Parent University.
Presented by the Melrose Education Foundation, Parent U is a series of workshops and conversations for parents and caregivers facilitated by experts from our community and centered on topics of education, parenting and support.
Parent U: DEI in Our Schools
Parent U: DEI in Our Schools is a follow-up session to the March 2021 3-part Interruption Racism workshop series. This session, on April 26th, will be facilitated by Assistant Superintendent Margaret Adams and the MPS Cultural Proficiency Leadership Team. They will share a highlight of the diversity, equity, and inclusion work happening across the district with time to ask questions. Then, we will break into smaller focus groups to provide feedback on five questions that will inform the district's equity plan development. Question will be shared ahead of time with participants.
The session will be facilitated on Zoom, Monday April 26 at 7pm.
Parent U: Interrupting Racism
Parent U: Interrupting Racism is a multi-day workshop series for parents and caregivers in Melrose. Facilitated by Human in Common, an innovative team of diversity consultants, teachers and staff at the Melrose Public Schools participated in this workshop series this past year. The Melrose Education Foundation is pleased to extend the opportunity to our community as we continue to work in partnership with our schools.
The workshop series will be facilitated on Zoom and will be highly interactive. Participants should be prepared to have their cameras and microphones on, engaging with our facilitators and other participants. In addition, the three workshops progress from one to the next. Because of this, we encourage participants to commit to attend all workshops in the series for a full experience and training.
Interrupting Racism Level 1: Amplifying Individual Awareness (3 Workshops, 2 Hours Each)
March 15, 22, 29, 2021
7pm, Zoom
This training lays the foundation for a common understanding of the breadth and depth of racism and its impact on all aspects of society. Experiencing the History of Racism Timeline in community increases awareness and commitment to racial equity.
Activities and exercises address:
• Community Agreements for engaging in learning together
• History of Race & Racism in the US Timeline
• Unpacking our personal histories of race and racism
• Data on the material impact of racism today
• Stereotypes, prejudice & bias
• Social identity and perspective
• Intersectionality and the complexity of belonging
• Looking through the lens of diversity, equity & inclusion
• Language for talking about race, ethnicity and racism
Parent U: Virtual Fall Semester 2020
Mondays, 7pm | Zoom
Presented by the Melrose Education Foundation, Parent U is a series of workshops and conversations for parents and caregivers facilitated by experts from our community and centered on topics of education, parenting and support. This year, Parent U will be presented virtually, on Monday evenings in November and December. Participation is free, thanks to the generous support of our local community.
While we will miss gathering in person as a community as we have done in past years, there are some advantages. Parent U workshops will be offered over the course of several weeks, so you may attend as many as you like.
Please register in advance. You can register for all at once or come back and register for additional workshops later. Workshops are virtual via Zoom on Mondays at 7pm. A Zoom link will be shared a few days before each workshop.
Thank you in advance to our Parent U workshop presenters, all experts in their field and members of our local Melrose community. We look forward to seeing you all at Parent U!
Parent U: Workshop Descriptions
Transform Difficult Behaviors & Ignite Your Child’s Greatness
November 9, 7pm
Target Audience: All
Presenter: Sam Healy, LICSW, NHA Advanced Trainer & Specialist
The Nurtured Heart Approach™ (NHA) is a relationship and success based set of strategies to teach children positive behaviors, self-regulation, and critical life skills within the context of everyday routines and activities. Participants will learn practical strategies and specific techniques to help children transform difficult behaviors and reach their highest potential.
College Financing
November 16, 7pm
Target Audience: Grades 9 – 12
Presenter: Jeff Bentley, VP, Student Lending at Citizens Bank
The thought of financing a college education can be overwhelming for high school students and their families. Whether you’ve been saving for 18 years or 18 days, there are options to help pay for college. In this workshop, we’ll discuss all things education financing including types of financial aid, the FAFSA and why it is important, student loans and more.
Managing Screen Time & Content
November 23, 7pm
Target audience: Elementary & Middle School
Presenter: Kristin Thorp, SDM Foundation
Kids are on screens now more than ever, with so much of school online and limited after school activities. How can parents continue to monitor screen time and limit access to content? Are there ways parents can keep kids focused on the screen time they must have, without getting too distracted by all the other content out there? This presentation will provide an overview of what is possible with many tech setups; attendees can schedule appointments with SDM for follow up conversations about their specific households.
The College Search and Admissions Journey: Unpacking the Process
November 30, 7pm
Target Audience: Grades 10 – 12
Presenter: Manjula Karamcheti, College with a K Consulting; Director of Equity and Student Support, Woodrow Wilson Graduate School of Teaching and Learning/MIT
Applying to college can be overwhelming. Will my student be ready? How do we pick a school that is a good fit, and how do we know? From college tours to college essays, interview to early admissions, this workshop will cover ways to support your student and make your college application process as smooth as possible.
Pandemic Parenting & Coping with Parental Burnout
December 7, 7pm
Target Audience: All
Presenter: Lisa Coyne, Ph.D., Founder & Senior Consultant, McLean Hospital; Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School; Founder & Director, New England Center for OCD and Anxiety, Boston, PLLC
The world has been upended by the pandemic, and parental stress has gone through the roof. How do you show up for yourself and your children when you are exhausted? How do you manage self care and support kids’ emotional development and stay connected? This workshop will discuss how to cope and give strategies for supporting both yourself and your kids.