Day 1 Wednesday, August 13th AM Breakout Sessions 10:45am- 12:15pm 

1. Stress Under Control: Strategies for Wellbeing- Kathy Magnusson M.Ed.-Wildewood Learning (Speaker presenting a PM Keynote session)- Richwood Room: In our busy lives today, it’s natural to feel stressed occasionally, but it doesn’t have to take over your life. In this workshop, we’ll dive into understanding the stress cycle and the impact of chronic stress. You’ll engage in meaningful discussions and interactive exercises to uncover your personal stress triggers and share ways to break that cycle. Together, we’ll discover research-backed techniques that fit your unique needs, leaving you with personalized strategies to manage stress so you can cultivate habits that support your long-term well-being. By the end of our time together, you’ll feel empowered to take charge of your stress, integrating practices that encourage balance, resilience, and wellness into your everyday life!

2. The Role of Nature-based and Adventure Education in Happiness and Wellbeing- Mark H. Zmudy Ph.D -Associate Professor for the University of Minnesota, Duluth - Pine Point Room: *Session repeated day 1 PM session : By combining neuroscience, an open heart, and innovative teaching methods, professionals from various fields can greatly support children of all ages in their journeys toward enjoyment and well-being at every developmental stage. The discussion will highlight key aspects of neuroscience and explore various elements for defining your own versions of outdoor and adventure education. Participants will also engage in small group activities. 

3. Calming the Storm: Evidence-based Strategies to Reduce and Address Toddler Aggression- Raelene Ostberg M.Ed.- Thriving Together LLC- Roy Lake Room: Despite the heartfelt efforts of families and early childhood teams, older infants and toddlers continue to display aggressive behavior. Unfortunately, this persistent challenge leads to stress, frustration, and burnout for staff and families alike. Join this engaging session to identify the hidden triggers that fuel toddler aggression, learn useful evidence-based coaching techniques for tense moments, and collect valuable resources to share with others. The strategies learned will foster helpful adult responses that reduce future aggression and ensure toddlers learn the self-regulation skills needed to thrive.

4. Growing Together Makes a Difference: Practical Strategies to Promote Social and Emotional Development for All- Linsey McMurrin, Executive Director for Peacemaker Resources - Waubun Room: Join us as we explore the importance of Social-Emotional Learning for all ages, from early childhood into adulthood.  We will provide practical strategies in each of the five competency areas of Social-Emotional Learning that will allow us as adults to more effectively embody the practice and role-model skills for youth, as we come alongside to support them as they grow their own capacity to utilize SEL.  We will also touch briefly on Dr. Bruce Perry's Neurosequential Model and Dr. Dan Siegel's Hand Model of the Brain to better understand the connection between our brain, our body, and our capacity to learn and grow these important skill sets throughout our lifetime.

5. Well-being at Work: Emotional Care- Jamie Bonczyk, M.Ed., Sr. Program Officer-Greater Twin Cities United Way, 80×3: Resilient from the Start  - Callaway Room: Explore aspects of how your own actions, thoughts, responses, attitude and enthusiasm impact your own well-being and influence the children’s emotional well-being in the classroom. Learn the difference between things you can control and things you can influence. Discover elements of impacting the larger picture of emotional well-being in the Early Childhood Education and Care field.

6. Early Warning Signs of Mental Illness in Children & Adolescents for Professionals- Beth Lovre, Family Peer Education Coordinator – NAMI National Alliance on Mental Illness Minnesota - Naytahwaush Room: A session for educators that addresses what may seem like "disruptive behaviors" in youth but may actually be warning signs of a mental illness. The class covers warning signs of common mental illnesses and what teachers can do to help. This course meets requirements for training in warning signs of early onset mental illness needed for Minnesota teacher relicensure. 

Day 1 Wednesday, August 13th LUNCH Presentation: 12:30-1:30pm 

The Land is Our Relative: A White Earth History of People, Place, and Culture: Cayla Bellanger DeGroat, Program Officer Northland Foundation- Room: Main Event Center- During Lunch

The White Earth reservation sits at the intersection of various unique ecological features, and an abundance of plant and animal relatives. Understanding and appreciating these profound intersections means exploring our ancestors came to be at White Earth, and how their stories, experiences, and relationships to the land continue to inform and influence our present and future.

