Parent Educational Series

 Webinar: Tuesday, September 29 (7:30–8:30 PM Zoom)
 Presenter: Sarah Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP
 School Readiness: Executive Function Needed to "Do School"

 Please join us for a webinar in which Sarah Ward, will share a deeper understanding of executive function skills, such as working   memory, time awareness, task initiation, and organization, and why challenges in these areas can make even the best systems fall apart. Explore how everyday school demands—getting out the door with materials, recording and completing homework, managing time across the day, and following through independently—require more than reminders and checklists. Learn strategies to help start the school year strong.

Presenter: Sarah Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP has over 30 years’ experience in the treatment of executive dysfunction. She is an international expert and presents
seminars on the practical strategies she has developed with her co-director, Kristen Jacobsen. Their latest work, The Time Tracker Program—has received high acclaim for its innovative approach to shifting students from adult-managed to self-regulated time management. Ward has presented to over 2,000 public and private schools and organizations across the globe. In recognition of their international impact on executive function skills in education, Ward and Jacobsen were named one of the Top 10 Professional Development Providers for 2023 by Education Technology Insights Magazine. 

  Webinar: Tuesday, December 1 (7:30–8:30 PM Zoom)
  Presenter: Shawn Achor
  The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success & A Better      Life

 Shawn Achor will share practical tools to help kids strengthen the most predictive core beliefs like "I am not alone," "My behavior matters," and "I matter" and leave with strategies that can rewire how children see themselves and their world. Learn how to improve your child's emotional immune system, especially in the midst of social media and technology. Beliefs about ourselves, our children, our work and our world don't just reflect reality. Beliefs bend our future reality. Same world. Different beliefs. Different outcomes. 

Presenter: Shawn Achor became one of the world's leading researchers on the connection between a positive brain and success. He has traveled to more than 50 countries studying how beliefs predict performance, resilience, and well-being. Achor is a New York Times bestselling author of multiple books, including The Happiness Advantage, which has sold more than one million copies worldwide. His newest book, The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success and a Better Life was released in May 2026. His research has been featured on the cover of Harvard Business Review, his TED Talk is among the most viewed of all time, and his PBS program has reached millions of viewers. Achor has worked with one-third of the fortune 100, as well as the NFL, NASA, and the U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton. He has been interviewed twice by Oprah Winfrey and is one of only two external speakers ever invited to address the president's staff at Camp David. 

   Webinar: Wednesday, January 13, 2027 (7:30–8:30 PM Zoom)
   Presenter: Catherine Price
   The Family Guide to Screen/Life Balance: What to Do About Tech & Kids

 Drawing from a decade's worth of work and her bestselling books, Price will reveal why it's essential to rethink our approach to kids and screens, and will offer a fresh and empowering perspective on how we can talk with our kids instead of them. She'll discuss strategies for how to inspire kids to choose to delay smartphones and social media, rethink their relationships and devices, create better boundaries with technology, and prioritize real-life friendships, skills, and experiences. She'll also address newer challenges, including AI and chatbots, and offer ways to help our children create healthier relationships with technology and build lives full of real friendship, freedom, and fun.

Presenter: Catherine Price is a science journalist, speaker, New York Times bestselling author, and a leading voice in the national conversation about how people of all ages can create healthy relationships with technology and live meaningful, fun lives. Her books include How to Break Up With Your Phone, The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again, and The Amazing Generation: Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World, a book for kids and teens co-authored with Jonathan Haidt. Her work has been featured in The Best American Science Writing, NPR, The New York Times, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Wall Street Journal, Popular Science, The Los Angeles Times, and TIME Magazine, amongst many others. She writes the popular Substack newsletter, How to Feel Alive, and her TED Talk on fun has been viewed more than eight million times. Price's goal is to help people of all ages scroll less and live more. 

   Webinar: Tuesday, February 9, 2027 (7:30–8:30 PM Zoom)
   Presenter: Evan Harris
   Protecting Your Child in the Age of Deepfakes

 Deepfake technology is no longer a future concern. Students are encountering AI-generated scams, manipulated media, and abuse through the apps, games, and platforms they use every day. Most parents know the term but aren't sure what it means for their family or what to do about it. Learn how to recognize warning signs that a child may be targeted, how to have age-appropriate conversations about online manipulation, and what steps to take if an incident occurs. Leave with a framework for ongoing conversations with your child, a clear response plan, and the confidence that comes from understanding what you're dealing with. The single most protective thing a parent can do is make sure their child knows they can come to them without fear of judgement. 

Presenter: Evan Harris is a national expert on emerging AI risks in schools, with a focus on deepfake abuse and digital safety. He has advised the Office of the First Lady, the Department of Education, and the General Counsel of the National Association of Independent Schools where he co-authored their legal guide on deepfake sexual abuse. A former and administrator with a decade of experience in independent schools, Harris holds a master's in Private School Leadership from Teachers College and was a Technology Ethics Fellow at Stanford's Human-Centered AI Institute. Most recently, he developed the first national deepfake safety course for students, earning media coverage from outlets like CNN and NPR. 

   Webinar: Thursday, April 8, 2027 (7:30–8:30 PM Zoom)
   Presenter: Aliza Pressman, PhD
   How Temperament Shapes Who We Become: Why Some Children Need More than Others to         Flourish

  Drawing on research and science around temperament, Dr. Pressman offers a clarifying lens: the goal is not to toughen     children up or shield them from all stress, but to understand which stress builds resilience, which requires support, and which demands protection. This session challenges two common but costly parenting extremes, dismissing a children's experiences on one end and over-accommodating on the other. Gain a practical, science-backed approach to raising children who feel seen, understood, and capable. Because when children are known for who they truly are, they stop trying to be someone else and start becoming, fully and confidently, themselves. 

Presenter: Aliza Pressman, PhD, is a developmental psychologist with nearly two decades of experience working with families and the health care provides who care for them. She is the cofounding director of the Mount Sinai Parenting Center and is an associate clinical professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling book The 5 Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans, and the host of the award-winning podcast Raising Good Humans. Her newest book, The Orchid Code will be published in spring 2027. 

   Webinar: Tuesday, May 4, 2027 (7:30–8:30 PM Zoom)
   Presenter: John O'Leary
   The Power of One

 Every individual involved teaching us this truth: one person can make a profound difference in the lives of others. Using emotional storytelling and unexpected humor to highlight the powerful role parents and caregivers play in shaping resilience, perspective, and hope in their children; he reminds us of the impact of our daily attitudes, the power of gratitude, and what it looks like to model courage and compassion, reinforcing that even small, intentional moments of connection can leave a lasting impact on the lives of our kids. Reawaken a sense of purpose, both in parenting an beyond, that what we do everyday matters. 

Presenter: John O'Leary survived a life-altering explosion that left him burned on 100% of his body and fighting for his life. Today, he shared that extraordinary journey as a bestselling author and sought-after speaker, inspiring audiences around the world to live with greater gratitude, courage, and purpose. His story continues to impact millions through his writing, podcast, and the film adaptation of his story, Soul on Fire, which was released in theaters in October 2025.