Early Childhood Education Conference

Presenter Biography: Melyssa Cooke

Melyssa Cooke is from Rome, NY, a rural city outside Syracuse in the great Empire State. She attended Syracuse University and moved to La Plata, MD shortly after graduation to join family members that worked in Charles County Public Schools.

Melyssa earned her undergraduate degree in Inclusive Elementary Education while at Syracuse University. She went on to earn her Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction with a certificate in Autism Studies. She is currently taking courses to earn her Administration I certificate. Melyssa has spent her 15-year career in Charles County Public Schools. She began as a Special Educator and transitioned to an Instructional Specialist role for Special Education in 2015. She is currently the Coordinator for Elementary Special Education.

In her spare time, Melyssa enjoys spending time with her family and her dog child. She loves a good book, Syracuse basketball and bingeing a new series on Netflix.

Community

• Presenter: Candice Vallandingham-Adam
• Title: Building Community Within Your Program
• Description: This session will explore various methods and strategies for building a community within your program. From using Restorative Practices and I Love You Rituals to Social Stories and Visuals we will explore ways in which to build relationships between staff and children. We will also share opportunities that the Early Learning Center, La Plata utilized to bring in parents and community members to provide different learning experiences for our students.
• Presenter Biography: Candice Vallandingham-Adam has been an educator for Charles County Public Schools since January 2009. She taught in classrooms from first grade through sixth grade before serving as an Instructional Resource Teacher, and then an Assistant Principal. In May of 2022, Mrs. Vallandingham-Adam was appointed as the Coordinator of the Early Learning Center, La Plata, a new program opened by Charles County Public Schools. The Early Learning Center, La Plata was the first program of its kind in CCPS, laying the groundwork for more students to attend and benefit from Pre-Kindergarten in a smaller, more intimate setting. The Early Learning Center, La Plata has 5 classrooms and one special areas classroom.

Curriculum

• Presenters: Dr. Christina Greer Ellis and Kimberly Herlihy
• Title: The Science of Reading in Early Childhood
• Description: As one of the first touchpoints in a child's learning journey, you play an important role in laying the foundation for literacy development. This session will provide an overview of the foundational principles surrounding how children acquire reading skills, from the cognitive processes involved to evidence-based strategies for fostering early literacy. Research-backed strategies that can be seamlessly integrated into your daily interactions and activities will also be discussed. Our goal is to provide actionable insights and tools that will help you nurture early literacy skills effectively.
• Presenter Biographies:
  • Christina Greer Ellis is from Newburg, MD, and has lived in the Southern Maryland area her whole life. She is currently a Professor of Early Childhood and Teacher Education courses at the College of Southern Maryland, La Plata Campus.
    
    Christina earned her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education through Towson University. She went on to earn a Master of Education with a focus on Instructional Technology through UMGC. She recently earned her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a literacy focus. Her former experience includes working with a variety of age groups in a childcare setting, long-term substitute in middle school, and teaching elementary school for 14 years in Charles County Public Schools. She has been a full-time faculty member at CSM for 6 years.
    
    In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading psychological thrillers, and hiking.
    
    
  • Kimberly Herlihy is from King George, VA. She moved to the Southern Maryland 10 years ago to teach in Charles County. She is currently an adjunct instructor of Early Childhood at the College of Southern Maryland, La Plata Campus.
    
    Kim earned her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education at Salisbury University. She went on to earn her Master of Education degree in Elementary Reading and Math from Walden University. She has recently completed her Reading Specialist Certificate with William and Mary.  Her former experience includes teaching elementary school in Charles County Public Schools and serving as a reading interventionist with a specific focus on primary students for King George County Public Schools.
    
    Kim is a mom to two littles (4 years old and 1.5 years old) and dog mom to two German Shepherds. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, baking and traveling.

Health Safety Nutrition

• Presenters: Stacy King and Jacqueline Johnson
• Title: Mindful Moments for Early Childhood Educators
• Description: During this workshop, you will explore mindful moments and practices to use daily. Re-energize yourself, reduce stress and anxiety. Create a sense of well-being focusing on your whole self while learning mindfulness strategies to implement in your everyday life and your business to support the children and families you serve.
• Presenter Biographies:

• Stacey King is from Annapolis, MD and is currently the Infant and Toddler Coach for Child Resource Connect where she also provides technical assistance support for Early Childhood Educators in our community. She has had the opportunity to coach and train many individuals passionate about the care, growth and development of children.

  Stacey is a graduate of Bowie State University, where she earned a degree in Social Work.  She is passionate about working with families in the community and leading them to opportunities of self-sufficiency.  Her former experience includes over 20 years of working in the child welfare division of Social Services and as the director of the Family Support/Child Development Center in Annapolis, MD.

  In her spare time, she enjoys attending church, spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and scrolling through TikTok reels.

  Stacey believes that mindfulness and taking some time for self-care can promote positive mental health and well-being.

