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PECcalendar.org Parent Education Consortium of the North Shore (PEC) 2014-2015 Calendar, September 2014 Edition CONTACT: Lonnie Stonitsch, Editor, [email protected]

The Parent Education Consortium of the North Shore (PEC) is a centralized source of information on parent resources and programs that promote stronger schools, family and community life. The Calendar of educational programs for parents and educators is compiled from submissions provided by the sponsoring organizations. Deb Guy is PEC’s founder emeritus. NOTE: All programs are free unless indicated by a “$”; programs requiring registration or reservations are indicated by “RSVP.” Book Talks sponsored by The Book Stall in Winnetka, on topics of interest to parents, are headlined in BLUE. Fundraisers are headlined in GREEN, are clustered at the end of the Calendar, and are indicated with a green “F.” New entries to the Calendar are headlined in RED.

ONGOING MONDAY PARENT SUPPORT GROUP Mondays beginning September 22, Parent Support Group, 7-8:30 PM, Response, 9304 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, 60077 ($). For parents of tweens or teens. $15 per couple/person. Contact Marnie Spiegel at 224-625-2924 or [email protected]

ONGOING FRIDAY SERIES ON MINDFUL PARENTING Fridays, Mindfulness Parenting Class: Managing Stress/Creating Health/Encouraging Balance & Wellness, 1:15-2:30 PM, Heart of Transformation Wellness Institute, 1618 Orrington Ave., Ste. 206, Evanston, 60201 (RSVP/$). Series of 4 classes, $108.00; individual class, $30.00. Archana Lal- Tabak, M.D. (Integrative Medicine physician and psychiatrist) and Jim Lal-Tabak (Wellness Coach & Yoga Instructor). Learn about the mind-body connection and a variety of mindfulness exercises. Experience natural stress reduction strategies and tools. Many topics will be covered including: Lifestyle changes, nutritional and natural/sustainable approaches to healing, cognitive behavioral strategies, parenting solutions, nonviolent communication, relaxation response, tend and befriend, following strengths and solutions to physical, emotional, and school/community issues. Each class is self contained and a new psycho- educational topic and mindfulness technique will be presented every week. In order to meet each child/teen where he/she is at and develop appropriately and individually; this is a great opportunity for parents to learn to center, implement self-care and model these solutions for/with their children. SENG (Social & Emotional Needs of the Gifted) will also be included. RSVP to 847-425-9355, [email protected]

16-WEEK TEEN/PARENT DBT GROUP Mondays for 16 weeks beginning September 8, 2014, Teen/Parent Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Group, 6-8:00 PM, Center for Contextual Change, 9239 Gross Point Rd., Skokie, 60077 (RSVP; $). The Center for Contextual Change is offering a Dialectical Behavior Therapy program for high school students and their parent(s). This 16-week program has individual, group, and family components that are focused on reducing self-injurious behaviors and developing skills in mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. As the complexity of the world and the lives of families increase, it is crucial that we have tools for managing stress and conflict. Through this group, parents and teens will learn healthy ways of coping and communicating as they navigate their way through this stage in their lives together. To schedule an intake, or to learn more about this program please contact Danielle Shannon, LCSW at 312-480-6855 or Elizabeth Messana, LPC at 312-509-2582. Center for Contextual Change, 847-676-4447.

WEEKEND INTENSIVE ON VULNERABILITY Thursday, September 18 through Saturday, September 20, 2014, The Daring Way, St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, 1140 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette, 60091 (RSVP; $). Based on the work of Brené Brown, Ph.D. Engage with others on this wholehearted journey to show up, be seen, and live brave ™ Discover how vulnerability is true courage and the foundation for real connection and relationship; Cultivate the courage to embrace all parts of yourself; Learn to create healthier boundaries; Identify new choices and practices toward authentic living. Thursday, September 18, 6-9:00 PM, Friday, September 19 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, and Saturday, September 20, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Cost is $495/per person; $75.00 non-refundable deposit due at time of registration. Balance due prior to September 18. $25.00 discount if paid in full by September 6. For more information: 847-328-4074, [email protected], [email protected]

6-WEEK PARENTING SERIES Monday, September 29, 2014, 6:00 PM and Thursday, October 9, 2014, 5:30 PM, The Art & Science of Parenting, The Family Institute at Northwestern University, 666 Dundee Rd., Northbrook, 60062 (RSVP; $). Hollie Sobel, Ph.D. $65 per session. Parenting doesn’t have a guidebook. However, the field of psychology provides principles of behavior management that can help parents manage day-to-day stressors and struggles. Participants in this six-week group will learn these principles and use them to increase positive behaviors in children ages 6 - 11, decrease the negative, and develop effective, stress-relieving parenting strategies and tools. Topics covered include: reward programs for children, how to improve the parent/child relationship, managing behavior in public, improving school behavior, implementing house rules. Parents in this group will try different strategies, discuss the outcomes of each, and find ways to improve and fine-tune them to suit their family’s unique needs. RSVP 847-733-4300 x 662 to [email protected].

4-WEEK POSITIVE PARENTING WORKSHOP SERIES Wednesdays (10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22), The Art of Positive Parenting Workshop Series, 7:00-8:30 PM, CoWorkers, 1167 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette, 60091 (RSVP; $). Do you read helpful parenting books and hear great speakers, yet struggle to implement parenting strategies? The Art of Positive Parenting, a four-week workshop facilitated by Beth Miller, M.Ed., and PCI Certified Parent Coach, provides information and tools to help reduce frustration and improve daily family life. If you feel like your kids don't listen to you and you would like a calmer and less chaotic home, this interactive workshop is for you! We will explore effective ways to communicate, solve conflicts and manage challenging behaviors. Utilizing the book, The Art of Positive Parenting by Mickey Tobin, along with research from renowned experts Ken Ginsburg, MD, Daniel Siegel and Carol Dweck, you will learn to alleviate power struggles, encourage self- regulation, and develop resilience and confidence in your children. Beth Miller is a parent

Page 2 of 14 coach with over 25 years of experience working with parents and children and is an approved instructor from Action for Children. To register for this workshop, open to parents of children ages 6 to 10, contact [email protected]. Space is limited. Cost of $125 includes book. For additional information visit: www.bethmillerparentcoach.com

8-WEEK SENG READING GROUP Tuesdays (10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/18, 12/2, and 12/9; dates are flexible depending on the needs of the participants), SENG Model-Guided Reading Group for Parents, Educators, Advocates and Professionals: Understanding Social and Emotional Needs of the Gifted, Talented and Other Children with Learning Differences, Multidimensionality, Multipotentiality and Asynchronies in Learning, 1-2:30 PM, Heart of Transformation Wellness Institute, 1618 Orrington Ave., Ste. 206, Evanston, 60201 (RSVP; $). $200.00 for series of 8 classes, $30.00 per individual class. This guided reading group will read and discuss A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children by Webb, Gore, Amend, and DeVries. Please purchase the book online or let us know if you need a copy. Parents/Educators/Teachers/Professionals will learn strategies to raise healthy and resilient gifted children/teens and apply these topics to others as well including themselves. This 8-week class will investigate the following topics. Week 1: Identification of the gifted child; Week 2: Motivation and Learning; Week 3: Discipline and Self-Management; Week 4: Stress and Perfectionism, Week 5: Communication of Feelings; Week 6: Peer Relations and Sibling Rivalry; Week 7: Depression; Week 8: Tradition Breaking and Parent Relations. Parents play an essential role in the life of their gifted child, but parenting a gifted child can be challenging. Many parents benefit from developing community, resources and tools to help with raising their gifted child and how they are assisted in schools and society. Many of the topics are applicable to children/teens and adults who may not have been named gifted due to medical/psychological states at the time of neuro/educational/psychological testing including adrenal fatigue/autoimmune illness. RSVP (847) 425-9355.

4-WEEK CONSCIOUS PARENTING SERIES Wednesdays (10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29), Becoming a Conscious Parent: Tools & Principles for Parenting from Your Heart, 7-9:00 PM, Northbrook Evangelical Covenant Church (across from YMCA), 2737 Techny Rd., Northbrook, 60062 (RSVP; $). Please register at www.parentingperspectives.com. $125/parent, $205/couple. Parenting Perspectives’ Co-founders, Lauren Bondy, LCSW and Karen Jacobson, MA, LCPC, LMFT. Sponsored by NCDAA.

4-WEEK CONSCIOUS PARENTING SERIES Thursdays (10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4), Becoming a Conscious Parent: Tools & Principles for Parenting from Your Heart, 7-9:00 PM, Catherine Cook School, 225 W. Schiller St., Chicago, 60610 (RSVP; $). Please register at www.parentingperspectives.com. $125/parent, $205/couple. Parenting Perspectives’ Co-founders, Lauren Bondy, LCSW and Karen Jacobson, MA, LCPC, LMFT. Sponsored by Parenting Perspectives.

6-WEEK NAMI BASICS CLASS

Page 3 of 14 Tuesdays, October 21 – November 25, NAMI Basics: Education and Support for You, Your Family, and Your Child with Mental Illness, 6:30-9:00 PM, NAMI CCNS, 8324 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, 60077 (RSVP). This is a free, six-week course for parents and family caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illness. Trained family members discuss getting an accurate diagnosis, latest research, therapies, problem solving, crisis preparation, dealing with the school and juvenile justice systems, and transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. Diagnoses discussed include childhood bipolar disorder, depression, ADD/ADHD, anxiety disorders, OCD, ODD, and others. This in-person group experience provides compassion, mutual support, and hope. Parents who complete this course describe its impact as life changing. Registration is required. Call 847-716- 2252. Sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness - Cook County North Suburban.

IEP Monday, September 8, 2014, Building a Collaborative Relationship with Your Child’s Teacher, 6:30 PM, DePaul Prep High School (formerly Gordon Tech High School), 3633 N. California Ave., Chicago, 60618 (RSVP; $). Tuesday’s Child presents a workshop for parents with children in preschool and early elementary school. Developing an effective, collaborative IEP team is one of the best long-term efforts parents can undertake on behalf of our children. Our children benefit most from effective team building. Establishing a good relationship with the teacher at the beginning of the school year is essential in ensuring your child’s goals are being met and lasting school success. The seeds sown early in the school year, focused on creating a foundation to encourage two-way communication with your child’s teacher, and how to effectively support the teacher while he/she implements IEP goals will bear fruit in the spring. Tuesday’s Child’s parent training program and early intervention classroom help families with young children develop healthy parent/child relationships. We provide young children the social/emotional skills and early learning competencies necessary to make the best possible start in school and in social relationships with peers. Parents enrolled develop confidence, knowledge and the skills to develop behavioral goal plans that help their children successfully navigate the world. Barbara Cohen from Special Family Support will provide this advocacy workshop. Barbara is a certified teacher and the mother of a daughter with autism. She combines her years of classroom teaching experiences with the expertise she has gained as a parent navigating Chicago’s labyrinth of educational, therapeutic and social support options. To register, visit Tuesday’s Child online at www.TuesdaysChildChicago.org or call 773-423-5055. $10.00 for Alumni parents; $20.00 regular fee.

AUTISM Tuesday, September 9, 2014, Complex Children on the Autism Spectrum, 7:15 PM, McCracken Middle School, 8000 East Prairie Rd., Skokie, 60076. For additional information, call Chaya at 847-877-6678. Director of Applied Behavior Analysis Leighna Fischer and Play Therapist Taryn Schacherer, LSW have worked together to design a program that helps complex children cope with the multifaceted stressors life often presents. While Taryn’s play emphasizes emotional development and expression, Leighna’s ABA targets behavioral modification methods. In this presentation we will see examples of how the two therapies can be used together for a well-rounded approach to treatment. Leighna is a board certified behavior analyst with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and a specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Chicago

Page 4 of 14 School of Professional Psychology. She has been working in the field of Applied Behavioral Analysis for over 10 years. Taryn’s main goal is to holistically help each family member grow and become a stronger family system. She works from a psychodynamic and caring approach and utilizes aspects of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Sponsored by PLD, Professionals of Learning Disabilities. PLD/SE is an approved provider of professional development and continuing education by the Illinois State Board of Education for teacher certification renewal plans. PLD/SE membership is required for CPDU credits. DISCLAIMER: Professionals in Learning Disabilities and Special Education is a not-for-profit organization offering continuing education programs to inform members of current instructional practices, assessment, and policy issues in the field of learning disabilities. PLD/SE also offers a referral service to the community, providing qualified professionals for diagnostics and remediation. PLD/SE provides programs as a service to its members. PLD/SE does not endorse any specific program, speaker, instructional materials, method, treatment, or evaluation center for children with learning disabilities.

GENDER FLUIDITY Thursday, September 18, 2014, Gender Fluidity: An Educational Workshop on Gender Identity and Expression, 7-8:30 PM, Beth Emet, 1224 Dempster St., Evanston, 60202 (RSVP). Are you a parent or professional who works closely with gender fluid or variant youth? Come to this free workshop, hosted by Response’s Parent & Family Connection! Most of us learn that there are two genders—men and women—and you are only one or the other. For some individuals, their gender identity is more complex than that. Gender Fluidity is a broad term, and can include individuals who move between two or more gender identities and/or expressions at different points in time. Who may choose to identify as Gender Fluid? Some examples: 1) A teen who asks to be referred to as “he” some days, “she” other days, or just by name instead; 2) A child who says “I’m a girl AND a boy” or “I’m not a girl OR a boy”; 3) A young adult who wears masculine clothing in some situations, and feminine clothing in others; 4) Anyone else who feels like “gender fluid” fits their identity. As a parent or family member of an individual who identifies as gender fluid, or who is experimenting with different gender identities and expressions, these situations can raise a lot of questions, confusions, and concerns. This workshop will be a safe space for you to ask questions and learn more about gender, and how to support youth whose gender identity and expression is fluid or varies. Our speaker for the evening is Biz Lindsay-Ryan, an experienced presenter on topics of gender identity and expression and LGBTQ issues. Register by contacting [email protected] or 224-625-2946. Parent & Family Connection is a support and education group for Jewish parents and family members of LGBTQ individuals (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or questioning).

PARENTHOOD Friday, September 19, 2014, All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood, 7:00 PM, New Trier High School, Northfield Campus, Cornog Auditorium, 7 Happ Rd., Northfield, 60093. Back in 1942, anthropologist Margaret Mead noticed something intriguing about America's parents: The subject of childrearing — so uncomplicated in other countries and settings — left them feeling anxious, unstrung, and vulnerable to fads. More than 70 years later, parents are still grappling with these same feelings of uncertainty.

Page 5 of 14 The Family Action Network (FAN) launches its 2014-15 speaker series with Jennifer Senior, a New York City-based journalist and best-selling author. Her very first book, All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood, debuted at #6 on bestseller list in early 2014. The book tapped into a deep well of parental ambivalence that isn't often discussed: the effects of children on parents – their marriages, jobs, friendships, lifestyles, and mental health. Modern parenting, stripped of gooey sentiment and magical thinking, is a high-investment, competitive, demanding activity – it’s a verb, a lot of “doing,” and a parent is often judged by the performance of the child. It’s “no fun,” and it stands in contrast to parenthood, which has more to do with “being” a parent – how we feel as parents, and what meaning we forge from the experience.

