SESSIONS
Join us for an exciting day of networking, skill building, professional development and IGNITING your play as an ECE professional.
Sessions are available for Frontline, Leadership, and Administrators alike.
MEET OUR KEYNOTE PRESENTERS
ERIKA PETRELLI
2025 Key Note Presenter
https://youtu.be/nHzP9aXRKSg?si=GHUYGEGilFWLMuqb
The LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
Erika, of "The Extraordinary In You," is an inspirational coach, trainer, and facilitator with robust expertise in igniting the personal and professional growth in individuals, fostering high-performing teams, driving innovative strategic planning, and cultivating vibrant organizational culture. Whether engaging a small group or a crowd of thousands, Erika's authentic, humorous, and playful approach ignites the possibilities in those around her.
Erika is also an innovative curriculum designer and content creator, proven effective in designing engaging program curriculum, culture & teambuilding training and retreat agendas, inspirational and thought-provoking articles, and other content designed to empower individuals to excel as leaders.
Erika Petrelli is the Senior Vice President of Leadership Development (and self-declared Minister of Mischief) for The Leadership Program, a New York City-based organization. With a Masters degree in Secondary Education, Erika has been in the field of teaching and training for decades, and has been with The Leadership Program since 1999. There she has the opportunity to nurture the individual leadership spirit in both students and adults across the country, through training, coaching, keynotes, and writing. The legacy Erika strives daily to create is to be the runway upon which others take flight. If you enjoy these blogs, you should check out her interactive journal, On Wings & Whimsy: Finding the Extraordinary Within the Ordinary, now available for sale on Amazon. While her work takes her all around the country, Erika calls Indiana home.
TYLER J. SUMMERS
2025 Closing Key Note Presenter
https://tylerjsummerseducation.com/
TYLER J SUMMERS EDUCATION
Educator / Content Creator & Designer / Copy Writer / Actor / Dad Who Still Skates Speaker | Facilitator | Author
Experienced Co-Founder with a demonstrated history of working in the education management industry. Skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Event Management, Team Building, Public Speaking, and Program Development. Strong media and communication professional graduated from Capilano University, Vancouver Community College.
HOW TO REGISTER
Register your ticket by clicking the button below.
Grab your Spot for your preferred sessions.
Download the WHOVA app.
THAT’S IT! You're all ready to go! We are excited to see you on March 8th, 2025!
Registration includes breakfast, lunch, coffee, and tea, plus sessions and access to the Vendor and Exhibitor fair.
Not sure if your organization is a SACDA Member or not? Email calgarysacda@gmail.com or purchase a membership HERE!
2025 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
CONFERENCE OPENING (7:30 am - 9:45 am)
Registration, Breakfast & Vendor Fair
(7:30 am - 8:30 am)
Welcome, Land Acknowledgment, Sponsor Acknowledgement, and SACDA Presentation
(8:30 am -8:45 am)
School Age Care Directors Association of Alberta
Keynote-Finding Your Spotlight
(8:45 am - 9:45 am)
ERIKA PETRELLI
Some of us are called to step on the stage, for all the world to see. Others of us are drawn backstage, our magic unfolding behind the scenes. Either way, our own personal “spotlight” shines bright—and never is our light brighter than when we are doing what we are meant to do, being who we are meant to be. Let’s re-ignite the light within, and celebrate the light in those around us. Because whether on stage or behind the curtains, you were born to shine.
SESSION ONE (10:00 am - 11:15 am)
WORKSHOPS
Stepping Into Your Leadership
ERIKA PETRELLI - The LEADERSHIP PROJECT
What is leadership? Do you consider yourself a leader? How does your leadership show up in different situations? In this session, we will explore “leadership” from all angles, and discuss the importance of understanding leadership as impact. You will learn strategies for stepping into your leadership and maximizing your positive impact, and will understand what a difference you make.
24 Ways to Keep Kids Active: Introduction to Multi-Sports
SUSAN TO - FIT KIDS
Join Susan in an engaging session where she will introduce creative and effective ways to keep children moving! Learn how to confidently teach the progression of introducing multiple sports to school-age children. With a mix of both outdoor and indoor activities, Susan will show you how to make exercise fun and engaging, while also helping children build foundational skills in a variety of sports. You’ll leave equipped with innovative ideas and an understanding of how to incorporate movement and sports into children’s daily routines.
Navigating Risky Play in a Digital Age: Strategies for Inclusive and Engaging Experiences
TYLER J. SUMMERS - TYLER J SUMMERS EDUCATION
In this interactive workshop, participants will explore the critical role of Risky Play in child development, highlighting its numerous benefits for well-being, belonging, exploration, and creativity. We’ll discuss how to integrate Risky Play safely and effectively into programs while addressing the complexities of 'weapons play' that often emerge during socio-dramatic play sessions.
As screens become an integral part of children's lives, this workshop will examine the intersection of digital lifestyles and Risky Play, emphasizing the importance of digital stewardship. Participants will learn strategies to balance physical exploration with digital engagement, ensuring children thrive in both realms.
Key topics include:
The benefits of Risky Play for children's confidence and social connections
Creating inclusive spaces that empower all children to engage in risk-taking
Safely integrating weapons and rough and tumble play into programming
Understanding the risks and benefits of digital interactions within play
Incorporating social emotional learning into practice
KATY BIGSBY - REiL LEARNING
In this session learn about:
- Models and frameworks to support social-emotional learning
- How using social-emotional learning frameworks and models can support you in your practice
- Activities to strengthen social-emotional learning
- The importance of modelling
- How to build and maintain rapport with learners with notable social, emotional, and behavioral needs
- The importance of self-compassion
Tinkering and Toying with STEM: Exploration and Discovery
TINA GEERS - INSPIRED MINDS ECC CONSULTING Inc.
Through STEM, STEAM & STREAM Front Line STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math; STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math; STREAM - Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Regardless of your acronym, STEM activities are bound to be a hit with children as they encourage problem-solving, exploration, creativity, discovery, trial and error, and collaboration! Children are naturally curious and want to try things out to see what happens. So, we must provide these rich, playful learning opportunities to build on this natural instinct to explore and learn. Let them take the reigns on these activities as we take a step back and move away from teacher demonstrations to child led explorations!
Objectives:
~ Define STEM and its importance to early childhood
~ Explore the best practices for engaging children in STEM activities.
~ Learn how to plan play experiences to support each component of STEM
~ Examine reflections of STEM learning with children
Focused Team Building = Long Term Teams
SHARON NESS - CREATIVE CHILDCARE CONSULTING
Leadership / Director We are seeing an explosion of child care spaces, which is amazing for families. How can you work together to create a team environment which invites our best and brightest professionals to remain within your organization?
Who exactly are leaders? How do we each play a role in building a “dream team?” Where does team building begin, and does it ever end?
All members of a childcare team are leaders. Having a cohesive team, focusing on the organizations Purpose and Vision is the first step the ensure new hire success, eliminate gossip, and promote team accountability and cohesiveness.
Staff These Days
MELISSA BENTLEY - LITTLE STEPS CHILDCARE CENTER
“To win in the marketplace, you must first win the workplace." Times have changed. Employee expectations have shifted and today, staff want their jobs to have purpose and to feel valued as a person, not just a worker. Join us for this fun and interactive session on the importance of employee retention, the future of the workplace, how to create a strong retention program, and simple, research driven strategies you can implement right away to help reduce turnover at your centre.
Lunch & Vendor Fair (11:30 am - 12:45 pm)
Vendor Fair
Get your chance to visit any of our 25+ vendors and sponsors this year. Make connections, find something new to bring back to your program, or collect stamps to enter to win any of our fabulous door prizes!
Menus
Our menu provides choices for most dietary restrictions including dairy and gluten allergies. For further information, please contact us at schoolageconference@gmail.com.
SESSION TWO (12:45 pm - 2:00 pm)
WORKSHOPS
5 Ways to Strengthen Trust On Your Team
ERIKA PETRELLI - The LEADERSHIP PROJECT
Trust is one of the key ingredients for any team to thrive, but many of us don’t think about trust as something we need to intentionally work on. Participants of this session will learn techniques for building, strengthening, and maintaining trust on their teams.
Prevent It! -PART 1 (To Register, you must take both part 1 and 2)
LITTLE WARRIORS
The Prevent It! workshop brought to you by Little Warriors, educates adults to TAKE ACTION through gaining knowledge to help prevent and respond to child sexual abuse. After the training, participants will feel empowered and be informed
• about child sexual abuse
• about child sexual development
• how to talk with children about healthy sexual development and internet safety
• to watch for concerning behaviours in other adults
• to watch for concerning signs in children
• respond to disclosures of child sexual abuse
• how to report abuse
• how to reduce the risk of sexual abuse as responsible adults and organizations
Each participant will receive a comprehensive workbook
Care and Guidance Strategies: Understanding Zones of Development"
TYLER J. SUMMERS - TYLER J SUMMERS EDUCATION
This informative workshop will provide an in-depth look at effective care and guidance strategies based on foundational theories in child development, including the work of Bandura and Maslow. Participants will explore how to implement these strategies in their programs to support children's emotional, social, and cognitive development.
Through interactive discussions and practical applications, participants will learn how to create nurturing environments that foster children's growth and well-being, while also addressing the phases and stages of play.
Key topics include:
Implementing Bandura's principles of social learning in care settings
Understanding Maslow's hierarchy of needs in child development
Identifying the phases and stages of play to enhance programming
Creating supportive environments that empower children’s development
Creatively engaging all learners
KATY BIGSBY - REiL LEARNING
We'll discuss:
- Engagement as a spectrum & ways to strengthen it
- Rapport as a practice which, at times, takes courage
- Integrating imagination & creativity into our learning environments
- Case scenarios from participants
Creating Inclusive School Age Planning and Programming
TINA GEERS - INSPIRED MINDS ECC CONSULTING Inc
Overview:
We live in a world that is wonderfully diverse - not only culturally but also in our unique abilities. Some of us can sing, while others can solve Sudoku in a few minutes. Children all learn at their own rate and in their own way. It's up to us, the important adults in their lives, to help them on this journey they are travelling on. To do this effectively, we need to understand these abilities, how they are unique to each child, and what we can do to support them. This is what we discuss in this session! Let's talk about all children's different learning styles, from extroverts to introverts to children with Autism, hearing impairments, or sensory processing disorders. Every child can learn! Every child belongs! Let's ensure we can set up our environment for every child and get them on their path to the future.
Objectives:
Describe inclusion, special needs, and disability
Identify 4 basic categories of diverse abilities
Provides practical approaches for supporting an environment of belonging and inclusion
Embracing Change
SHARON NESS - CREATIVE CHILDCARE CONSULTING
Why do educators dread change? This workshop explores our fear around change and how we can embrace it so that it benefits our classrooms, overall program and the children we care for.
Facilitators will lead participants in the discussion to create an awareness and understanding of why change is necessary and how it can happen rapidly. Participants will train to use tools that reflect on their personal beliefs around change and determine how best to embrace the leader within to improve everyday situations as well as help in attaining long term program goals.
Choice & Voice: Reframing Our Expectations of Children in OSC
GINA BLANK - GRIT
Educators nurture children’s learning and well-being in program-planning and daily decisions—in OSC settings, this includes honouring children’s increasing agency and autonomy. What does that look like in practice? This workshop explores how our relationships with children can support co-learning in a way that allows children to make meaning of their experiences. Participants will reflect on the importance of children’s choice and voice as a part of program-planning, and consider how to create a responsive environment that meets children’s social and emotional needs at this age.
In this session, participants will:
• Describe the importance of connection and attunement in children’s meaningful participation
• Reconsider behaviour and program expectations from a neuro-developmental perspective
• Investigate strategies to create responsive routines and environments that contribute to children’s sense of identity
SESSION THREE (2:15 pm - 3:30 pm)
WORKSHOPS
Creating Flexible Learning Environments: Constructivist Approaches in Child Care"
TYLER J. SUMMERS - TYLER J SUMMERS EDUCATION
In this engaging workshop, participants will delve into the principles of constructivist education, exploring how to design adaptable, child-centered learning environments. We’ll discuss the importance of flexible spaces that encourage exploration, collaboration, and creativity among children.
Participants will learn practical strategies for incorporating modular furniture, home-like elements, and designated observation zones that cater to diverse learning styles and interests. By fostering an environment that reflects children's needs and preferences, we can promote their active engagement in the learning process.
Key topics include:
Designing flexible spaces that support various learning styles
Utilizing modular furniture to enhance adaptability in child care environments
Creating special interest zones that cater to children’s diverse needs
Incorporating principles of hygge to promote comfort and well-being
This workshop is suitable for ECE students, parents, and early care and learning professionals working with children of all ages, including those with extra support needs.
Prevent It! -PART 2 (To Register, you must take both part 1 and 2)
LITTLE WARRIORS
The Prevent It! workshop brought to you by Little Warriors, educates adults to TAKE ACTION through gaining knowledge to help prevent and respond to child sexual abuse. After the training, participants will feel empowered and be informed
• about child sexual abuse
• about child sexual development
• how to talk with children about healthy sexual development and internet safety
• to watch for concerning behaviours in other adults
• to watch for concerning signs in children
• respond to disclosures of child sexual abuse
• how to report abuse
• how to reduce the risk of sexual abuse as responsible adults and organizations
Each participant will receive a comprehensive workbook
5 Tips for Asking Better Questions
ERIKA PETRELLI - The LEADERSHIP PROJECT
Studies have shown that we don’t ask enough questions. Whether in our personal relationships or in our leadership, we are simply not utilizing this key leadership strategy enough. Come to this session to learn ways to ask better questions, to process your content, to get your group thinking, and to connect your content with the bigger picture.
Integrating Children's Rights and Children’s Rights-Based Approach in School-Age Care Settings
EMMIE HENDERSON-DEKORT & JEWEL MAY- MOUNT ROYAL UNIVERSITY
During this workshop we will briefly overview the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), and its applicability for Early Childhood Educators. We will provide practical strategies for embedding children’s rights into daily routines, policies, and interactions. The session will include an interactive workshop featuring a Rights-Based Classroom Design Challenge, where participants redesign classroom environments to better reflect and support children’s rights. They will also develop and share rights-based educational activities to ensure engagement and appropriateness. We will discuss the alignment of current policies with children’s rights and explore ways practitioners can advocate for necessary changes. Additionally, guidance will be provided on creating a rights-based curriculum and assessing practices to ensure continuous improvement in upholding children’s rights.
PLAY IS FOR EVERYBODY- TEACHING THROUGH EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
JASON LAFFERTY - EVER ACTIVE SCHOOLS
This interactive workshop is designed to equip educators and community leaders with the tools and insights needed to promote equitable, inclusive, and accessible physical activity opportunities for all. We will explore the essential values and principles that underpin our "Play is for EVERYBODY" framework. Participants will discover how to create a sense of belonging by removing barriers, offering choices and emphasizing opportunities for participation.
Supporting autistic learners within the classroom
YOLANDE DALEY - JANUS ACADEMY
This session is geared to provide frontline educators with practical solutions in educating autistic and diverse learners within the classroom.
Highlights:
• Determining the factors that impact student learning
• Applying strategies that can be adapted to any classroom setting
Leadership is for everyone Everyone, haha!
CELESTE McILHARGEY - CELESTE McILHARGEY COACHING & CONSULTATION
Many people have a fixed mindset towards leadership. They think that you’re only a leader if it’s in your title or your position. However, changing our mindset towards leadership can help our organizations grow and prosper, which trickles down to the children we serve. By embracing the power of self-leadership, individuals at any level in any organization can create positive change for themselves and others. This session is beneficial for frontline staff, centre directors and supervisor, as well as owners and operators. It will explore the mindset you’ll need to adopt a practice of self-leadership, and offer practical tools and suggestions for the workplace, regardless of what position they currently occupy. By the end of the session, participants will walk away believing that leadership really is for everyone!
CLOSING KEYNOTE- (3:30 pm - 4:30 pm)
Principles That Withstand the Test of Time: A Call for Play-Based Experiences in a Digital Age
Tyler Summers
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, it is crucial for educators, parents, and caregivers to embrace principles that have withstood the test of time. As phone-based experiences become the norm, we must make concerted efforts to prioritize providing play-based childhood experiences. School-age child care programs can play a critical role in addressing the mental health crisis facing our youth, particularly the rising rates of anxiety and depression among children transitioning into their teenage years.
This keynote will explore the essential principles of childhood education that promote holistic development and well-being. We will discuss how intentional play-based experiences can serve as an antidote to the challenges posed by digital distractions, fostering resilience, creativity, and connection among children.
This keynote will aim to reaffirm our commitment to nurturing environments where children can thrive, explore, and build meaningful relationships, ensuring that they grow into healthy, confident individuals ready to navigate the complexities of the modern world.
Wrap-up
Door Prize Draws Presented by the 2024 Conference Committee
Certificate of Attendance
You deserve credit for your professional development experience! Take a moment to complete your SACDA evaluation form (link found in your Whova App) and you will be emailed out a Certificate of Attendance following the conference. Because you're worth it!
PRESENTED BY
