Breakout Sessions & Speakers 2019
This year’s program features breakout sessions with a stellar line-up of education and child behavioral experts speaking on topics related to the teen brain, executive functioning, sleep and teens, improving communication, addressing homework challenges, fostering independence, and more!
10:15 am – 11:30 am Breakout Sessions 1
“Is That Me Yelling?” with Rona Renner, RN
Yelling is a common form of discipline often caused by being stressed, tired, overwhelmed, or having a spirited child. It’s easy for frustration, anger, or fear to trigger irritability or yelling, and many parents report they just don’t know what to do when their children misbehave. Together we’ll find effective ways for you to guide your children, without losing your cool, as you learn to have more harmony at home.
Rona Renner, RN, is a nurse, a parenting coach and temperament specialist. She is the author of, “Is That Me Yelling? A Parents Guide in Getting Your Kids to Cooperate Without Losing Your Cool.” Rona has been a radio show host for over 15 years, and is currently the host of “About Health” on KPFA radio 94.1FM. You can learn more about her at
www.nurserona.com.
“The Art of Inspiring Students to Study: 10 Ways Parents Can Nag Less and Change the Conversation about Studying, Homework and Grades” with Gretchen Wegner
In middle school the academic rigor bumps up a notch, but students also crave more independence while they simultaneously are more likely have emotional meltdowns when they become overwhelmed by the uptick in teacher expectations. The balancing act for parents is tricky! How do you help students prepare effectively for tests and quizzes (when often they’ve never been taught how to study!) while also nurturing them emotionally but without interfering in their desire for independence? In this interactive workshop we will explore five practical tips for parents to navigate this balancing act.
You’ll experience a surprisingly fun crash course in the most effective, research-approved ways to study and walk away with a clear set of actions you can put into place this school year. The goal is to help you feel confident about how to shift the household conversation about studying so it is less about nagging and more about inspiring your student to become an independent, agile learner who actually follows through.
Gretchen Wegner is an Academic Life Coach who delights in de-stressifying school for students, parents and teachers, and the creator of a unique system for time management, organization, and studying called The Anti-Boring Approach to Powerful Studying™. Not only has Gretchen coached hundreds of students in middle school through grad school, she now trains educators all over the world in her brain-based system for transforming students into voracious, organized learners. A former Fulbright Fellow, Gretchen has a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction and was a credentialed middle and high school teacher. Always an advocate of playful rigor in school and in life, she is also a public speaker, improvisational performer, Lindy Hop dancer, backpacker, and proud resident of Oakland, California.
“3-2-1 LAUNCH: Getting Ready for High School” with Marcia Bedford & Jess Dang
Marcia Bedford
Jess Dang
High school can loom large in the imagination. It’s a period of momentous growth and awakening, when choices can have a lifelong impact. A rising ninth grader will encounter a fundamentally different school structure, heightened performance expectations, and the powerful current of social life, all of which vary greatly from school to school. These changes arrive at the developmental moment when teenagers begin to assert their independence, and as a parent you may wonder, “Will my child succeed high school?” or simply “Will my child be OK?” In answer, Julia Morgan School for Girls offers a student-centered high school support program that aims to cultivate independence and a healthy big picture perspective. Parents are encouraged to step back so their children can step up, taking ownership of the process.
Students are guided to investigate their options, reflect on their strengths and needs, and advocate for themselves. In this workshop, learn what lies ahead as your family weighs the high school options and what steps you can take to support a positive, empowering experience for your child. Engage around high school hot topics with other parents and two experienced high school counselors. And, let us share with you the JMSG approach to finding the “right fit” for high school.
- Marcia Bedford is dedicated to helping middle schoolers navigate their academic and personal development with a sense of agency and wholeness. She is one of the founders of Julia Morgan School for Girls and has held several roles in her tenure at the school, including director of admissions and high school counselor. Before JMSG, she was also director of admissions at St. Mary’s College High School, Lick-Wilmerding High School, and Simmons University School of Social Work. In partnering with families across the years, Marcia recognizes that each student is on an individual journey, and how you get there is as important as where you land when it comes to school. As she helps to send each 8th grade class off to as many as 20 different high schools in a year, Marcia relishes seeing the diversity of their choices reflect the diversity of their talents and interests.
