda por
articulos caseros y juguetes que se pueden usar en el salon que no son caros.
#B19: Líderes Comunitarios Inspiradores (NE, EE, EA, NA)
El propósito de este cautivante taller interactivo, es ofrecer a maestros y proveedores,
las herramientas y recursos necesarios para un programa intencional y de alta calidad,
que apoye y motive la participación de los estudiantes en actividades fuera del horario
escolar.
Lourdes Rodriguez nació y se crio en Puerto Rico. Posee un Bachillerato con dos concentra ciones: Educación Preescolar e Historia. En PR dirigió un centro preescolar católico por 10 años
con una matrícula promedio de 250 niños desde los 18 meses hasta el Kindergarten inclusive;
durante 15 años fue Coordinadora de Actividades para dos campamentos de verano con una
matrícula de 1,000 camperos; fue dueña de un estudio de ballet donde se enseñaba ballet, jazz y
aeróbicos. Se mudó a AZ hace dos años y trabaja en el programa Project “Me Too!” de ESBF.
#B20: Enhancing a Caring Community of Learners through Literacy Experiences
(NE, EE)
Empathy, or the ability to understand the feelings and perspectives of others, is key to a
child’s social and emotional development. How can we as Early Childhood Professionals
help children develop this important skill? Recent neurological research shows a significant overlap across the areas of the brain that register empathy and the areas that are
used to understand stories. This session provides fun and engaging reading and storytelling activities that can enhance empathy and help build a community of caring learners.
Kathy Valencik works for the Association for Supportive Child Care as an Arizona Self-Study
Project Early Childhood Specialist. She has a BA in English, and over twenty-five years in the
early childhood field.
#B21: Introducción a las Directrices del Desarrollo de Bebés y Niños Pequeños de
Arizona (NE, EE, NA, EA)
En este taller se discutirá las directrices del desarrollo de bebés y ni ños pequeños que
fueron aprobadas recientemente. Las Proveedoras tend16n la oportunidad de aprender
donde buscar la información y como utilizarla para proveer servicios coordinados y exhaustivos que promuevan el crecimiento y desarrollo del niños a su cuidado.
Sussette Torres es la coordinadora de la Comunidad de Práctica Tohono O’odham, donde
apoya a las educadoras para lograr sus metas profesionales, y preparar a los ninos para el
Kinder. Sussette tiene diez afros de experiencia trabajado con niños, familias y proveedoras en
el estado.
Afternoon Sessions
#C22: Is It My Responsibility or Yours? A Code of Ethical Conduct in Child Care
(NE, EE, NA, EA)
Making sound ethical choices daily for children can be difficult. Explore NAEYC’s Code of
Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment for guidance to support your important
decisions.
Virginia Maya, a member of NAEYC, has worked in the early care and education field for over
20 years holding different positions in various settings including Head Start, Early Head Start,
private, non-profit, and corporate child care settings. Since 2007, Virginia has worked for the
Association for Supportive Child in the Niños en Mi Casa Program and became a Program Coor-
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NE = New Educator / EE = Experienced Educator / NA = New Administrator / EA = Experienced Administrator
dinator for the Quality First Assessment Program in January of 2009. Virginia received her
Bachelors of Interdisciplinary Studies Degree in Child and Family Development and Educational
Psychology from Arizona State University.
#C23: Cooking Across the Curriculum (NE, EE)
Come and explore the wonderful opportunity that early educators have to make a positive
influence on the food choices of children and their families. While they (and we) are having
fun with nutrition, they are also fostering development in every area of curriculum. Don’t
let another week go by without a fun, delicious, and learning-packed food experience.
Maggie Christy is a career early childhood professional with experience spanning over 30
years in the classroom. She has taught infants, toddlers, preschool, and kindergarten as well as
summer camp programs in a variety of settings. Maggie brings her years of experience with
multiple ages to development of activities that are adaptable to nearly all children.
