The PD Exchange

University of Montana 4th Annual ECE Summit

16 April 2026 – 18 April 2026University of Montana, Missoula, MTUniversity of Montana

Building Blocks for a Strong Start: Early childhood and early elementary educators summit covering P-3 vision, alignment, leadership, and systems-building.

Sessions (49)

BREAK/NETWORKINGKEYNOTEPANELPOSTERPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTSCHOOL TOUR

Learning and Belonging (LAB) School Tour

Thu, 16 Apr · 3:45 pmSCHOOL TOUR
Equity
Session

Building Strong Foundations: A District Model for Early Literacy and Development

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
LiteracyEAL/D
Session

From Leadership Development to Collective Action: Building the Montana Family Childcare Network through the Leaders Shaping Leaders Model

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
LeadershipEarly Childhood
Session

From Mandate to Implementation: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Early Childhood Coursework in Educational Leadership Preparation Programs

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
LeadershipEarly Childhood
Session

Missoula Reads

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
Session

Montana ECE: Spotlight on Infants and Toddlers

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
Session

Preschool Paleontologists: Exploring Museum Content Through Play-Based Science

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
AssessmentSTEM
Session

Rebooting Human Intelligence (HI): Designing Birth–3rd Grade Systems Where Play, Purpose, and Leadership Align

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
EAL/DLeadershipSTEM
Session

Rooted in Community: A Systems Approach to Strengthening Early Childhood

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
EAL/DWellbeingLeadership
Session

SPARK Montana Information

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
LeadershipEarly Childhood
Session

Spotlight on the 2025 Montana Early Learning Standards!

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
Session

Stronger Together - Building Power for Child Care Advocacy

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
Early ChildhoodSTEM
Session

Using the Weather to Create Meaningful l Learning for Toddlers

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
Session

Vaccines Work for our Kids

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
STEM
Session

Virtual Learning Library: UM Institute for Early Childhood Education

Thu, 16 Apr · 10:00 pmPOSTER
Early Childhood
Session

(Keynote) Beyond Play vs. Learning: The Spectrum of Playful Learning

Fri, 17 Apr · 12:15 amKEYNOTE
Science of LearningLiteracyExplicit Instruction
Keynote

Advocacy 101 for Early Learning Leaders

Fri, 17 Apr · 2:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Early Childhood
Session

From Access to Belonging: Designing High-Quality Inclusive Environments for Every Child

Fri, 17 Apr · 2:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
EquitySTEM
Session

From Hire to Inspire: Strengthening Professional Learning Systems

Fri, 17 Apr · 2:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Early Childhood
Session

Greater than the Sum of its Parts: Cross-Sector Collaboration with the Montana Early Childhood Network

Fri, 17 Apr · 2:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Explicit InstructionEarly ChildhoodSTEM
Session

Joyful Literacy in Action: Research, Partnerships, and Everyday Opportunities

Fri, 17 Apr · 2:30 pmPANEL
LiteracyEAL/DLeadership
Session

Let Your Diamond Shine: Play, Purpose, and Possibility in Aligned P–3 Learning

Fri, 17 Apr · 2:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LiteracyMathematicsEarly Childhood
Session

Sign it! Say it! It's all about language and communication!

Fri, 17 Apr · 2:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Session

You Can Count on Fractions

Fri, 17 Apr · 2:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mathematics
Session

A Cast of Thousands for the Early Childhood Teacher: Teacher-Facing AI to Support Joyful Learning

Fri, 17 Apr · 3:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
EdTechEarly Childhood
Session

Building Happy Beginnings: Practical Positive Education in Early Childhood

Fri, 17 Apr · 3:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
EAL/DWellbeingEarly Childhood
Session

The Sandbox Project and MonTech Tour

Fri, 17 Apr · 3:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
EdTechLeadership
Session

Using Slow Reveal to Create Engagement and Build Number Sense

Fri, 17 Apr · 3:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mathematics
Session

Community Schools 101: Strengthening the Early Learning Fabric: A Continuum of Support Through Community School Partnerships

Fri, 17 Apr · 4:35 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Early ChildhoodSTEM
Session

Leveling Up Learning: Utilizing the Spectrum of Play

Fri, 17 Apr · 4:35 pmKEYNOTE
Explicit Instruction
Session

Building Blocks for Teaching Young Children in Inclusive Settings

Fri, 17 Apr · 7:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LeadershipEquitySTEM
Session

Designing the Future: Workforce and Systems Innovation in Montana’s Early Childhood Ecosystem

Fri, 17 Apr · 7:30 pmPANEL
EAL/DWellbeingEarly Childhood
Session

From Policy to Practice: Building Teacher Preparedness Systems for Inclusive Birth–3rd Grade Education

Fri, 17 Apr · 7:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LeadershipEarly Childhood
Session

Strive for Five: Using Intentional Conversations to Build Early Language and Literacy

Fri, 17 Apr · 7:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Literacy
Session

Strong Families, Thriving Communities: Prevention, Support, and Belonging for Montana’s Children

Fri, 17 Apr · 7:30 pmPANEL
EAL/DWellbeing
Session

Tiny Toy Tales

Fri, 17 Apr · 7:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LiteracyEAL/D
Session

University Assisted Community Schools (UAC): Growing Together: Strengthening Early Childhood Systems Through UAC Schools

Fri, 17 Apr · 7:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Early ChildhoodSTEM
Session

Literacy Landscapes: Bringing the Science of Reading Outside to Play

Fri, 17 Apr · 8:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PhonicsScience of ReadingLiteracy
Session

Exploring Missoula

Fri, 17 Apr · 10:00 pmBREAK/NETWORKING
Session

Leadership Styles to Support Employee Recruitment and Retention

Sat, 18 Apr · 2:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
EAL/DLeadershipSTEM
Session

Pathways for the Science of Indigenous Knowledge

Sat, 18 Apr · 2:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
EAL/DEarly ChildhoodEquity
Session

Turning Themes into Projects

Sat, 18 Apr · 2:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Early Childhood
Session

Virtual Learning Library: Utilizing a New Resource from the UM Institute for ECE

Sat, 18 Apr · 2:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Session

Introduction to the 2026 Montana Early Learning Standards (MELS)

Sat, 18 Apr · 4:35 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Session

Pattern, Play, and Purpose: Beadwork as a Gateway to Mathematical Thinking (All Grades)

Sat, 18 Apr · 4:35 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MathematicsEAL/DWellbeing
Session

Resource Roundup: Early learning resources from the Montana State Library for all

Sat, 18 Apr · 4:35 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Session

Embedding Social and Emotional Learning and Anti-Bias Education Goals in Project Based Learning

Sat, 18 Apr · 7:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
EAL/DWellbeingEarly Childhood
Session

Growing Leaders: Becoming Leaders in the Field

Sat, 18 Apr · 7:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Leadership
Session

Indian Education for All in the Early Learning Classroom

Sat, 18 Apr · 7:30 pmPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Equity
Session