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The Pennsylvania Early Childhood Summit will return in person for the first time in four years this October.

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The summit is expected to draw hundreds of early learning educators. It has been held annually since 2008 but will be in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s theme is Celebrating Early Learning: Reconnecting, Reviewing, Revisioning.

There will be more than 60 workshops and two keynote speakers as well as OCDEL updates, exhibitors, the Summit Marketplace, prizes, food, and numerous opportunities to build new professional connections.

Attendees will be able to receive PQAS and Act 48 credits.

The 2024 Summit will be held on October 28 and 29 at the Penn Stater Conference Center, located at 215 Innovation Blvd. in State College. Registration is now open for attendees and exhibitors.

Trying Together Presentations

Trying Together will hold two presentations at the summit. The first, presented by Lindsey Victoria and Loni Gooden, is titled “Combating the Child Care Crisis: Empowering Early Educators Through Workforce Development.” This session will explore the pivotal role of workforce development initiatives in enhancing the capabilities and skills of early childhood educators. The presenters will examine how current, innovative work contributes to solving the childcare crisis.

The second presentation, led by Allison Robinson and Shellie Grooms, is titled “Re-Envisioning Your Classroom: Curiosity Calms Chaos.” The presentation asks whether a re-envisioning of the classroom as child-centered spaces filled with curiosity and joy would calm daily chaos. The session will explore new strategies for classroom set-ups, routines, and management through the lens of curiosity.