#C24: Building Leadership for Early Childhood Professionals (NE, EE, NA, EA)
This training is designed to inspire, enhance and develop early childhood professionals
by assessing talents, driving purpose and passion and building partnerships for effective team management. This workshop uses best practices from the National Associa tion for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
Misty Early is a professional development facilitator and consultant for early childcare education and out-of-school-time professionals. She has worked in the ECE field for over 19 years in
several capacities including preschool teacher, childcare director, program coordinator, administrative and staff development, presenter and trainer and out-of-school-time external assessor
for program quality improvement. She has her Associates in liberal arts from Pima Community
College with an emphasis in special needs education and her Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology
from Grand Canyon University.
#C25: Arizona Early Childhood Career and Professional Development Network (NE,
EE, NA, EA)
Learn about Arizona’s Early Childhood Career and Professional Development Network
(Network) and learn to create your Registry account! The Network is designed to meet
your professional development needs and includes the following components, all of
which you will learn more about during this session: (1) A website used to promote and
provide access to a variety of professional development resources; (2) A web-based
Workforce Registry (Registry) with a component for application and enrollment in First
Things First College Scholarships for Early Childhood Professionals; (3) The Arizona
Workforce Knowledge and Competencies Framework (WFKC), a set of professional
standards that identify the basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for early child hood professionals across the sectors of early childhood; (4) The Arizona Early Childhood Professional Development Instructor and Technical Assistance Standards, a set of
professional standards that identify the basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed
for professional development instructors and technical assistance providers.
Stephanie Golden, M.Ed. is the Professional Development System Specialist at First Things
First. With a rich background and experience in the education field, Stephanie works to advance
Arizona’s Early Childhood professional development system by supporting the development and
implementation of the Arizona Early Childhood Career and Professional Development Network.
Prior to joining First Things First, Stephanie had a successful career as a classroom teacher and
was recruited to serve as the State Supervisor for Education and Training and Service-Learning
at the Arizona Department of Education (ADE). While at ADE she led the redesign of the Career
and Technical Education Early Childhood Education program and was co-founder of the Arizona Summit on volunteerism and Service-Learning.
NE = New Educator / EE = Experienced Educator / NA = New Administrator / EA = Experienced Administrator
9
#C26: Conflict Resolution and Beyond! (NE, EE, NA, EA)
This presentation will allow participants to develop proactive strategies that promote
socio-emotional development. A panel discussion and viewing of a new on-line video
that focuses pm strategies to help young children solve problems independently will be
followed by table-topic groups that explore similar strategies for facilitation of other important areas of socio-emotional development in early childhood.
Barbara Kiernan, Ph.D. is the Director of the Scottish Rite―The University of Arizona Child
Language Center. Dr. Kiernan received her Ph.D. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
from the University of Arizona and has extensive experience with children learning first and sec ond languages in the U.S. and Venezuela. Since 1997, she has been developing research-based
programs at the Center’s Words on Words as well as Outreach Programs for early childhood
settings in southern Arizona. Karen Rost Zakerwski, M.A. is the Program Director at Wings on
Words (WOW) Preschool & Toddler Program. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood
Development and a Master’s in Preschool Special Education. Prior to working at WOW, she
worked as a teacher for the Head Start program and as the director of preschool special educa tion programs for the Marana School District.
#C27: Creating and Implementing a Joyful PreK Math and STEM Curriculum (NE,
EE, NA, EA)
Teaching and learning about math and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and
Math) subjects alongside young children is a fascinating and joyful process for everyone
involved! While most early childhood professionals know how important it is that
young children develop strong early math skills, many are not sure how to do this in a
developmentally appropriate way. Presenter Emilie Pechuzal has spent years developing and teaching math and STEM curricula in an inclusive preschool classroom with a
diverse student population. In this session, participants will learn about evidencedbased practices for teaching Problem Based Math and developing a STEM curriculum
which can be adapted in a variety of early childhood settings. The session will include
an overview of the topic, highlights from the Math and STEM program at Emily
Meschter Early Learning Center, participation in one math and one science experience
developed for young children, curriculum resources, and time for reflection.