Bio: Cayla Bellanger DeGroat is an Anishinaabe author, community advocate, and ever-exploring student of Indigenous history and federal Indian policy. She is an enrolled member of Gaa-waabaabiganikaag, the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in American Indian Studies and a Master of Tribal Administration and Governance from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Her professional journey reflects a deep commitment to Indigenous communities, having served in roles such as Tribal Historic Preservation Officer and Homeless Housing Resource Specialist with White Earth’s tribal administration, and Community Outreach Coordinator for the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Department of American Indian Studies. She has also worked with the Native Organizers Alliance on grassroots political campaigns and was a member of the City of Duluth’s Indigenous Commission. In 2022, she joined the Northland Foundation as a Program Officer, where she focuses on the Maada’ookiing initiative—an Indigenous-led program supporting community-driven projects. Additionally, DeGroat is also an author. Her books, including We Shall Not Be Denied: A Timeline of Voting Rights and Suppression in America, co-authored with Cicely Lewis, reflect her dedication to educating others about systemic issues and Indigenous perspectives.

Day 1 Wednesday, August 13th PM Breakout Sessions 1:45 - 3:15pm

1. Hope Rising: How the Science of HOPE Can Change Your Life- Casey Gwinn, Esq.- President of Alliance for HOPE International (Speaker presenting an AM Keynote session) - Richwood Room: Casey Gwinn will talk about the need for organizations to not only be trauma-informed but hope-centered in their approaches to helping survivors find hope and healing.  He will talk about the importance of wraparound services for both adults and children impacted by abuse. He will also present on the power of Camp HOPE America, an evidence-based camping and mentoring program with powerful outcomes to break the abuse to prison pipeline experienced by so many who grow up violence and abuse

2. Powerful Play- Katie Ganoe, Coordinator for Otter Tail County Early Childhood Initiative - Callaway Room:  *Session repeated Day 2 PM : Play-based learning is more than just fun and games; it's an essential approach to fostering young children's growth and development. This hands-on session invites early educators to dive deep into the core principles of play-based learning and explore strategies for effectively integrating play into everyday routines and activities.

3. Working with Challenging Behaviors: Addressing Persistent Difficult Behaviors with Helpful Positive Discipline Tools that Work!- Raelene Ostberg M.Ed.- Thriving Together LLC - Roy Lake Room: Explore three positive discipline techniques and apply them to common challenges exhibited by children aged 3-8 years such as causing disruptions during learning time, being mean to others, and not listening. Discover top tips for successfully redirecting challenging behaviors and using logical consequences to gain cooperation that will help children learn to make better choices in the future. Gather ideas to address these behaviors while empowering children to recognize their ability to influence their own outcomes positively. Get inspired listening to entertaining real-life stories and watching videos that demonstrate the strategies in action.

4. The Role of Nature-based and Adventure Education in Happiness and Wellbeing- Mark H. Zmudy Ph.D. - Associate Professor for the University of Minnesota, Duluth - Pine Point Room: *Repeat Session from Day 1 AM: By combining neuroscience, an open heart, and innovative teaching methods, professionals from various fields can greatly support children of all ages in their journeys toward enjoyment and well-being at every developmental stage. The discussion will highlight key aspects of neuroscience and explore various elements for defining your own versions of outdoor and adventure education. Participants will also engage in small group activities. 

5. Working for Kids: How Experience Shapes the Developing Brain- Laura Lamb, Presenter- Naytahwaush Room: Learn how the brain develops, the role of the child's experiences in shaping the architecture of the brain, and strategies to support healthy brain circuitry.

6. Implementing White Earth History, Culture and Teachings into the Minnesota Education System- Taylor Soyring & Aleisha Fox, Indigenous Education for All - Waubun Room: Come learn about how the White Earth Nation is actively engaged in a multifaceted approach to ensure that their history and ways of being are accurately and meaningfully integrated into K-12 school settings. Leveraging the IEFA legislation and collaborating with various educational partners, they are developing specific, content-area curriculums, preserving oral and written histories, artifacts, and offering K-12 educators lessons to use that include their Indigenous knowledge and methodologies. These efforts signify a strong commitment to educational sovereignty and an appropriate representation of their rich cultural heritage, for all students in Minnesota.

