Early Childhood Education

Thursday, April 23, 2026 From Chaos to Clarity: Building Systems that Reduce Director Stress (VIRTUAL) 6:30 – 8:30 PM

Cost:  FREE

Core Content Subject Area: 7) Program management and evaluation

CDA Subject Area: 5) Managing an effective program operation

Audience: Directors and Administrators

Training Level:  2

Description: Child care directors and administrators manage countless responsibilities each day—from staffing and compliance to supporting teachers and families. Without clear processes and procedures, these responsibilities can quickly become overwhelming. This training will guide leaders through practical strategies for developing consistent systems that streamline daily operations, improve communication, and reduce stress. Participants will learn how to identify areas of inefficiency, create simple and effective procedures, and implement sustainable organizational practices that support both program quality and personal well-being. By the end of the session, directors will leave with actionable ideas to help bring greater clarity, consistency, and calm to their programs.

Instructor: Jessica Abner

Location:  Virtual (Zoom)

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Monday, May 11, 2026 Tips for a Fun and Engaging Summer Camp for School Agers (VIRTUAL) 6:30 – 8 PM

KY All STARS Standard: Submitted for B1R/B2R: Curriculum, Instructional Practices or Teaching and Learning

Cost:  FREE

Core Content Subject Area: 4) Learning environment and curriculum

CDA Subject Area: 2) Advancing children’s physical and intellectual development

Audience:  School Age Providers

Training Level:  2

Description: It’s almost time for summer camp! If you are looking for tips to plan and execute a successful camp, join us for this interactive training. The trainer will share ideas based on their experience as a program director, and participants will discuss and brainstorm ideas relevant to their individual programs. Participants will be able to: describe and implement behavior management techniques; prepare for consistent and safe routines and transitions; and plan a child-led/ teacher-facilitated curriculum that is inclusive and engaging (literacy, writing, social-emotional learning, the arts, interactive games, outdoor play, STEAM, etc.).

Instructor: Charla Heersche

Location:  Virtual (Zoom)

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Thursday, May 28, 2026 Little Moments, Big Impact: Building Powerful Interactions with Infants (VIRTUAL) 6:30 – 8:30 PM

Cost:  FREE

Core Content Subject Area: 1) Child growth and development; 4) learning environment and curriculum

CDA Subject Area: 2) Advancing children’s physical and intellectual development; and 3) Supporting children’s social and emotional development

Audience: Infant and Toddler Teachers

Training Level:  2

Description: The earliest relationships in a child’s life lay the foundation for future learning, development, and well-being. In infant classrooms, everyday moments such as feeding, diapering, and play provide meaningful opportunities for connection and learning. This training explores the importance of powerful interactions, responsive caregiving, and nurturing relationships with infants. Participants will learn how to recognize and respond to infants’ cues, create emotionally supportive environments, and intentionally engage in interactions that support healthy brain development. Through reflection and discussion, educators will examine how their daily practices can strengthen relationships and promote secure attachments with the infants in their care.

Instructor: Jessica Abner

Location:  Virtual (Zoom)

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Join us in June 11th for an Early Educators Exchange: An Early Care and Education Resource Swap. Bring gently used materials, exchange them for new-to-you resources, and refresh your learning environment at no cost. Examples of items include books, puzzles, dramatic play materials, art materials, fine motor toys, learning materials, infant/toddler toys, gross motor items, and storage bins (all items must be clean and complete).The event will begin at 6:30pm with an in-person, 1-hour training. Location will soon be decided.