Emilie Pechuzal is a teacher and instructional coach at the Emily Meschter Early Learning
Center in Flowing Wells School District. Emilie has developed curriculum at that center for five
years, and is passionate about creating joyful learning experiences for young children and their
teachers. She has a BS (cum laude) in Architecture from the Ohio State University, an MA in Ele mentary Education with an Early Childhood Focus from Prescott College, and an MEd. (with
distinction) in Early Childhood Special Education from Northern Arizona University. She is the
proud mother of two beautiful young girls and has been involved in the Tucson early childhood
community for ten years as a teacher, graduate student, center director, and parent in local
public and private early learning programs.
#C28: Creando Oportunidades de Aprendizaje Efectivas Cuidando Nuestro
Presupuesto (NE, EE)
Ver #B16 para la descripción del taller y bio presentador.
#C29: La Fantasía del Vuelo (NE, EE)
En esta sesión van a tomar el papel de un ingeniero para construir algo que vuela con
popotes, papel y cinto adhesivo. Vamos a medir la distancia de cada vuelo y ajustar los
“aviones” para que vuelen distancias más largas. Vengan a jugar junto con nosotras y
aprenderemos a enseñar matemáticas, resolución de problemas y el proceso de la inge niería por medio de una actividad bien divertida. María y Brenda aprendieron esta actividad de Dañel Hogan en una junta de STEM.
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NE = New Educator / EE = Experienced Educator / NA = New Administrator / EA = Experienced Administrator
María Barajas y Brenda Mercado son maestras en el programa de PACE Prescolar en la escuela Maldonado. Durante los 20 años juntas María y Brenda han estudiado las creencias de las
escuelas de Reggio Emilia. A causa de su imagen del niño/niña que ellos son capaces y competentes, María and Brenda brindan a los niños experiencias para solucionar problemas.
#C30: Parallel Connections: Music Literacy and Language Literacy (NE, EE)
This session will present techniques for incorporating developmentally appropriate music activities with children’s books to enhance music and language literacy.
Participants will sing, play, move, explore, and create, using a variety of children’s
literature books. We will address abilities of young children, providing specific
strategies and suggested materials for successful implementation in your own
classrooms. Participants will be actively involved during the session activities.
“Doing” the activities during the conference session will enable participants to further their own musical knowledge and skills, allowing for successful transfer of
new, learned concepts to their students. Session handout includes sample lesson
plans, guidelines for immediate implementation of activities, and musical characteristics of young children based on research and personal experience.
Dr. Shelly Cooper has been an active music educator for more than 30 years. As a researcher
and general music specialist, she has presented at numerous local, state, and national music
and general education conferences and workshops. At the University of Arizona, her teaching
responsibilities include undergraduate and graduate music education courses and she serves as
area coordinator for music education.
#C31: Expanding Children’s Literature to Reach All the Corners of Your Classroom!
(NE, EE, NA, EA)
Whether you are new to teaching or have many years under your belt, children’s literature is a wonderful way to share, well, just about everything about anything. In this ses sion we will explore how we can take a book and turn it into an entire classroom of
learning opportunities, from art to math and science to dramatic play. We will explore a
variety of books with an assortment of props both teacher-made and store-bought and
discuss additional ideas as we go along. Bring a favorite book of yours to share, either
one you have already expanded or one that you’re looking to make the next BIG IDEA!
This presentation is geared towards those that read to young children, Center Care,
Home & Family Care, and Kindergarten.
Shayna Smith began her Early Ed. career in Syracuse, NY in 1997. Her first experience was
working with 12‒24 month old mini-toddlers. Since then, she has completed her CDA,
Associate’s and is “oh so slowly” working on her Bachelor’s degree. She calls herself fortunate to
be part of the St. Mark’s teaching team and has been since 2005. Shayna currently works with
brilliant 3- and 4-year-olds!
#C32: Introducción a las Directrices del Desarrollo de Bebés y Niños Pequeños de
Arizona (NE, EE, NA, EA)
En este taller se discutirá las directrices del desarrollo de bebés y ni ños pequeños que
fueron aprobadas recientemente. Las Proveedoras tend16n la oportunidad de aprender
donde buscar la información y como utilizarla para proveer servicios coordinados y exhaustivos que promuevan el crecimiento y desarrollo del niños a su cuidado.
