- Where Is the Conference Located?
- Accessibility.
- Electronic Handouts
- What is the Exhibit Hall and When is it Open?
- What Are the Benefits of Registering Early and How Do I Register?
- After Registration, Then What?
- Session Tracking?
- How Can I Receive Credit for Continuing Education Units (CEUs)?
- Are There Stipends Available?
- Reading the Workshop Descriptions.
- WV Core Knowledge and Competencies.
- Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
- Courtesy.
- Evaluation/Feedback.
Where Is the Conference Located?
For the first time, Celebrating Connections 2021 will be a virtual conference. Upon online registration, you will be provided session links to access these live presentations April 21-23, 2021.
While every effort is made to ensure this virtual conference is as barrier-free as possible, some challenges may still exist. Your expertise and feedback in barrier identification will allow us to remedy these areas of concern for future events.
Handouts will be available on the Eventsquid platform for participants prior and during the conference. As we move forward with this effort to "go green" please note that no handouts will be mailed out.
What is the Exhibit Hall and When is it Open?
Celebrating Connections 2021 plans to host a virtual ‘Exhibit Hall’. This will be a clickable area where exhibitors can supply a logo, link or profile page to share area businesses related to the early childhood field. Most exhibitors have something unique to share, so drop in and see what you can learn! The Exhibit Hall will be accessible throughout April 21-23, 2021 on the Eventsquid platform.
What are the Benefits of Registering Early and How Do I Register?
For the first time, Celebrating Connections conference registration is going electronic. Please visit ENTER EVENTSQUID LINK to complete your registration. If you MUST complete your registration by mail, please contact Sara Miller at 304-528-3459 or by email at smiller@rvcds.org. We encourage all participants to register via our new online system to avoid any delays in registration. Online Registration deadline is April 10, 2021. Registering early will help ensure workshop selections, as there are capacity limitations on some session. Payment forms accepted include credit card, purchase order, money order or check. If paying by check or money order, the check number must be included in online registration and payment must be mailed within three business days. Registration will not be processed until payment is received in full. When sending payment, please indicate the names of the participants that are included in the payment. Purchase orders must be paid upon receipt of invoice.
Online Registration Process:
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Visit http://www.wvearlychildhood.org/Celebrating_Connections.html
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Click on the REGISTRATION LINK (will redirect you to our Eventsquid registration platform
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Complete registration as instructed
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Identify your payment method and include Check or PO number, if appropriate
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Submit registration
Please make payment to: River Valley Child Development Services (RVCDS) Attention: Celebrating Connections 611 Seventh Avenue., Suite 322 Huntington, WV 25701
After Registration, then what?
Once registration is submitted, all correspondence will be through your submitted email address, including CC2021 session links, handouts, and evaluations. Each session will have an individual link that you must access. The software will track your sign in and out for CEU purposes. Prior to the conference, please familiarize with the Eventsquid Platform for ease of navigation.
Within your Eventsquid Platform account, your session selections will be available for review and access during the conference. If you have any technical difficulties accessing your platform, please contact Sara Miller at smiller@rvcds.org.
How Can I Receive Credit for Continuing Education Units (CEUs)?
During each session, the Eventsquid Platform will automatically track sign in and sign out time of each participant. This will be utilized to verify attendance in each session. However, It is your responsibility to submit documentation for your identified CEUs.
Stipends are available for PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS BIRTH THROUGH 8 and CHILD CARE PROVIDERS who are unable to receive financial support from their affiliated agency. Stipends will be available beginning February 15, 2021. Celebrating Connections will also be offering additional stipends this year for those specifically living in the Huntington greater area. This is a result of the generosity of the former Huntington Area Early Childhood Conference (HAECC). Please contact conference coordinator Sara Fitzwater Miller for more details.
If you are interested in applying for a stipend, on February 15, 2021 please contact Sara Fitzwater Miller at West Virginia Early Childhood Training Connections and Resources (WVECTCR) at 304-529-7603 or 888- 983-2827 for eligibility and award amounts. Stipends are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and funds are LIMITED. Stipends will be awarded based upon number of days of attendance. Child care centers will be limited to 3 stipends. Upon award of a stipend, you will be provided an individual code to submit with online registration. WVECTCR reserves the right to decline an application for a stipend at any time. If you receive a stipend and are unable to attend the conference, please let WVECTCR know immediately so the funds can be allocated to someone else.
Reading the Workshop Descriptions.
Workshop descriptions explain the presentation content and identify who benefits most from each workshop. Participants are encouraged to read each description thoroughly before making final selections.
The word LIMITED means the presenter has asked for the number of participants to be limited. The conference committee respects this limit in order to enhance the learning environment. Register as early as possible to maximize your chances of getting the workshop you want. All other workshop limits are based on the audience seating capacity of the room (based on fire safety code). Workshops will close when room capacity is reached.
In an effort to help you make informed decisions, each presenter has indicated the training content targeted area for each session. Please use the following legend to help you choose your sessions:
Training Content Targeted Area:
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WV Core Knowledge and Competencies.
West Virginia Core Knowledge and Competencies for Early Childhood Professionals are a core body of knowledge relating to the developmentally appropriate, family-centered, and child-nurturing practices needed by all those who care for and educate young children. The core competencies are necessary to promote the optimal development of all children, including those with special needs, and to address the needs of families. The workshops presented at Celebrating Connections Conference meet contact hours for Early Care and Education Competencies and Infant/Toddler Mental Health Competencies.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
The conference committee is working to receive approval for graduate credit (must attend 3 days of the conference) and CEUs in Social Work, Nursing, WV Birth to Three, WV STARS, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology, Counseling, and Professional Development Graduate Hours. For more information regarding CEUs, please review our website information.
In order to receive CEUs for each session, you must be present for the entire session. Attendance will be automatically documented through the Eventsquid Platform. It is your responsibility to document CEU credits. Use the CEU certificate provided on http://www.wvearlychildhood.org/Celebrating_Connections.html to record your participation. Please review your CEU/licensing certification requirements before attending the conference. We hope this will be helpful to you when applying for credit.
Please do not give or send the conference committee any of your CEU forms or information. We do not submit your CEU forms to your licensing body.
Please be courteous to your fellow participants and presenters by turning off cell phones and limiting talking during presentations.
The conference committee members do not get a chance to attend the sessions or participate in every conference-related activity. This is our first ever effort in a virtual conference of this size. We are constantly learning and growing with technology. Therefore, we would like not only your suggestions, but your compliments, so we can discover what works and what should be changed. Please take time to complete the overall conference evaluation form that is provided within the Eventsquid Platform so we can learn as we move forward.