Concordia Nebraska to host Early Childhood Conference June 7-8, 2026

Concordia University, Nebraska will host its annual Early Childhood Conference June 7-8, 2026, on the university’s campus. The event will also feature an optional pre-conference. 

“The theme for this year’s event is Unshakable!,” said Concordia Nebraska Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Drew Gerdes. “We know that teachers are hard workers; teaching is challenging in many ways but also rewarding. At Concordia, we have a strong history in developing and supporting teachers, and this conference is one way that we can connect with those in the field, support and encourage them, and offer opportunities to ‘fill their toolbox’ with new ideas and strategies.” 

“We know that teachers are hard workers; teaching is challenging in many ways but also rewarding. At Concordia, we have a strong history in developing and supporting teachers, and this conference is one way that we can connect with those in the field, support and encourage them, and offer opportunities to ‘fill their toolbox’ with new ideas and strategies.”

Conference keynote speaker Raelene Ostberg is the founder of Thriving Together, an organization dedicated to supporting early childhood educators in their critical work shaping young minds. She will speak to attendees about about finding and keeping joy in work with students, families and colleagues.  

Sunday evening dinner keynote speaker Rev. Dustin Lappe ‘97 serves at Messiah Lutheran Church and School in Lincoln, Nebraska. He has many years of experience both as an early childhood teacher and as a pastor. 

“This conference will feature many break-out sessions on a variety of topics,” added Gerdes. “From the value of music in learning to differentiated learning to early literacy skills, participants will be able to hear from veterans in the field and leaders in education who have a great passion for sharing and helping others grow.” 

Concordia Nebraska first hosted an early childhood conference decades ago under the leadership of then-program director Dr. Leah Serck ‘58.  

“Educators from Nebraska and many surrounding states look forward to this event each year, which has a rich history of bringing in high-quality keynote speakers and valuable topics,” said Gerdes. 

Complete pre-conference and conference details and conference pricing is available at cune.edu/ecc. Early bird, discounted registration is available until May 22. 

Concordia University, Nebraska proudly hosts its annual Early Childhood Conference, which has been intentionally designed for those engaged in early childhood education. Educators, administrators and others who work with young children, birth through age eight, will benefit from this event.