5th Annual Illinois Birth-to-Third Grade (B3) Continuity Conference
Wednesday-Thursday; June 12-13, 2019 DoubleTree Hotel, Bloomington, IL
Keynote - Blythe Keeler Robinson
Blythe Keeler Robinson is an innovative leader with 20 years of non-profit management experience and expertise in educational programming, early childhood education, program design and implementation, grant writing and contract review and negotiation. Robinson is the President and CEO of Sheltering Arms Early Education and Family Centers in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1888, Sheltering Arms is one of Georgia’s largest non-profit organizations and one of its most respected. Sheltering Arms serves nearly 2,500 children daily, ages six weeks to five years old, and their families in 15 early care and education centers across metro Atlanta. Robinson’s prior roles include Senior Vice President and Chief Programs Officer of the Early Learning Coalition of Miami‐Dade/Monroe, where she managed and implemented early care and education programs, providing services to more than 50,000 children and their families annually, and Vice President of Strategic Planning and Initiatives at Reading Is Fundamental, where she directed programs and strategic initiatives nationally. Robinson holds a bachelor’s degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park and a juris doctorate from The Georgetown University Law Center.
Conference Background
The B-3 Continuity Conference welcomes school districts and community leaders working towards birth-to-third grade alignment strategies in their community. The conference provides an opportunity for community teams to come together to learn and explore best practices for birth-to-third grade alignment strategies. General sessions focus on systems alignment work and particular focus on strengthening preschool programs. Multiple breakout sessions will be provided to target key strategies for those serving children across the zero-to-age-eight continuum (check out the forthcoming agenda to see sessions geared toward different stakeholders). Additionally, communities are given structured time to connect within their local teams to think critically about work happening locally.
The conference provides a great opportunity to connect with others across the state also focused on the birth-to-third grade continuum. Communities that have participated in the past can testify that the conference has created a community of B-3 practice that supports their everyday work.
Conference GoalsSustained and aligned early childhood programs, birth through third grade (B-3), have the potential to be an educational game-changer. To support this work, the Illinois Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development (OECD), the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), and the Center for the Study of Education Policy (CSEP), is pleased to announce an opportunity for community and school leaders to participate in the Illinois Birth Through Third Grade (B-3) Continuity Conference.
The Illinois Birth-to-Third (B-3) Continuity Project is hosting its fifth and final conference. The B-3 Conference is open to school districts and community leaders working towards birth-to-third grade alignment strategies in their community. Communities are encouraged to come as teams with representatives from early childhood, K-12 schools, and the broader community. Entities holding Preschool Expansion Grants and Preschool for All Expansion Grants should be included within applying communities.
Conference Themes: This conference is collaboratively planned by CSEP, ISBE and OECD to build the capacity of early childhood and elementary education staff to provide informed leadership about research-based practices to develop an effective system of supports and services for children birth-through-third grade.- Expand knowledge of developmentally appropriate educational practices across the birth through third grade continuum with a focus on sustainable and cost-effective implementation that involves leveraging resources among schools and the community to build a continuum of high-quality early learning environments.
- Enhance their understanding of the structures, practices and supports needed to increase alignment within and across communities and school districts to best support children and families, including family engagement that continues into the early grades, supported transitions, data-driven improvement, joint professional development, curriculum and instruction, assessments, comprehensive services and community partnerships.
- Identify technical assistance needs and resources to enhance their community’s capacity and to prepare and support children and families from birth through third grade.
- Learn from experts and colleagues in an inclusive and dynamic forum to network, share information and build skills.
RFP Breakout Sessions
An open RFP was conducted for breakout sessions. Proposals from all eight B-3 strategies are welcome. Sessions should be developed so that a dialogue about B-3 topics is created. RFP's are no longer being accepted.
