Attendees with Special Needs
AMS conference sessions are held in wheelchair-accessible facilities.

If you, or someone you are registering, may need other special services in order to participate in conference sessions, please contact Gregory Jones (gregory@amshq.org or 212-358-1250 x314) before registering, and no later than September 18, 2009 (NOW EXTENDED THROUGH 9/23).

While we are committed to making our conference sessions as accessible as possible, AMS cannot guarantee that requested services will be available. We will assess the service needs and determine whether they can be reasonably accommodated, but make no representation that we will provide or pay for requested services.

Cancellation Policy
Requests for refunds of conference registration fees must be made in writing and postmarked, faxed, or e-mailed to AMS no later than Friday, September 25, 2009. Refunds will be disbursed within 30 days after the conference. For each canceled registration, a $50 cancellation fee will be debited from the refund. Mailing address: AMS, 281 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010; fax: 212-358-1256; e-mail: refunds@amshq.org.

Continuing Professional Development Hours
Participation in the AMS 2009 Fall Conference allows you to earn contact hours toward the AMS Certificate of Continuing Professional Development. You will earn 15 credit hours for participation in the full conference (Friday–Sunday). Partial credit will be earned for participation in one or two days of the conference as follows: 6 hours for Friday, 6 hours for Saturday, and 3 hours for Sunday. Contact hours are not transferable as college or university credit hours.

AMS full-credentialed member teachers who have at least 3 years of full-time teaching experience and have accumulated 120 contact hours at approved AMS events qualify to receive this AMS Certificate of Continuing Professional Development. To apply for the certificate, please send the following via postal mail to Joanne Oh at AMS (281 Park Avenue South, New York, NY, 10010): documentation/certificates verifying 120 contact hours; a copy of your AMS full credential; proof of your teaching experience; and your current AMS member number.

Early Bird Registration
Early Bird rates end Friday, September 18, 2009. To qualify, registrations must be submitted online, postmarked, or faxed by this date. (NOW EXTENDED THROUGH 9/23)

Employment Opportunities
Whether you are advertising a position or looking for one, you’ll want to check out the Employment Opportunities bulletin boards. AMS-member and AMS-accredited schools, MSAC-accredited schools, and AMS-affiliated teacher education programs may post listings (free of charge). For information, contact Carla Hofland: carla@amshq.org or 212-358-1250 x302. 

Event Access
To access the workshops, keynote addresses, networking sessions, receptions, and Exhibit Hall at AMS conferences, individuals must be officially registered conference attendees. AMS offers several registration options, including a one-day fee and a half-day fee for the last day of the conference (Sunday). Attendees must wear their nametags at all times for entrance to the Exhibit Hall and for all other conference events.

Hub
Drop by to pick up a Montessori gift item or conference souvenir and to say “hello” to the AMS staff members you’ve always wanted to meet. This is also the place to go if you have questions about anything AMS-related, such as membership, teacher education, and Montessori Life subscriptions. Information about AMS Hub hours will be available on-site.

Information
For questions about conference registration, please contact AMS conference coordinator, Leslie DiLeo: 212-235-1250 x307. For all other conference information, please contact AMS director of conferences, Leslie DiLeo, CMP: leslie@amshq.org.

International Consul Letters
If you are an international conference attendee and would like a consul letter, please send your request to visas@amshq.org.

Membership
To become a member of AMS, or to renew a lapsed membership, please visit www.amshq.org/membership or contact Jessica Carhuapoma at jessica@amshq.org.

Name Badge and Documentation of Continuing Professional Development Hours Reprinting
Documentation of Continuing Professional Development Hours will be included as part of the name badge you receive at registration. If you lose or misplace your name badge or Documentation of Continuing Professional Development Hours during the conference, the replacement fee will be $35. After the conference, reprints of your Documentation of Continuing Professional Development Hours will be available for $10; contact Leslie DiLeo at leslie@amshq.org .

Recommended Reading
Conference participants who wish to maximize the intellectual and emotional experience in Garden Grove may want to prepare in advance by reading one or both of the following captivating titles by our keynote speaker, Dr. JoAnn Deak:

How Girls Thrive: An Essential Guide for Educators (and Parents) (National Association of Independent Schools, 1998)

Girls Will Be Girls: Raising Confident and Courageous Daughters (Hyperion, 2002)

Registration Closure
AMS reserves the right to close registration once we have reached the number of registrants that we can responsibly accommodate.

Totes
An AMS tote bag will be distributed at the conference to each participant who registers by Friday, September 18, 2009 (NOW EXTENDED THROUGH 9/23). Participants who register after this date will be given totes as available.

What to Wear
Orange County boasts beautiful weather year-round, with highs in October easily reaching 80 degrees. Evening temperatures can drop by 20 degrees, however, so be prepared with warm layers. Business casual dress is appropriate for all conference events, and Southern California is known for its laid-back attitude, so feel free to bring shorts, T-shirts, and sandals for most sightseeing. Conference activities start early and end late, so make sure you wear comfortable shoes every day.