Day 2 Thursday, August 14th Breakout Sessions 10:30am- 12:00pm

1. The Cultural Toolbox: Traditional Ojibwe Living in the Modern World- Dr. Anton Treuer Ph.D. – Author, Speaker, Trainer, and Professor - (Speaker presenting an AM Keynote session) Richwood Room: Today's Ojibwe people have maintained a dazzling array of deep, beautiful, adaptive ways of connecting to the spiritual, natural, and human beings around them. Variations in Ojibwe cultural practices are, of course, as diverse as their homelands, which stretch across the Great Lakes, Canadian shield, pine forests, and prairie potholes of four US states and three Canadian provinces. And Ojibwe culture, like every other culture, has changed over time. But these variations and changes have always followed a distinct path, reflecting an identifiably Ojibwe worldview.

2. Unapologetic Wellness for All: Empowering Ourselves and Our Communities Workshop- Dr. Sheila Sweeney Ph.D., LICSW - Founder | Girl Boss | Gentle Disruptor - (Speaker presenting a PM Keynote session) Roy Lake Room: This interactive workshop is designed to explore the principles of unapologetic wellness and empower participants to embrace their own health journeys while advocating for inclusivity and support within their communities (especially how we all impact small children and intergenerational mental wellness).

3. Word Dances: Poetry in Motion- Katie Bruckbauer – Owner of Word Dances, Poet – Choreographer – Dancer - Waubun Room: Word Dances: Poetry in Motion is a unique fusion of poetry, dance, and music. Anyone who delights and appreciates playful prose will be placated by the purposeful, polyphonic, and pithy poetry! The performance is based on a new poetry book, Time to Soar: Word Dances and Bird Songs for Every Season written by dancer-poet Katie Bruckbauer and book illustrator Mary Jo Savageau. Poetry in Motion blends Bruckbauer’s impactful words with interpretive dance and music, sharing messages of sorrow, hope, healing, and peace. 

4. Early Childhood Education and Ojibwe Language Development- Wayne Somes – Tribal Trainer - Naytahwaush Room: This session is about incorporating Ojibwe within your childcare or classroom as you create a routine to do so. We will walk through a large group session and how to apply specific topics of Ojibwemowin into the learning space. We will walk through text and lesson plans to add to your year of education in all areas of learning. This session is geared toward educators that want to align Indian Education for all standards and are in classrooms or work with small groups. These topics can be integrated to varies age groups. Be ready to get up and move around, take notes and participate as you learn the materials

5. Powerful Play- Katie Ganoe - Coordinator for Otter Tail County Early Childhood Initiative - Callaway Room: *Repeat Session from Day 1 PM Play-based learning is more than just fun and games; it's an essential approach to fostering young children's growth and development. This hands-on session invites early educators to dive deep into the core principles of play-based learning and explore strategies for effectively integrating play into everyday routines and activities.

6. Empowerment Through Understanding: Exploring the Trauma-Informed Care Section of the Knowledge and Competency Framework and its Impact on Executive Functioning- Jamie Bonczyk, M.Ed., Sr. Program Officer- Greater Twin Cities United Way, 80×3: Resilient from the Start - Pine Point Room: Gain insights into the components of Trauma Informed Care (TIC), its relevance in early childhood education, and its profound impact on executive functioning. Explore practical strategies for fostering executive function skills and nurturing positive relationships among young children within educational settings, especially for those that have experienced traumatic events or experiences.

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 Topics and Presenters for Breakout Sessions: 

Topics include: Brain Development Research for all ages, Mental Health in Youth, Strategies to Reduce and Address Toddler Aggression, Challenging Behaviors Using Helpful Positive Discipline Tools that Work, Poetry in Motion, Social emotional learning, Traditional Ojibwe Living in the Modern World, Empowering Ourselves, and our Communities, How the Science of Hope can Change Your Life, The Role of Nature Based and Adventure Education in Happiness and Wellbeing, Culture and Harmony, Powerful play, Leadership/Teamwork, Integrating Ojibwe and Culture into Early leaning spaces,  and much MORE!