Sussette Torres es la coordinadora de la Comunidad de Práctica Tohono O’odham, donde
apoya a las educadoras para lograr sus metas profesionales, y preparar a los ninos para el
Kinder. Sussette tiene diez afros de experiencia trabajado con niños, familias y proveedoras en
el estado.
NE = New Educator / EE = Experienced Educator / NA = New Administrator / EA = Experienced Administrator
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#C33: Creating a Literacy-Rich Environment (NE, EE)
In this session participants will learn how to surround their students with a literacy-rich
environment. We will learn how to incorporate literacy into play areas, the classroom
environment, academic subjects such as math and science, and how to work with fami lies to support literacy practices at home. Participants will leave with ideas to apply to
their teaching the next day.
Courtney Cook has had a variety of teaching experiences in infant, toddler, pre-school, and
kindergarten classrooms. She received a B.A.E. in Early Childhood Education and a B.A. in
Psychology from the University of Arizona. Courtney is currently a kindergarten teacher in the
Marana Unified School District. She has presented at the SAzAEYC Conference for the past two
years on topics related to literacy.
#C34: Behavior = Communication: Exploring How to Identify the Underlying
Emotional Needs of Each Child (NE, EE)
What is the emotional need of the distressed/clingy/angry child? Let’s discover together by applying non-violent communication tools to specific classroom situations
and frustrations. Expand your understanding of behavior and become part of the empathy movement. Part of this presentation will be open-forum style, we invite you to share
your classroom stories.
Emily McCrea is the Founder and Director of Downtown Community School, a play-based
preschool and kindergarten, inspired by TEACH through Love, located in Barrio Viejo. At DCS,
children choose to engage in open-ended play experiences and are guided by teachers who facilitate play opportunities and create a socio-emotional climate of compassion and non-violent
communication tools to children and their families. Andrea Lauritzen and Jennifer Oswald
are educators who have teamed up with Emily to serve as play facilitators and emotional
coaches in this unique environment. Together, they create opportunities and invitations that
support children’s intrinsic motivation, innate creativity and exploration.
#C35: Design a Nature-Based Outdoor Area (NE, EE, NA, EA)
Design a nature-based outdoor area that is reflective of the community that will use it.
Learn the importance of infusing the values of the children, their families, and your staff
into the project. Receive information about six elements to consider incorporating into
the design to facilitate the outcomes you desire.
Gaye Lynn Fisher has 19 years of experience in the early childhood field as a lead teacher (in fants/toddlers and four year olds), center director, and accreditation support coach. She was
the director of an Accreditation Facilitation Project for the National Association for the Educa tion of Young Children (NAEYC) and served on an advisory group at NAEYC to develop a manual outlining a framework for quality improvement in early childhood settings. She recently at tended the world forum in New Zealand called Working Forum on Design and Nature: Designing Inspiring and Effective Spaces for Children. She is currently the Program Manager for the
Quality First program at Child & Family Resources. Andrea Dekker has over 20 years of experience as a home provider, teacher, center director, and adult educator. She is currently a Coach
Supervisor for the Quality First Program at Child & Family Resources.
3- and 4-Hour Sessions
These workshops are designed to cover different material in each session. When registering, list these sessions in ALL necessary time frames as matching 1st, 2nd, or 3rd choices.
• #D36, #D37, #D39, and #D40 span the morning and mid- morning sessions.
• #D38 spans the mid-morning and afternoon sessions.
• #D41 spans all three sessions.
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NE = New Educator / EE = Experienced Educator / NA = New Administrator / EA = Experienced Administrator
#D36 (9:30-12:45; also register for one afternoon session): Infant Mental Health for
Childcare Providers: How to Recognize and Support Healthy Development in the
Classroom (NE, EE, NA, EA)
All children need healthy relationships with caregivers to thrive. Learning more about
early childhood mental health can assist preschool teachers in understanding better
their relationships with young children, which is the primary need children aged birth
through five must have met for healthy growth and development. Participants in this
session will learn more about the social and emotional needs of young children, and
what they can do as care providers to meet them.