In this talk, Ms. Senior will explore some of the unseen forces that are making parents so anxious, including the historic transformation of the child’s role; the liberating-yet-confusing introduction of personal choice; and dramatic changes to how we live and work. She guides parents in seeing that their challenges, which they so often assume are of their own making, are in fact part of a much larger socio-economic-cultural picture, and that they are by no means struggling alone. She will discuss what can be done to think differently about raising children, examining the distinction between happiness and joy, and will shed light on why most parents still say that raising children is the most meaningful thing that they’ll ever do.

Ms. Senior’s gift for clarity, generosity and insight earned her the Erikson Prize in Mental Health Media in 2011 and a spot on the advisory board of the Austen Riggs Center, a psychiatric facility specializing in treatment-resistant patients. In addition to her work on social science and mental health, Ms. Senior is known for her top-notch political reporting. She is a frequent guest on NPR and numerous television programs, including Charlie Rose, The Show, Hardball, Morning Joe, Washington Journal with Brian Lamb, CNN American Morning, Anderson Cooper 360, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, and Today. She is also a regular contributor to the New York Times Book Review.

Sponsored by Family Action Network (FAN), in partnership with Family Service Center, Family Service of Glencoe, Family Service of Winnetka-Northfield, and Catherine Siegel. FAN is grateful for the support of its 2014-15 financial sponsors Compass Health Center, Evanston Township High School D202, Evanston/Skokie D65, New Trier High School D203, New Trier Parents’ Association, North Shore Community Bank, Pathways.org, The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Youth Organizations Umbrella (Y.O.U.), the Martin & Mary L. Boyer Foundation, the Mammel Foundation, and Tina & Byron Trott, along with our in-kind sponsors Acclaim Media, The Book Stall at Chestnut Court, Kirkland & Ellis, LLP, and Turing Group.

RAISING TEENS – 3 EVENTS Tuesday, September 16, 2014, How to Raise Responsible and Confident Teens, 7:00 PM, Glenbard South High School, 23 W 200 Butterfield Rd., Glen Ellyn, 60137. Free and no registration required. The Glenbard Parent Series presents a day of talks featuring acclaimed clinical psychologist Michael G. Thompson, Ph.D. Dr. Thompson is a superstar among elite parent speakers and the author of several New York Times best selling books including The Pressured Child: Freeing Our Kids from Performance Overdrive and Helping Them Find Success In School and in Life; Rising Cain: Protecting the

Page 6 of 14 Emotional Life of Boys; and Best Friends/Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Worlds of Children. An international consultant and highly sought after speaker specializing in children and families, Dr. Thompson has made numerous appearances on the Today Show, the Oprah Show, and CBS’ 60 Minutes. In these important GPS programs, participants will discover strategies for successful communication, and the proven methods of parenting that produce the most competent teens. Follow the psychological journey that children experience as they negotiate and manage their school careers, searching for connection, recognition and a sense of power, and learn how the wisest adults can best help them on their way.

EVENT #2: Tuesday, September 16, 2014, The Pressured Student: Adolescence is Hard Work, 12-1:30 PM, District #15 Marquardt Administration Center, 1860 Glen Ellyn Rd., Glendale Heights, 60139.

EVENT #3: Tuesday, September 16, 2014, Coming to Grips with Girl Overachievement and (Relative) Boy Underachievement, 3-4:00 PM, Glenbard West Library, 670 Crescent Blvd. in Glen Ellyn, 60137.

CPDUs available for education professionals. GPS is generously sponsored by the Cebrin Goodman Center, CASE, College of DuPage, DuPage Medical Group and the Trust Company of Illinois.

TEENS AND TECHNOLOGY Wednesday, September 17, 2014, Parenting Teens in Today’s Technology Culture, 7-8:30 PM, Wolcott School, 524 Wolcott Ave., Chicago, 60622 (RSVP). This program is free and open to parents of all teenagers. RSVP to Niki Aquino at [email protected]. Topics will include: 1) Today’s most popular apps and what makes them popular; 2) Why texting is addictive and how it affects teens, families and relationships; 3) Where teens are most at-risk in the world of technology. Marje Monroe, MSW, is an educator, author and nationally recognized speaker specializing in technology safety and parenting in today’s electronic world. Wolcott School is an independent college-prep high school in Chicago for students with learning differences. This program is sponsored by the James Tyree Community Resource Center at Wolcott School. The Center offers outreach programming on adolescent development, education, and learning differences.

