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SAZAEYC 2020 Annual Conference ​​ Better Together: Strengthening Connections Between Educators, Families, and Our Communities

December 5, 2020

The sessions offered will focus on one of the following themes: Family Engagement (including sessions designed specifically for families), Social Justice in the Early Childhood Years, and Self-Care and Mindfulness.

We invite you to wake up with SAZAEYC and join us for a pre-conference session starting at 7:30 a.m.  Enjoy your coffee or tea at home while you join one of our chat rooms, attend a virtual yoga session, or join families and kids for a special time to share instruments!  Please reference the conference brochure on sazaeyc.org for to learn more about each session and the presenters.

Pre-Conference Sessions: 7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.

  • Coffee and Chat Connection with SAZAEYC Board Members (a chance to meet incoming board members)
  • Coffee and Chat Student Connection (led by Somos Enlace)
  • Coffee and Chat Parent Connection
  • Yoga Session with Katie Kurtin
  • Meet and Greet with Mr. Nature: Show and Share Your Instruments!

Session A: 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

  • Balancing Priorities: Parenting During a Pandemic Tessa Brock
  • Building a Family Focused Child Care Center Dr. Daniel Gonzalez
  • BILINGUAL SESSION Connecting with your children at home & innovative Self-Care / Conectando con sus hijos en casa y autocuidado innovador Enrique C Feldman
  • Mindfulness for Us All:  Fun and Effective Ways to Help Us and the Young Children in Our Lives Relax, Tune-in, and Connect Jordan Hill
  • Socially Just Teaching in a Conscious Discipline Classroom Diana Brown and Katie Kurtin

Session B: 10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

  • When the Mirror Doesn’t Match the Classroom: What to do when your child’s teacher doesn’t look like them Mona Qafisheh
  • Let’s Talk About Race Esther Leyva-McGee and Jesusa Valdez
  • Diving into Inclusion: DEC/NAEYC Joint Position Statement Camille Lachar and Alicia Amundson
  • BILINGUAL SESSION Building Connections with Families / Construyendo Conexiones con las Familias Yamira Garcia and Jessica Tripp
  • Mindful Self Care & Wellness Check-in Dari Johnson

Session C: 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

  • BILINGUAL SESSION The Importance of Belonging and Connection During Stress and a Pandemic / La importancia de la pertenencia y la conexión durante el estrés y una pandemia Dr. Curtis Peterson and Elsa Peterson
  • Staff Wellness: Self-Care and Mindfulness Sheri S. Dollin, M.Ed.
  • Executive Functions + Emotional Intelligence =  The Mind, Body, and Soul Connection Christine Vega
  • Courageous Communication Amy Morales Baum
  • Preschool and It’s Importance of Productive Citizens Heather Okeke and Marta Rojas

CONFERENCE RATES

Student  $35

Family (Includes Family Membership)  $50

Standard/Premium NAEYC Members  $50

Entry-level NAEYC Members  $80

Non-members  $100  (consider Conference + Membership, see below)

Conference + Standard NAEYC Membership  $115

By joining as a member today, you can benefit from a reduced conference rate and discounts to all future SAZAEYC events. Your membership marks the true professional you are by being a part of this premier early childhood education organization. To become a member, sign up online at www.naeyc.org/membership/join.


Tucson Values Teachers is providing limited scholarships for educators to attend PD opportunities, if you are interested, click here for more information


  • For questions regarding this resource, please contact .