Jordana Saletan has been in the field of early childhood since 1998. Having taught preschool
for almost ten years, she earned her Master’s degree in 2007 and went to work for Easter Seals
Blake Foundation as a parent-child relationship therapist (also known as infant-parent psychotherapy). With the inception of First Things First Jordana began consulting with the Smart
Support program, and took over supervision of the program in the spring of 2012.
#D37 (9:30-12:45; also register for one afternoon session): Holding the Hand of
Trauma: Help and Healing in the First Years of Life (NE, EE, NA, EA)
Beginning with a foundation in Attachment Theory, this workshop will explore the
physiological, social, and emotional impact of trauma on the young child’s development.
The all-important role of the caregiver in co-regulating the child’s distress will be
shared along with strategies of support for strengthening the security of this relationship. The importance of support for providers with their own experience of “vicarious
trauma” will also be shared.
Kenny E. Miller, LCSW is a Clinical Social Worker in private practice with Esperero Family Cen ter in Tucson, AZ. He has for 17 years been a Mental Health Consultant with the Early Head
Start programs of Southern Arizona, providing both direct service to families and a monthly re flective practice supervision group for Family Educators.
#D38 (11:15-3:30; also register for one morning session): The Nitty-Gritty Art and
Science of Leading Systems Change (EE, NA, EA)
This session will walk early education leaders through the practical hands-on work of
leading systems change. Whether your system is large or small, or if you’re a formal or
informal leader, this interactive, “minds-on” think tank will help you apply systems
thinking tools and concepts to your real-life systems change effort. Come prepared with
at least one situation where you’d like to figure out how to lead systems change.
Ida Rose Florez is the Governing Board Vice President of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and a Senior Project Director with WestEd’s Center for Child and
Family Studies. Dr. Florez specializes in state-level early childhood systems development. Before
joining WestEd, Ida Rose was Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives, with First Things First. She
oversaw Arizona’s cross-agency early childhood professional development system-building efforts. Ida Rose holds a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Arizona. Her work
has been published in Teachers College Record, Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education,
Language Policy, the UCLA Civil Rights Project, Exchange Magazine, and Young Children.
#D39 (9:30-12:45; also register for one afternoon session): The Conscious
Discipline® Brain Model: It’s All About Safety, Connection and Problem Solving
(NE, EE, NA, EA)
This fast-paced workshop, empowering teachers and caregivers to effectively handle
behavior issues and conflicts, will be presented with the learning brain in mind and will
include music, movement, and interaction. Participants will gain insight into the brain
states indicated by difficult behaviors and brain-compatible guidelines for intervention.
With new understanding and language, teachers who attend this workshop will be able
NE = New Educator / EE = Experienced Educator / NA = New Administrator / EA = Experienced Administrator
13
to implement brain-compatible behavior management, connecting the class community
with coaching and support and providing a model of positive discipline strategies for
other adults.
Diana Brown has been a professional educator since 1988. She has a BA and an MA from
Northern Arizona University and is certified by Dr. Becky Bailey in Conscious Discipline®. Diana
provides workshops, consultation and coaching to teachers, parents, and caregivers.
#D40 (9:30-12:45; also register for one afternoon session): DAP for Adults:
Modeling Parallel Process (NE, EE, NA, EA)
Based on the e-book Six Secrets for High Impact Presenting, written and published by
Wholonomy Consulting, we’ll help participants build on their current knowledge with ways
to make presentations even more engaging and effective. Participants will leave with:
•
Engagement strategies that align with both recent neuroscience and brain research and Developmentally Appropriate Practice that contain the secrets to
effective presenting and learning.
•
Six “Secrets” that you can immediately put to use in your teaching, presenting,
and facilitation which will drastically increase the learning and value that participants receive.
•
Tools and worksheets that will help you plan and deliver presentations using
the Six Secrets.
