Ulster BOCES is proud to be a co-sponsor of Mid-Hudson Valley Leadership Day. This event is dedicated to both educating and rejuvenating experienced early childhood professionals, including directors, owners, and administrators of daycare centers. The event will be held at the Chateau in Kingston on November 9 from 8AM - 3:30PM. The event is also sponsored by Child Care Connections of Family of Woodstock and Community Playthings.

Sherry Cleary, executive director of the New York City Early Childhood Professional Development Institute will deliver the opening day keynote address titled, "The Life of a Leader: If Everything is Under Control..."

The conference will also feature the President of the New York State Association for the Education of Young Children (NYSAEYC) Deborah Fitzgerald, and its Executive Director Kristen Kerr. They will be joined by a roster of other renowned early childhood education experts who will share industry knowledge and expertise. There will also be training sessions, networking, vendors, and giveaways.

This event will also address the complex issues these professionals occasionally experience. Early Childhood/Educational Studies and Pre-University/New Visions Education Teacher Michelle Friedel says the event will be a valuable resource for industry professionals that will help them address issues and topics related to the childcare field. "I want them [attendees] to have some kind of tool in their toolbox that they can apply immediately," says Friedel.

All proceeds will go to charities that serve children and families through Family of Woodstock. Price of admission is $85, but tickets purchased before October 6 are $70. Student tickets are $45 with legible student IDs. Download a registration form for the Mid-Hudson Valley Leadership Day here. For more information, contact Michelle Friedel by email or by phone at 845.331.6680, ext. 2244.

BACKGROUND

About the keynote: Sherry M. Cleary is the Executive Director of the New York City Early Childhood Professional Development Institute, which is housed at the City University of New York. She leads the work of a dynamic, intelligent, and passionate team dedicated to building essential systems to insure a highly effective early childhood workforce for the state of New York, to guarantee that young children have access to excellence.

She co-chairs the Governor's Early Childhood Advisory Council, for the State of New York, and co-chairs its Work Force Work Group. She is also the President-Elect of the New York State Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NYSAECTE). Most recently, Sherry was named to Mayor de Blasio's six-member Early Childhood Working Group, initially charged with building the model to be used for a Universal Pre-kindergarten implementation in New York City.