BOOK TALK: “CUT ADRIFT: FAMILIES IN INSECURE TIMES” Wednesday September 17, 2014, Book Stall Book Talk: Cut Adrift: Families in Insecure Times, 12:00 PM, Luncheon, University Club of Chicago, 76 E. Monroe St., Chicago, 60603 (RSVP; $). Marianne Cooper, Ph.D. is a sociologist at the Clayman Institute for Gender Research at Stanford University and an affiliate at the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality. She was the lead researcher for Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg and is a contributor to LeanIn.org. Cut Adrift: Families in Insecure Times makes an important contribution to the national conversation about inequality and risk in American society. Set against the backdrop of rising economic insecurity and rolled-up safety nets, Dr. Cooper’s analysis explores what keeps Americans up at night. Through poignant case studies, she reveals what families are concerned about, how they manage their anxiety, whose job it is to worry, and how social class shapes all of these dynamics, including what is even worth worrying about in the first place. This powerful study is packed with intriguing discoveries ranging from the surprising Page 7 of 14 anxieties of the rich to the critical role of women in keeping struggling families afloat. Through tales of stalwart stoicism, heart-wrenching worry, marital angst, and religious conviction, Cut Adrift deepens our understanding of how families are coping in a go-it-alone age—and how the different strategies on which affluent, middle-class, and poor families rely not only reflect inequality, but fuel it. Sponsored by The Book Stall at Chestnut Court, www.thebookstall.com. For reservations, call 847-446-8880.

With this well-researched book, Cooper, a sociologist at Stanford University’s Clayman Institute, leads a grand return to a publicly committed sociology that is accessible, elucidating, and grounded in real stories. The book charts how individual American families at all income levels have dealt with the anxiety induced by the recent recession. Though each story is sensitively told and rich with personal details, the research focuses on the author’s core finding—the variation of “security strategies” among families. Though conventional wisdom dictates that wealthier families feel more secure, Cooper finds the opposite is true: they experience a mixture of status anxiety and the sense that everything they have isn’t enough. Parents fret about having enough money to send their children to elite schools, even if they have more than enough to pay for state universities. For the poorer and middle-tier families—contrary to popular stereotypes of the grasping, entitled modern American—many are figuring out how to survive with less, and even valorizing that. Cooper offers a robust analysis of gender dynamics, with sharp insights about the heavy burden on women to manage the family’s anxiety. Cooper’s necessary and timely study is a discomfiting reminder of the human cost of the recession. —Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW

BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING, AND SOCIAL CONFLICT Wednesday, September 17, 2014, Social Conflict, Bullying or Cyberbullying: What Is the Difference And What Can We Do?, 7:00 PM, St. Joseph School, Meter Hall, 1740 Lake St., Wilmette, 60091. "Social pain is very subjective – one child may easily brush off the taunting of his or her peers, while another child can be devastated by the same behaviors – and thus it is important to have a common language for defining what bullying is, and equally as important, what bullying is not. Parents, teachers, and kids can benefit from understanding the difference between normal social conflict and true bullying because conflating the two has a problematic impact on how we help our kids." This quote is from the 2013 Keynote Address at the Anti-Defamation League’s 5th Annual Cyberbullying Conference, delivered by Carrie Goldman, M.B.A., the award-winning author of Bullied: What Every Parent, Teacher, and Kid Needs to Know about Ending the Cycle of Fear. For Goldman, the very words “bully” and “victim” set off emotional reactions in our communities. The conversation needs to be shifted away from fear of labels and towards solutions, which starts with shared definitions. Goldman has traveled the country educating parents, teachers, social workers, psychologists, pediatricians, students, and school administrators on how to analyze the painful social situations students are facing in order to make the best possible plan for relief and improvement. In normal social conflict -- where each student has equal power -- it is best for adults to avoid “helicoptering” and let the kids come up with their own solutions, only stepping in to provide guidance and assistance as necessary. In true bullying, however, it is often necessary for adults to intervene more actively, because a power imbalance exists that limits the target’s ability to make the cruel behaviors stop. For more information, email Paula Merucci at [email protected]. This program is sponsored by St. Joseph School Board and PSO and is free and open to all. Page 8 of 14

UNDERAGE DRINKING Tuesday, September 23, 2014, Reducing Underage Drinking in Our Community, 7-8:30 PM, New Trier High School, Northfield Campus, Room C234, Northfield, 60091 (RSVP). The New Trier Township Prevention Council (NTTPC) is a community-based coalition whose mission is to unite New Trier Township communities in the prevention and reduction of substance abuse through a broad range of strategies including advocacy, public education, and programs for youth and families. NTTPC is hosting a Town Hall Meeting to raise awareness around the issue of underage drinking in the New Trier community and ways to decrease and prevent substance use. We would like to invite all to the Town Hall Meeting to learn more about what contributes to underage drinking in our community. The meeting will consist of information sharing from field experts and small group discussions. If anyone has questions or interest in attending they can RSVP to [email protected]

GROWING UP TOO FAST Tuesday, September 23, 2014, Growing Up Too Fast: Girls, Boys, & the Pressure to Belong, 7:00 PM, Prairie Elementary School Cafeteria, 1530 Brandywyn Lane, Buffalo Grove, 60089. The District 96 Parent-to-Parent Network welcomes popular returning speaker Michael Maniacci, Psy.D., who will discuss ways our children are growing up too quickly and influences contributing to that fast track. What are the causes and the consequences? Are parents allowing (expecting) too much too soon? What should "good" parents do? Dr. Maniacci is a licensed clinical psychologist with practices in Naperville and Chicago. He is a former graduate school professor, a consultant to numerous organizations, and a published author whose work has been translated into Chinese, German, Japanese, and many other languages. In addition to a doctorate in clinical psychology, Dr. Maniacci has a master's degree in counseling psychology and has completed a postdoctoral internship in marriage and family treatment. All interested adults are invited to this presentation sponsored by the District 96 Parent-to-Parent (P2P) Network and funded by the District 96 Foundation. The presentation is appropriate for parents of students in grades K–8. NO pre-registration/NO fee. The program will begin at 7:00 PM and will conclude at 8:30 PM with a Q&A opportunity. Please contact the District 96 public information coordinator with questions: 847-459-4260, ext. 8022.

