CNY Leadership Networking Meetings 2026

Discussion Prompts

• What feels most energizing about your leadership role right now? What feels draining?

• How do your personal leadership values show up in your program’s daily practices?

• What is one goal you are setting this year that directly supports staff belonging or growth?

• How do you keep long-term vision alive amid daily operational pressures?

Peer Exchange Activity

• “Vision in a Sentence”: Each leader shares a one-sentence vision they want staff to feel, not just achieve.

NAEYC / CBK Connections

• NAEYC Professional Standards & Competencies – Standard 6 (Professionalism)

• NAEYC Program Standards – Leadership & Management

• CBK Domain: Professionalism & Leadership

  • Reflective practice

  • Vision-setting

  • Ethical leadership

January Agenda

• Welcome & purpose

• Vision reflection activity

• Peer discussion: aligning values to goals 

• Reflection & action step 

• Close & documentation reminder 

CBK / NAEYC Citation Language

• CBK VI.D Reflective practice

• CBK VI.E Professional growth & goal setting

• NAEYC Standard 6 Professionalism

Discussion Prompts

• What does belonging look like for staff in your program?

• How do new educators experience your workplace culture in their first 30 days?

• Where do misunderstandings or conflict most often arise—and how are they addressed?

• How do leaders model respect, trust, and openness in everyday interactions?

Peer Exchange Activity

• “Culture Audit”: Leaders name one routine or policy that supports culture—and one that unintentionally undermines it.

NAEYC / CBK Connections

• NAEYC Code of Ethics – Responsibilities to Colleagues

• NAEYC Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) – Creating Caring, Equitable Communities

• CBK Domain: Professionalism & Leadership

  • Collaboration

  • Ethical relationships

  • Communication

February Agenda

• Welcome & norms

• Culture reflection 

• Small‑group discussion 

• Reflection & commitment 

• Close 

CBK / NAEYC Citation Language

• CBK VI.C Collaboration with colleagues

• CBK VI.B Ethical leadership

• NAEYC Code of Ethics – Colleagues

Discussion Prompts

• What qualities do you prioritize most when hiring—skills, mindset, experience, or something else?

• What makes educators stay in your program beyond the first year?

• How do compensation, onboarding, and professional growth intersect in your retention strategy?

• Where do you see the biggest barriers to building a stable workforce?

Peer Exchange Activity

• “One Win, One Wish”: Share one recruitment or retention strategy that has worked—and one you want help strengthening.

NAEYC / CBK Connections

• NAEYC Professional Development Guidance

• NAEYC Program Standards – Staff Qualifications & Supports

• CBK Domain: Professionalism & Leadership

  • Workforce development

  • Staff supports

  • Career pathways

March Agenda

• Workforce landscape framing 

• Peer exchange: what works 

• Retention strategy reflection 

• Wrap‑up 

CBK / NAEYC Citation Language

• CBK VI.A Workforce knowledge

• CBK VI.E Career development

• NAEYC Program Standards – Staffing

Discussion Prompts

• How do families experience communication with your program—as informative, relational, or transactional?

• What challenges arise when values or expectations differ between families and staff?

• How do you support educators in having difficult but respectful conversations with families?

• What strategies help families feel like partners rather than recipients of information?

Peer Exchange Activity

• “Communication Reframe”: Leaders share a common family complaint and collaboratively reframe it through a partnership lens.

NAEYC / CBK Connections

• NAEYC Professional Standards – Standard 2: Family–Teacher Partnerships

• NAEYC Family Engagement Resources

• CBK Domain: Family & Community Relationships

  • Culturally responsive communication

  • Relationship-based practice

April Agenda

• Framing family engagement 

• Case scenario discussion 

• Communication reflection 

• Close 

CBK / NAEYC Citation Language

• CBK II.A Family partnerships

• NAEYC Standard 2 Family–Teacher Partnerships

Discussion Prompts

• How do you distinguish between individual stress and systemic burnout in your program?

• What signals tell you that staff well-being needs attention?

• How do policies, schedules, and expectations either protect or erode well-being?

• What role do leaders play in normalizing boundaries, rest, and help-seeking?

Peer Exchange Activity

• “Burnout Breakers”: Each leader shares one practice that meaningfully supports staff well-being—and one barrier they are struggling to address.

NAEYC / CBK Connections

• NAEYC Well-Being & Workforce Resources

• NAEYC Code of Ethics – Ethical Responsibilities to the Profession

• CBK Domain: Professionalism & Leadership

  • Self-care

  • Sustainability

  • Reflective supervision

May Agenda

• Burnout vs. stress framing 

• Group discussion 

• System reflection 

• Close .

CBK / NAEYC Citation Language

• CBK VI.D Reflective leadership

• CBK VI.B Ethical responsibility

• NAEYC Ethics – Profession

Discussion Prompts

• How do you balance structure and flexibility in summer programming?

• What makes summer learning meaningful rather than just childcare?

• How do educators collaborate in planning curriculum across classrooms or age groups?

• How do children’s interests and cultural contexts shape summer experiences?

Peer Exchange Activity

• “Summer Spotlight”: Leaders share one summer practice or activity that consistently engages children and staff.

NAEYC / CBK Connections

• NAEYC Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP)

• NAEYC Professional Standards – Standards 4 & 5

• CBK Domain: Learning Environment & Curriculum

  • Planning

  • Play-based learning

  • Integrated curriculum

June Agenda

• Summer learning framing 

• Peer sharing 

• Planning reflection 

• Close 

Facilitator Talking Points

• Summer learning should be intentional and joyful.