Cassandra O’Neill, Wholonomy Consulting, applies strength-based approaches to change in her
work with individuals and groups. She is passionate about helping leaders create unstoppable
teams that deliver ambitious results. She co-developed an early childhood coaching model called
Coaching for Change which she has taught statewide to early childhood professionals. Sarah
Griffiths, Wholonomy Consulting, is an expert facilitator and presenter. She teaches coaching
skills to early childhood professionals and coaches educational leaders. She co-developed an
early childhood coaching model called Coaching for Change which she has taught statewide to
early childhood professionals. Monica Brinkerhoff, Child-Parent Centers, has worked as an
early childhood teacher, Director, a Community of Practice Coordinator, and is a leader in systems building. She facilitates and inspires insight through connections and relationships.
#D41 (9:30-3:30; this is a full day session): Social Studies (AZELS Standard
Module) (NE, EE)
The inclusion of Social Studies in early childhood environments is important in order to
nurture children’s understanding of themselves and others. Through Social Studies children learn to become active, responsible citizens and what the expectations of these citizens are. In this interactive session, participants will delve into the Social Studies Early
Learning Standard in order to gain practical ideas to help children acquire skills in problem solving, decision making, and critical thinking that can then be integrated in to all
aspects of their world.
Lauren Zbyszinski currently works as a Program Specialist and Professional Development Coordinator in the Early Childhood division at the Arizona Department of Education. Her background includes teaching preschool, kindergarten, and first grade. Lauren holds her PhD in the
area of Curriculum and Instruction, with a specialization on Early Childhood Education, in
which her research included a focus on the Arizona Early Learning Standards and College and
Career Ready Standards, with a special emphasis on the Social Emotional standard and development in the preschool and kindergarten years.
14
NE = New Educator / EE = Experienced Educator / NA = New Administrator / EA = Experienced Administrator
Session Summary
Morning Sessions
Afternoon Sessions
#A01: A Partnership Plan for Child Find (NE, EE,
NA, EA); Becky Raabe, MA and Kathy GrayMangerson, MBA
#A02: Understanding and Working with Children
Involved with DCS and Foster Care (NE, EE,
NA, EA); Kayla Castillo
#A03: Born Different (NE, EE, NA, EA); Jane
Gariepy
#A04: A Close Encounter with Paper (NE, EE, NA,
EA); Pauline Baker, Mimi Gray, and Teresa
Acevedo
#A05: Stretching Bodies, Stretching Imaginations:
Yoga Storytime (NE, EE); Dari Johnson
#A06: What a Writer Needs: Thinking about
Writing in the Early Childhood Classroom
(NE, EE); Debbie Lingrey
#A07: Explorando Nuestro Mundo Sensorial (NE,
EE); Sunni Lopez y Julie Friberg
#A08: Cuidando a la Proveedora (NE, EE); Lourdes
Rodriguez
#A09: Dr. Bob’s Favorite New Picture Books (NE,
EE, NA, EA); Dr. Bob Wortman
#A10: Nacidos para Mover! Actividades
Intencionales para Apoyar el Desarrollo
Fisico de los Niños Pequeños (NE, EE);
Maricruz R. Ruiz
#A11: Teaching S.T.E.M. through a Sustainable
Scaffold (EE); Robin Patch and Colleen FabelEpstein
#C22: Is It My Responsibility or Yours? A Code of
Ethical Conduct in Child Care (NE, EE, NA,
EA); Virginia Maya
#C23: Cooking Across the Curriculum (NE, EE);
Maggie Christy
#C24: Building Leadership for Early Childhood
Professionals (NE, EE, NA, EA); Misty Early
#C25: Arizona Early Childhood Career and
