Nationally known experts and authors on early childhood development will speak at the 2016 Ready Kids Conference hosted by the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood, in partnership with the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, July 11-13 at the Galt House Hotel, 141 N. 4th St., in Louisville.
In its third year, the conference will bring together approximately 1,200 early childhood professionals including child care providers, Head Start and preschool. The event offers professional development, networking opportunities and information about the launch of Kentucky All STARS, an expanded five-star tiered quality rating and improvement system for early care and education programs.
“This conference underscores the importance of working together to support the learning and developmental growth of children in the first years of life,” said Hal Heiner, secretary of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. “We want every child to have a solid foundation when they begin school so they will have the best opportunity to learn and grow in the classroom.”
Dr. Walter Gilliam, the keynote speaker on Monday, is the director of The Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy and associate professor of child psychiatry and psychology at the Yale University Child Study Center. He will address the importance of child care and Head Start providers, as well as pre-kindergarten teachers, in a child’s future successes.
Dr. Dana Suskind, the keynote speaker on Tuesday, is a pediatric physician, professor of surgery and pediatrics, and the founder and director of the Thirty Million Words Initiative. She will discuss the importance of early language exposure on a developing child’s brain.
In addition, more than 140 breakout sessions will cover information about infant, toddler and pre-kindergarten development and education.
A one-day conference registration for Tuesday only is $100. On-site registration is required and costs $175 for the full conference.
For more information about the conference, please visit Kids Now or contact Hazel Combs at (502) 782-9471 or hazel.combs@ky.gov. For more information about the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood, visit http://kidsnow.ky.gov.