D-200’s Parent University set for Saturday
WOODSTOCK – Parents in District 200 and surrounding communities including Alden-Hebron, Harvard, Johnsburg and McHenry will have a unique opportunity on Saturday, Feb. 25 to learn successful strategies for helping their children deal with the challenges confronting today’s youth.
District 200’s second annual Parent University will be held at Woodstock North High School from 8 a.m. to noon and is open to parents of students in elementary through high school.
The half-day seminar, which is presented at no cost to participants, will feature a keynote speaker and 20 one-hour workshops on 10 different topics including Parenting in the Millennium, bullying, underage drinking, co-parenting in two homes, Love and Logic, ADHD, and Preparing for the Social Aspects of College Life. Two of the workshops will be presented in Spanish and all are conducted by experts in their fields. The program will also feature opportunities to network with other parents and to learn about a variety of resource agencies in the area.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Dennis Embry, will kick off the event at 8:30 a.m.with a presentation titled “Five Things Every Parent Can Do to Protect Their Children for a Lifetime." Dr. Embry is a nationally-known author of more than 40 books and training materials on positive youth and child development, parenting and family difficulties, violence, substance abuse and mental health, and science-based prevention of children’s injuries. He is the scientist and creator behind PeaceBuilders, the PAX Good Behavior Game, and has been featured in such national media as the Today Show, Good Morning America, Life Magazine, People Magazine, the New York Times and the Associated Press.
Dr. Embry will also present one of the workshops on the topic of “Making Five Good Things Happen for All of our Children’s Futures.” Popular presenters returning from last year include Dr. Michael Feld, from Alexian Brothers Hospital Network, Shira Greenfield, LCPC, from Centegra Health Systems, and Cjay Harmer, Prevention Coordinator with Youth Service Bureau.
Every participant will be able to attend two workshops of their choosing. In addition to the workshop presentations, participants will also have the opportunity to meet and talk with representatives from a variety of service agencies in the area. These include McHenry County Department of Health, Volunteer McHenry, Rosecrance, Gateway, D.A.R.E., The Mathers Clinic, PFLAG, Jailbrakers and many others including resources within District 200 schools.
The schedule for Parent University is:
8-8:30 a.m.: Sign in and pick up program materials
8:30-9 a.m.: Keynote Address
9-10 a.m.: Workshop Session 1
10-11 a.m.: Resource Fair
11 a.m.-noon: Workshop Session 2
A continental breakfast will be served and free child care will be provided to those who are interested.
Advanced sign up is requested to help organizers plan for breakfast and sufficient child care assistance. Just visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ParentU and provide the information requested on the brief five-question online survey. The names of everyone who signs up in advance will be entered into a drawing for a pair of Bulls Tickets or a pair of Bears Pre-season tickets which will be given away at the event.
For information about Parent University, contact Julie Jennett, D-200 Special Services Coordinator, at 815-337-6038 or go visit http://sped.woodstockschools.org/node/2651. Woodstock North High School is located at 3000 Raffel Road.