Described as “the brain child” of the school’s Pre-Kindergarten teaching team by Ann Morrison, district director of pupil personnel services, the idea behind the summit was that there was not really any such thing in existence for pre-kindergarten teachers in the area.

The summit involved a provided breakfast and lunch, Holly Hannon, principal of Temple Elementary School, as a keynote speaker, along with “un-conference” sessions that involved presentations and gave teachers and staff a chance for roundtable discussions on issues important to them.

“Participants that responded and signed up included educators across the region, administrators, occupational therapists, counselors, aids, and members of the parent network in the community,” Morrison said. “There were a variety of teachers and those who provide services for preschool education.”

This summit is something that Morrison said Cassadaga Valley wanted to do because of them having a “really strong team” with what they have to offer for Pre-K at the school and they wanted a chance to share and collaborate with others in the region. Morrison said it was a type of collaboration that schools do not normally get to experience.

The summit involved multiple sessions with presentations and roundtable discussions.

“That’s the power of collaboration,” Morrison said. “We’ve had people reach out beforehand that were really excited. About 150 participants from outside the district signed up, along with our own staff. When you have an idea that might seem crazy, you should keep going forward with it. You never know where it may go.”

This is the first time the school has hosted an event such as this, and the hope is to continue to hold it every year.

“We hope to be able to collaborate with even more districts and providers next year, and continue to watch for more opportunities for our teachers and staff to grow,” Morrison said.

An educational professional development summit was held at Cassadaga Valley on March 13.

The summit was for teachers and those who work with Pre-Kindergarten students in the region.