SPECIAL NEEDS Wednesday, September 24, 2014, Special Ed 101: An Introduction to Special Education, 7:00 PM, NSSED Technology Center, Rubloff Building, 776 Red Oak Lane, Highland Park, 60035 (RSVP). Come and learn about the basic components of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) document, the identification and referral process if you are concerned your child may need additional support and how to effectively participate as a member of the school educational team. Presented by: Sue Hans, NSSED Parent Mentor and Heather Miehl, NSSED Director of Programs and Support Services.

AUTISM Friday, September 26, 2014, A Systematic Approach to Teaching Social Interpersonal Skills to Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Social Difficulties, at 12-2:00 PM, Community Consolidated School District #93

Page 9 of 14 Administration Center, Bloomingdale, 60108 (RSVP). The workshop will provide an overview of the Building Social Relationships (BSR) model developed by Scott Bellini, Ph.D. The five-step model is a systematic and comprehensive framework to help guide parents and practitioners in the development and implementation of social skills programming. The session will provide the foundation for the model, and cover specific information on how to assess social functioning and evaluate outcomes. Dr. Bellini will share data and examples of session structure plans for social skills strategies implemented at his clinic, the Social Skills Research Center. Dr. Bellini is the Director of the Social Skills Research Clinic (SSRC), a university-based center specializing in developing and examining the outcomes of social skill interventions for youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders. He is also a faculty member in the School Psychology program at Indiana University, Bloomington. He is currently conducting research on professional development outcomes for educators, anxiety disorders, and social skill interventions, including video modeling for youth with ASD. He has published numerous research manuscripts and has provided consultation and training to families and professionals in over 35 states on the topic of social skills programming. He is the author of the book Building Social Relationships, which was named the 2007 Literary Work of the Year by the Autism Society of America. Participants are encouraged to register at ww.casedupage.com for this free event which is open to the public. CPDUs are available for education professionals. GPS is generously sponsored by the Cebrin Goodman Center, CASE, College of DuPage, DuPage Medical Group, and the Trust Company of Illinois. For information on all GPS programming go to www.glenbardgps.org or contact Gilda Ross, Glenbard Student and Community Projects Coordinator, at 630-942-7678 and by email [email protected].

PARENT-TEACHER RELATIONSHIPS Tuesday, September 30, 2014, The Essential Conversation: What Parents and Teachers Can Learn From Each Other, 7:00 PM, Evanston Township High School Auditorium, 1600 Dodge Ave., Evanston, 60201. In her hugely influential 2003 book, The Essential Conversation: What Parents and Teachers Can Learn From Each Other, Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Ed.D., chooses an unusual term to describe the relationship between parents and teachers: “natural enemies,” inevitably adversarial because a parent’s view of their child is highly subjective, intimate, protective, and very loving, whereas a teacher’s view of the same child is more distant and dispassionate, balancing the needs of individual students with the development of the classroom community. While both are striving for “the best interest of the child,” what that means for each can produce conflict and distrust. Together with what Dr. Lawrence-Lightfoot labels the “ghosts in the classroom,” the “generational echoes” of autobiography, culture, class, identity and values, these dynamics, and others, create powerful forces that shape the quality and tone of parent-teacher encounters.

Dr. Lawrence-Lightfoot, a MacArthur prize-winning sociologist, is the Emily Hargroves Fisher Professor of Education at Harvard University, where she has been on the faculty since 1972. An educator, researcher, author, and public intellectual, she has written nine books, including Worlds Apart: Relationships Between Families and Schools (1978) and The Good High School: Portraits of Character and Culture (1983), which received the 1984 Outstanding Book Award from the American Educational Research Association. Dr. Lawrence- Lightfoot is a member of numerous professional and scholarly committees and boards of directors including: The American Philosophical Society, the National Academy of Education,

Page 10 of 14 Bright Horizons, and WGBH Educational Foundation, and has been a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. In 1984, she was the recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Prize, and in 1993 she was awarded Harvard’s George Ledlie Prize given for research that makes the “most valuable contribution to science” and “the benefit of mankind.” Dr. Lawrence-Lightfoot has been the recipient of over 30 honorary degrees from colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

In 1993, the Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot Chair, an endowed professorship, was established at her alma mater Swarthmore College and, in 1998, she was the recipient of the Emily Hargroves Fisher Endowed Chair at Harvard University, which upon her retirement will become the Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot Endowed Chair, making her the first African-American woman in Harvard’s history to have an endowed professorship named in her honor. She received her doctorate in the sociology of education at Harvard in 1972.