   

• Jacqueline Johnson is an Early Childhood Business Coach and Technical Assistance Specialist for the Child Care Support Services Division at Child Resource Connect. Jacqueline has over 25 years of experience working with children from infancy through adolescence and mentoring youths and young adults. She started her career path to working with children and families as a teenager working as a camp counselor.

  Growing up in a family of teachers, she began her professional career path in 1994, studied, and earned a degree in Early Childhood with a concentration in special education. In her field of early education, she has an extensive work history in early care and has held positions as an infant, toddler, preschool, and school-age teacher, and childcare center director; she has also owned and operated a family childcare program. Ms. Johnson continues to broaden her knowledge and professional experiences pursuant of a bachelor's degree in humanities with a concentration in child and adolescent development. As an early childcare business coach, Jacqueline is dedicated to providing assistance and services to help meet regulatory requirements, quality of care, professional development, and business goals.

  Jacqueline has earned a certification in nutrition and wellness and has completed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (M.B.S.R.).  She continues incorporating mindful practices daily and prefers a holistic approach to health and well-being. She is a novice gardener and enjoys painting, crafting, and the arts.

Child Development

• Presenter: Professor Elizabeth Settle
• Title: All About Development
• Description: Your role in nurturing and guiding young children is vital, and understanding the stages of their development is key to supporting their growth effectively. During this session, we’ll dive into the essential aspects of early childhood development, exploring how children learn, grow, and interact during these formative years. We’ll discuss practical strategies and insights you can apply daily to foster a supportive and enriching environment.
• Presenter Biography: Elizabeth "Beth" Settle is a professor and the Program Coordinator of Teacher Education at the College of Southern Maryland (CSM). She oversees various programs aimed at preparing future educators, including pathways that allow students to complete their bachelor's degrees through partnerships with universities like Towson and Notre Dame of Maryland University. Professor Settle is actively involved in organizing events like a tri-county conference for future educators.  where she helps prospective students explore local educational opportunities and career paths in teaching.

  She plays a critical role in CSM's education programs, including both the Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degree programs in Early Childhood Education PK-3 and in Elementary Education Grades 1-6, which helps students transfer to four-year institutions to further their education and certification in teaching

  Ms. Settle holds a Bachelor's degree in History, a Master's degree in Education, and two Advanced Graduate Specialist Certificates in Curriculum & Instruction and in Instructional Leadership. She has taught in public school systems in Western New York as well as Southern Maryland prior to transitioning into post-secondary education, where she held positions in the teacher preparation programs at St. Mary's College of Maryland and Towson University prior to coming to CSM.

Special Needs

• Presenter: Janie Delauder
• Title: Managing the Chaos:  Regulating Emotions in an Early Childhood Setting Using Conscious Discipline Techniques
• Description: In this session, we will discuss basics of Conscious Discipline including emotional regulation, the brain states, safety, connection, and problem solving.  We will dive deep into why having a greater understanding of our own emotions as adults will positively impact the way we perceive and respond to the emotions in young children.  We will discuss techniques to help ourselves and young children understand and regulate emotions, leading to better problem solving in the future.
• Presenter Biography: Janine DeLauder has worked in Charles County Public Schools as a Special Education Life Skills teacher, Special Education Inclusion teacher, and New Teacher Mentor since 2009.  Currently, Janine DeLauder is working with the Charles County Judy Center as a Behavior Support Specialist for families and children aged birth-5 years old.  Janine is also a 200-hour certified yoga teacher and the co-owner of the small business Rootbound Farms.  Janine attended a life-changing Conscious Discipline conference in Texas in the summer of 2023 and has been passionate about sharing the principles of Conscious Discipline ever since.

Professionalism

• Presenter: Tora Wright
• Title: Unlock Funding for Your Business: Developing a Grants Budget!
• Description: Crafting a compelling budget isn’t just a task—it’s a powerful extension of your project’s narrative and an essential component of a grant application. Applying for grant opportunities requires a systematic approach to the development process. During this session, we’ll explore practical strategies for building a winning budget, breaking down the key elements that can make or break your grant application. The presenter will also highlight the specific requirements for the Child Care Career and Professional Fund, which supports higher education—and how to prepare for the upcoming application cycle​​. 
• Presenter Biography: Tora Wright is a seasoned grant professional with over ten years of experience in grant management, development, and writing. Currently, she serves as the Grants Developer at the College of Southern Maryland (CSM), where she spearheads all grant initiatives and successfully secures local, state, and federal funding to support the college's mission and priorities. She has effectively managed the Child Care and Career and Professional Development Fund for the past decade.

  In addition to her grant management experience, Ms. Wright has been a dedicated advocate in the early childhood industry since 2011. She is a Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) certified trainer and earned her Trainers of Trainers (TOT) approval in 2014. She empowers fellow educators with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in their roles. Ms. Wright also served as an adjunct professor at CSM from 2014 to 2023, where she shared her insights with early child care professionals.

  With a proven track record of success and a steadfast commitment to fostering educational growth, Ms. Wright continues to make a meaningful impact in the fields of grant development and early childhood education. Her dedication to these fields is evident in her extensive experience and the numerous roles she has undertaken, from Grants Developer to adjunct professor and certified trainer.