- Jess Dang is a passionate educator and advocate for the potential of early adolescents. Since 2007, she has served at Julia Morgan School for Girls as a classroom teacher, advisor, high school counselor, and administrator. As high school counselor, Jess has learned directly from deans and admission officers throughout the Bay Area what competencies they look for in qualified candidates. She brings this knowledge back to JMSG to equip students with the necessary academic and personal strategies to thrive as they approach high school. She received a B.A. in English from Brown University, and she completed an M.A. in educational leadership from the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute while working at Julia Morgan. Going back to school was a powerful reminder for Jess of the challenges that students face every day, lending fresh empathy to her work with middle schoolers.
“Field Guide to Executive Functioning: Jumpstarting Your Tween’s Frontal Lobes” with Beth Samuelson
You’ve heard the term and you know it has something to do with why your child’s backpack looks like a disaster zone. Executive functioning is more critical than IQ, literacy, or numeracy on how students perform in school. And it isn’t even fully “functioning” until our late twenties! Wondering what you can do to help a student with jump starting homework, organizing information and materials, and prepare more effectively for tests? This is your workshop if you’d like to better understand . . .
- The importance of executive skills in school success
- How all students are challenged by increasingly complex academic demands on their still developing brains
- Ways to tell if their child needs outside support
- What role parents should play in providing assistance and what not to do
- Best practices for building strategies students will need for the road ahead
Beth Samuelson’s work in educating and supporting teens, young adults, and parents spans more than 25 years, including the development of the unique SOS4Students model of one-to-one student coaching as well as workshops, advocacy, teacher training, parent workshops, and on-site school programs. As the founder and director of SOS4Students, she is a frequent and sought after presenter at conferences, schools and educational institutes, former co-host of the radio show “Your Teen Matters,” and columnist for Bay Area Parents of Teens magazine. Teens with ADD, learning disabilities, and executive functioning challenges are among those who have found academic success utilizing Beth’s techniques.
“Translating Sleep Science into Sleep Solutions for Tweens, Teens, and Their Families: Evidence Based and Reality Tested Interventions to Improve Teen Sleep” with Monique Thompson
A growing body of research shows that we are raising a generation of teens who are over-stressed and under-slept. A 2014 report published by the American Academy of Pediatrics called the issue of tired teens a “national epidemic.” The most recent poll on teens from the National Sleep Foundation found that more than 87% of high school students in the US are getting less than the recommended minimum of 8 hours of sleep. More recent studies find that the amount of sleep teens are getting is decreasing rapidly as social media and technology are invading teen’s bedrooms.
Sleep deprivation predicts a wide range of negative outcomes for teens, including impaired attention and concentration, poor grades, car accidents, anxiety, depression, greater suicide risk, obesity, and diabetes. In other words, lack of sleep makes our teenagers not only drowsy, grumpy, and inattentive but also risks their well-being, health, and lives. Schools and families are beginning to address these systemic factors in impactful ways.
This presentation will focus on reviewing the most relevant research on teen sleep and translating it into pragmatic sleep interventions that can be implemented at home. Dr. Thompson will try to address the questions that so many parents are asking about how they can help your tweens and teens get the sleep she or he needs. Based on the most current sleep science and evidence-based cognitive and behavioral interventions to improve sleep, this workshop will provide simple, implementable interventions to help teens change their sleep habits so that they can feel more alert and ready to face life’s challenges.