Sponsored by Family Action Network (FAN), in partnership with Erikson Institute, Evanston Township High School D202, North Shore Academy, and Youth Organizations Umbrella (Y.O.U.). FAN is grateful for the support of its 2014-15 financial sponsors Compass Health Center, Evanston Township High School D202, Evanston/Skokie D65, New Trier High School D203, New Trier Parents’ Association, North Shore Community Bank, Pathways.org, The Family Institute at Northwestern University, Youth Organizations Umbrella (Y.O.U.), the Martin & Mary L. Boyer Foundation, the Mammel Foundation, and Tina & Byron Trott, along with our in-kind sponsors Acclaim Media, The Book Stall at Chestnut Court, Kirkland & Ellis, LLP, and Turing Group.

ATTENTION AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION Wednesday, October 1, 2014, Attention and Executive Functioning in the Classroom, 7:30 PM, Glencoe Public Library, 320 Park Ave., Glencoe, 60022. Jennifer Edidin, Ph.D. and Dorit Raviv, Ph.D. of the Evaluation Center for Learning in Northfield, will speak to parents about attention and executive functioning in school-aged children. They will discuss associated disorders, assessment, ideas for intervention, and school accommodations.

FILM SCREENING: “BULLY” Tuesday, October 7, 2014, Community Screening and Public Discussion of Anti-Bullying Documentary, BULLY, 6:30 PM, Winnetka Public Library, 768 Oak St., Winnetka, 60093. Over 13 million American kids will be bullied this year, making it the most common form of violence experienced by young people in the nation. The new documentary film BULLY, directed by Sundance and Emmy-award winning filmmaker, Lee Hirsch, brings human scale to this startling statistic, offering an intimate, unflinching look at how bullying has touched five kids and their families. BULLY is a beautifully cinematic, character-driven documentary. At its heart are those with huge stakes in this issue whose stories each represent a different facet of America’s bullying crisis. Filmed over the course of the 2009/2010 school year, BULLY opens a window onto the pained and often endangered lives of bullied kids, revealing a problem that transcends geographic, racial, ethnic and economic borders. It documents the responses of teachers and administrators to aggressive behaviors that defy “kids will be kids” clichés, and it captures a growing movement among parents and youths to change how bullying is handled in schools, in communities and in

Page 11 of 14 society as a whole. This event is sponsored by Lake Shore Unitarian Society, 620 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka, Illinois, 60093 in partnership with the Winnetka Library. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.LakeShoreUnitarian.org or Facebook.com/LakeShoreUnitarian.

SOCIAL HIERARCHIES – 2 EVENTS Tuesday, October 7, 2014, Queen Bees and Masterminds, 7:00 PM, Hinsdale Central High School Auditorium, 5500 S. Grant Street, Hinsdale, 60521 (RSVP). You know it exists whether you see it or not … social hierarchies influence our kids’ decision-making and emotional well-being. Gain insights into the complex nature of boys’ and girls’ inner lives as they navigate the unwritten rules of social arenas in school. Rosalind Wiseman, author and speaker, has become a keen observer of pre-teen and teen behaviors and social structures. Many parents and teens know her books, Queen Bees and Wannabees and Masterminds and Wingmen, as well as the movie, Mean Girls, based in part on Queen Bees. As a speaker, author, educator, and media spokesperson, Wiseman focuses on the development of healthy well-being, self-identity, and positive relationships. RSVP at www.d181foundation.org starting four weeks prior to program. This is a free program, open to all.). The Community Speaker Series is sponsored by: Hinsdale Township High School District 86, in partnership with District 181 Foundation, Hinsdale Central PTO, The Community House, Marriott Burr Ridge, and QUEST Food Service.

EVENT #2: Wednesday, October 8, 2014, Queen Bees and Masterminds, 10:00 AM, The Community House, 415 W. 8th St., Hinsdale, 60521 (RSVP). You know it exists whether you see it or not … social hierarchies influence our kids’ decision- making and emotional well-being. Gain insights into the complex nature of boys’ and girls’ inner lives as they navigate the unwritten rules of social arenas in school. Rosalind Wiseman, author and speaker, has become a keen observer of pre-teen and teen behaviors and social structures. Many parents and teens know her books, Queen Bees and Wannabees and Masterminds and Wingmen, as well as the movie, Mean Girls, based in part on Queen Bees. As a speaker, author, educator, and media spokesperson, Wiseman focuses on the development of healthy well-being, self-identity, and positive relationships. RSVP at www.d181foundation.org starting four weeks prior to program. This is a free program, open to all.). The Community Speaker Series is sponsored by: Hinsdale Township High School District 86, in partnership with District 181 Foundation, Hinsdale Central PTO, The Community House, Marriott Burr Ridge, and QUEST Food Service.

