Events

MAY

Establishing & Nurturing School-Home Partnerships 

Thursday, May 16, 2024 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. via Zoom  

This event will not be recorded.

We continue to find ourselves dealing with post-COVID children's developmental and learning gaps, decreased social engagement among both children and families, and interfering behaviors that occur at school, at home, and in the community. In this critical moment, we need to bridge the gap between school and home by focusing on relationship-building, collaboration, and skill-based programming across settings. This workshop will provide recommendations for how to establish partnerships that facilitate collaborative goal setting, problem-solving, and intervention development that align with both school and parent values. It is also integral that educational programming from preschool to high school teach students meaningful behaviors and skills that lead to improved academic productivity, social engagement, and self-advocacy in educational, familial, and community contexts. We will discuss evidence-based approaches for teaching socially significant skills in a way that builds on the school-home partnership while promoting generalization and maintenance of these skills and behaviors. 

About the Speaker:

For over 20 years, Lisa Gurdin has been working with students, families, and school-based professionals with students from preschool to age 22 with a range of special needs and complex profiles. Ms. Gurdin supports educational professionals through consultation, student evaluations, and staff training. She works collaboratively with parents and school professionals to facilitate integrated support across settings thereby maximizing behavior change and skill development. Ms. Gurdin also provides parent coaching to help parents implement behavioral strategies to improve behavior, encourage independence, and build stronger family relationships. Ms. Gurdin is a Part-Time Lecturer and supervisor in the Master’s in ABA Program and College of Professional Studies at Northeastern University.

To register:  https://forms.gle/jRswhmL9w1D1uAp77 

JUNE TBD

PAST EVENTS

JANUARY

NARCOTICS: THE DRUGS, HEALTH RISKS, EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND EMERGENT CARE (virtual presentation)

January 17, 2024 from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. via Zoom

The opioid crisis has affected countless people and continues to put young people at risk. This presentation examines the basics of opioids- what this classification of drugs is, why opioid addiction is unique, the history of our present epidemic, the importance of education and emergent care in an overdose situation.

 About the speaker

Greg West, M.Ed., is a retired Health Education teacher of 30+ years. He has designed and implemented middle and high school Comprehensive Health Education programs as well as courses in emergency medicine. He now presents topics of adolescent health and wellness to high school students as well as offering programs for parents and school personnel.

MARCH

MARIJUANA: WHERE WE WERE AND WHERE WE ARE 

Wednesday, March 13th from 5:30-7:00 pm via Zoom

This event will NOT be recorded.

This workshop details the truth about the alarming effects of marijuana on the developing adolescent brain and how marijuana use may negatively impact concentration, attention, motivation, and mood. In addition, this workshop highlights the legalities of marijuana and the role of school policies.                                                        

About the Speaker: 

Cory Mashburn, M.Ed., has over 20 years expertise in the field of prevention services and more than 25 years’ experience working with youth and people with disabilities.  He has overseen the planning and implementation of prevention programs within communities and schools in the New England Region, including substance use and abuse, bullying, cyber safety, and human rights. In addition, Cory has developed multiple health and wellness curricula in schools across the state of Massachusetts. He holds master’s degrees in educational leadership, project management and criminal justice, in addition to his bachelor’s degree in recreational management. As the father of two young children, he understands the importance of equipping youth, their parents, and their communities with the knowledge and skills to enable young people to become the best version of themselves.

APRIL 

Social Media's Impact on Mental Health: Optimizing Connection

Tuesday, April 16, 2024 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. via Zoom

This event will not be recorded.

Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook foster a culture of peer comparison and entice users to stay online longer than they intend, which can foster discouraging or negative feelings. Snapchat locations and Instagram stories cause FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), contributing to anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Teachers and parents will learn individual and group strategies to optimize students' use of social media.   

About the Speaker:
Susan Reynolds, M.Ed., has over 20 years of experience in academic technology and digital wellbeing. In 2007 Susan founded ABC Legacy: Atoms to Bits Children's Legacy which generated the Look Up Foundation, committed to empowering teens and college students to join together to change their relationship to technology. As a teacher whose passion has always been to inspire her students to become change agents, she hopes to empower the next generation to find and implement these solutions.