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Upcoming Events
September 2025
Foundations for the Future: Preschool Childhood Development Uncovered for ECSE and Blended Preschool Teachers – Live Webinar
Understanding child development is essential for creating an inclusive and supportive early learning environment. This session explores key developmental milestones in young children, with a focus on how to foster growth across cognitive, social-emotional, language, and motor domains. Participants will learn practical strategies to support diverse learners, including children with disabilities, dual language learners, and those with varying learning needs. Through engaging discussions and real-world examples, preschool teachers will gain tools to create developmentally appropriate and inclusive practices that support…
Find out more »Support Group Meeting – Live Webinar
This webinar will offer family members an overview of early childhood services and supports that are required to be provided by a school district as well as a question and answer session. Note: Approximately three weeks before the webinar, registrants will receive an email to confirm receipt of their registration request and important instructions that should be viewed prior to the day of the session. Â Presenter(s): Linda Prewitt, Public Policy and Education Liaison Webinar Date:Â Thursday, September 25, 2025 Webinar…
Find out more »October 2025
DAP in Action: Teaching Young Learners with Disabilities for ECSE and Blended Preschool Teachers – Live Webinar
"DAP in Action: Teaching Young Learners with Disabilities the Right Way!" Unlock the power of Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) in your early childhood classroom! This engaging and interactive workshop is designed specifically for teachers and paraprofessionals working with young students with disabilities. Dive into the latest NAEYC guidelines, explore practical strategies, and discover how to create inclusive, play-based, and engaging learning environments that support all children in reaching their full potential. Leave with hands-on techniques, real-world examples, and the confidence…
Find out more »Music Across the Curriculum: Giraffes Can’t Dance – Live Webinar
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Education Team equips early childhood educators with the knowledge and tools to engage their students in music on a daily basis. Simple activities and engaging lessons emphasize using music within the framework of current early childhood curricula to teach all children, including those of diverse abilities and neurotypes. With the book “Giraffes Can’t Dance” at its heart, this workshop will explore ways to use music and creative movement to teach early literacy, math, and social-emotional…
Find out more »November 2025
The Importance of Visual Supports and Strategies – Live Webinar
This webinar will explain the importance of visual supports and strategies, while sharing examples of when, where, why and how they are used not only for young children with disabilities, but for supporting all children. Note: Approximately three weeks before the webinar, registrants will receive an email to confirm receipt of their registration request and important instructions that should be viewed prior to the day of the session. Â Presenter(s): Sheri Kraus Webinar Date:Â Wednesday, November 5, 2025 Webinar Log-In: 3:25…
Find out more »Social Stories: Preparing Our Kids and Ourselves – Live Webinar
Change can be hard, but social stories can help! In this workshop, parents and educators will learn the basics of how to support children through new or novel experiences through the creation of social stories/narratives. Discover tools and techniques to make quick and easy social stories to help minimize your child’s anxiety before doctor’s appointments, school events, or the unpredictable holiday season. Note: Approximately three weeks before the webinar, registrants will receive an email to confirm receipt of their registration…
Find out more »Designing Inclusive Classrooms: Creating Spaces Where Every Child Thrives for ECSE and Blended Preschool Teachers – Live Webinar
"Designing Inclusive Classrooms: Creating Spaces Where Every Child Thrives!" Every child deserves a classroom where they feel welcome, valued, and ready to learn! This engaging workshop is designed for Early Childhood teachers and paraprofessionals working with young students with disabilities. Discover how to create an inclusive, developmentally appropriate classroom environment that supports all learners. Learn practical strategies for adapting spaces, routines, and materials to promote accessibility, engagement, and independence. From sensory-friendly setups to universal design principles, you’ll leave with hands-on…
Find out more »December 2025
Embedding Assistive Technology and Core Vocabulary in the Preschool Classroom – Live Webinar