Professional Development Network (NE, EE,
NA, EA); Stephanie Golden
#C26: Conflict Resolution and Beyond! (NE, EE,
NA, EA); Barbara Kiernan, Ph.D. and Karen
Rost Zakerwski
#C27: Creating and Implementing a Joyful PreK
Math and STEM Curriculum (NE, EE, NA,
EA); Emilie Pechuzal
#C28: Creando Oportunidades de Aprendizaje
Efectivas Cuidando Nuestro Presupuesto
(NE, EE); Marina McCormick
#C29: La fantasía del vuelo (NE, EE); Brenda
Mercado y María Barajas
#C30: Parallel Connections: Music Literacy and
Language Literacy (NE, EE); Shelley Cooper
#C31: Expanding Children’s Literature to Reach All
the Corners of Your Classroom! (NE, EE, NA,
EA); Shayna Smith
#C32: Introducción a las Directrices del Desarrollo
de Bebés y Niños Pequeños de Arizona (NE,
EE, NA, EA); Sussette Torres
#C33: Creating a Literacy-Rich Environment (NE,
EE); Courtney Cook
#C34: Behavior = Communication: Exploring How
to Identify the Underlying Emotional Needs
of Each Child (NE, EE); Emily McCrea, Andrea
Lauritzen, and Jennifer Oswald
#C35: Design a Nature-Based Outdoor Area (NE,
EE, NA, EA); Gaye Lynn Fisher and Andrea
Dekker
Mid-Morning Sessions
#B12: Beyond the Binary: Supporting Gender
Creative Children in Early Childhood Settings
(NE, EE, NA, EA); Diana Wilson
#B13: Appreciative Inquiry: A Tool for Early
Childhood Leaders (NA, EA); Mona Qafisheh
#B14: Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Not
Just for Children! (NE, EE, NA, EA); Dr.
Martha Muñoz
#B15: FUN and LEARN Go Together! (NE, EE, NA,
EA); Shelina Walli
#B16: Stretching Bodies, Stretching Imaginations:
Yoga Storytime (NE, EE); Dari Johnson
#B17: What a Writer Needs: Thinking about
Writing in the Early Childhood Classroom
(NE, EE); Debbie Lingrey
#B18: Creando Oportunidades de Aprendizaje
Efectivas Cuidando Nuestro Presupuesto
(NE, EE); Marina McCormick
#B19: Líderes Comunitarios Inspiradores (NE, EE,
NA, EA); Lourdes Rodriguez
#B20: Enhancing a Caring Community of Learners
through Literacy Experiences (NE, EE);
Kathy Valencik
#B21: Introducción a las Directrices del Desarrollo
de Bebés y Niños Pequeños de Arizona (NE,
EE, NA, EA); Sussette Torres
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3- and 4-Hour Sessions
#D36: Infant Mental Health for Childcare
Providers: How to Recognize and Support
Healthy Development in the Classroom (NE,
EE, NA, EA); Jordana Saletan
#D37: Holding the Hand of Trauma: Help and
Healing in the First Years of Life (NE, EE, NA,
EA); Kenny E. Miller, LCSW
#D38: The Nitty-Gritty Art and Science of Leading
Systems Change (EE, NA, EA); Ida Rose Florez
#D39: The Conscious Discipline® Brain Model: It’s
All About Safety, Connection and Problem
Solving (NE, EE, NA, EA); Diana Brown
#D40: DAP for Adults: Modeling Parallel Process
(NE, EE, NA, EA); Cassandra O’Neill, Sarah
Griffiths, and Monica Brinkerhoff
#D41: Social Studies (AZELS Standard Module)
(NE, EE); Lauren Zbyszinski
NE = New Educator / EE = Experienced Educator / NA = New Administrator / EA = Experienced Administrator
SAzAEYC
Southern Arizona Association for
the Education of Young Children
PO Box 308
Arivaca, AZ 85601
Nonprofit Org
U.S. Postage
PAID
Tucson, AZ
Permit No.
523
Don’t miss the 2015 SAzAEYC Annual Conference
“Growing Our Profession Together:
SAzAEYC 50 Years Strong”
The conference will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2015 at
the University of Arizona Student Union and College of Education,
1303 E. University Blvd., Tucson, AZ, 85719.
Registration is due by Friday, September 4, 2015.
You asked for it!
more choices • three sessions • special membership event • Exhibitor Hall back by popular demand