DENVER, CO--(Marketwire - Feb 15, 2013) - Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper will deliver opening remarks when the 2013 Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Conference (RMECC) gets underway at 7:30 a.m. Friday, March 1 at the Colorado Convention Center. The two-day forum, which will continue Saturday, March 2, focuses on promoting and advancing early childhood education and the interests of children birth to eight years of age.
Educators, policy makers, directors, owners and other early childhood professionals from across the region will be attending RMECC 2013, which will feature presentations by more than 300 thought leaders, experts and practitioners representing a wide variety of fields that impact early care and education. The Colorado Association for the Education of Young Children, Colorado Head Start Association, Denver Preschool Program, and Early Childhood Education Association of Colorado are collaborating to sponsor this regional forum.
RMECC 2013 is designed to meet the diverse needs and interests of early childhood professionals while at the same time providing an opportunity for community advocates to learn, share and network. The conference's agenda includes more than 150 informative workshops -- from hands-on sessions to high-level discussions. Focus tracks for the workshop presentations include child development and curriculum; family partnerships and systems; child/family health and well-being; leadership, administration and management; and policy and advocacy.
The conference also will feature two keynote speakers:
- On Friday, Dr. Patricia Kuhl, co-director of the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences at the University of Washington, will discuss the latest research in early brain development and how language and literacy illustrate the power of early learning. Dr. Kuhl is internationally recognized for her research on early language and brain development and for her studies that show how young children learn.
- Saturday's keynote address will be presented by Kathy Buckley, who is billed as "America's first hearing-impaired comedienne." A popular motivational speaker, Ms. Buckley delivers the inspirational message that anything can be achieved when the heart and the mind work together.
Presenting sponsors for the 2013 Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Conference are The Piton Foundation, Early Learning Ventures, the Daniels Foundation, and the David and Laura Merage Foundation. Additional sponsors include Bank of the West, Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation, the Colorado Health Foundation, Day Care Insurance Services Inc., Kaplan Early Learning Company, Lakeshore Learning Materials, the University of Colorado-Denver School of Education & Human Development, Brookes Publishing Company, Cherry Creek Insurance Group, Ireland Stapleton, and Liberty Mutual Insurance.
For more information about RMECC 2013, including registration details, the complete list of workshops and the conference schedule, visit www.ecconference.com/. Online registration deadline is Friday, February 22, 2013.