This year, Wakefield’s Parent University will feature two virtual keynote sessions and a morning of in-person workshops! Since 2014, Wakefield Public Schools has offered parents and caregivers programming that addresses academic, social-emotional, and technology topics through its Parent University series. Virtual keynotes will take place the evenings of Thursday, February 9 and Thursday, March 9 and in-person workshops will take place the morning of Saturday, March 25 at the Woodville Elementary School. Wakefield Academy will provide free childcare during our in-person workshops.

Keynote: February 9; Dr. Ellen Braaten presents Trying to Keep Up

We live in a world where quick responding is considered an essential skill; however, many children feel left behind.  Dr. Braaten will provide an overview of processing speed and its relationship to today’s quick-paced lifestyles, classroom environments, and home lives.  She will discuss the connection between processing speed and other issues such as ADHD, learning disabilities, and anxiety; how slower processing can affect a child’s social relationships and classroom performance; and how caregivers can best accommodate and help students who have trouble keeping up. 

This virtual event, co-sponsored by Wakefield SEPAC, will take place on Thursday, February 9, at 7 p.m. Register today.  A certificate of attendance for professional development will be available upon request.

Dr. Ellen Braaten is the Executive Director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Associate Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School. She is the co-author of Bright Kids Who Can't Keep Up: Help Your Child Overcome Slow Processing Speed and Succeed in a Fast-Paced World.

Keynote: March 9; Sarah Ward presents Teach Children to Manage Their Time, Space, and Materials

Do you have children who are disorganized and forget to turn in the homework they have completed? Do you see your child is constantly multitasking, so tasks take twice as long as they should? This virtual event will teach caregivers and professionals dozens of easy-to-implement strategies to improve motivation and task initiation for children at all grade levels. Join us on Thursday, March 9, at 7 p.m. Register today. A certificate of attendance for professional development will be available upon request.

Sarah Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP, is the co-director of Cognitive Connections in Concord, MA.  She is a speech-language pathologist who specializes in executive function and has over 25 years of experience doing diagnostic evaluations, treatment, and case management.

In-Person Workshops: Saturday, March 25

This year, our workshops are back in person! This series of casual, interactive sessions are facilitated by Wakefield Public Schools staff and community partners. They cover a variety of topics that span all grade levels. The full schedule will be posted soon. Wakefield Academy will provide free on-site childcare.