Below are upcoming opportunities to explore.
All Administrators Invited to Register for KIDS Webinar – April 4 The Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) is an observational tool designed to improve understanding of children’s development in key areas of learning for long‐term success. ISBE requires all school districts and kindergarten teachers to observe and collect data for 14 State Readiness Measures across three developmental areas. All administrators are invited to join ISBE for a webinar 3:30-4:30 p.m. on April 4 to:
- Gain a deeper understanding of the KIDS Observational Tool and the state’s purpose for collecting the data;
- Understand how to interpret the results and use the data locally;
- Get tips on framing the data to drive discussions about children’s needs prior to and upon kindergarten entry;
- Gain insight on preparing for the public release of the statewide report;
- Learn what supports and resources are available to help districts.
Illinois Teacher Leadership Summit…an ECET2 and Powered by Teach to Lead Event April 5-6, 2019, Decatur Conference Center and Hotel, Decatur, Illinois. We are excited to announce the Illinois Teacher Leadership Summit. The summit is a great opportunity for teachers to develop concrete plans to solve local problems in their districts and network with other teachers in the state. Educators from across the state will work to collaborate, problem solve, and develop action plans to put their own expertise into action. Our hope is to attract exceptional educators from across the state to use teacher leadership as a vehicle to change the face of education.
Livestreamed Event on the Impact of Building Principal Pipelines On April 8, The Wallace Foundation will release the results of a new, groundbreaking study by the RAND Corporation on the impact of principal pipelines on districts, principals and students. Join Wallace online from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon ET for a livestreamed presentation of the RAND findings and panel discussion among large-district superintendents.
Community Systems Statewide Supports (CS3) Updates The Partner Plan Act Collaboration Institute is gearing up to launch its application for the second cohort. The application will be open from April 1, 2019 through May 30, 2019 for supports starting July 1, 2019.
Engaging Families in Early Childhood Community Collaborations This training will help participants identify strategies to reach priority populations, empower parents, and sustain a welcoming environment for families. The next Engaging Families in Early Childhood Community Collaborations trainings are:
- Carterville, Illinois (April 9, 2019)
- Decatur, Illinois (May 2, 2019)
- Sugar Grove, Illinois (May 21, 2019)
2019 Partner Plan Act Conference: Equity from the Start Registration for the 2019 Partner Plan Act Conference is now open! The conference will take place in Bloomington, Illinois on June 11, 2019 from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. This annual conference brings early childhood system stakeholders to learn, network, and deepen their community systems knowledge and skills.
Webinar on the Illinois Risk and Reach Project The CS3 team will be joined by Dr. Cristina Pacione-Zayas, Director of Policy at Erikson Institute on Tuesday, April 30 at 1pm for an hour long webinar. Participants will be introduced to the Illinois Risk and Reach Project and explore how they can use the data in their work. This webinar is meant for early childhood collaboration members.
Week of the Young Child April 8–12 Join the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) for five fun-filled, themed days to celebrate of our youngest learners! The Week of the Young Child™ is an annual celebration to spotlight early learning, young children, their teachers, families, and communities. Each day has a theme to highlight an important aspect of early education: Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, and Family Friday. You can visit NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child page to learn more. Illinois AEYC has local chapters you can join or follow on social media, too. Visit the Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children website to check out the local chapters.
Sharing A Vision Biennial Conference October 2-4, 2019 Save the dates for the Sharing A Vision Biennial Conference on Oct. 2-4 in East Peoria. This exceptional conference is planned to meet the needs of early childhood professionals and families in the state and is coordinated by the Illinois Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children in collaboration with the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Human Services. This conference will highlight Dr. Rosemarie Allen, a national expert on implicit bias and culturally responsive practices, and Jim Gill, an author, musician, and child development specialist who truly understands the benefits of play and movement for all children. To learn more, visit the Sharing a Vision website.
Webinar: Strengthening Principal Preparation Through On-the-Job Training Join a webinar on Wednesday, April 24, at 12 p.m. ET to hear lessons learned from an effort by KIPP—a charter management organization—to prepare assistant principals as principals through job-embedded training. To accommodate its rapid growth in recent years, the KIPP charter network has developed strategies for developing assistant principals into instructional leaders.