Monique Thompson (PSY 25685) is a licensed clinical psychologist. Dr. Thompson received a master’s degree from University of Pennsylvania and a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from California School of Professional Psychology. She is a certified cognitive therapist and Diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. Dr. Thompson is trained in Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), an empirically supported treatment for insomnia and other sleep disorders. Dr. Thompson has extensive experience providing individualized cognitive therapy to adults and teens. She treats depression, anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, executive functioning deficits, and challenging life transitions. Dr. Thompson has practiced in a variety of settings, including Kaiser Permanente in Walnut Creek and Pleasanton, UC Berkeley and private practice. She spent several years at the Golden Bear Mood and Sleep Research Center at UC Berkeley as a member of a treatment development team that seeks to explore and enhance cognitive therapy techniques. She has published research on memory mechanisms and interventions to improve individual therapy outcomes. She recently co-authored a book on Teen Insomnia with Dr. Michael Tompkins, The Teen Insomnia Workbook (2019, New Harb).
11:45 am – 1:00 pm Breakout Sessions 2
“Snaps, Chats & FOMO” with Katie Topper
Take an inside look at your child’s social media experience. We’ll start with some basic skills training then delve into the “behind the scenes” or the subtext of current social media apps. If possible, bring a smartphone and please download Instagram and Snapchat before the workshop.
Katie Topper is the Educational Director of Technology at Julia Morgan School for Girls, where she was a founding member. She teaches technology and media literacy and supports teachers with using technology tools in all classes. Besides launching and overseeing the 1:1 iPad Program, she coaches the First Lego League Robotics and Technovation teams, and teaches Arts Elective classes on Wearables and Vlogging. Katie received her B.A. from Trinity College and California teaching credential from Chapman University. She also holds an M.A. in TESOL with a Computer Assisted Learning emphasis from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey. In addition to her teaching experience, Katie worked at the Associated Press in Rome, was the senior planner for Western International Media, traded stock, taught brokers computer systems at Kidder, Peabody and was a founding member of Media Guaranty software. Her favorite classes to teach have been Movin’ It!, a Lego Kinetic sculpture class, and “rocketeering.” She often bribes her two teenaged daughters to accompany her to all the Maker Faires in the Bay Area.
“Is That Me Yelling?” with Rona Renner, RN
Yelling is a common form of discipline often caused by being stressed, tired, overwhelmed, or having a spirited child. It’s easy for frustration, anger, or fear to trigger irritability or yelling, and many parents report they just don’t know what to do when their children misbehave. Together we’ll find effective ways for you to guide your children, without losing your cool, as you learn to have more harmony at home.
Rona Renner, RN, is a nurse, a parenting coach and temperament specialist. She is the author of, “Is That Me Yelling? A Parents Guide in Getting Your Kids to Cooperate Without Losing Your Cool.” Rona has been a radio show host for over 15 years, and is currently the host of “About Health” on KPFA radio 94.1FM. You can learn more about her at
www.nurserona.com.
“The Art of Inspiring Students to Study: 10 Ways Parents Can Nag Less and Change the Conversation about Studying, Homework and Grades” with Gretchen Wegner
In middle school the academic rigor bumps up a notch, but students also crave more independence while they simultaneously are more likely have emotional meltdowns when they become overwhelmed by the uptick in teacher expectations. The balancing act for parents is tricky! How do you help students prepare effectively for tests and quizzes (when often they’ve never been taught how to study!) while also nurturing them emotionally but without interfering in their desire for independence? In this interactive workshop we will explore five practical tips for parents to navigate this balancing act.
You’ll experience a surprisingly fun crash course in the most effective, research-approved ways to study and walk away with a clear set of actions you can put into place this school year. The goal is to help you feel confident about how to shift the household conversation about studying so it is less about nagging and more about inspiring your student to become an independent, agile learner who actually follows through.
Gretchen Wegner is an Academic Life Coach who delights in de-stressifying school for students, parents and teachers, and the creator of a unique system for time management, organization, and studying called The Anti-Boring Approach to Powerful Studying™. Not only has Gretchen coached hundreds of students in middle school through grad school, she now trains educators all over the world in her brain-based system for transforming students into voracious, organized learners. A former Fulbright Fellow, Gretchen has a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction and was a credentialed middle and high school teacher. Always an advocate of playful rigor in school and in life, she is also a public speaker, improvisational performer, Lindy Hop dancer, backpacker, and proud resident of Oakland, California.
