Conference Overview
The purpose of the 2007 Midwest Parent Educators (MPE) Conference is to provide information on homeschooling techniques and curriculum choices. The attendees will be primarily intermediate and experienced homeschooling families, but a significant number will be those who are considering the possibility of homeschooling next year or in the future. Students of attendees cover all age ranges.
MPE changed its dues structure in
2004 so that there is no
additional charge for members to attend the MPE Conference.
There will be up to 180 exhibitor booths.
The 2007 MPE Conference will be at the KCI Expo Center at 11730 North Ambassador Drive, Kansas City, MO 64153, very close to the Kansas City International Airport. For more information, please go to www.kciexpo.com
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Conference Dates & Times
Information is tentative and may change closer to the time.
Friday, 20 April 2007 – Registration for the
conference begins at 8 a.m. Workshops begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at
5 p.m.
The Exhibitor Hall will open to the public at 9 a.m. and close at 6 p.m.
Exhibitor demonstrations begin at 9 a.m. and
conclude at 5 p.m. The Conference
address by the keynote speaker will begin at 6 p.m. and conclude at 7 p.m.
Saturday, 21 April 2007 – The Exhibitor Hall will open to the public at 8 a.m. and close by 5 p.m. Exhibitors must be completely packed by 6 p.m. Conference sessions, workshops, and exhibitor demonstrations will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m.
Debra Bell, author of the award winning bestseller The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling
Click here for a bio of Debra Bell
Christine Field, author of several books, including A Field Guide to Homeschooling
Click here for a bio of Christine Field
Todd Wilson, author of Familyman Weekly
Click here for a bio of Todd Wilson
Current MPE members:
Admission is free. You do not need to send in a registration form. Please come to the Registration area where your name will be checked off the membership list. You will then be given a conference wristband which must be worn both days for admission into the workshops and exhibitor hall. There is a $5 charge for lost wristbands.
Important note: If your membership expires before or on April 1, 2007 (check your newsletter's mailing label), you are not registered for the conference. To avoid long lines for admission to the conference while your membership is renewed, please mail your membership renewal to the office, postmarked before or on April 6, 2007. As decided by the MPE Conference Committee, memberships expiring before or on April 1, 2007, and renewed late at the conference will be charged $40 instead of the usual $35 membership fee. Membership renewals postmarked after April 6 will be held and charged $40 at the door.
After April 6, 2007, please print out a membership form and fill in the details required. This will help speed up the renewal process on the day of the conference. Present the completed membership form and $40 at the Registration Area (under "Membership Renewal") and you (and your spouse) will then be given a green conference wristband which must be worn both days for admission into the workshops and exhibitor hall.
Non - MPE members:
Regular registration/membership application is $40 per person (spouse free) at the door.
Early registration is $30 per person (spouse free) if registration is postmarked before or on April 6, 2007. Registrations postmarked after April 6 will be held and charged $40 at the door.
These fees will admit the registrants to both workshops and the exhibitor hall.
After April 6, 2007, please print out a Registration form and fill in the details required. This will help speed up the registration process on the day of the conference. Present the completed registration form and $40 at the Registration Area (under "Registrations") and you (and your spouse) will then be given a green conference wristband which must be worn both days for admission into the workshops and exhibitor hall.
If you would like to become a member of MPE for $35 a year (go to the Membership page for the list of benefits) and be admitted to this conference for free, please print this form and mail it in with your check for $35 (made out to MPE) to the office, postmarked before or on April 6, 2007.
After April 6, 2007, please print out a membership form and fill in the details required. This will help speed up the registration process on the day of the conference. Present the completed membership form and $40 at the Registration Area (under "New Memberships") and you (and your spouse) will then be given a green conference wristband which must be worn both days for admission into the workshops and exhibitor hall.
Vendor-only passes for non - MPE members for access to Exhibitor Hall only:
Available at the door for $10 per person (spouse free). Please go to the Registration Area (under "Vendor Only Passes") and you (and your spouse) will be given a blue conference band. These blue wristbands allow access to the exhibitor hall only during posted hours on Friday and Saturday and are valid both days. Children of all ages are admitted for free in the exhibitor hall only.
Children are very important to MPE, since it is for their benefit that we exist to encourage parents as educators. Children over 13 years are encouraged to attend the workshops with their parent/s (they are admitted for free when accompanied by a parent at Registration).
The conference, however, is intended for parental support, and we are unable to accommodate children under 13 years of age in our workshops. Please enroll children under 13 years in the Children's Program or you will risk being turned away from a workshop if the room is full.
