By Paula Butler

Texas AgriLife



If you ask a preschool or child care employee how they like their job, they’ll probably tell you it’s stressful but rewarding. Or, they might even just mention the stressful part. On April 4, the Bi-Stone Child Care Conference will feature sessions on The Joys of Preschool.

Noah’s Ark Preschool, a branch of First United Methodist Church in Fairfield will host the spring conference which is also sponsored by First Methodist Preschool of Mexia and Texas AgrilLife Extension Service of Limestone and Navarro Counties. Registration and networking begins at 8:15 a.m.

“The Joys (?) of Working in Preschool” is the keynote presented by Connie Fox, owner of Teachers’ Resource Workshops. Fox is an Early Childhood Education Trainer and Consultant. She is sought after as a speaker and presenter and has appeared for a wide variety of educational groups and organizations including TLCCA, Head Start, Texas Workforce, Texas, Dallas, and East Texas AEYC Chapters, the Lutheran Churches Early Childhood Educators Association, the Methodist Preschool Association and more. Her training and consulting experience extends to working with literally hundreds of individual centers and schools, helping their staff become better prepared child care and preschool professionals.

Fox is also the author of a series of resource books written specifically for preschool and childcare situations. Her books include over 20 titles of curriculum, management, and themed creative play booklets and the two very special behavior books: “Discipline Ideas that Work” and “No More Biting.”

Always bringing a unique point of view to her presentations, Fox has over 20 years of her own experience in the classroom. She blends practicality with humor and a unique understanding of children which make her sessions fun and informative. Her training focuses on situations found in the real world of childcare and preschool. Owners, directors and all levels of staff will come away from her sessions with smiles, lots of great ideas and a recharged dedication to working with young children. As one teacher said, “I was ready to quit, but now I know I can go back and succeed.”

Fox will also present the director’s session on Engaging Staff in the Real World of Child Care.

A great lineup of concurrent sessions will be presented including Jammin’ and Jumpin’ for Joy with Clara Roberson, McBay Elementary Physical Education instructor, Mexia ISD; Building Loving Relationships by Betsy Monico of Freestone County and, back by popular demand, Wendy Gallegos of Fairfield Elementary, Fairfield ISD with her Make It and Take It ideas.

A one-time session will be available at the conclusion of the conference for those child care providers who need SIDS and Shaken Baby instruction. Lindsay Barak, RN, Assistant Director for Women’s Services at Navarro Regional Hospital in Corsicana, will bring vital information on these syndromes.

The Bi-Stone Child Care Task Force is Cynthia Outlaw, Jennifer Doyle and Julie Hale, Noah’s Ark Preschool; Sherry Miller, First Methodist Preschool; Paula Butler, CEA-FCS and Colleen Longbotham, CEA-FCS, Texas AgriLife Extension Service of Navarro and Limestone Counties.

The non-refundable registration fee per person is $25 and must be postmarked by March 30 to First Methodist Preschool, Attn: Child Care Conference, 208 N. Kaufman, Mexia, Texas 76667. Please make check payable to First Methodist Preschool. Registration postmarked after March 30, or at the door, will be $35. Five in-service hours of training credit will be given upon completion of the conference.

For more information on the Bi-Stone Child Care Conference on April 4 at First Methodist Church in Fairfield, contact Colleen Longbotham at the Limestone County Extension Office at (254) 729-5314 or clongbot@tamu.edu or Paula Butler at the Navarro County Extension at (903) 654_3075 or pibutler@ag.tamu.edu.

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