• Planning supports consistency and engagement.

CBK / NAEYC Citation Language

• CBK IV.A Curriculum planning

• NAEYC Standards 4 & 5 Teaching & content

Discussion Prompts

• What recent policy or licensing changes have had the greatest impact on your program?

• How do you communicate compliance updates to staff without increasing fear or overwhelm?

• Where do you experience tension between regulatory requirements and developmentally appropriate practice?

• How do you position compliance as part of quality rather than just oversight?

Peer Exchange Activity

• “From Requirement to Practice”:
  Each leader shares one regulation and how they translate it into daily practice staff can understand and value.

NAEYC / CBK Alignment

• NAEYC Program Standards – Leadership & Management

• NAEYC Code of Ethics – Responsibilities to the Profession

• NAEYC Professional Standards – Standard 6: Professionalism

• CBK Domain: Professionalism & Leadership
  (Policy awareness, ethical leadership, regulatory compliance)

July Agenda

• Policy update framing 

• Group discussion 

• Reflection & translation to practice 

• Close

CBK / NAEYC Citation Language

• CBK VI.A Regulations

• CBK VI.B Ethical leadership

• NAEYC Program Standards

Discussion Prompts

• What messages do new staff receive—explicitly or implicitly—during their first week?

• How do you balance urgency (staffing classrooms) with intentional onboarding?

• What systems support relationship-building between new and veteran staff?

• How do you assess whether onboarding was successful after 30–60 days?

Peer Exchange Activity

• “First 10 Days” Reflection:
  Leaders identify one onboarding practice they want to start, strengthen, or stop.

NAEYC / CBK Alignment

• NAEYC Professional Standards – Standard 6

• NAEYC Program Standards – Staff Supports & Professional Development

• NAEYC Code of Ethics – Responsibilities to Colleagues

• CBK Domain: Professionalism & Leadership
  (Orientation, mentoring, reflective supervision)

August Agenda

• Onboarding importance 

• Peer discussion 

• Onboarding reflection 

• Close 

CBK / NAEYC Citation Language

• CBK VI.C Mentorship

• CBK VI.E Professional development

Discussion Prompts

• How do you define instructional leadership in your role?

• What supports help teachers see observation and feedback as growth-oriented?

• How do leaders balance instructional guidance with teacher autonomy?

• Where do you see strengths in practice that could be lifted across classrooms?

Peer Exchange Activity

• “Coaching Moves”:
  Leaders share one feedback strategy that has improved classroom practice without damaging trust.

NAEYC / CBK Alignment

• NAEYC Professional Standards – Standards 3, 4, & 5

• NAEYC Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP)

• CBK Domains:

  • Learning Environment & Curriculum

  • Observation, Assessment & Documentation

September Agenda

• Instructional leadership framing 

• Coaching discussion 

• Reflection 

• Close 

CBK / NAEYC Citation Language

• CBK III.A Observation

• CBK IV.B Learning environments

• NAEYC DAP

Discussion Prompts

• How do challenging behaviors impact staff confidence and morale?

• What systems are in place to support educators before they reach burnout?

• How do leaders model curiosity and compassion when behavior escalates?

• How do you partner with families around behavior concerns respectfully?

Peer Exchange Activity

• “Behavior Through a Different Lens”:
  Leaders reframe a challenging behavior by identifying possible unmet needs (child and educator).

NAEYC / CBK Alignment

• NAEYC DAP – Responsive Relationships & Emotional Development

• NAEYC Professional Standards – Standards 1 & 4

• NAEYC Code of Ethics – Responsibilities to Children & Families

• CBK Domains:

  • Child Growth & Development

  • Social-Emotional Development

  • Professionalism & Leadership

October Agenda

• Trauma‑informed lens 

• Case discussion 

• Reflection 

• Close

CBK / NAEYC Citation Language

• CBK I.C Social‑emotional development

• CBK VI.D Reflective leadership

Discussion Prompts

• What data do you currently collect—and which data actually informs decisions?

• How do you share data with staff in ways that feel supportive, not punitive?

• What questions about quality are you trying to answer with data?

• How do qualitative insights (observations, staff voice, family feedback) complement numerical data?

Peer Exchange Activity

• “One Data Point, One Decision”:
  Leaders share one piece of data and how it influenced (or could influence) program change.

NAEYC / CBK Alignment

• NAEYC Professional Standards – Standard 3

• NAEYC Program Standards – Continuous Quality Improvement

• CBK Domain: Observation, Assessment & Documentation
  (Program evaluation, reflective practice)

Discussion Prompts

• What leadership growth are you most proud of this year?

• What challenges shaped your leadership the most?

• What lessons from this year should guide 2026 planning?

• How do you celebrate staff contributions in meaningful, sustainable ways?

Peer Exchange Activity

• “Keep, Let Go, Lean Into”:
  Leaders name one practice to keep, one to release, and one to strengthen in 2026.

NAEYC / CBK Alignment

• NAEYC Professional Standards – Standard 6

• NAEYC Code of Ethics – Commitment to the Profession

• CBK Domain: Professionalism & Leadership
  (Reflective practice, goal setting, leadership development)

December Agenda

• Year reflection

• Group celebration 

• Planning forward 

• Close 

CBK / NAEYC Citation Language

• CBK VI.D Reflective practice

• CBK VI.E Goal setting