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2026 DFSS PreService
Welcome to the 2026 3-Day DFSS PreService

đź“ŤPalmer House Chicago
17 E Monroe St, Chicago, IL 60603
 
Breakfast and Registration open at 8:00am
Conference programming from 9:00am -4:10pm
Venue: Salon 7 clear filter
Tuesday, August 4
 

9:20am CDT

Getting Started with CLASS (Eng)
LIMITED
Tuesday August 4, 2026 9:20am - 10:20am CDT
Salon 7
Limited Capacity seats available
Designed for educators who are newer to CLASS concepts,
this session offers CLASS basics and describes how educators,
leaders, and coaches can use them to develop better, more
meaningful interactions with children."
Moderators
AB

Alisha Bourque

Teachstone

BR

Bibi Rahim

Teachstone
Speakers
avatar for Liana Ondra

Liana Ondra

CLASS Specialist, Teachstone
Liana has over 10 years of experience working in Early Childhood. She earned a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from Liberty University and has worked in classrooms in both private and public ECE programs. She has also worked as an Instructional Coach with Head Start and... Read More →
Tuesday August 4, 2026 9:20am - 10:20am CDT
Salon 7
  Teachstone

11:10am CDT

The Magic of Monthly Books: How Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Inspires Young Readers
LIMITED
Tuesday August 4, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm CDT
Salon 7
Limited Capacity seats available
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library inspires a love of reading. It is a book gifting program that mails high-quality, age-appropriate books to children from birth through their fifth birthday at no cost to the family. Information will be shared about the groundbreaking international research based on the largest dataset in the world on shared book reading. Attendees will explore the rigorous book selection process and participate in interactive group discussions and activities using parent engagement resources.
Speakers
avatar for Andi Drileck

Andi Drileck

Illinois State Director, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
My name is Andi Drileck and I'm the Illinois State Director at Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone and sharing information about how we can get The Imagination Library in your area. As Dolly says, "You can never get enough books into the hands... Read More →
Tuesday August 4, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm CDT
Salon 7
  Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

1:20pm CDT

What's New in SmartTeach, 3-5, Part 1
LIMITED
Tuesday August 4, 2026 1:20pm - 2:20pm CDT
Salon 7
Limited Capacity seats available
Speakers
avatar for Wilbert Owens
Tuesday August 4, 2026 1:20pm - 2:20pm CDT
Salon 7
  Teaching Strategies

3:10pm CDT

What's New in SmartTeach, 3-5, Part 2
LIMITED
Tuesday August 4, 2026 3:10pm - 4:10pm CDT
Salon 7
Limited Capacity seats available
Speakers
avatar for Wilbert Owens
Tuesday August 4, 2026 3:10pm - 4:10pm CDT
Salon 7
  Teaching Strategies
 
Wednesday, August 5
 

9:20am CDT

Making the Most of Transitions
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 9:20am - 10:20am CDT
Salon 7
Limited Capacity seats available
This session builds on what educators already know to make transitions
as comfortable and as smooth as possible while also finding and
nurturing learning opportunities.
Moderators
AB

Alisha Bourque

Teachstone

BR

Bibi Rahim

Teachstone
Speakers
avatar for Liana Ondra

Liana Ondra

CLASS Specialist, Teachstone
Liana has over 10 years of experience working in Early Childhood. She earned a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education from Liberty University and has worked in classrooms in both private and public ECE programs. She has also worked as an Instructional Coach with Head Start and... Read More →
Wednesday August 5, 2026 9:20am - 10:20am CDT
Salon 7
  Teachstone

11:00am CDT

Using Data to Inform Professional Development
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Salon 7
Limited Capacity seats available
Data can identify which educators or age levels are seeing success in specific skills and where extra support
may be needed. This session will explore ways to collect and analyze data to ensure professional development
goals are grounded in current teaching practice and clearly identify a strengths-based approach to growth.
Moderators
AB

Alisha Bourque

Teachstone

BR

Bibi Rahim

Teachstone
Speakers
avatar for Monica Barrera

Monica Barrera

Teachstone
Wednesday August 5, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Salon 7
  Teachstone

2:10pm CDT

ReadyRosie, Part 1
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:10pm - 3:10pm CDT
Salon 7
Limited Capacity seats available
Speakers
avatar for Wilbert Owens
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:10pm - 3:10pm CDT
Salon 7
  Teaching Stategies

3:20pm CDT

ReadyRosie, Part 2
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm CDT
Salon 7
Limited Capacity seats available
Speakers
avatar for Wilbert Owens
Wednesday August 5, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm CDT
Salon 7
  Teaching Stategies
 
Thursday, August 6
 

9:20am CDT

Budget Ready
LIMITED
Thursday August 6, 2026 9:20am - 11:00am CDT
Salon 7
Limited Capacity seats available
Do you want to know how not to have you budget help up in the city process? Do you know all the right documentation to send in along with your budget? Come let's talk about the documentation and allow us to explain the reasoning why?
Speakers
JP

Jacinta Passamentt

AD Program Admin/Fiscal, CSD
AJ

Angel Jones-Dotson

Simple Servant, DFSS
Dr. Jones-Dotson has worked in the field of H/R, Grants Management, & Auditing for over 30+ years.  She is found of learning new things and helping others bridge the gap to what they thought numbers were to what the possibilities of what they could be.
Thursday August 6, 2026 9:20am - 11:00am CDT
Salon 7
  DFSS

11:10am CDT

Budget Ready
LIMITED
Thursday August 6, 2026 11:10am - 12:45pm CDT
Salon 7
Limited Capacity seats available
Do you want to know how not to have you budget help up in the city process? Do you know all the right documentation to send in along with your budget? Come let's talk about the documentation and allow us to explain the reasoning why?
Speakers
JP

Jacinta Passamentt

AD Program Admin/Fiscal, CSD
AJ

Angel Jones-Dotson

Simple Servant, DFSS
Dr. Jones-Dotson has worked in the field of H/R, Grants Management, & Auditing for over 30+ years.  She is found of learning new things and helping others bridge the gap to what they thought numbers were to what the possibilities of what they could be.
Thursday August 6, 2026 11:10am - 12:45pm CDT
Salon 7
  DFSS

1:20pm CDT

Focusing on the Purpose During Center Time
LIMITED
Thursday August 6, 2026 1:20pm - 2:20pm CDT
Salon 7
Limited Capacity seats available
Educators offer robust learning experiences when they invite active engagement. This session
focuses on ways to offer clear objectives and facilitate purposeful and engaged learning
during center time
Moderators
AB

Alisha Bourque

Teachstone

BR

Bibi Rahim

Teachstone
Speakers
avatar for Melissa Wilhelm

Melissa Wilhelm

Teachstone
Thursday August 6, 2026 1:20pm - 2:20pm CDT
Salon 7
  Teachstone

3:10pm CDT

Supporting Interactions to Enhance Literacy Development
LIMITED
Thursday August 6, 2026 3:10pm - 4:10pm CDT
Salon 7
Limited Capacity seats available
The process of learning words, sounds, and language is enhanced by the meaningful interactions children
have with the adults and children around them. This session focuses on how educators can develop early
literacy skills and ensure each child is a valued conversational partner through intentional daily interactions.
Moderators
AB

Alisha Bourque

Teachstone

BR

Bibi Rahim

Teachstone
Speakers
avatar for Melissa Wilhelm

Melissa Wilhelm

Teachstone
Thursday August 6, 2026 3:10pm - 4:10pm CDT
Salon 7
  Teachstone
 

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  • Bright Scholars Academy
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