Mission of the Program:

In order to help our parents, students and teachers work together as a “family unit,” we offer a parent education program that spans the entire Oak Grove experience from Pre-kindergarten to Twelfth Grade.

Elementary and Secondary Parent Ed Schedule
Grades 1-12

Description: Our parent education program takes a two-pronged approach. First, the program is designed to support parents in raising children and adolescents through workshops on subjects such as child development, communication strategies, harm prevention, and academic support. As students advance to the secondary level, we also include sessions on college readiness and the transition into adulthood. The second goal of the program is to build relationships and support networks between parents, teachers and community members. Oak Grove is a close knit community and we seek to create a healthy dialogue between staff and families in order to best serve the needs of our students.

RSVPs and Snacks:
While RSVPs are not required, we always appreciate knowing who is planning on attending. Please email willhornblower@oakgroveschool.org if you are coming. This workshop is adults-only. We also need a few volunteers who would like to bring some tasty snacks. Please email Will if you are interested.

ECP and Early Elementary Parent Education/Family Partnership
Preschool -3rd grade

Gathering in the Main House, Parent Ed begins just after you’ve said good-bye to your child (anytime after 8:00am) and continues until 10:30am.

The goal of Parent Ed is to support both parenting and teaching by building pathways between home and school. We place high value on this aspect of our program and urge families to attend. Parent Ed is your time, an opportunity for families to share the complexity and similarity of their experiences during the young family years. We want parents to feel comfortable bringing their comments and questions to our morning discussions. These meetings offer a chance to wonder out loud, deepen understanding of our individual children, their relationships and growth and of child development in general. The goal is to increase self-understanding, balance, and joy in family life.

Each month a different teacher from the early elementary program will join us in Parent Ed for the first hour, 8:00-9:00am. Parents of OGS students from Preschool through 3rd grade are welcome to join.

Parent Education Schedule
Second Semester

Unless otherwise announced, evening and morning sessions are in the Student Center in the High School. The schedule is subject to change so please see the calendar or the latest “This Week At Oak Grove” for any last minute changes.

Evening sessions are in the Student Center and morning sessions are in the Main House (unless marked otherwise)

Date and Time	Topic	Suggested Grade Level	Description
1/28/2020 (8:00-9:00 am)	Morning Parent Education: Mindfulness at school and home	PK-12	Mindfulness teacher, Jeanette Berkovitz, will review the school’s program and lead the group in a mindfulness exercise. We will meet in our beautiful new reflective classroom.
2/5/2020 (8:00-9:00 am)	High School Meet and Greet	6-8	This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with the high school teachers and to explore their curriculum. This meeting is on a Wednesday
2/6/2020 (6:00-9:00 pm)	Pub Night hosted by OGS Parent Council	PK-12	In an Evening of MAD Comedy, Joe Raiola reflects on his life in humor and his 33 years as a member of the legendary “The Usual Gang of Idiots.”
2/11/2020 (6:30-8:00 pm)	Evening Parent Education: Sexuality and the Empowerment Program	6-12	For our next parent education workshop, Tobi Jo Greene of the Empowerment Workshop will be joining us for a discussion on adolescence and sexuality. She will share strategies on how to initiate healthy conversations with your child about sexual health and sexuality. Educators from the Empowerment Workshop are working with our High School and Junior High this year. Tobi will also describe some of the lessons and activities that are used in those programs.
2/18/2020 (8:00-9:00 am)	Morning Parent Education: Electronics and Screen Time: Creating a media plan	PK-6	Parents will have an opportunity to share their family media plan and discuss differing approaches to electronics use. We will also explore recommendations on appropriate and safe electronics use from a variety of sources.
3/3/2020 (6:30-8:00 pm)	Evening Parent Education: Play-based learning at school and in the home	1-12	Oak Grove School is committed to supporting learning through play at all grade levels. This workshop will allow parents to experience a variety of play-based learning activities that happen on campus. In addition, the presenters will offer suggestions on how to create stimulating play-based learning environments in the home.
3/10/2020 (6:30-8:00 pm)	Evening Parent Education: Anxiety and Adolescence	1-12	Licensed psychologist Meghan Rudd will lead a discussion on adolescent anxiety and strategies that caregivers can use to support young adults.
4/15/2019 (8:30 – 9:30 am)	Morning Parent Education: Impact Teen Drivers	1-12	Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers. This class, led by Impact Teen Drivers, will explore the best ways to make sure that our teens are safe as they start driving or riding in cars with their peers. This class is required for all parents who wish for their students to be able to drive on the Oak Grove campus. Note: this class is on a Wednesday morning at 8:30 in the Student center. If you would like to come early, you can observe our high school Student Council open meeting.
4/28/2020 (8:00-9:00 am)	Morning Parent Education: Campus Tour with Jodi	1-12	Join Head of School Jodi Grass for a historical tour of the Oak Grove Campus.
5/5/2020 (6:30-8:00 pm)	Evening Parent Education: Teenage Brain Development	6-12	Have you ever wondered why teenagers act the way they do? New studies on neurological development in teens explain many of the puzzling behaviors that teens exhibit. We will share some of the findings as well as some strategies for caregivers to create safe empathetic connections with children.
5/19/2020 (6:30-8:00 pm)	Evening Parent Education: Topic to be Announced	1-12	Topic to be announced