“Field Guide to Executive Functioning: Jumpstarting Your Tween’s Frontal Lobes” with Beth Samuelson
You’ve heard the term and you know it has something to do with why your child’s backpack looks like a disaster zone. Executive functioning is more critical than IQ, literacy, or numeracy on how students perform in school. And it isn’t even fully “functioning” until our late twenties! Wondering what you can do to help a student with jump starting homework, organizing information and materials, and prepare more effectively for tests? This is your workshop if you’d like to better understand . . .
- The importance of executive skills in school success
- How all students are challenged by increasingly complex academic demands on their still developing brains
- Ways to tell if their child needs outside support
- What role parents should play in providing assistance and what not to do
- Best practices for building strategies students will need for the road ahead
Beth Samuelson’s work in educating and supporting teens, young adults, and parents spans more than 25 years, including the development of the unique SOS4Students model of one-to-one student coaching as well as workshops, advocacy, teacher training, parent workshops, and on-site school programs. As the founder and director of SOS4Students, she is a frequent and sought after presenter at conferences, schools and educational institutes, former co-host of the radio show “Your Teen Matters,” and columnist for Bay Area Parents of Teens magazine. Teens with ADD, learning disabilities, and executive functioning challenges are among those who have found academic success utilizing Beth’s techniques.
“Translating Sleep Science into Sleep Solutions for Tweens, Teens, and Their Families: Evidence Based and Reality Tested Interventions to Improve Teen Sleep” with Monique Thompson
A growing body of research shows that we are raising a generation of teens who are over-stressed and under-slept. A 2014 report published by the American Academy of Pediatrics called the issue of tired teens a “national epidemic.” The most recent poll on teens from the National Sleep Foundation found that more than 87% of high school students in the US are getting less than the recommended minimum of 8 hours of sleep. More recent studies find that the amount of sleep teens are getting is decreasing rapidly as social media and technology are invading teen’s bedrooms.
Sleep deprivation predicts a wide range of negative outcomes for teens, including impaired attention and concentration, poor grades, car accidents, anxiety, depression, greater suicide risk, obesity, and diabetes. In other words, lack of sleep makes our teenagers not only drowsy, grumpy, and inattentive but also risks their well-being, health, and lives. Schools and families are beginning to address these systemic factors in impactful ways.
This presentation will focus on reviewing the most relevant research on teen sleep and translating it into pragmatic sleep interventions that can be implemented at home. Dr. Thompson will try to address the questions that so many parents are asking about how they can help your tweens and teens get the sleep she or he needs. Based on the most current sleep science and evidence-based cognitive and behavioral interventions to improve sleep, this workshop will provide simple, implementable interventions to help teens change their sleep habits so that they can feel more alert and ready to face life’s challenges.
Monique Thompson (PSY 25685) is a licensed clinical psychologist. Dr. Thompson received a master’s degree from University of Pennsylvania and a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from California School of Professional Psychology. She is a certified cognitive therapist and Diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. Dr. Thompson is trained in Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), an empirically supported treatment for insomnia and other sleep disorders. Dr. Thompson has extensive experience providing individualized cognitive therapy to adults and teens. She treats depression, anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, executive functioning deficits, and challenging life transitions. Dr. Thompson has practiced in a variety of settings, including Kaiser Permanente in Walnut Creek and Pleasanton, UC Berkeley and private practice. She spent several years at the Golden Bear Mood and Sleep Research Center at UC Berkeley as a member of a treatment development team that seeks to explore and enhance cognitive therapy techniques. She has published research on memory mechanisms and interventions to improve individual therapy outcomes. She recently co-authored a book on Teen Insomnia with Dr. Michael Tompkins, The Teen Insomnia Workbook (2019, New Harb).
