One Starfish at a Time

Saturday October 4, 2008
Featuring Keynote Speaker: Rae Pica
Featured Presenter: Diane Cofoni and Kara Valeich

NJ Department of Education Professional Development Provider Registration #1448, Continuing Education Units (CEU's) available

Free Training / Equipment Grants

Quality Improvement Grants: A Raffle
To celebrate Child & Family Resources’ (CFR) commitment to enhancing the quality of child care services for New Jersey’s children and families, CFR will award five training/equipment grants to conference registrants. The grants will be in the following amounts: one at $800; two at $400; and two at $200.

The grants may be used to attend any recognized professional development /training opportunities offered by colleges; resource & referral organizations; local, statewide or national professional organizations. Up to 50% of each grant may be used for quality enhancement materials.

A special thank you to Bright Horizons Family Solutions and sanofi-aventis for their contribution toward the quality improvement grants.

How to Enter: One ticket will be entered in the name of each conference participant. In addition, a ticket will be entered in your program name for each staff member attending. Only one grant will be awarded per program. Grants will be given in the name of your program. Parent winners must give their grant to their child’s caregiver or child care program. (Must be present to win.)

Vendors
Free Diabetes and Body Fat/BMI Screenings conducted by Community Health Department of Morristown Memorial Hospital will be available 7:30a.m.-9:45a.m. A variety of educational vendors have been invited to participate.

Registration
Please read directions carefully. All three workshop choices for Session I and Session II need to be filled in and we will do our best to honor your first choices. If registering for an extended workshop, you are required to attend both parts. If alternate workshop choices are not made, participants will be put into workshops that are not full. Register Early! All registrations must be postmarked by September 19, 2008. Cancellations made prior to September 1, 2008 will be refunded minus a $50 administrative fee. Cancellations after September 1, 2008 will not be refunded. No exceptions!

Saturday Conference - $96.00 per person* (includes continental breakfast, lunch, two workshops, one keynote)
*see registration for discounted option for a group

New Jersey Department of Education Professional Development Provider Registration #1448, Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) available

Conference Site

The Hanover Marriott
1401 Route 10 East
Whippany, New Jersey 07981

973-538-8811

Located on Route 10 East between Route 202 & Ridgedale Ave.

From Newark Liberty International Airport: West on Route 78 to Route 24, West on Route 24 to I-287. North on I-287 to Route 10 West (Exit 39). Continue through first traffic light signal. Take second right-hand exit (Ridgedale Ave./Cedar Knolls/U-turn). to Route 10 East. Hotel is 1/4 mile on right.

From Route 10 East: Route 10 East, continue beyond Route 53, Route 202 intersection. Get into right hand lane after merger, hotel on right.

Conference Schedule
Saturday, October 4th 2008

7:45 - 8:30am		Registration, Vendors, Continental Breakfast
8:30-8:45am		Welcome
8:45-9:30am		Keynote Address
9:45-11:15am		Session 1 Workshop
11:30-1:00pm		Session 2 Workshop
1:15-2:30pm		Lunch, Recognition, Quality Improvement
		Grant Raffle

Conference Sponsor

Keynote Address
“One Starfish at a Time !”
By Rae Pica

Has a parent or administrator ever asked, "Why are you doing this stuff?" in relation to something you felt was important to the children? Do you occasionally feel as though you're chasing your tail as you watch fads in education come and go? Are you discouraged by how much there is to teach the children in so little time? If there are occasions when you're sure there must be an easier way to make a living, then you'll laugh and learn with Rae in this entertaining and informative presentation. Explore the frustrations -- and joys -- of being an early childhood professional. You'll leave feeling glad that you are!

Rae Pica has been a children’s physical activity specialist since 1980. A former adjunct instructor with the University of New Hampshire, she is the author of 17 books, including the text Experiences in Movement, the award-winning Great Games for Young Children and Jump into Literacy, and A Running Start: How Play, Physical Activity, and Free Time Create a Successful Child, written for the parents of children birth to eight.

Rae is known for her lively and informative workshop and keynote presentations and has shared her expertise with such groups as the Sesame Street Research Department, the Head Start Bureau, Centers for Disease Control, the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues, Gymboree, and state health departments throughout the country. Rae also served on the task force of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) that created national guidelines for early childhood physical activity and is a member of the HighReach Learning Advisory Board. In addition, Rae hosts a radio program called “Body, Mind and Child,” interviewing experts in early childhood education, child development, the neurosciences, and more.