Thursday, June 11, 2026 Quality Through Play: Materials and Curriculum (IN-PERSON location TBD) 6 – 7 PM (Followed by Resource Swap from 7 to 8)

Cost:  FREE

Location: Grant County Public Library, 201 Barnes Rd. Williamstown, KY  41097

KY All STARS Standards: Submitted for B1R/B2R – Curriculum, Instruction, Teaching, Learning

Core Content Subject Area: 4) Learning environment and curriculum

CDA Subject Area: 2) Advancing children’s physical and intellectual development

Audience: All Providers

Training Level:  1

Description: This training explores how early care and education professionals can use everyday materials intentionally to support children’s learning and development. Participants will learn how to maximize the use of accessible, open-ended materials to promote engagement, extend learning through interactions, and strengthen curriculum practices across age groups. The session will also highlight how thoughtful use of materials supports quality standards and enhances children’s experiences during free play and daily routines. Providers will leave with practical strategies to make the most of available resources and create meaningful learning opportunities without the need for additional spending.

Instructor: Amber Cline

Location:  Virtual (Zoom)

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Thursday, June 18, 2026 Meaningful Observation and Assessment for Professionals: How to Capture Growth and Development (VIRTUAL) 6:30 – 8:30 PM

Kentucky All STARS Standards: Submitted for B5 (Curriculum-Based Assessment)

Cost:  FREE

Core Content Subject Area: 5) Child Assessment

CDA Subject Area: 7) Observing and recording children’s behavior; and 2) Advancing children’s physical and intellectual development

Audience: All Providers

Training Level:  3

Description: Early care and education professionals are busy wearing many hats in their environments each day. Documenting a child’s growth and development is among the most important daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly responsibilities. During this session, we will explore ways to make documentation simple yet effective for capturing detailed observations of every child and then to using the observation findings to inform classroom instruction. Participants will also learn how to utilize science-based assessments while reviewing resources available to early childhood educators in Kentucky.

Instructor: Jessica Abner

Location:  Virtual (Zoom)

Register Here

Cost: $30 (3-hours)

Core Content Subject Areas: 1 – Child growth and development, 4 – Learning environment and curriculum

CDA Subject Area: 1 – Planning a safe, healthy learning environment; and 3 – Positive ways to support children’s social and emotional development

Audience:  All

Description: Our everyday interactions with young children have the power to build something essential within them – resilience. This course offers simple, meaningful strategies to help children grow to become emotionally strong, confident, and capable people. Participants will begin with learning that resilience is a child’s ability to cope with stress, recover from challenges, and keep going – even when things are hard. Then the course takes early care and education professionals through the five resiliency tip sheets designed in collaboration with NorthKey and EC LEARN with funding from the Kentucky Early Childhood Regional Collaborative in Boone, Campbell, Kenton, and Pendleton counties. The five tip sheets include: 5 Ways to Help Children Feel Safe; 5 Ways to Build a Positive Relationship with Children; 5 Ways to Encourage Children; 5 Ways to Help Children Be Creative; and 5 Ways to Help Children Cope. Participants will be asked to reflect on how their everyday interactions with young children foster resilience by focusing on encouragement, connections, problem-solving, and emotional support.

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Cost: $50 (6-hours)

Core Content Subject Areas: 1 – Child growth and development, 4 – Learning environment and curriculum

CDA Subject Area: 3 – Positive ways to support children’s social and emotional development

Audience:  All

Description: This web-based, on-demand course is designed to introduce you to four easy-to-remember steps to transform the behaviors in your classroom. Connect the Dots is a joint collaboration between multiple early education and mental health specialists across Kentucky. The collaboration was built to address a common need: The need for a short yet powerful skills-based training teaching the basics of social and emotional best practices. Connect the Dots highlights 4 easy-to-remember steps, or dots, to address challenging behaviors. Connect the Dots will reduce frustrating and challenging behaviors but more importantly begin the development of strong social and emotional skills critical for success in school and in life!

Objectives:

• Describe the three brain states and apply the information to challenging behavior.
• Identify how a predictable schedule, organized routines and transitions, and age-appropriate physical environment improve a child’s behavior.
• Use proven skills to help the child link positive behaviors to positive experiences and feelings.
• Demonstrate at least two positive discipline techniques that teach children how to handle their feelings and needs in appropriate ways.
• Identify how unique temperaments and personality strengths have a critical impact on behavior and relationships.
• Reframe a child’s behavior using the 4 dots.