Early Childhood Parent Education meets on Thursdays from 8:00-10:30 am in the Main House on the following dates. Adrienne and Laurie will discuss emergent issues relating to Early Childhood. Each session, they are joined by one of the Elementary or ECP teachers.

• 1/23 Adrienne/Laurie/Carrie

• 2/6 Adrienne/ Laurie/Bettina

• 3/19 Adrienne/Laurie/Emma

• 4/30 Adrienne/Laurie/Laila

• 5/28 Adrienne/Laurie/Terra

HISTORICAL DATA
Parent Education Schedule
First Semester

Unless otherwise announced, evening and morning sessions are in the Student Center in the High School. The schedule is subject to change so please see the calendar or the latest “This Week At Oak Grove” for any last minute changes.

Date and Time	Topic	Suggested Grade Level	Description
Tuesday 9/24/2019 (6:30 pm)	The Self-Driven Child (Evening Session)	PK-12	Please join us for our first parent education event as we discuss William Stixrud’s book: The Self Driven Child. Please come even if you didn’t have a chance to read the book over the summer.
Thursday 9/26/19 (8:00-10:30 am)	Open Discussion	PK-3	Parent Ed with Adrienne, Laurie, and Hope in Main House.
Tuesday 10/1/2019 (8:00 am)	The Self-Driven Child (Morning Session)	PK-12	Please join us as we discuss William Stixrud’s book: The Self Driven Child. Please come even if you didn’t have a chance to read the book over the summer.
Tuesday 10/8/2019 (6:30 pm)	A Preventative Approach to Drug and Alcohol Use (Evening Session)	5-8	A Preventative Approach to Drug and Alcohol Use: Early Adolescence on 10/8: As children begin adolescence, it is an important time to begin a dialogue with your child about making healthy choices regarding drug and alcohol use. We will review some best practices around prevention and harm reduction. We will meet in the Student Center.
Thursday 10/17/19 (8:00-10:30 am)	Open Discussion	PK-3	Parent Ed with Adrienne, Laurie, and Carole in Main House.
Tuesday 10/29/2019 (6:30 pm)	How to Help a Teenager Be College-Ready (Evening Session)	7-12	What does “college readiness” mean? Oak Grove’s college counselor Jennifer Thompson will discuss the latest research on the best ways to ensure that children are ready to take on the rigors of college as well as the challenges of living on their own.
Tuesday 11/5/2019 (8:00 am)	Morning Parent Education: Topic to be announced. (Morning Session)	K-12	Join us for snacks, beverages and a discussion on challenges currently facing parents.
Wednesday 11/13/2019 (6:30 pm)	A Discussion on Inclusion with The Pacific Pride Foundation (Evening Session)	PK-12	Educators and activists from The Pacific Pride Foundation, a LGBTQ+ advocacy group, will discuss how to create a more inclusive environment for children who are exploring their gender and sexuality.
Tuesday 11/19/2019 (6:30 pm)	Discussing Sexuality with Elementary Students (Evening Session)	K-5	What is the best way to initiate conversations about sexuality with a younger child? At what age should these conversations happen? Educators will answer these questions and more during our workshop.
Thursday 11/21/19 (8:00-10:30 am)	Open Discussion	PK-3	Parent Ed with Adrienne, Laurie, and Chris in Main House.
Wednesday12/4/2018 (6:30 pm)	Jay Fields: Teaching Your Child Resilience and Self-Awareness (Evening Session)	PK-12	Somatic Educator Jay Fields will share some strategies to help children (and parents) become more resilient, connected, and self-aware.
Thursday 12/12/19 (8:00-10:30 am)	Open Discussion	PK-3	Parent Ed with Adrienne, Laurie, and Serra in Main House.