Events

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.