Early Childhood Conference to feature national early childhood musician and author

Seward, NE (05/25/2017) — Early childhood specialists and teachers are invited to gather for "Minds and Hearts Together" Early Childhood Conference June 14, 2017, at Concordia University, Nebraska.

The conference is open to the public, and registration is open until the date of the event. Early registrations may be submitted by June 1 to receive a discounted rate.

"Our annual Early Childhood Conference is a professional development opportunity for those who serve young children, ages birth through second grade," said Annette Oliver, director of the conference and director of the early childhood education program at Concordia. "This year's conference offers a rich experience to early childhood teachers who are passionate about the social, academic and spiritual development of our young children."

Ellen Church Booth, author and musician, will deliver a keynote address titled "Mind and Hearts together: Inseparable Tools for Learning" during the conference. Ellen Booth Church is an author and musician. She focuses on helping educators to playfully create connections between social emotional learning and academic skills in the lives of young children. She is the author of "Getting to the Heart of Learning," and has been a regular contributor to "Early Childhood Today," a journal on the latest trends and studies in early childhood development.

The conference will also feature Mrs. Elaine Royuk, a retired Kindergarten teacher from Seward, Nebraska. Royuk will speak at the luncheon about how God organizes our "puzzled" life. Her love for family extended for years into the lives of her kindergarten children and professional colleagues.

In addition to keynote speakers, the conference includes a Scholastic Book Fair and two breakout sessions with a variety of topics available, including faith development, social/emotional development, music, art, literacy and leadership.

The conference cost is $45 per person for the conference ($55 after June 1) and an additional $13 for those who attend the luncheon. Housing is available as well.

Conference schedule:

8 a.m. Registration, Thom Leadership Education Center, lobby

8:30 a.m. Welcome and introduction of keynote speaker, Janzow Cattle Conference Room

8:45 a.m. Opening keynote speaker Ellen Booth Church, Janzow Campus Center

10 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. Sectional I, TLEC

11:45 a.m. Lunch, luncheon speaker Elaine Royuk, Janzow Campus Center

1:15 p.m. Sectional II, TLEC

2:15 p.m. Break

2:30 p.m. Closing keynote speaker Ellen Booth Church, Janzow Campus Center

For a complete list of sectional topics, to register online or to access a printable registration form for the event, visit cune.edu/ecc.

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university located in Seward, Nebraska, that currently serves more than 2,600 students. Concordia offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu.

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The annual Early Childhood Conference, scheduled for June 14, 2017, at Concordia, is a professional development opportunity for educators who serve children ages birth through second grade.