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All STARS Approved Training: Standard A1R: Developmental Screening

Cost: $30 (3-hours)

Core Content Subject Area:  5 – Child assessment; 6 – Family and community partnerships

CDA Subject Area: 4 – Strategies to establish productive relationships with families; 7 – Observing and recording children’s behavior

Audience:  All

Description:  This course is designed to help you understand and use the Ages and Stages Questionnaires to monitor children’s progress and to make sure that all children have the supports needed to succeed. Participants will learn the purpose of these screeners, when and how to use them, how to score and interpret, and best practice for communicating results with families.

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All STARS Approved Training: Standard A1R: Developmental Screening

Cost: $30 (3-hours)

Core Content Subject Areas: 5 – Child Assessment; 6 – Family and community partnerships

CDA Subject Areas: 2 – Steps to advance children’s physical and intellectual development; 7 – Observing and recording children’s behavior

Audience:  Preschool

Description:  This course is designed to help you understand and apply the screening tool to assist in the development of child-focused plans of action. We will go over the purpose of the tool, how to use the tool, how to apply the results to your classroom, and how to share the results with parents.

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Cost:  $45

Training Title: Meet me Where I Am: Promoting the Protective Factors

Description: Protective factors are characteristics that promote family wellness and ensure families are well-positioned to overcome challenges. This training reviews the Strengthening Protective Factors Families framework and provides practical strategies for implementing six protective factors in programs serving families with young children. This training supplements the Meet Me Where I Am workbook developed by the Resilient Children and Families Program (RCFP).

In this course, we will cover:

• Introduction to RCFP and CYRC
• Introduction to Protective Factors
• Protective Factors Framework:
  • Social and Emotional Competence of Children
  • Nurturing and Attachment
  • Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development
  • Social Connections
  • Parental Resilience
  • Concrete Support in Times of Need

Core Content Subject Area: 6 – Family community partnerships

CDA Subject Areas: 3 – Supporting children’s social and emotional development; & 4 – Building productive relationships with families

Audience:  All

Training Level:  2

Location:  Online (web-based, on-demand)

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Cost:  $25

Training Title: Meet me Where I Am: Nurturing Family Resilience and Wellness

Description: More and more families are experiencing adversity and stress, and early childhood professionals are well-positioned to help families overcome their challenges. This training explores values and perceptions related to parenting. It provides strategies for early childhood professionals to create effective partnerships with parents, respond to their needs, and promote their resilience. This training is designed to supplement the Meet Me Where I Am workbook developed by the Resilient Children and Families Program (RCFP).

In this course, we will cover:

• Introduction to RCFP and CYRC
• Principles of Effective Family Engagement
• The Ladder of Inference
• Building Effective Parent Partnerships
• Strategies for Building Effective Partnerships

Core Content Subject Area: 6 – Family community partnerships

CDA Subject Areas: 4 – Building productive relationships with families

Audience:  All

Training Level:  2

Location:  Online (web-based, on-demand)

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Cost:  $25

Training Title: Meet me Where I Am: Nurturing Social-Emotional Wellness

Description: Young children rely on caring adults and positive environments to develop positive relationships and understand their feelings and behaviors. This training provides strategies for helping families and children connect their behavior to their feelings and thoughts. Through empathy, co-regulation, and wondering with children, early childhood professionals learn effective ways to respond to children, avoid crises, and promote their social-emotional well-being. This training is designed to supplement the Meet Me Where I Am workbook developed by the Resilient Children and Families Program (RCFP).

In this course, we will cover:

• Introduction to RCFP and CYRC
• What is Social-Emotional Wellness?
• Creating a Supportive Environment
• Attuning to the Inner Child
• Helping Children Cope
• Partnering With Parents

Core Content Subject Area: 4 – Learning environment and curriculum

CDA Subject Areas: 3 – Supporting children’s social and emotional development

KY All STARS Standards: B1R/B2R – Curriculum, Instruction, Teaching, Learning

Audience:  All

Training Level:  2

Location:  Online (web-based, on-demand)

Register Here