Below is a listing of upcoming events hosted by our PCW member schools that are open for anyone to attend. For more information, please contact the individual school listed.
If you have an event you would like to appear on this list, please contact administration@parentscouncil.org for a submission form.
The Langley School: Growing Up in Public
Langley is excited to welcome Dr. Devorah Heitner for our first PALS Speaker Series of the year on Monday, October 28 at 6:00pm! Between social media, constant connection, and addictive tech and smartphones, the boundaries of privacy are stretched thin. Drawing on her extensive work with parents and schools, as well as hundreds of interviews with kids, parents, educators, clinicians, and scholars, Dr. Heitner offers strategies for parenting our kids in an always-connected world. While this is a free event for the Langley community, space is limited. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. If you have questions about this event, please contact Connie Chou, cchou@langleyschool.org.
The Lab School: No Brakes, No Breaks: A Parent’s Guide to Healthy Use of Digital Technology in ADHD/LD
Wednesday, November 13 at 6:30pm. Dr. Clifford Sussman has been in private practice in psychiatry for children, adolescents, and young adults in Washington, DC since 2008. He is an expert on internet and video game addiction whose work has been featured on NPR, in the New York Times, HBO Real Sports, Parents Magazine, and TIME Magazine for Kids. He has authored peer reviewed literature on screen use disorders and in addition to parent and student education offers clinician training on treatment of screen use disorders. He also treats patients with comorbid conditions, such as ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder. He is dedicated to helping people achieve a more balanced relationship with digital technology. Virtual program, please register for information. If you have questions about this event, please contact Marty Cathcart, marty.cathcart@labschool.org.
The Lab School: Straight Talk about ADHD Treatment: The Pro’s and Con’s of Medication
Wednesday, January 15, at 6:30pm. Catherine McCarthy, MD is a Duke-trained child and adolescent psychiatrist with over 25 years of clinical experience. In addition to clinical work, she is a co-author of the recently published acclaimed parenting book “Raising a Kid Who Can: Simple Strategies to Build a Lifetime of Adaptability and Emotional Strength” (Workman Publishing/Hachette Book Group, September 2023). With her neuroscience expertise in attention, anxiety, and the developing brain, Dr. McCarthy has been named a “Top Doctor” by Washingtonian Magazine for 20 years running. She is a nationally sought-after keynote speaker, appears on live television news, and contributes to multiple podcasts and popular magazines. She is in private practice in McLean, Virginia. Virtual program, please register for information. If you have questions about this event, please contact Marty Cathcart, marty.cathcart@labschool.org.
The Lab School: Getting Past the Jargon: Helping Parents Make Sense of Neuropsychological and Psychoeducational Evaluation Reports
Wednesday, February 19 at 6:30pm. Mary Jo Coiro, PhD, ABPP is the director of psychological services at The Lab School and The Reservoir Group. As a licensed and board-certified clinical psychologist, Dr. Coiro has extensive experience providing psychoeducational evaluations to students with learning differences, and working with parents to obtain needed academic accommodations for their children. Prior to her current role, she was a tenured professor and director of clinical training in the psychology department at Loyola University Maryland, where her responsibilities included serving as a major advisor to undergraduate students. Virtual program, please register for information. If you have questions about this event, please contact Marty Cathcart, marty.cathcart@labschool.org.
The Lab School: “How to Raise a Self Driven Child”
Wednesday, March 5 at 6:30pm. William R. Stixrud, Ph.D., is a clinical neuropsychologist and founder of The Stixrud Group, as well as a faculty member at Children’s National Medical Center and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine. Ned Johnson is an author, speaker, and founder of PrepMatters, an educational company providing academic tutoring, educational planning, and standardized test preparation.
Stixrud and Johnson, are co-authors of the national best-selling book, The Self-Driven Child, which is published in 19 countries and 18 languages. It has sold more than 800,000 copies worldwide and, as of 2023, a one-hour podcast based on the book has been downloaded in China 39,000,000 times. They have also co-authored a critically-acclaimed second book, What Do You Say? Talking with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home. This event is in person and will include a book signing of their newest book. Please register to attend. If you have questions about this event, please contact Marty Cathcart, marty.cathcart@labschool.org.
The Lab School: What We Know About Brain Plasticity: Why Effective Teaching Matters
Wednesday, April 9 at 6:30pm. Dr. Joanna Christodoulou is a Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston. She earned a doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) in Human Development and Psychology, as well as master’s degrees in Mind, Brain, and Education (HGSE) and Child Development (Tufts University). Her clinical expertise focuses on identifying the constellation of strengths and challenges students experience relative to reading and language tasks. Her teaching experiences have spanned providing professional development to post-graduate professionals, designing courses, and instructing graduate and undergraduate students, and teaching struggling learners how to read. As Director of the Brain, Education, and Mind (BEAM) Lab, she leads research efforts on understanding reading challenges from the perspective of the student, family, school, and systems. Virtual program, please register for information. If you have questions about this event, please contact Marty Cathcart, marty.cathcart@labschool.org.