Administrators Academy - Supporting and Evaluating Developmentally Appropriate Practices (AA3021)
The B-3 Continuity Project is extremely excited to be partnering with the ISBE KIDS Support team to offer an Administrator's Academy in conjunction with the 2019 B-3 Continuity Conference. There is no cost for the academy but administrators wishing to participate will need to separately register for the credits. Content across the two days is designed for administrators of kindergarten and preschool programs. Participants will learn how a developmentally appropriate classroom using a play-based learning model is purposefully and intentionally planned by teachers to address standards. Explicit connections to Danielson domains will be addressed. Registration, learning objectives, course materials, and other details are posted online. Registration for the Administrator's Academy is now closed.
Registration
The B-3 Continuity Conference is open to school districts and community leaders working towards birth-to-third grade alignment strategies in their community. Communities are encouraged to come as teams with representatives from early-childhood, K-12 schools, and the broader community. As the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has placed emphasis on the importance of an aligned B-3 system within Preschool for All Communities, entities holding Preschool Expansion Grants and Preschool for All Expansion Grants should be included within applying communities. A lead organization should collaborate with partners to submit an application with all attendees from their community.
Team Stakeholder Examples
Districts or communities are encouraged to bring a team of 2-5 stakeholders to the Conference. Communities that are working with multiple districts may bring a team composed of educators and community members representing the community work as a whole. Examples of appropriate team members include: superintendent/assistant superintendent, school board member, elementary principal, kindergarten and PreK-teachers, child care center directors, Head Start director, Early Childhood coordinator, Community Schools Resource Coordinator, Innovation Zone Coordinator, Before/After School partners, community-based partner(s), municipal staff, United Way staff.
Conference Costs and Lodging Information
There are no fees for attending the conference, but participants are responsible for their own up-front travel costs and meals (no meals are provided by the conference). A block of rooms at discounted rates has been reserved at the Double Tree Bloomington, IL. The room block is under the group name "ISU - Birth through Third Grade" and group code "BTT". Rooms may be booked online or by calling 309-664-6446. The special room rate will be available until May 21st or until the group block is sold-out, whichever comes first.
Participants will need to book and pay for room on their own; however, for existing Expansion Communities hotel costs are eligible for reimbursement after receipts and appropriate, provided forms are handed in. If the conference were to reach capacity expansion communities will also be given preference for available openings. All registrants will be notified in April regarding conference space and to finalize their teams.
Partner Plan Act Conference
The Partner Plan Act Conference will take place the day before the the B-3 Continuity Conference on June 11, 2019, also at the Double Tree Hotel. This annual conference brings early childhood system stakeholders to learn, network, and deepen their community systems knowledge and skills. Content between this conference and the B-3 Continuity Conference is designed to compliment each other and some team members might find it beneficial to attend all three days of content. This year's theme is Equity from the Start: Community Systems Development through a Racial Equity Lens . Separate registration is required. More details can be found on the Partner Plan Act Conference website.
Conference Materials
Tuesday, June 11: Partner Plan Act Conference
Wednesday, June 12
|
7:30-9:30 am |
Administrators’ Academy Pre-session |
|
9-10:00 am |
Registration |
|
10:00 am |
|
|
10:15 am |
Key Note: Blythe Keeler Robinson |
|
11:30 am |
Guided Community Collaborative Time |
|
12:00 pm |
Lunch |
|
1:15 pm |
Breakout Sessions (4 options) |
|
2:30 pm |
General Plenary: The Transformative Journey towards Excellent Practices in Birth to Third Grade
|
|
3:30 pm |
Break |
|
3:45 pm |
Networking Session: Attendees will have an opportunity to connect with others in similar roles to themselves.
|
|
5:00 pm |
Happy Hour (cash bar) |
Thursday, June 13
|
8:30 am |
Welcome – State Updates |
|
8:45 am |
Breakout Sessions (4 options) |
|
10:00 am |
Breakout Sessions (4 options)
|
|
11:15 am |
Community Debrief Session & Resources |
|
11:45 am |
Lunch |
|
1:00 pm |
Breakout Sessions (4 options) |
|
2:15 pm |
General Plenary: Illinois B-3 Systems Moving Forward
|
|
3:15 pm |
Questions
Please direct questions to Ashley Long, B-3 Continuity Project Director, amlong3@ilstu.edu.