Join Iowa AEYC for the 2025 Spring Institute!
Each year, our Spring Institute combines professional development, networking, and fun in an opportunity specifically crafted for early care and education professionals. We invite you to join us for a weekend of learning and laughter!
Event Information
- Date: May 2, 8:45-3:30 PM and May 3, 8:15-4:00 PM
- Check-in Time: begins at 7:30 AM both days
- Location: Holiday Inn Des Moines – Airport (6111 Fleur Dr, Des Moines, IA 50321)
- Registration Opens February 21, 2025
This was a great topic and speaker that I feel was very needed and helpful!
I would attend any lecture the keynote did. I got so much from it. He was entertaining and educational!
Loved the keynote so much, I will be using a lot of stuff she taught us.
2024 Spring Institute Attendees
Speakers & Topics
Friday Speaker: Laura Abbe
Topic: Conscious Discipline
Laura works with early childhood professionals and parents to help them create an environment of optimal social and emotional growth for children. Laura’s command of Conscious Discipline skills and strategies, combined with her ability to create an emotional safety net in which clients feel safe to grow, creates significant positive outcomes for adults and the children in their care.
A Note on Saturday
Attendees will have the option to choose three of the four sessions offered on Saturday.
Topic: Eliminating Barriers of Difficult Interactions with Parents
A tricky question – “Who is in charge of the threshold when parents leave their children at child care programs?” Learn about the common barriers child care program staff experience as they work to create productive relationships with parents.
Topic: I Only Want a Peanut Butter Sandwich
Worried about the child who only wants to eat one food? Is this healthy? It can be frustrating when all a child wants to eat is a peanut butter sandwich. You’ll learn about eating habits that are normal for young children, strategies that promote healthy eating habits, and how to foster pleasant mealtime experiences—all while taste testing new foods.
Topic: Science of Parenting
Dealing with toddler meltdowns or an angsty teen who doesn’t want to talk? Find real-life solutions based on the latest scientific research. We believe parents are experts on their family and their children. We also believe there is more than one way to raise great kids. Our role is to share research and information with parents to help you make informed decisions for your family.
Topic: Food Safety Escape Challenge
Are you up for the challenge? Explore topics like potentially hazardous foods, cross contamination, cleaning, and temperature to help your team solve the food safety puzzle.
Pricing
Iowa AEYC members receive a discount to this year’s Spring Institute equal to or greater than the price of an entry-level membership. That means that non-members are not only missing out on the many valuable resources we offer, but also will pay more to attend our Institute! You can find more information about Iowa AEYC membership here. To apply for a scholarship, click here.
| Iowa AEYC Member | Non-Member | |
|---|---|---|
| Friday OR Saturday | $99 | $180 |
| Friday AND Saturday | $171 | $252 |
Additional Information
Training Credits
Attending the Institute on Friday is worth five HHS credits, while attending on Saturday is worth six HHS credits. Both days are also eligible for National Administrator Credential (NAC) credit. In order to be awarded this credit, you must be a registered member in the i-PoWeR training registry. It is free to register for i-PoWeR, and earning HHS training credits can help raise your program’s IQ4K® level.
Group Registration
If you a registering a group of six or more people, please email jonni@iowaaeyc.org for assistance, as each person will need to be registered separately.
Hotel Block
If you’re traveling and need a place to stay, check out the rooms we have reserved at the Holiday Inn Des Moines Airport. You must reserve a room through this link (coming soon) to get a discounted room.
Cancellation Policy
If you must cancel, full refunds can be made if cancellation notice is received via email to jonni@iowaaeyc.org by April 24, 2025 at 5:00 pm. After April 24, absolutely no refunds will be given and all registered attendees must pay registration fees.
Sponsors
Questions? Please contact:
