Events

“Courageous conversations mean having the courage to show up when you can’t control the outcome.” ~ Brené Brown The ECDA is excited to host ECE Sharing and Networking sessions. These are open door meetings that welcome anyone working as a front-line educator. These meetings will provide space to gather with other early childhood educators to share what is on your heart or to seek support. The meetings are a place to listen, provide encouragement, share resources, and connect with your colleagues across the province. We would love to welcome at least one ECE from every Island centre to the network, and we realize some meeting dates will work better than others - so come when you can! The agenda for these sessions will be very flexible and will build over time based on the interest of those participating. Recently we have discussed things such as Dual Language Learners, Behaviours, PD wishes and many other! Come join us this month to see what comes up:) Registration for network meetings is required. This meeting will run with a minimum of 4 participants. These will be held once a month, so come when you can! Based on feedback we have flipped these to be entirely virtual:)

The School Age Supervisor's Network Meeting will take place on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Based on your feedback, we're now offering a hybrid option for this session. This network is open to all supervisors, directors, and administrators of licensed school-age programs. Our goal is to foster open conversation and collaboration to improve quality practices related to human resources, policies, pedagogy, and leadership. We welcome you to attend as you are, whenever you can, if you are in a supervisor position. During each meeting, we will share insights, support one another in our professional and pedagogical roles, delve into topics of interest and current trends, and address daily practices. Together, we will focus on solutions and engage in lively, respectful discussions. We would love to see representatives from every school-age center as we continue to support each other. Please feel free to bring a colleague—we look forward to meeting you or welcoming you back.

This session is for anyone who works with or cares for youth, including parents, guardians, educators, and coaches.  Participants will learn how to: Have constructive conversations about cyberbullying Support youth in online safety and decision-making Respond to cyberbullying situations. Key topics covered will be: Peer-to-peer cyber violence Online luring & sextortion Youth perspectives PEI-specific trends & stats Resources & how to report concerns Date: October 29, 2025Location: Hampton Inn 300 Capital Dr, Charlottetown, PE C1E 3N1Time: 6:30 pmTo Register: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FFGTZ3S

Directors, spend the day learning with Mary Hewitt! The ECDA team and board are proud to present an opportunity for directors, leaders and stakeholder to come together, strengthen relationships, reflect and grow. Mary Hewitt joins us to discuss Humanity-Driven Leadership. How does ‘the history of work’ during the Industrial Revolution impact the ways we think and behave as leaders today? Together, we will unpack the cultural baggage of historical, top-down approaches to leadership. From there, we will explore the research surrounding ‘what employees are looking for’ in workplaces, especially since the many shifts that emerged post-pandemic. Finally, we will learn what it means to implement a Humanity-Driven Approach © to leadership—wherein teams feel authentically seen, heard, and valued in the workplace.   Facilitator BiographyMary Hewitt , founder of Unlocking Childhood, is an experienced public speaker, writer, and consultant specializing in the well-being of children, parents, educators, and child-centered professionals. With 15 years in the Early Learning field as a classroom educator, early childhood education professor, and early years system leader— she leverages her expertise to develop engaging and meaningful learning experiences for her clients. Mary holds a Masters degree in Early Childhood Education, a Bachelor of Education degree, a diploma in Early Childhood Education, and a Psychology degree. Mary dedicates much of her work to topics such as: well-being and mental health; the ‘childhood trauma-informed’ approach; how to develop an ‘attachment lens’; and nurturing emotional competence. She has captivated audiences with hundreds of attendees and has delivered her work in a variety of contexts from large-scale arenas to individual classrooms. Mary offers keynotes, workshops, conferences, virtual sessions, and even one-on-one coaching and consultations. She has appeared as a guest on several podcasts and as a writer for various publications. Mary credits her eclectic experiences, extensive education, and neurodivergent mind for her dynamic approach—and is passionate about sharing it with the world! Mary resides in rural Ontario with her husband and three beloved dogs.

The ECDA team and board are excited to present your 2025 Fall Conference: Rooted in Care! This year, we’re introducing a brand-new format for the Fall Conference! Instead of being hosted in a school, this year’s conference has been reimagined to better serve our growing membership and provide a richer, more inspiring learning environment. On Day One, the entire group will gather at the Eastlink Centre for what we’re calling our Keynote Experience, a day dedicated to hearing from thought-provoking speakers, including Dr. Deborah MacNamara, Jessica Janzen, guest speaker Lucas Arsenault, and more! On Day Two, participants will take part in a Breakout Experience, where you’ll select one of 14 unique breakout streams. Each Breakout Experience is designed with paired morning and afternoon sessions held close together, so you can immerse yourself in meaningful topics without needing major travel between venues. This new approach is built from your feedback, and we can’t wait for you to experience it! Please see the conference booklet attached below for a full breakdown of the event and Breakout Experience descriptions. Registration closes on November 1st. Payment is due in full at the time of registering, or if your centre is paying no later than November 1st!   Registration for the 2025 Fall Conference: Rooted in Care is now open, again! We’re pleased to share that this registration process is hosted securely through Zeffy, ensuring a smooth experience for everyone! Please read the instructions below carefully to ensure a smooth registration process: Choose only one Breakout ExperienceEach attendee must select one Breakout Experience during registration. All Breakout Experience tickets include access to the main Conference Experience. Is your centre paying for registration?If your centre is covering your conference registration, use the code Centre2025 at checkout. No payment information will be required. Please be sure to select “Check” to apply the discount code. If applied correctly, no payment information will be required. Donations to ZeffyZeffy is free to use and operates on donations. You do not need to donate to complete your registration. Select “Other” and set your donation amount to $0 before finalizing checkout. Trouble registering for your selected session?If you’re unable to complete checkout, it’s likely that your selected session is now full. Please refresh the registration page and select a different Breakout Experience. Spaces are not held until checkout is fully completed. Refresh the selection page to see updated ticket availability DO NOT PAY with pre-authorized debit (PAD). The processing time is up to 10 days and does not guarantee your seat selection!  CLICK HERE to register for the 2025 ECDA of PEI Fall Conference: Rooted in Care! What is Zeffy?Zeffy is a free event platform for not-for-profit organizations across North America. It was introduced to us by our colleagues at GRIT (Getting Ready for Inclusion Today) in Alberta, who have successfully used the platform for their own events and campaigns.