Early Childhood Conference
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Dear Early Childhood Educators,
We are thrilled to announce that registration for the 2025 Early Childhood Conference is open! This exciting in-person event will take place on April 11-12, offering an exceptional opportunity for professional development, networking, and collaboration with colleagues from across the region.
Our mission is to provide affordable, high-quality professional development that directly supports the important work you do every day in early childhood education. In addition to the wealth of knowledge and skills you will gain, we are pleased to partner with the Wisconsin and Illinois Gateway Registries to offer registry credit for select sessions.
Whether you're looking to build new skills, discover innovative strategies, or connect with fellow educators, we are committed to providing a rich and engaging experience for all participants.
Here’s a sneak peek at our conference schedule
Here's program booklet for ECC: View Booklet
Friday, April 11:
We’ll kick off the conference with Raelene Ostberg’s Keynote Session: You Deserve Joy! Reduce Stress, Break Through Barriers, and Make a Plan to Increase Your Own Personal Joy Factor, TODAY. Following the keynote, we’ll offer two morning sessions and two afternoon sessions—each 75 minutes long. Attendees can choose from a variety of topics and sessions, with a mix of beloved conference favorites and exciting new presenters. Stay tuned for the full list of sessions and presenters coming soon!
Saturday, April 12:
On Saturday, sessions will feature two dynamic presenters: Prerna Richards, CEO & Founder Together We Grow LLC, and Raelene Ostberg, National Keynote Speaker and Director, Thriving Together, LLC. You’ll attend one presenter’s session in the morning and the other in the afternoon, with a break for lunch in between. The theme for Saturday is From Exhausted to Joyful: Practical Strategies to Transform Early Childhood Environments from Challenging to Joyous. By the end of the day, you’ll leave feeling hopeful, energized, and empowered with practical tools and strategies to:
- Build joyful moments into your life to show up energized, calm, and ready to face the challenges of early childhood education.
- Discover strategies for reducing and working with challenging behaviors in children ages 0-8.
- Equip yourself to handle difficult moments when children struggle with big emotions, following rules, and behavior management.
- Identify the root causes of challenging behaviors and adjust your approach to encourage more positive actions.
- Access hands-on tools to create calm, joyful learning environments starting right away!
You can register to attend one day or both days, with discounts available for attending both. We are also offering group discounts this year for groups of five or more!
We hope you’ll join us for what promises to be an inspiring and transformative conference. Stay tuned for more details on registration, the full session schedule, and additional exciting opportunities!
We look forward to seeing you in April!
Kristen Linzmeier
UW-Whitewater Early Childhood Conference Coordinator
Registration
To register for this event and secure your spot, click the link above and complete the online registration form five (5) days before the event session starts. Our events tend to sell out quickly, so it's recommended to register as soon as possible. If the event is already sold out, you can choose to register for the waitlist at no charge. If a spot becomes available and you are next on the waitlist, you will receive an email notification. You will have three days (or less, as indicated in the email) to respond and accept the open spot.
We do NOT accept walk-up registrations at event check-in.
Friday Session: $125*
Saturday Session: $125*
Full Conference (attend both days): $225*
Group discounts available for groups of 5 or more. Please click on group registration tab for more information.
Lunch cost (Optional): $12.59* Per Day
The fee includes instruction. Participants can earn registry hours for sessions approved by WI and IL registries.
*A surcharge of 2.85% will be added to the final purchase price for all credit/debit card transactions, applied at checkout, to cover processing costs. Payment by check will be exempt from the additional surcharge. Checks can made out to "UW-Whitewater" and mailed to UW-Whitewater Camps and Conferences, 800 West Main Street, 2242 Andersen Library, Whitewater WI 53190.
All registrant accounts must be paid in by 21 days prior to the event. Registrants with outstanding balances after payment is due in full are subject to being removed from the event roster without refund. Please contact Continuing Education Services at cesevents@uww.edu prior to this deadline if extenuating circumstances prevent you from completing a payment.
Your online registration and payment are always safe and secure. We accept MasterCard and Visa credit card payments in our online registration system. We will NOT accept credit card payments over the phone. We will accept checks made out to "UW-Whitewater" and mailed to UW-Whitewater Camps and Conferences, 800 West Main Street, Room 2124 Andersen Library, Whitewater WI 53190.
Confirmation Emails
Once you register to attend an event (including waitlisted), a confirmation email will be sent to the email address you registered with. Contact cesevents@uww.edu if you do not receive this confirmation email. You must have a working email address on file with us to be able to receive important announcements and updates about this event.
For participants who will be receiving a sponsorship to attend this event, please follow these steps to redeem your sponsorship:
- Register for the event and use the promo code provided by your sponsor during checkout.
- The sponsorship amount will be deducted from your invoice. Any remaining balance will be the participant's responsibility.
