FAMILY WORKSHOPS
Parenting A Second Time Around (PASTA)
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County is offering a six session educational series designed specifically for grandparents and other relative caregivers who are in a parenting role entitled "Parenting A Second Time Around (PASTA)".. The series will assist caregivers to explore and gain current research based knowledge and skills to foster safe and healthy parenting education practices. Topics include: child development, discipline and guidance, rebuilding a family, acknowledging ambivalent feelings, legal issues and advocacy, and nutrition.
Date and Time: Wednesdays, July 14, 21, 28, August 4, 11, 18 from 10am to 12pm
Location: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County (Johnson Room), 203 N. Hamilton Street, Watertown, New York 13601
Presenters: Sue Pappas, Program Educator, Stacy Sherwood, Program Educator, and Wanda Collins, Nutrition Educator
Fee: $50.00 per participant-preregistration is required.
For more information (such as fee waivers) or to register, contact Kelly Kunz, Parenting Educator at (315) 788-8450 ext. 276 or email klk92@cornell.edu. Childcare is not available during any of these sessions. Please make arrangements for your children.
Watertown Parents as Partners Group
Date and time: Second Thursday of each month (Next meeting: October 19, 5:30-6:45 p.m)
Location: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, 203 N. Hamilton Street, Watertown, NY 13601-Large Conference Room
Topic: TBA (Dinner and child care are provided.)
For more information, contact
Amanda Root at
(315) 788-8450
ext. 273.
Do you want to schedule a workshop for your group of parents? Contact Amanda Root at (315) 788-8450 ext. 273 or email arr27@cornell.edu. See our list of workshop topics for teachers and other professionals who work with parents.
Parenting Classes: Winter 2010
The Magic Years is a six-week program for parents of children ages Birth to 4. Parents learn about parenting styles, child development and nurturing skills.
Date and time: TBA (To be announced)
Parenting the Middle Years is a six-week program for parents of children ages 5 to 10 that encourages positive family interactions and offers discipline techniques that work.
Date and time: TBA
Challenges and Joys of Adolescents is a six-week program that helps parents who have a teenage child learn effective communication skills, set limits, and build responsibility and trust.
Date and time: TBA
The fee is $25 for all of the above classes.
Parenting After Separation/Divorce (PASD) is a six hour workshop designed to assist parents with children younger than 18 adjust to parental separation or divorce. The fee for this class is $75. Next class: TBA
All classes held at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County (203 North Hamilton St., Watertown).
For more information (such as fee waivers) or to register, contact Kelly Kunz, Parenting Educator at (315) 788-8450 ext. 276 or email klk92@cornell.edu. Childcare is not available during any of these sessions. Please make arrangements for your children.
Family Advocacy Program Parenting Workshops at Ft. Drum (Access to Ft. Drum is required)
For Fathers Only workshop to learn how to provide your children with a healthy self-esteem and security through discipline and a stimulating environment. Topics will include: methods of discipline for fathers, challenges military fathers face, 9 ways dads make a difference, and much more.
Date and Time: October 5, 7, 14 & 19 from 11:30am to 1:00pm
For more information contact Michelle Wojcikowski, Family Advocacy Program Educator at 772-2279 to register.
Connect the Tots Play Group is a new parent support group meeting for parents with children ages 0 to 3.
Did you know that babies and youngsters learn skills in groups that they can't learn at home? Did you know that group interaction improves a child's ability to reason? Did you know that playing is a child's work? Come to the newly formed Play Group with your children ages 0 to 3 to learn more and gain valuable skills.
Date and time: Every Tuesday from 10am to 11:30am
Location: Adirondack Creek Community Center, 9797 Constitution Avenue, Fort Drum, New York 13603
For more information call the New Parent Support Program at (315) 772-0748 or ACS (315) 772-6557
Terrific Toddler Parenting Workshop is a six hour workshop designed to assist parents with children younger than 4 years old. Topics will include: development, how to establish healthy routines, discipline, communication skills, and nutrition for healthy growth and development.
Date and time: Wednesdays-September 1, 8 & 15 from 9am-11am
Middle Years is a six hour workshop designed to assist parents with children between the ages of 5 and 10. Topics will include: Development, discipline, sibling rivalry, communication skills, establishing family rules, and nutrition for healthy growth and development.
Date and time: Wednesdays - July 7, 14 & 28 from 9am-11am and Wednesdays - November 3, 10 &17 from 9am-11am
Parenting After Separation and Divorce is a six hour workshop designed to assist parents with children younger than 18 adjust to parental separation or divorce. Topics include: Identifying parent/child reactions to divorce, developing skills for helping children cope, communicating effectively between households, etc.
Date and time: Tuesday, November 30 from 9am to 3:30pm
Teen-Parent Dating Safety is a two hour program designed for parents and teens. Learn and practice ways to talk to your teen, parent and friends about dating violence, warning signs of dating violence, and what to do if you know someone in an unhealthy relationship.
Date and time: TBA
Baby Basics is a two hour parenting workshop designed to provide expectant parents with information regarding the basics of infant care. Topics will include: changing diapers, taking temperatures, giving baths, etc.
