Sand Mountain Reporter

Two hundred teachers will meet Wednesday at Big Spring Lake Kindergarten for the second annual Northeast Alabama Early Childhood Conference.

BSLK Principal Tracy Penney said she hopes the conference will excite teachers for the upcoming school year, but also give the local economy a boost.

“We have participants coming from all over north Alabama and even a few from south Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia,” Penney said. “Some will spend the night and many will purchase food and gas, and shop in Albertville.”

Penney said the idea for the conference sprang from faculty and staff members’ desire to give back to the community.

“The conference is very affordable for educators and provides and opportunity for area teachers to receive professional development credit,” she said. “Big Spring Lake School celebrated 25 years of educating students during the 2008-09 school year. The school became a kindergarten school in 2001 and is unique in that it is one of only six kindergarten schools in the state of Alabama.

“The faculty and staff often have requests from other educators to visit and observe at Big Spring Lake Kindergarten.”

Each participant will hear from the keynote speaker, Jack Hartmann, of St. Petersburg, Fla. He is known in the early childhood community for creating high quality educational music for young children. His research-based music strengthens the reading and math curriculum and motivates students to learn.

Additionally, Pam Greening of Orlando, Fla., will present sessions entitled “Integrating Math and Reading, “Crisscross the Curriculum” and “Science Now, Science Wow.”

A variety of teachers from the Albertville school system will present several sessions touching on literature, working with English as a second language students, literacy, math, students’ behavior and the National Board Certification.

“Participants registered and chose their sessions,” Penney said. “We hope everyone got their top first or second pick. Since it is a one-day conference, it is packed with information and is fast moving.”

The conference has been popular with area educators, selling out both years.

“We have to cap the number of participants each year due to space restrictions,” Penney said. “We will meet in the music room so everyone can hear Mr. Hartmann and then break up into smaller groups for the rest of the day.”

Participants will receive information about Albertville from the Chamber of Commerce and local businesses.

Mayor Lindsey Lyons and Albertville City Schools Superintendent Ric Ayer will greet educators.

Vendors will be on site and a variety of door prizes will be given away throughout the day, Penney said.

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Serving Albertville and the Sand Mountain region

Publisher: Ben Shurett

1603 Progress Drive
Albertville, Alabama 35950

Tel: 256-840-3000 | Email

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