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Community + Business Lens on Childcare Solutions

Date and time

September 21st - 22nd, 2023

Cost

Location

​McCrory Gardens Education & Visitor Center
Brookings, South Dakota

Map and location details

Early Bird Special: $18 - ending soon!

Regular Price: $25

If you would like to attend this event and in need of a scholarship, please email info@earlylearnersd.org.

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Days Until The Event

About the Event

Please join us for our 2023 Early Learner South Dakota Annual Summit in Brookings, South Dakota! The two day summit agenda will include valuable discussions on early childhood education in South Dakota, business solutions, sustainability updates, and networking opportunities.

If you would like to attend this event and in need of a scholarship, please email info@earlylearnersd.org.

Thank you to our Event Sponsors!

Location

About the Event Venue

McCrory Gardens Education & Visitor Center

McCrory Gardens is a botanical garden and arboretum operated and maintained by South Dakota State University

McCrory Gardens has over 25 acres of formal display gardens and 45 acres of arboretum featuring hundreds of different flowers, trees, shrubs and grasses in harmonious settings to display, educate and further the development of new varieties.

Learn more about the gardens here.

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Lodging Accomodations

The following hotels have agreed to offer special rates to Summit Attendees!
Please make your reservations ASAP to ensure you receive the special rate.

Super 8 Motel

3034 Lefevre Drive

605-692-6920

Pricing: 

Thursday 21st- $89+ tax

Friday 22nd- $119+ tax

Booking Directions:

Call and mention you are booking for the Early Learner Summit

Quality Inn Brookings University 

514 Sunrise Ridge Rd

605-692-9566

Pricing: 

Thursday 21st- $89+ tax

Friday 22nd- $119+ tax

Booking Directions:

Call and mention you are booking for the Early Learner Summit

Holiday Inn Express and Suites - Brookings 

3020 Lefevre Drive

605-692-9060

Booking Directions:

Click the button below

Hampton Inn and Suites Brookings

3017 Lefevre Drive

605-697-5232

Booking Directions:

Click the button below

Schedule of Events

Keynote Speakers

Aaron Merchen

Senior Director, Policy & Programs, Early Childhood Education, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation 

The Early Childhood and Business Advisory Council will bring together local chambers of commerce with key stakeholders, including state and local early childhood advocates, business owners, and state administrators, to drive progress in communities where significant barriers to child care exist. He will also speak to how South Dakota has been chosen to participate in a second cohort and continue the business collaborative work within the state.

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Nancy Fishman

National Director

ReadyNation

Nancy will share how ReadyNation serves and helps with existing child care efforts in South Dakota, and will also share a special child care report they are releasing.  

 

About ReadyNation: ReadyNation leverages the experience, influence, and expertise of more than 2,000 business executives to promote public policies and programs that build a stronger workforce and economy. Since 2006, ReadyNation members have made a bottom-line case for effective, bipartisan investments in children as the future workforce that will drive success in the global marketplace.

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Joe Fretwell

Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) Business Development Program Officer, Early Care & Education

  • What makes child care a difficult business model in South Dakota?

  • Results of scenarios and modeling: Joe will provide an overview of data collected from South Dakota providers and give a presentation of findings around what providers can afford currently vs. what they might be able to afford with policy changes

  • Policy recommendations: which will include state subsidy rates, economic development activities, local investments, and more

Agenda

September 21st

1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

  • Welcome & ELSD History and Accomplishments

  • Keynote Speaker: Nancy Fishman, National Director, Ready Nation

  • Child Care Community Solutions Updates 

  • Child Care Taskforce Updates

  • Keynote Speaker: Joe Fretwell, Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) Business Development Program Officer, Early Care & Education

  • Expert Round Table Discussion

  • Closing Remarks

5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Networking Event with Hors D’oeurves and bar

All participants will receive one free drink ticket for participation in the summit

 

September 22nd

8:30 a.m. - Noon

  • Early Learner Community Updates

    • SD Community Foundation Grant

    • Navigator Process

    • Pilot Communities

  • Business Collaborative and Community Updates 
  • Brookings Pilot for the Early Learning Communities Assessment Tool
  • Keynote Speaker: Aaron Merchen, Senior Director, Policy & Programs, Early Childhood Education, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation 
  • Huron Community Video + Panel 

  • A special announcement from Early Learner Rapid City

  • Closing Remarks

Sponsorship

Being a sponsor of the Early Learner Summit showcases that your company values the investment of our children's educational future.  Please fill out our form by clicking the button below to indicate your sponsorship level interest. Deadline for accepting sponsors is September 1, 2023.

Early Learner Friend
$250
  • 1 registration ticket

  • 1 drink ticket

  • Name on our thank you to our sponsors presentation

  • Name on our Early Learner Summit page

Early Learner Supporter
$500
  • 2 registration tickets

  • 2 drink tickets

  • Small Logo on our thank you to our sponsors presentation

  • Small logo on our event landing page

  • Paragraph highlighting your business on our Early Learner Summit page

Signature Sponsor
$1,000
  • 2-3 minute speaking opportunity during event 

  • 2 registration tickets 

  • 2 drink tickets 

  • Large logo on our event landing page

  • Large logo on our thank you to our sponsors presentation 

  • May bring swag items to summit 

  • May have one flyer & brochure at event

  • Paragraph highlighting your business on our Early Learner Summit page

Thank you to our Event Sponsors!

Signature Sponsor

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Coeur Wharf is an open pit, heap leach gold operation located in the northern Black Hills of western South Dakota. The property consists of several areas of gold mineralization, which have been mined as a series of open pits. The Wharf mine is located approximately four miles southwest of Lead, South Dakota, and is the only known mining operation to share a hillside with a ski hill, Terry Peak ski resort.

Early Learner Supporter

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Brookings Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) is the primary engine for promoting economic growth in Brookings, South Dakota and the surrounding area. BEDC serves as an advocate for the business community by building relationships with companies that allow them to succeed by taking advantage of the area's unique and progressive business environment.

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First Bank & Trust began with a small-town vision. In 1880, Brookings, South Dakota entrepreneur Horace Fishback saw a need to serve a growing community with banking services. Today, First Bank & Trust serves 17 thriving communities in South Dakota and Minnesota with 22 bank locations

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The Children’s Museum of South Dakota sparks imagination for all children and their grown-ups through play, creativity, and discovery. We promote learning for children of all ages and abilities through interactive, informal, hands-on exhibits ranging from a 2-story cloud climber to a farm where guests can plant, harvest, and sell produce. 

Early Learner Friend

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