18th Annual Directors' Symposium
Leading with Focus

February 23, 2024
8:45 am to 4:00 pm (doors open at 8:30)
Missouri Western State University
Blum Union, Second Floor

A day of high impact learning with fellow early care and education leaders from around the region. In addition to opening and closing keynotes, attendees will experience an additional featured session with Josh Varner, a variety of breakout session options, a delicious lunch, networking opportunities and more! You will leave inspired and empowered!

Featuring: Josh Varner, Speaker & Author
Josh has helped more than 200 organizations across the country manage increased stress in the workplace. Josh uses a combination of storytelling and humor to make this challenging topic fun and engaging. He won over the audience as a keynote speaker at the 2023 Conference on the Young Years.

Opening Keynote
Stress in the Workplace, Josh Varner
Recent studies have shown that it has never been more stressful to be an educator than it has over the past two years.  Burnout is at an all time high.  So many of our stressors are out of our control, but we can control how we manage it.  During this presentation you will learn how stress is stored in the body and evidence-based ways to release it. You will leave knowing how to make an individualized stress management plan that meets the needs of each person-yourself and your teachers.

Special Session
Be Their Hero: Trauma Informed Care, Josh Varner
Two out of every three people in the United States are impacted by a traumatic event. When we experience trauma or an extremely stressful situation, it's normal and natural to have a hard time coping afterwards. During this training participants will learn how many people are impacted by childhood trauma, how to identify them and how the brain and body respond to trauma and how that impacts behavior. Leave with a ‘Call to Action’ and be equipped with many specific tools that are easy to use to support people impacted by trauma.

Plus a closing keynote with Jessica Bledsoe that will leave you insired and refreshed, an informative lunchtime resource fair and a choice of impactful afternoon breakout sessions.

Who should attend?
Anyone who has, or aspires to, a leadership role in an early care and education facility would benefit from attending the Directors’ Symposium. Directors, assistant directors, lead teachers, trainers, coaches, and owners are the primary audience.