MFCN Spring Conference: Play Today, Lead Tomorrow

Schedule

Friday May 1

• 9am: Registration opens.
• 10-noon: Big Sky Continuum: Linking Birth to Grade 3 through Montana’s Revised Standards presented by Deanna Mygland. Celebrate Montana’s NEW Early Learning Standards and make them come alive in your learning environment.
• Noon-1: Lunch (provided)
• 1-3pm: Reflect and Grow: Using the Knowledge Base for Professional Development Planning presented by Marjorie Vegoren. The Montana Early Childhood Knowledge Base is the essential framework that defines what EC professionals in Montana need to know and be able to do. All participants will receive a copy of the MT EC Knowledge Base.
• 3:15-4:15pm: Raising the Bar Together: The Accreditation Mentorship Project presented by Tiffany Krushensky. Join us to learn about the new Accreditation Mentorship Project and how it is supporting Early Childhood programs across Montana in pursuing NAFCC and NAEYC Accreditation.
• 4:30-5:30pm MFCN Member Meeting. Join us to hear what we have been up to since the last conference, meet the board nominations, and learn what we are going to do in 2026! All are Welcome!

Saturday May 2

• 7am: Registration Opens
• 8-noon: Ballroom; Keynote: Bringing Stories to Life: The Magic of Puppets in Story Telling presented by Sonia Soto and Vicki Riske. Join us as we understand brain development, learn early literacy foundations , and use puppets to practice storytelling strategies that engage and inspire children and their families.
• 12:15-1:15pm: Lunch
• 1:30-3:30pm: Breakout sessions!
  • Ballroom
    • 1:30-3:30pm: Are you a Leader or Just a Boss: Inspiring the Workforce  presented by Denise Sidney. This session explores the difference between simply managing people and truly leading them. Participants will examine leadership behaviors that build trust, motivation, and a shared sense of purpose.
    • 3:45-4:45: Using the Weather to Implement Learning Standards for Young Learners presented by Megan Higle. This course will discuss how to learn about the interests of the youngest, nonverbal learners utilizing trust and connection as a foundation. Learn how to implement quality materials to teach children through play and how to use observation and play for assessment.
  • Breakout Room 1
    • 1:30-3:30pm: Choosing a Legal Business Structure for Your ECE Business presented by Rick Rochester J.D. This session allows ECE owners to identify their current business structure, understand its advantages and weaknesses, and provide a review of the best forms of business ownership in Montana suited for their financial, tax, and liability protection needs.
    • 3:45-4:45pm: Curriculum Planning in Family Child Care presented by Xuan Li. This session provides a comprehensive guide to curriculum planning in FCC, emphasizing play-based learning and its role in supporting child development. Exploring 3 influential educational philosophies: Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Waldorf.
  • Breakout Room 2
    • 1:30-2:30pm: The Role of Self-Assessments and Peer Support in Business Practices presented by Jason Nitschke. Participants will learn about the fundamental structures in business, how assessment tools such as the Business Administration Scale (BAS-2) for FCC can help to improve the quality of decision-making, and why creating a network of peer support can reduce the sense of isolation.
    • 2:45-3:45pm: The Three Little Pigs and ECE Business Success, presented by Jason Nitschke. Participants will learn about the fundamental structures in business, how investing in assets and people enable the ability to generate revenue and profit, and how involving employees, parents, and the community in the process of running the business helps strengthen decision-making.
    • 4-5pm: Play Today Lead Tomorrow, Caring for the Providers Who Make it Possible presented by Jacklyn Liles. Shared services aren't just about business support, it’s about sustaining the people doing the work. Learn how AllyHealth helps FCC Educators access health benefits, improve retention and build long-term stability so they can keep leading tomorrow’s learners.

Sunday May 3

• 9-11am: Fostering Equity & Belonging in Early Childhood presented by Grey Bertsche. Participants will be introduced to concepts of belonging, cultural humility and equity. Participants will be guided in reflecting on their own social identities and how these identities affect their interactions with child care peers, families and children.