We’re excited to see you at our homeschool conference on April 5-6! It can be intimidating to remember all you need to get ready, but don’t fret – we’ve got you covered.
With this handy conference checklist, you can feel totally prepared and in control … at least, for the next 10 minutes!
Note our conference addendum.
We always recommend you research the conference workshop schedule and plan which ones to see beforehand. However, we advise you to be flexible.
As the Scottish poet Robert Burns said, “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley.” (English Translation: The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.)
If we have a list of last-minute workshop and vendor hall changes, we will include an addendum in our conference program. You will receive it when you arrive at the conference. Make sure to check for the addendum when you get to the registration area!
If traveling, pack your vehicles the night before.
Comfortable clothes, supplies – most, if not all, of these can be laid out ahead of time to ease your journey on the day.
(If you’re looking for ideas on what to bring, see our top conference tips for newbies here.)
BONUS TIP: Check for scheduled repairs or maintenance on any highways or routes you plan to take!
Take everything you need for shopping the vendor hall.
Some vendors only take cash or check, so make sure you bring enough in hand in case credit cards aren’t accepted.
For extra bonus points, see our vendor list and plan your must-see list ahead of time.
Pre-order workshop recordings for a special discount.
If you pre-order all workshop session recordings by 5 p.m. Thursday, April 4, you can get a hefty discount off conference pricing!
Prepare for the registration rush.
Parking is limited at the KCI Expo Center. Consider yourself forewarned! If you arrive anytime after 10 a.m. Friday, be prepared to walk a long way to the entrance.
Once you’ve arrived, you can also streamline your registration process by knowing where to go. Use the handy maps on our free mobile app to familiarize yourself with the conference venue.
If you’ve already prepaid and are a current MPE member at the Family tier and higher, you can skip the “New Conference / Membership” desk and go straight to the “Pre-Paid Conference / Memberships” line to save time.
Prepare your meal plans ahead of time.
No outside food is allowed to be brought into the KCI Expo Center according to their policies. However, food purchased inside the KCI Expo Center (from vending machines or the cafeteria) is allowed. The cafeteria is located off the main Lobby.
(Cafeteria Hours: Friday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.)
You can also go off-site during the lunch hour to explore area restaurants and food places at your leisure.
Remember your scavenger hunt form.
Every year we feature a scavenger hunt with a $25 gift certificate prize drawing, good toward any booth in the vendor hall!
Make sure you print your form so you can enter before noon Saturday, April 6. Please note: Winners must be present to collect the certificates by 3 p.m. Saturday.
Browse our silent auction items at the conference.
Thanks to the generosity of our vendors and other homeschool-friendly businesses, our silent auction is bigger and better than ever!
You can bid on some great items while giving back to the homeschool community in Kansas City. You don’t even have to be at the conference to bid – feel free to invite friends and family to join the action, too!
Join the #MPEHomeschool conversation!
We’ll be monitoring all our social media channels during the conference, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #MPEHomeschool to ask any questions you may have. We’ll respond as soon as we can.
Thanks, and see you there!
We have updated this blog post, originally published in April 2015, for timeliness and detail.