Date and time: Classes are offered upon request
Access to Fort Drum is required for Family Advocacy Program workshops. For more information or to register for any Family Advocacy Program workshop, contact Lori Starr, Family Advocacy Program Educator at (315) 772-4244.
Professional Development Webinars and Workshops
The Challenges of Working With Parents Webinar
This webinar will provide teachers, school administrators, and paraprofessionals, the tools to develop positive relationships with parents and to improve student academic achievement by increasing family engagement.
Presenters: Carol West, Project Director NYSPIRC and Deanna Lothrop, School Coordinator/BOCES/NYSPIRC
Click here to view the webinar
What Makes a Great Teacher?
Why are some teachers more effective than others? There is a new push to identify and cultivate effective teachers. This workshop will focus on defining those characteristics that distinguish good teachers from great (master) teachers. During this workshop, we will also discuss the National Standards, Goals, and Indicators for Family-School Partnerships and learn how you can meaningfully engage families in your school to help close the achievement gap. Best practices will also be discussed and a variety of resources will be shared.
Date and Time: July 20, 2010 from 8:30am to 11:30am
Location: Jefferson-Lewis BOCES JTLC (Teacher Center) Large Conference Room
Presenters:Deanna Lothrop, Jefferson-Lewis BOCES/NYSPIRC School Coordinator
Sue Pappas, Cornell Cooperative Extension
NYSPIRC Family Engagement Outreach Coordinator
Fee: Free
Linking It All Together in Elementary School: Strategies for Connecting Family Engagement to Academic Achievement and College and Career Access
It is never too early for teachers and parents to think about helping students to prepare for college and careers. Research shows that family engagement practices that are linked to learning have a greater effect on student outcomes. This workshop will focus on useful strategies for incorporating family engagement into your classroom curriculum in elementary school. We will share best practices and successful ideas utilized by elementary teachers across the country. We will learn new ideas that teachers will be able to take back to use in their classrooms. We will also share strategies that have and have not been effective in increasing family engagement in the elementary school.
Date and Time: July 21, 2010 8:30a.m.to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Jefferson-Lewis BOCES-
Conference Room A & B
Presenter: Deanna Lothrop, Jefferson-Lewis BOCES/NYSPIRC School Coordinator
Fee:Free
Linking It All Together in Middle and High School: Strategies for Connecting Family Engagement to Academic Achievement and College and Career Access
Date and Time: July 21, 2010 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Location: Jefferson-Lewis BOCES
Conference Room A & B
Presenter: Deanna Lothrop, Jefferson-Lewis BOCES/NYSPIRC School Coordinator
Fee: Free
Families play a critical role in helping our youth succeed in middle and high school. What does effective family engagement look like in secondary school? This workshop will focus on how to incorporate family engagement into your curriculum. Participants will learn how to develop a coordinated and comprehensive system for family engagement that will benefit families, teachers, schools and students. During this session participants will create interactive homework assignments which incorporate family engagement into middle and high school classroom curriculums. We will also discuss how we can assist students and their families to better prepare for college and career access.
Going Home: Best Practices for Home Visiting for School Personnel
As an educator have you ever thought about including home visits as part of your classroom planning? Research shows that home visiting is an effective way to build trust and respect with families and can also have dramatic, far-reaching results for student achievement. During this workshop participants will learn about the following topics:
- the advantages and essential components of effective home visiting
- practical steps to increase your safety when home visiting
- utilizing home visiting to involve families in the education of their children
During this session experienced home visitors will be available to share their experiences and to answer any questions participants may have regarding their home visiting experiences. Come and learn how to include home visiting as part of your school improvement plan.
Date and Time: July 22, 2010 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Location: Jefferson-Lewis BOCES-
Conference Room A & B
Presenter: Deanna Lothrop, Jefferson-Lewis BOCES/NYSPIRC School Coordinator
Fee: Free
Home-School Communication
Research shows that parents and teachers consider communication the number one factor to increase trust. Families engaged in their child’s education also agree that the level of their involvement depends on outreach from teachers and administrators. So how can schools connect with families, especially those that are hard to reach? In this workshop you will learn practical, innovative methods of communicating with families in order to create an effective partnership with families. We will demonstrate how family engagement improves student achievement and how to improve communication with families when planning for the next school year. Participants are encouraged to bring samples of their own communication tools to share with others.
Date and Time: August 10, 2010 8:30-11:30
Location: Jefferson Lewis BOCES
JLTC (Teacher Center) Large Conference Room
Presenters: Deanna Lothrop, Jefferson-Lewis BOCES
NYSPIRC School Coordinator
Sue Pappas, Cornell Cooperative Extension
NYSPIRC Family Engagement Outreach Coordinator
Fee: Free
Do you want to schedule a workshop for your school or group of professionals? Contact Deanna Lothrop at (315) 779-7071 or email dlothrop@mail.boces.com.
See our list of workshop topics for teachers and other professionals who work with parents.
Parents as Teachers events
These events are for families enrolled in the FACTS Parents as Teachers program. If you live in Jefferson County and have a child who is five or under, you are eligible to enroll in the program. Visit our Parents as Teachers page for more information.