Strategic Starts™ Back to School Leadership Summit 2026

The Strategic Starts™ Back to School Leadership Summit is a premier two-day leadership and workforce wellness experience designed specifically for child care owners, directors, administrators, family child care providers, educational leaders, and decision-makers committed to strengthening early childhood programs.

As the early childhood field continues to navigate workforce shortages, burnout, turnover, increasing behavioral concerns, inclusion challenges, and sustainability pressures, leaders must be equipped with practical strategies and supportive systems that strengthen both children and the adults who care for them.

This year's summit theme is: "The Emotional Climate: Where Safety Begins for Children & Adults". Together, we will explore how emotional climate impacts:

• Children
• Educators
• Families
• Leadership Teams
• Program Sustainability
• Community Outcomes

Participants will leave with actionable tools, leadership strategies, implementation plans, and a renewed vision for creating emotionally responsive and sustainable early childhood environments.

Who Should Attend?

This summit is designed for:

✔ Child Care Owners

✔ Executive Directors

✔ Center Directors

✔ Assistant Directors

✔ Program Coordinators

✔ Family Child Care Providers

✔ Educational Leaders

✔ Coaches & Consultants

✔ Early Intervention Professionals

✔ Leadership Teams

What You'll Learn:

Leadership & Workforce Wellness

• Adult Regulation
• Emotional Climate
• Workforce Sustainability & Retention
• Burnout Prevention
• Building Emotionally Responsive Leadership Systems

Reflective Leadership

• Reflective Supervision
• Reflective Leadership Practices
• Supporting the Adults Who Support Children
• Creating Emotionally Safe Work Environments

Inclusion & Family Partnerships

• Inclusion Practices
• Early Intervention Partnerships
• Family-Centered Collaboration
• Relationship-Based Leadership

Provider Integration & CDET

• Strategic Starts™ Provider Integration Framework
• Child Development Education Team (CDET)
• Collaborative Support Systems
• Reducing Educator Overwhelm Through Coordination

Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health-Informed Leadership

• Behavior as Communication
• Emotional Development
• Co-Regulation
• Emotional Safety
• Relationship-Based Educational Practices

Trauma-Responsive Leadership & Practices

• Understanding Trauma's Impact on Children and Adults
• Building Emotionally Safe Programs
• Supportive Leadership Practices
• Trauma-Responsive Communication

Compliance Through an Early Childhood Leadership Lens

• ADA
• IDEA
• DHS Regulations
• Inclusion Responsibilities
• Educational and Child Care Leadership Practices

Summit Highlights

✅ Opening Keynote by Kimrenee C. Patterson, M.Ed.

✅ Leadership Networking Opportunities

✅ Interactive Leadership Training Sessions

✅ Strategic Planning & Implementation Activities

✅ Leadership Reflection Experiences

✅ Resource Toolkit & Summit Materials

✅ Professional Development Hours

✅ Access to Leadership Resources

What You'll Leave With

Participants will leave with:

✅ Emotional Climate Action Plans

✅ Workforce Wellness Strategies

✅ Retention & Sustainability Tools

✅ Provider Integration Framework Resources

✅ CDET Planning Templates

✅ Reflective Leadership Strategies

✅ Leadership Implementation Goals

✅ New Professional Connections

Special Event🍎 ECE Apple Awards™ Gala

Friday, August 28, 2026
6:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Location:

Loft 17 (1000 S. Easton Rd. Wyncote, PA 19095)

Join us as we celebrate excellence in early childhood education and honor leaders, educators, programs, and community partners making a difference in the lives of children and families.

The Gala includes:
✨ Red Carpet Experience
✨ Dinner
✨ Awards Ceremony
✨ Networking & Celebration

Strategic Starts™

"Where real child care conversations drive real change."

www.khanaeinstitute.com