Explore a district’s Core Vocabulary Initiative, focusing on two core words each month that build on each other to enhance communication. Discover how this District has monthly team meetings to create resources with phrases and sentences aligned with monthly words, adapting them into stations, activities, and lessons. Learn to integrate AT during playtime to make communication accessible. Discover how AAC users interact with eye-gaze technology, switch-adapted toys, and brain-controlled interfaces. Note: Approximately three weeks before the webinar, registrants will receive…
Find out more »Support Group Meeting – How to Keep from Kicking Santa Claus – Tips for Managing Holiday Stress – Live Webinar
Contrary to the ads on TV, holiday times are not always happy ones, especially for children with disabilities and their families. Too much rushing around, over-crowded schedules, and extra noise along with unrealistic expectations and others’ misunderstanding our children can make us all feel like kicking Santa Claus. Together we will explore the sources of our holiday stress and learn prevention strategies and in-the-moment supports that will help make everyone’s time more enjoyable. Note: Approximately three weeks before the webinar,…
Find out more »January 2026
Push Past It! An Administrator’s Guide for Supporting Early Learners with Disabilities Who Also Have Intense Challenging Behaviors – Webinar
Stop! Collaborate! Listen! This webinar provides administrators with a comprehensive guide to effective behavior planning for students exhibiting intense challenges. We will present practical, educator-developed functional assessment tools and outline each phase of the process, emphasizing a continuous cycle of improvement. This includes: (1) self-reflection and identification of implicit bias, (2) context analysis, (3) development of prevention strategies, (4) identification of replacement skills, (5) implementation of new responses, and (6) thorough review of results. We will also address the leadership…
Find out more »February 2026
The Co-Teaching Toolbox: Models, Moves, and More – Live Webinar
Whether you're brand new to co-teaching in early childhood or a seasoned pro, this session is packed with ideas and tools you can start using today. We'll dive into four dynamic co-teaching models, explore some tried and true collaboration tools, and tackle a hands-on, problem-solving framework together. Get ready to level up your co-teaching game! Note: Approximately three weeks before the webinar, registrants will receive an email to confirm receipt of their registration request and important instructions that should be…
Find out more »Supporting Early Literacy Through Intentional Practice for ECSE and Blended Preschool Teachers – Live Webinar
Building strong early literacy skills is essential for every child’s success. This session explores effective, developmentally appropriate literacy practices that support all learners, including children with disabilities, dual language learners, and those with diverse learning needs. Participants will gain practical strategies for fostering language development, emergent reading, and writing skills in an inclusive preschool classroom. Through hands-on activities and discussion, educators will learn how to create an engaging literacy-rich environment that promotes access, participation, and a love of learning for…
Find out more »Support Group Meeting – Live Webinar
In this presentation, participants will learn about the process of transition from Early Intervention to Early Childhood Education services. We’ll share tools, resources, and useful suggestions to assist families of young children with disabilities in preparing to be active participants in their child’s transition from Early Intervention to Early Childhood education.  Note: Approximately three weeks before the webinar, registrants will receive an email to confirm receipt of their registration request and important instructions that should be viewed prior to…
Find out more »March 2026
Transition from Early Intervention to Early Childhood Services: Roles and Responsibilities – Live Webinar
The Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Human Services developed this standardized training to address the requirements of the federal law, Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) to ensure a smooth and effective transition process is in place for children and their families who will be transitioning from Early Intervention into Early Childhood Special Education. This training will cover requirements regarding timeline, role responsibilities, transition process meetings, state forms, as well as vital partnerships, collaborative…
Find out more »April 2026
Support Group Meeting – Live Webinar
Join families of young children with disabilities as we support, encourage and learn from one another. Note: Approximately three weeks before the webinar, registrants will receive an email to confirm receipt of their registration request and important instructions that should be viewed prior to the day of the session. Â Presenter(s):Â Â Sheri Kraus Webinar Date:Â April 23, 2026 Webinar Log-In: 5:55 PM - 6:00 PM Webinar Session: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Find out more »
