2026 DFSS PreService: Full Schedule

Welcome to the 2026 3-Day DFSS PreService

📍Palmer House Chicago
17 E Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60603

Breakfast and Registration open at 8:00am
Conference programming from 9:00am -4:10pm

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

arrow_back View All Dates

9:20am CDT

How Does it Flow... Why Chicago became a water powerhouse.

LIMITED

Wednesday August 5, 2026 9:20am - 10:20am CDT

Salon 8

Limited Capacity seats available

From moving the State boundary line to reversing the Chicago River to being home to the largest water purification plant in the world. Get the back story on your water system and jump ahead to the future of the department's biggest role in becoming the largest construction 'company' in the Midwest.

Speakers

Joel Vieyra

Wednesday August 5, 2026 9:20am - 10:20am CDT
Salon 8

City of Chicago Department of Water Management

11:00am CDT

SharePoint 101: Building a Collaborative Workspace

LIMITED

Wednesday August 5, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT

Salon 8

Limited Capacity seats available

An accessible introduction to using SharePoint as a central hub for program documents, communication, and teamwork. Staff learn how to navigate a SharePoint site, upload and organize files, manage permissions, and collaborate in real timeâ€”helping Early Childhood and Head Start teams reduce paper, streamline workflows, and stay aligned across classrooms and departments.

Speakers

Phil Maclin

Sr. Client Delivery Manager, https://www.claridigm.com/

Wednesday August 5, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Salon 8

Claridigm

2:10pm CDT

Classroom Management: Create a learning environment that supports student behavior and social-emotional development.

FULL

Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:10pm - 3:10pm CDT

Salon 8

Limited Capacity full
Adding this to your schedule will put you on the waitlist.

This workshop will focus on supporting classroom
management for early childhood environments, such as team building for teacher
teams, setting up the classroom, social emotional learning, and supervision of the
environment. Lastly, focusing on strategies that will support teachers with students’
behavior and social-emotional development in an early childhood classroom
environment.

Speakers

Vincent Rodriguez

Christopher House Inclusion Coordinator, Christopher House

Vincent has over 30 years of experience working in the field of early childhood and with Diverse learners’ students. He is currently the Diverse Learners Coordinator for Christopher House Early Childhood school and Trainer/Consultant at Simple Solutions Educational services .He... Read More →

Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:10pm - 3:10pm CDT
Salon 8

Christopher House

3:20pm CDT

Facilities and Safe Environments

FULL

Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm CDT

Salon 8

Limited Capacity full
Adding this to your schedule will put you on the waitlist.

This PDM training will This training equips Head Start staff with the knowledge and practical skills needed to maintain safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate environments across all program facilities. Participants explore the environmental health and safety requirements outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS), including building safety, sanitation, hazard prevention, emergency preparedness, and ongoing monitoring systems.

Speakers

Artiya Nash

Consultant, Claridigm

With over twenty-five years of experience as an Early Childhood Administrator, Artiya has a wealth of experience in designing and managing Head Start/Early Head Start and State Pre- K Programs. She has served as a District Director of Child Lab Centers for City Colleges of Chicago... Read More →

Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm CDT
Salon 8

Claridigm

2026 DFSS PreService

9:20am CDT

Joel Vieyra

11:00am CDT

Phil Maclin

2:10pm CDT

Vincent Rodriguez

3:20pm CDT

Artiya Nash

Get help with the event