76th Annual SECA Conference

Join us for a celebration of voices, stories, and impactful change! The session will officially launch the edited book about SECA, titled Voices of Early Childhood Educators: Conversations About Change in the U.S. South—a book five years in the making! It is packed with SECA histories, and inspiring insights and real-world experiences from ECE educators across the South. In this special “Meet the Author” panel, you’ll get to dive into the rich stories of how early childhood educators are shaping the future in unique and powerful ways. Our authors will share the behind-the-scenes of their chapters, touching on the challenges and triumphs of working in the South and the incredible resilience and creativity of the ECE community. Don’t miss the chance to grab a copy of the book on-site and get it signed by the authors, all while connecting with fellow ECE advocates who are driving change in classrooms and communities across the South. Let’s kick off this exciting chapter together!

The SECA Leadership Summit (additional registration fee) is a one-day event held on Thursday, March 20, 2025. Educators from across the country will visit various off-site early childhood centers and end with an afternoon discussion. Please note that this event is partially off-site meaning you will not be able to attend any workshop sessions from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm during the SECA conference.  Leadership Summit will begin with tours that will leave at 9:00 am and conclude around 1:00 pm.  Participants will meet in the hotel lobby. Upon returning to the conference site, participants will conclude the day with an afternoon tea and table discussions about effective leadership with an amazing group of SECA FOSSILS.  Space is limited, so please register early.

Do you have little learners who exhibit challenging behaviors? Using hands-on, interactive techniques, we will explore tools and materials to use in the classroom with children who need additional support. We will investigate tips, techniques, and materials to reach ALL children compassionately.

Building value as a childcare business owner — for yourself and the children and families you serve — hinges on running a profitable school. As an owner, you must be financially healthy and thriving to provide excellent care and education. So, how can you ensure that you continue to deliver on your mission while building your bottom line?

Join Kathy Ligon, the early education industry’s go-to expert for financial know-how and business growth, to discover the five key components for financial health. Based on more than 30 years of analyzing successful early education organizations' financial practices, this session will break down what the average ?nancially healthy school looks like in numbers and how your company can mimic that success.

Open to SECA Fossils.

This session will focus on strategies to include more engagement and interactive opportunities for participants in training sessions both virtual and in-person. Engagement land interaction are just as important to adults as to children.New and easy-to-use digital tools will be introduced to facilitate effective training that is robust, energetic, and adaptable to many settings.

This session will provide early childhood educators information about the importance of building background knowledge. It will also demonstrate how educators can use literacy to and engaging activities to build background knowledge. The participants will then have the opportunity to create a short literacy lesson that builds background knowledge with a group that has a measurable objective and an engaging activity.

"Apples, Alligators, and All That" will be a jam-packed fun and entertaining session! In the session we will gain knowledge of phonological awareness and its importance. We will sing and dance and learn new alphabet songs to use in the classroom to help your students to be strong in early literacy with definite letter recognition and confidence in letter recognition and letter sounds. Many door prizes and giveaways! Come join us!!

In 2022, New Orleans voters passed a 20-year property tax (millage) that allocates over $20 million annually to provide free early childhood seats and services. With state matching funds that doubles this investment, New Orleans has had to rapidly expand its early childhood infrastructure, including its workforce. Join the leader of the city’s early childhood workforce task force to learn how New Orleans is thinking about teacher preparation and pathways, pay and benefits, and retention and recruitment for early childhood educators.

Effective partnerships between communities, educators, caregivers, and families play a pivotal role in supporting early childhood development, particularly for children with exceptionalities. This session advocates for the strength and importance of fostering collaborative partnerships within early childhood education settings and beyond to optimize learning outcomes and holistic development for exceptional learners. This session will explore practical strategies, case studies, and research-based approaches to cultivate strong partnerships that empower all stakeholders in the education and care of young children with exceptionalities.

In our preschool classroom, children engaged in a project on recycling, tackling the question: "How can we throw away less trash?" Through this project, they were able to engage in a project with a community and environmental impact, utilize critical thinking and problem solving skills, all while addressing the early learning standards. In this session, we will share about the important components and phases of project work in a preschool classroom, exploring the topic through our own implementation of a project with the children. We will explore the seven essential project design elements, how to determine if a project topics meets all these elements, and ways in which to make learning integrated and meaningful. Through project-based learning, teachers can cover important standards, teach valuable skills, all while giving children opportunities for agency, allowing them to be at the helm of their own learning. By looking at a project that we did with our children, participants will be able to see what a project looks like when put into practice.

Have you ever wondered about shared leadership and how you can leverage the strengths of each person you work with? This interactive training for teachers, administrators, and specialists provides you an opportunity to examine and reflect on your own practices by exploring different styles of leadership and vision statements to guide you in becoming successful leaders in any role. This is a collaborative time for understanding and using different early childhood education roles to create a culture of building school-wide partnerships and individual relationships that support high-quality outcomes for children and families. Participants will work together to compose an alignment resource that correlates state standards (including QRIS, core competencies, and early learning guidelines) and NAEYC developmentally appropriate practices to promote best practices as we encourage teachers to be leaders. After our time together you will walk away with a leadership vision, practical next steps, and a clear understanding of how leadership styles tie into your role and how to empower others to grow leadership skills in the work they are doing. We will also explore how teachers can empower their children and families to be leaders and advocates so that everyone in the school is engaging in the Joy of Shared Leadership.

Beyond the Basics: Transforming Early Learning Through Visionary Leadership and Proven Strategies

Discover how to elevate early childhood programs from surviving to thriving in this dynamic and interactive session. With a focus on children from birth to five years old, this presentation will provide actionable insights and tools to transform your childcare center into a high-quality, sustainable program. Led by Dr. Daphene Booker-Harris, The Preschool Icon™, attendees will learn from her proven 7-figure blueprint and groundbreaking approaches that have empowered over 200 childcare business owners worldwide.

Participants will explore key leadership strategies, innovative family engagement practices, and methods to align profitability with purpose, all while adhering to state licensing regulations and quality standards. Through real-life case studies, hands-on workshops, and group discussions, you’ll gain practical tools to implement immediately. Whether you’re navigating challenges or looking to expand your impact, this session will inspire and equip you to create meaningful change in your program.

Leave with a personalized action plan and a commitment to take your program to the next level. Join us to learn how visionary leadership and strategic planning can transform your center into a model of excellence, sustainability, and community impact. Perfect for childcare center owners, directors, and early childhood professionals, this session will ignite your passion for making a difference in the lives of young children and families.