Early Childhood Conf.

Rae Pica, keynote speaker

Rae Pica has been a children’s physical activity specialist for 27 years. She 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, Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues, the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, 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.

Pica 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.

Dr. Rich Bimler, Luncheon speaker

Dr. Rich Bimler is the Ambassador of Health, Hope, and Aging! (AH-HA!), for Lutheran Life Communities, Arlington Heights, Ill. A past president of Wheat Ridge Ministries, he continues to serve the agency part-time as the Senior Staff Associate, as well as serving as a Valparaiso University Ambassador to “celebrate the Lutheran community.”   Rich is the grandfather of seven, the father of three, and the husband of one (Hazel)!  He continues to write, speak, and serve as a consultant for various agencies and organizations throughout the world.

He has written 15 books including Laughter!, Angels Can Fly Because They Take Themselves Lightly, and Lord, I want to Celebrate!

Schedule for June 17

8 a.m. Registration, Thom Leadership Education Center, ( TLEC ) lobby

8:30 a.m. Welcome and Introduction of keynote speaker, Weller Hall auditorium

8:45 a.m. Keynote speaker, Rae Pica

10 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. Sectional I

11:45 a.m. Lunch, Janzow Campus Center - Luncheon speaker, Rich Bimler

1:15 p.m. Sectional II and Combined Sectionals

2:15 p.m. Break

2:30 p.m. Sectional III

3:30 p.m. Evaluation Collection

Sectional titles and presenters

Sectional I

• Moving and Learning Across the Curriculum - Rae Pica, keynote speaker
• Coloring Green - Mandie Schadwinkel, Montessori lead teacher, Prairie Hill Learning Center
• Healthy Foods, Healthy Children: American Children are Getting Plenty of Calories -Sandra Burwell, RD, LMNT
• They Cannot See, but yet They Believe - Connie Meyer, 2nd grade teacher, St. John Lutheran School in Seward, Nebraska
• Responsive Routines, Environments and Strategies to Support Social and Emotional Development of Infants and Toddlers - Cara Small, early childhood professional development coordinator, ESU 6

Sectional II

• Grand Parenting is Grand! - Dr. Rich Bimler, luncheon keynote speaker
• Happy Birthday Eric Carle! - Elaine Royuk, early childhood presenter and former kindergarten teacher
• Whatever Happened to the 'Fun' in Physical Activity? - Heidi Gubanyi, RN, BSN, Public Health Nurse/Community Educator, Four Corners Health Department
• Hands Dirty! Feet Wet! A Year Later - St. John Child Development Center in Seward, Nebraska
• Common Books for Special Kids - Marlena Laney, LMPH, LPC, school counselor

Sectional III

• Experiences in Nature: A Pathway to Standards - Jenny Leeper Miller and Jenny Benson, Ruth Staples Child Development Lab, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
• Happy Birthday Eric Carle! - Elaine Royuk, early childhood presenter and former kindergarten teacher
• Joyful Math Learning - Jason Daniel, Regional Manager for Lakeshore Learning Materials
• Making Music with Children's Literature, Rhyme and Verse - Karen Buck, volunteer music educator and music specialist, past classroom teacher
• Delightful Pathways for Teaching Emotions - Kim Marxhausen, adjunct professor, Concordia University, Nebraska
• Is it My Birthday Yet?: A Great Day to Celebrate - Maxine Fiala, former kindergarten teacher, student supervisor, Concordia University, Nebraska

Registration and detailed sectional information 

Download registration information for this year's Early Childhood Conference (PDF).

Costs

The cost is $40 per person for conference and an additional $10 for those who attend the luncheon.

Who to contact

If you have questions about the conference, please contact Professor Judy Ripke at 800-535-5494, ext. 7474, or ECE@cune.edu.