NURTURING CHILDREN Wednesday, October 8, 2014, NurtureShock, 7:00 PM, Gorton Community Center Auditorium, 400 E. Illinois Rd., Lake Forest, 60045 ($). Ashley Merryman is the co-author of the New York Times bestseller, NurtureShock. One of the most influential books about children ever published, NurtureShock offers a revolutionary new perspective on children that upends a library’s worth of conventional wisdom. The central premise of this book is that many of modern society’s strategies for nurturing children are in fact backfiring - because key twists in the science have been overlooked. NurtureShock has been featured on Good Morning America, Nightline, All Things Considered, Fresh Air, Newsweek, and many other media sources. If you want to be a better parent, please join us. Together, we will try to upend what we know as we get to the core of how children grow, learn, live, and thrive! Sponsored by Linking Efforts Against Drugs

Page 12 of 14 (LEAD). Cost is $25/person or $40/couple. Visit www.leadingefforts.org/merryman for more information.

FILM SCREENING: “MELTING AWAY” Tuesday, October 14, 2014, Israeli Film Screening and Panel Discussion: MELTING AWAY, 7-9:00 PM, North Shore Congregation Israel, 1185 Sheridan Rd., Glencoe, 60022 (RSVP). MELTING AWAY is the first Israeli film to depict a family coming to terms with their child’s transgender identity. Join Response's Parent & Family Connection and North Shore Congregation Israel for this moving and award winning film. MELTING AWAY depicts the relationship between a family and their transgender teen, and deals with topics of identity, loss, acceptance, and family. The film will be followed by a panel discussion and refreshments. Mature content: recommended for high schoolers and older. Film is in Hebrew with English subtitles. RSVP by contacting [email protected] or 224-625-2946. Parent & Family Connection is a support and education group for Jewish parents and family members of LGBTQ individuals (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or questioning).

CHILDHOOD MEDICAL TRAUMA Wednesday, October 29, 2014, Understanding Childhood Medical Trauma, 6- 7:30 PM, National Lekotek Center, 2001 N. Clybourn Ave., 1st Floor, Chicago, 60614. Presenter: Allison Levine, MA, LCSW, Clinical Coordinator and Therapist at The Theraplay Institute. Learn about how living with chronic illness, acute medical trauma, or complex medical needs affects your child’s social and emotional development. Find ways to best understand and support your child in their experiences of their medical journey as well as ways to cope as parent raising a child with medical needs. Childcare is provided. Please contact Hayley Anderson at [email protected] for details.

DISCIPLINE Sunday, November 2, 2014, Are You Tired of Time-Outs? Discipline in the Theraplay Spirit, 11:30 AM-1:00 PM, Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, 303 Dodge Ave, Evanston, 60202. Presenter: Dafna Lender, MSW, LCSW, Certified Theraplay Therapist, Supervisor, and Trainer at The Theraplay Institute. Learn to integrate playful, reciprocal interactions to enhance your child’s self- esteem and sense of well-being, and therefore decrease negative behavior. Help your child to feel more comfortable accepting your guidance and leadership. Move away from constant rewards and threats of punishment. This event is for adults only. Please contact Tom Samuels at [email protected] for details.

Page 13 of 14 FUNDRAISER Sunday, September 28, 2014, 11th Annual Rock & Rally Walkathon, 1-3:00 PM, Hubbard Woods Park, Winnetka, 60093 (RSVP; $; F). Erika’s Lighthouse and co-chairs Gayl Monto, Eve Perri and Deedee Brannigan are hosting the 11th Annual Rock & Rally Walkathon. The two-mile walk is a day for Chicagoland community members to come together and raise awareness of adolescent depression - a disease that impacts nearly 20% of teens before adulthood. Throughout the event, participants will enjoy the music of local teen musicians and learn facts about this common, serious and treatable illness. The walk route will showcase Winnetka, the birthplace of Erika’s Lighthouse, and lead walkers back to the park for a post-event rally and raffle drawing. Erika’s Lighthouse Teen Panel and Club members representing high schools ranging from Libertyville, New Trier, Glenbrook South, John Hersey, Maine East, North Shore Country Day, Evanston and many more will be in attendance. A $20 contribution covers event participation, as well as, a raffle ticket, refreshments and the 11th annual T-shirt. Participants can register at the event, but are urged to pre-register online for eligibility in an exclusive drawing reserved only for pre- registration participants. Event sponsors include the Winnetka Park District, the Winnetka Youth Organization, Lululemon, Kraft, Hinckley Springs, BMO Harris Bank, Chicago 100.3 WILV and the Rotary of Wilmette Harbor. The walkathon is a perfect event for people of all ages, families, friends and even pets! Join Erika’s Lighthouse in this incredible afternoon to shed light on depression, end stigma and pave a pathway to help and hope for our community’s young people. After all, everyone deserves good mental health. For walkathon news, follow the Erika’s Lighthouse Instagram, Facebook and Twitter page and join the walkathon conversation by hashtagging #beaconofhope. For more information or to pre-register, visit www.erikaslighthouse.org.

FUNDRAISER Thursday, October 16, 2014, A Colorful Celebration, To Benefit Counseling Services for Women and Children, 6:30-9:00 PM, Redfield Estate in The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave., Glenview, 60025 (RSVP; $; F). $75, tickets available on website, www.familyservicecenter.com or by calling 847-251-7350. Join us for an interactive entertaining evening that includes wine, craft beers, hors d’oeuvres, live music … and “art in progress.” Sponsored by Family Service Center of Wilmette, Glenview, Kenilworth and Northbrook.

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