Arlington Family Network

Temporarily “offline”

admin — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 23:34:21 +0000

Check out our new, improved site later this summer.

Bullying: What’s going on in Arlington and what can we do? (April 27)

admin — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:39:34 +0000

Dr. Amie Grills-Taquechel, University of Houston professor, Virginia Tech Ph.D, published researcher in her field.

Dr. Grills-Taquechel will speak about her recent research on the impact of bullying. She will use data from Arlington’s 2010 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), where one in five reported they had been bullied in the last year. She will help us interpret the YRBS and other Arlington sources to help us understand the reality in our community.

Learn more about:

Bullying, bullies, and victims – what do those words mean?
What is the impact on individuals and on the school?
How does Arlington compare with other communities?
What are some prevention strategies?

Presented by the PTA Family Network (http://www.familynetwork-arlington.org/) and the Partnership for Children, Youth, and Families (http://www.arlingtonpartnershipforyouth.org/). Free and open to the public. No reservations required. If you have questions, please contact Bill Browning, 703-969-7345, or Mary Ann Moran, 703-228-1671.

Wednesday, April 27^th

7:00 – 9:00 P.M.
Washington Lee High School, Commons Cafeteria

(Feb 15) Yes You Can! Raise Sexually Healthy Children in a Sexually Unhealthy World

admin — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 04:28:45 +0000

Deborah M. Roffman, a nationally certified Sexuality and Family Life Educator who has worked at the cutting edge of her field for three decades, will teach parents how to become their children’s primary–as in most important and most influential–sexuality educators. Despite the tidal wave of media messages in the lives of our children and teens, decades of research consistently demonstrate that it is parents who make the difference in young people’s values, attitudes, and decisions regarding sexuality.

The former associate editor for education of the Journal of Sex Education and Therapy, Ms. Roffman has written dozens of articles and commentaries for health and education journals and major newspapers. Her work in the classroom and with parents has been featured in the New York Times, Baltimore Sun, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Education Week, Teacher Magazine, USA Today, Parents Magazine, an HBO Special on parenting, and on NPR. She has also appeared on Nightline with Ted Koppel and The Early Show with Bryant Gumbel and on the O’Reilly Factor. In December 2002, she appeared in a highly acclaimed segment on teenage sexuality on ABC’s 20/20 with John Stossel.

Where: Yorktown High School Cafeteria

When: Tuesday, February 15^th, 7-9:00 PM

Special Needs: Planning for the Future (February 24)

admin — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 20:43:03 +0000

Special Needs: Planning for the Future, Christopher and Theresa Waddell

If you are the parent or guardian of a child with special needs, you need to educate yourself about the many options available. It is never too early to start planning for your child’s future.

How can you ensure that your child receives appropriate therapies and medical treatments? How can you present the nature of your child’s disabilities and needs to those who may care for them without “scaring” them away? How can you find appropriate caregivers who will carry out your wishes and respect your child’s goals, dreams and life expectations? In this workshop we will address these issues, as well as: What you need to know about living arrangements, wills, trusts, guardianship and other estate planning issues; Trusts, including special needs trusts and how they differ from other types of trusts; Guardianship issues; Advance medical directives; and How to create a sound financial plan for your special needs child

Thursday, February 24th, 7:00 pm ~ 8:30 pm
Williamsburg Middle School (Media Center)

Navigating the Middle School Years (Tentative March 23)

admin — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 20:36:06 +0000

Let’s Talk: Navigating the Social Side of Middle School

As our tweens and teens navigate the social side of middle school, they begin to explore dating relationships and changes in friendships as social networks ebb and flow. Parents may find themselves pushed away one day and
pulled close the next, and may feel worried for their child. Join us for a dynamic workshop with Cathi Cohen LCSW, CGP the author of Raise Your Child’s Social IQ and Outnumbered, Not Outsmarted: An A-Z Guide for Working with Kids and Teens in Groups
Cathi Cohen, LCSW, CGP Director/Founder of In Step www.insteppc.com
After this program, you will: understand the role of middle school social dynamics and adolescent development; help your child manage middle school stress more successfully; and effectively communicate with your teen around their social stress.

Wednesday, March 23rd, 7:00pm
Williamsburg Library

THE TALK IS ON!