- If you need to cancel your registration, please note that the sponsorship funds will be returned to the supporting organization.
Please note that any qualifying discounts given by the event will not be applied after you have paid in full. Be sure to use the promo code during checkout to receive your discount. You will be charged if you do not qualify for the requested discount at the start of the event.
If a refund is issued due to overpayment on your account, a processing fee will be assessed.
If you have received an award or scholarship without a promo code or want to use two promo codes, please call Continuing Education Services at 262-472-3165 or email cesevents@uww.edu before registering to avoid overpayment fees.
Want to Sponsor a Registrant?
If you would like to sponsor a registrant and cover all or partial fees, you can request a promo code to give to your chosen registrant. Get more information about sponsoring a registrant.
For organizations that would like to register multiple participants at one time, you may register your teachers for the ECC conference by completing a Registration Sponsorship Request. We will send you a group invoice, payable by credit card or check, and provide you with a promo code you may give to the participant(s) you are registering.
Refunds: No refunds are available for this event. All cancellation requests must be submitted to cesevents@uww.edu.
We reserve the right to cancel any event due to low enrollment; in this case, all fees paid will be refunded.
Cancellations and payments: All registrant accounts must be paid in full 21 days prior to the start of the event. Registrants with outstanding balances after payment is due in full are subject to being removed from the event roster without a refund. Please contact Continuing Education Services at cesevents@uww.edu prior to this deadline if extenuating circumstances prevent you from completing a payment.
By registering for an event, you agree to our Registration Terms and Conditions. UW-Whitewater will hold all registrants responsible for their conduct. Serious misconduct or disruption will lead to immediate dismissal from event. Registrants dismissed from the event will not receive a refund. Please review the Terms and Conditions for more details.
Be aware that we recommend that all portable electronic devices be left at home, but ultimately it is your decision. We know that parents and children value the ability to be able to call each other at a moment's notice. For that reason, we do not prohibit cell phones at camp, but ask that cell phone use does not interfere with the event and other participants. Parents are responsible for setting clear guidelines for cell use with their child. We will not be responsible for any lost or stolen items.
Early Childhood Programs at UWW
ECCE
Year Round
ECE4U
Year Round
Early Childhood Education
Bachelor's Degree
Early Childhood Education Policy
Master's Degree
Preparing for the Event
Check-in will take place at Hyland Hall.
Remember to bring notebooks and pens for note-taking, business cards for networking, comfortable shoes for walking, snacks to maintain energy levels, a laptop or tablet for digital resources, a charger or portable battery pack to keep devices powered, a water bottle to stay hydrated, and personal hygiene items like hand sanitizer and tissues to ensure a productive experience.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater reserves the right to make changes in workshops and speakers, or to cancel workshops if enrollment criteria are not met or when conditions beyond our control prevail.
We are proud of the diversity that will be exhibited by the presenters at this conference. However, we do not assume responsibility for the information, opinions, products or services shared by the presenters. Please share your comments or concerns on the evaluation form which will be sent electronically following the conference. We also encourage participants to offer presenters compliments when pleased with the content of a presentation.
Looking to sponsor a session or make a donation to the UW-Whitewater Early Childhood Conference? There are many sponsorship opportunities available. For additional information regarding sponsorship opportunities please contact Cori Olin, Major Gift Officer, Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, 262-472-6966, olinc@uww.edu.
UW-Whitewater Early Childhood Conference Sponsorship Information
Friend Level Sponsor: $250
- Logo or name displayed at registration area
- Logo or name displayed on conference website
- Acknowledgement on social media (1,000+ followers)
Partner Level Sponsor: $1,000
Friend Level plus:
- Spotlight Booth at registration area
- Exclusive branded item distributed to all conference attendees
- Acknowledgement on welcome slide in opening and closing events
- 5 dedicated posts on social media
Champion Level Sponsor: $3,000
Partner Level plus:
- Spotlight Booth at registration area
- Exclusive branded item distributed to all conference attendees
- Acknowledgement on welcome slide in opening and closing events
- 5 dedicated posts on social media
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Please make gifts and sponsorships payable to UW-Whitewater Foundation Inc., Fund #1254: Early Childhood Conference, Purpose: UW-Whitewater EARLY CHILDHOOD CONFERENCE, UW-Whitewater Foundation’s EIN number is 39-6081189
Mail checks to UW-Whitewater Foundation Attention: ECC – Cori Olin; 800 W Main St, Whitewater, WI 53190
For additional conference-specific questions and information please contact Kristen Linzmeier, Ph.D, UW-Whitewater Early Childhood Conference Coordinator at ecc@uww.edu; phone 262-472-5814.
Click Here To Download The Early Childhood Conference Planning Guide
This guide is intended to help you plan your sessions for the Early Childhood Conference and should not be used as a registration form. Session space will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Schedule will be available here shortly.
