Sharing A Vision: Imagine the Possibilities

The 5th Illinois Statewide Collaborative Early Childhood Conference

October 8-10, 1997
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Springfield, Illinois

Welcome

Dear Conference Participant,

Welcome to the Fifth Illinois Statewide Collaborative Early Childhood Conference. This conference provides agencies, programs and families the opportunity to come together to share their knowledge and to learn new information about young children and families

In response to your comments from the 1995 conference, the conference committee has continued the half day and full day session format. This format provides opportunities for more intense training and interaction among participants. We also have continued the showcasing sessions where programs and agencies share information about new and exciting practices. We have added a new type of presentation this year. There will be early bird sessions prior to daily conference sessions. These will provide an additional opportunity to share information concerning exemplary practices. We are very interested in your feedback concerning this conference. Your feedback helps the conference committee make decisions about conference format, speakers, hotels, location, receptions, etc. Please complete your conference evaluation and let us know what you liked about this conference and your suggestions for the next conference.

Our theme for the conference this year is Sharing A Vision: Imagine the Possibilities. This theme reflects proposed and approved changes in legislation related to young children and families as well as increases in technology, expansion of information provided in the Internet, and the development of promising new programs and practices in early childhood education. It is an exciting time to be an early childhood educator and/or family member in Illinois. It is also a time for reflection and planning so that we can reach all of the positive possibilities that we imagine. We are at a critical period at state and national level. Decisions regarding education, Supplemental Security Insurance (S.S.F.), health care, funding, and personnel training will impact programs and families throughout Illinois. We hope that you will enjoy the conference, learn new information, begin to imagine the possibilities for children and families and share your vision with others.

Please plan to join us again in 1999 for the next Sharing a Vision Conference.

Sincerely,

Lynette K. Chandler,
1997 Conference Chair