Contact Lisa Ostroff with questions. lisaostroff4@gmail.com

Building Resiliency (May 17)

admin — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 22:22:54 +0000

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from or adapt well to a stressor. When a middle schooler doesn’t bounce or adapt, the risks are higher than ever before in his/her life. Due to the increased pressures in his/her environment and the changes happening inside each child, adolescents are naturally prone to depression, anxiety, and acting out behaviors. This talk will focus on ways to know when your child could use a little extra help bouncing back and adapting, what skills are most likely to help them do so and how to teach them better resilience.

Dan Campbell is a licensed clinical social worker who has been working with children and adolescents in a variety of setting for over twenty years. For the last 10 years, Dan has been in private therapy practice in Fairfax City. He specializes in treating kids with anxiety, depression, and explosive/noncompliant behaviors.

Williamsburg Library, 7-8:30PM

Questions? Contact Lisa Ostroff from our contacts page or call Dan, 703-352-3812

Let’s Talk: Navigating the Social Side of Middle School (January 14)

admin — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 22:18:06 +0000

January 14th, 9:15-10:45 Williamsburg Library

Join us for a dynamic workshop with Cathi Cohen LCSW, CGP the author of Raise Your Child’s Social IQ and Outnumbered, Not Outsmarted: An A-Z Guide for Working with Kids and Teens in Groups, and Director/Founder of In Step (www.insteppc.com).

After this program, you will:

-understand the role of middle school social dynamics and adolescent development
-help your child manage middle school stress more successfully
-effectively communicate with your teen around their social stress

Questions? E-mail Lisa Ostroff from our contacts page.

Adolescent Substance Use and Abuse

admin — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 13:52:44 +0000

APS, Yorktown High School, and the Yorktown Family Network would like to invite you to attend a panel discussion, “Adolescent Substance Use & Abuse” on Tuesday, November 9, 2010, at Yorktown High School’s cafeteria. For more information, please see the attached flyer.

Also, you can contact Herman Narcho, herman.narcho@gmail.com, for additional details.

SAT or ACT: How to Make the Right Choice

admin — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 20:00:47 +0000

So you’re thinking about applying to college. Should you take the SAT or the ACT – or both? This free forty-minute lecture for high school students and their parents will help you cut through the noise and make an informed decision. You’ll receive a crash course in the history and design of each test, as well as a section-by-section comparison of their similarities and differences. Expect to learn more than you ever wanted to know about what goes through the minds of
people who write standardized tests for a living, and learn how to beat them at their own game. A question-and-answer period will follow the lecture.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 5th from 7:30PM to 8:30PM
WHERE: The second floor meeting room at Arlington Central Library

Everitt Clark has helped students in northern Virginia prepare for the
SAT and the ACT for over six years. He graduated cum laude from
Princeton University in 2004, and graduated from H-B Woodlawn in 1998.
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please
write to him at erclark@gmail.com, or call 571-331-9316.

Distracted Driving

admin — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 12:15:29 +0000

With the 2^nd Distracted Driving Summit sponsored by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood coming up September 21^st in Washington, D.C., Illume Software a pioneer mobile technology that manages communications while driving, invites DC area teens and parents to experience iZUP™(www.getizup.com), the most effective cell phone-related distracted driving solution in the marketplace.

Each year, 21% of fatal car crashes involving teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 were the result of cell phone usage. Yet, one in three teens, ages 16 and 17, still admit to texting while driving according to a recent survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

As families across the country vow to break this deadly habit of texting and driving in 2010, teens from the D.C. area and their parents will have the opportunity to test drive iZUP™ , the new GPS-enabled mobile phone application that prevents this dangerous practice The event will gather together key leaders and encourage a dialog around this significant issue, all while enjoying refreshments and pizza. And did we mention the iTunes gift for teen participants?

Created by a mother who had a driving scare with her own teen son, iZUP waits quietly in the background and automatically launches when it detects that a phone is in a vehicle traveling over five miles per hour. While driving, incoming calls are sent to voice mail and text messages are held until the vehicle stops and a driver can read and respond to them safely. iZUP also prevents outgoing communication while driving, yet always allows emergency calls to 9-1-1 and authorized numbers, such as a parent’s cell phone

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 16^th, 2010, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.

WHERE: Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5533 N. 16th Street, Arlington, VA 22205

RSVP: marisa.evans@illumesoftware.com