Thursday, March 12, 2026

8:00 – 8:15 a.m. | Annual Conference Opening Session and Announcements

8:15 – 9:00 a.m. | Morning General Session: Arts Integrated Strategies for Early Learners (Music)

Presenter: Sue Trainor, Master Teaching Artist, Wolf Trap

Start your day by exploring the fundamental elements of music with Wolf Trap Master Teaching Artist, Sue Trainor. Discover how these elements connect to a variety of curricular and developmental goals. Engage in interactive, hands-on experiences in arts integration that support early learners.

11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Lunchtime Presentation: Film Screening – “Make A Circle” – A love letter to early educators and a portrait of a child care system in crisis.

Make plans to pre-order a box lunch and join your VAAEYC community for a free screening of the impactful film “Make A Circle.”

Make A Circle
From an award-winning filmmaking team, MAKE A CIRCLE follows a group of child care providers who are determined to change how society values the education of its youngest citizens. Weaving together the magic they create in the classroom with the children they serve, the struggles they endure at home, and their tireless dedication to their profession, MAKE A CIRCLE offers a rare, inside look at the lives of early childhood educators — the backbone of a child care system on the brink.

Friday, March 13, 2026

8:00 – 8:15 a.m. | Friday Morning Welcome and Announcements

8:15 – 9:00 a.m. | Morning General Session: Arts Integrated Strategies for Early Learners (Dance)

Presenter: Valerie Branch, Master Teaching Artist, Wolf Trap

Start your day by exploring the fundamental elements of dance with Wolf Trap Master Teaching Artist, Valerie Branch. Discover how these elements connect to a variety of curricular and developmental goals. Engage in interactive, hands-on experiences in arts integration that support early learners.

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. | VAAEYC 70th Annual Conference Anniversary Celebration

You are invited to join VAAEYC, your friends, and colleagues to celebrate VAAEYC’s 70^th Annual Conference! We couldn’t let this landmark anniversary go by without a proper celebration.

Location TBA

• Music
• Line Dancing (a free lesson provided)
• Light Refreshments
• Cash Bar

Join VAAEYC’s Legacy of Leadership (aka Fossils) to celebrate 70 fabulous years of Annual Conferences.

Do you have any historic VAAEYC programs or conference memorabilia? Bring it to show off! The holder of the oldest memorabilia specific to VAECE/VAAEYC and the Annual Conference will win a free registration to the 2027 Annual Conference!

Noon – 1:00 p.m. |  Lunchtime Presentation: Drop The Anchor: Staying Grounded in the Classroom

Presenter: Mina Handy, Inner Circle Incorporated

In this keynote, Mina will provide you with practical tools to calm your bodies and minds, build or maintain resilience, and regain a sense of control. When educators learn what feels soothing, steadying and comforting to their nervous systems in times of heightened stress, they will be better equipped to teach their students the habit of accessing these small practices in all moments and integrate them into their daily procedures, routines and transitions. As children incorporate anchoring into their daily routines, they may discover greater resilience, emotional regulation and a transformed response to life’s challenges. We all have the power to change our mind, and in doing so, we will change our life.

Saturday, March 14, 2026

8:00 – 8:15 a.m. | Saturday Morning Welcome and Announcements

8:15 – 9:00 a.m. | Opening Morning Session: Arts Integrated Strategies for Early Learners (Drama)

Presenter: Melissa Richardson, Master Teaching Artist, Wolf Trap

Start your day by exploring the fundamental elements of drama with Wolf Trap Master Teaching Artist, Melissa Richardson. Discover how these elements connect to a variety of curricular and developmental goals. Engage in interactive, hands-on experiences in arts integration that support early learners.

12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | Lunchtime Presentation: Implicit Bias

Presenter: John Richardson-Lauve, St. Joseph’s Villa

We all want the kids in our care to be successful and feel supported. None of us wants for our kids to feel like we are playing favorites or making unfair decisions. But, by virtue of our own experiences, the world in which we live, and the nature of our brains, it is difficult to override our nature. These biases are part of being human. Our brain is wired up to use shortcuts. Rather than deny them, it is important to be aware of them, explore and understand them, and work to manage them. In this presentation, we will set out a framework to prevent our unconscious bias from impacting our work with kids and their families, giving practical tools to use on Monday.