Better Your Parenting Skills at Free Workshop

What does it mean to be an “involved parent?” The term is commonly thrown around as one of the top predictors for academic achievement. But is there a trick to it? Some kind of balancing act?

That is where the Office of School and Family Partnerships comes through for parents of Anne Arundel County Public School students. They want to help parents learn to be involved in a way that fits each family.

To that end, they host a “Parent Involvement Conference” each year, with experts who present relevant home-school topics, followed by question-and-answer time.

Courtesy of MDPTA.

This year it is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 11 at The Church at Severn Run, located at 8187 Telegraph Road (Route 170) in Severn. No, it isn’t a religious event. One of their goals is to get outside of the schools and into the community. They use the space where they can get it.

It’s free and all parents (and grandparents and caregivers and tutors and nannies) are welcome to attend. Here are the workshops that will be presented:

• Healthy Students, Healthy Schools – Cultivating Communities of Wellness. You will learn valuable information about the collaboration between the Anne Arundel County Department of Health and the Anne Arundel County Board of Education. This session will include an overview of the programs offered in school, with a sensible approach for families to improve eating habits and physical activity while home. All components pave the way for students to have a successful academic career and healthy lifestyle.
• Mental Wellness for Young People. Participants will explore the main components of mental wellness and identify strategies to support mental wellness in their children. Specific indicators of stress will be discussed and techniques for managing student and parent stress in a developmentally appropriate manner will be presented and practiced. There will be an opportunity for setting goals for mental wellness.
• Beat the Time Challenge: Volunteer! Knowing that volunteering is good for your child, your school, and you can be stressful when you just don’t have enough time. But, with a little creative thinking you might find ways to be involved! You’ll hear some new ideas—and you’ll be asked to share your own experiences.
• Diagnosing and Treating Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.Join us for an informative session with a local pediatrician to discuss the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).
• Families are ConnectED with Treasures Reading at Home. Come learn how to navigate ConnectED, the online resource for the Treasures reading program. You will discover how to access this valuable resource at home and reinforce what your children are learning in the classroom.
• Hands On Equations.Hands On Equations is a visual and kinesthetic approach to algebra which supports the introduction of algebraic thinking for children as young as grade 3. Using manipulatives, children are able to solve equations typically not introduced before middle school. Come play to learn how fun algebra can be.
• Let’s Read Together! There are so many exciting ways to encourage and enhance your children’s reading skills! Join us to pick up some new tips you can use with children of all ages.
• Positive Parenting. Would you like to learn some strategies for encouraging your children’s good behavior? Then this is the workshop for you. Join us for an interactive session where you will learn how to work with your children to establish family expectations and reinforce preferred behaviors.
• Teens, Drugs & Alcohol: What Parents Need to Know. Come meet community experts in the field of teen drug and alcohol abuse. You will learn about the effects of underage alcohol and substance abuse, drug-free alternatives and resources for teens seeking assistance with related issues.
• Using Questioning with Primary Learners. “Why?” “How come?” “But, what if…?” Have you been peppered with these types of questions from your children? If your response has typically been, “because…” join us to find out how effective questioning can encourage primary children to make important connections and gain new understandings.

The theme of this spring’s conference is “Nourishing the Whole Child” and AACPS school Superintendent Kevin Maxwell will join participants for breakfast and will address the group. Here are a few final details:

• Registration is free and open to the public (space is limited).
• To register online, visit the AACPS website, or download a copy of the brochure for mail-in registration. 
• A light breakfast and lunch will be provided.
• Child care will not be available.
• Spanish and Korean interpreters will be available to assist families. To inquire about interpreters in other languages, call 410-224-7061.