‘Growing Together 2001’ Childhood Conference

By Tanjua Damon

The 31st Early Childhood conferences are fast approaching. Early childhood educators, administrators, special services personnel, students, and parents from the community will gather at Middle Gate School on Wednesday, April 25, from 4 to 8 pm.

This year’s theme is “Growing Together 2001,” and will provide information through 27 different workshops to professionals educating children birth to eight years old. Participants will take part in two sessions in which they will chose one workshop per session. The cost is $25. This price includes dinner.

“It’s a wonderful professional development opportunity,” Middle Gate Principal Judith Gallo said. “It’s an opportunity for educators to network. It gives us an opportunity to communicate with early childhood educators and child care providers.”

The workshops cover various subjects. There will be workshops in writing, connecting math to literature, family school collaboration, phonemic awareness, literacy, reading, classroom management, conflict resolution, and bullying.

“This brings together early childhood educators and establishes informal and structured opportunities,” Ms Gallo said.

The entire Middle Gate School community has been preparing for the big day. The teachers and their students will decorate bulletin boards for the visitors. The Art Club has been making table decorations.

“The more people are able to learn about children,” Calla Sellner, Middle Gate lead teacher, said, “the more able we are to better meet the children’s needs.”

There is still time to register for this convention that will bring educators from throughout the region including Brookfield, New Fairfield, Sherman, New Milford, Bridgewater, Roxbury, Bethlehem, Watertown, Woodbury, Middlebury, Southbury, and Oxford. For more information about registering to register for the conference call Middle Gate School at 203-426-7662.

Vendors will also be available to provide resource materials for teachers or anyone who wishes to purchase them. Some of the vendors include Discovery Toys, Tupperware Toys, Kids Stop, Infoline, Steck-Vaughn, The Toy Lady, and Empowering Writers.