As always, nursing babies are welcome. Due to congestion, strollers, wagons, and other wheeled carriers are not permitted at the workshops. Be sure to bring baby carriers or backpacks to transport nursing babies. However, wheeled carriers are allowed in the Exhibitor Hall.
This year, MPE will be offering a Children's Program for 6-12 year olds (5 year olds are accepted if accompanied by an older sibling) run by Children's Conferences International(CCI).
CCI is excited to present their 2007 theme:
The cost for registration for the two days is $30.00 per child for the first 2 children, and $0.00 for any additional children. The cost for registration for one day only is $20.00 per child for the first 2 children, and $0.00 for any additional children. Please note that registration at the door will be $40 per child, so sign up today to take advantage of the $30 per child rate!
MPE has negotiated favorable packages for conference attendees at these area hotels, within walking distance of the KCI Expo Center:
1)Holiday Inn, Kansas City Airport
King or Double Rooms are available for $79.00 + tax, with heated indoor pool and fitness center and free wireless internet. Please reference "Midwest Parent Educators" when making your reservations. The deadline for reservations at this special rate is March 19, 2007.
For reservations, call 1 888 HOLIDAY (888 465 4329) or (816) 801 8400
2)Fairfield Inn Kansas City Airport
Double Rooms are available for $69.00 + tax, with complimentary continental breakfast, heated indoor pool and fitness room and free wireless internet. Please reference "Midwest Parent Educators" when making your reservations. The deadline for reservations at this special rate is March 30, 2007.
For reservations, call 1-888-236-2427 or (816) 464 2424
Double Rooms are available for $59.99 + tax, with complimentary continental breakfast, free local and long distance phone calls and free wireless internet. Please reference "Midwest Parent Educators" when making your reservations. The deadline for reservations at this special rate is March 29, 2007.
For reservations, call 1 (888) 771 7171 or (816) 270 1200.
General Information
Cell phones. Cell phones must be turned off or placed in vibration mode while attending any conference session, workshop, or exhibitor demonstration.
Audio Taping. Many of the conference sessions and workshops (but not exhibitor demonstrations) will be taped and available for purchase at the conference or by mail following the conference. No personal taping (audio or video) of conference sessions or workshops is allowed. To order CDs ($7.00 each) following the conference, please contact Rhino Technologies at 222 Temple Hill Drive, Almo, KY 42020. Their telephone number is 270-753-0717 and their e-mail address is services@rhino-technologies.com.
Emergency Number. An emergency number will be printed in the conference program that everyone receives upon registration. This is the number to be provided to babysitters and family members. Do NOT provide the switchboard number of the KCI Expo Center. The switchboard will not be manned during much of the conference. The emergency number will be attended during all conference hours and a message board will be available to post any incoming messages.
Meals. No food is allowed to be brought into the KCI Expo Center.
MPE has arranged discounted prices with Heart of America Catering at the KCI Expo Center for the following boxed lunch options. The boxed lunches (for both Friday and Saturday) can be preordered and paid for on Friday and Saturday mornings between 8.00 - 10.00 a.m. at the table to the right of the entrance to the lobby marked "Lunch Orders". Tickets will be given after payment, which will need to be presented to the Student Pages in Exhibit Hall A (where the Children's Program is being held) for pick up of the boxed lunch orders between noon and 1:30 p.m. Cash or checks only please.
Tables and chairs have been set up for comfortable dining in Exhibit Hall A for both adults and children after the lunch orders are collected.
The boxed lunch options are:
1) Shaved Turkey Breast on a soft Kaiser bun. Accompanied by pasta salad, potato chips, and a chocolate chip cookie. Condiments and utensils included. Beverages or bottled water.
..................................................................................................................................$8.00
2) Shaved Honey Ham on a soft Kaiser bun. Accompanied by pasta salad, potato chips, and a chocolate chip cookie. Condiments and utensils included. Beverages or bottled water.
..................................................................................................................................$8.00
3) For Children: Chicken nuggets, potato chips, and a freshly baked cookie. Juice included.
..................................................................................................................................$5.00
Meals are also available at the cafeteria of the KCI Expo Center (located to the left of the lobby) from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday and 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Conference Schedule. Current scheduling information will be available on this website
nearer the time. Changes will be
made as they occur, but last minute modifications may be necessary and may not
be indicated on the website. Printed
schedules will not be available until the first day of the conference.