2024-2025 Community Education Series

Learn, Explore, Be Inspired

The Epiphany School Community Education Series offers an annual slate of diverse educational opportunities for the adults in our school community—parents/guardians, grandparents, friends, and neighbors.

In keeping with our strategic plan, the Epiphany School Community Education Series enhances our authentic and inclusive community by welcoming diverse thought, sharing our expanded vision and mission, and providing creative and engaging educational opportunities for our community. We welcome ideas for future programming and we will continue to collaborate with neighboring schools and the Epiphany Parent Council to develop and offer events that meet our community’s interests and needs.

As in past years, our programming includes virtual talks from the People of Color in Independent Schools' (POCIS) "Equity and Inclusion Virtual Speaker Series." Epiphany School is a member of POCIS, a consortium of NWAIS independent schools that exists to help people of color thrive in independent schools. Additionally, we are adding programming from ParentMap and have partnered with them to bring our community 12 virtual can't-miss talks as part of their ParentEd series

Presented in partnership with:

Dr. Gholdy Muhammad - Wednesday, October 9, 2024 (Virtual Event)

"Cultivating Genius: An Equity Model for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy."

In this keynote, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad offers a unique, culturally, and historically responsive approach to cultivating genius and joy in education. This approach is essential for accelerating the growth of all students and uniquely youth of color, who have been traditionally underserved in learning standards, policies, and school practices. She will present her equity framework, called the HILL Model, to help educators develop students’ histories, identities, literacies, and liberation. Participants will learn and understand history and policy and personal and instructional factors that justify the need and purpose for culturally and historically responsive education.  Additionally, participants will see sample lesson/unit plans across grade levels, moving theory into action.

Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad is an Associate Professor of Literacy, Language, and Culture at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Muhammad’s scholarship has appeared in leading academic journals and books. She has also received numerous national awards and is the author of the best-selling book, Cultivating Genius: An Equity Model for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. She also co-authored Black girls’ literacies: An Edited Volume. Her Culturally and Historically Responsive Education Model has been adopted across thousands of U.S. schools and districts across Canada. Her newest book, Unearthing Joy, is the sequel to Cultivating Genius and provides a practical guide for putting culturally and historically responsive education into curricular practice.

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Presented in partnership with:

Jonathan Haidt - Oct. 15, 2024, noon–1 p.m. PT (Virtual Event)

The Anxious Generation: Essential Strategies for Rewiring Childhood

Childhood itself has gone missing. As childhood migrated online in the early 2010s, rates of mental illness among US adolescents surged, and kids' daily opportunities to learn and play independently disappeared. But it's not too late to change.

Join ParentMap for an important ParentEd Talk with renowned social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of “The Anxious Generation.”

What began with a book launch, The Anxious Generation has since transformed into a three-year campaign to reclaim childhood, inviting teens, parents, schools, tech and policy leaders to take collective action — from inside their own families and homes, at school, to the halls of Congress — all across the globe.

Whether you've already given your child a smartphone or you're trying to delay it, there's a role you can play to protect your children. Learn what’s happening to our kids and, more importantly, what we can do to help.

Presented in partnership with:

Dr. Alok Kanojia - Nov. 7, 2024, noon–1 p.m. PT (Virtual Event)


Level Up: Winning Strategies for Parents of Gamers

Admit it: If your home is anything like most, high-action multiplayer games might have slowly taken over your kid’s every waking thought and free time. And when they need to power down? The battle continues off-screen. It’s time to reign it in and reset your family’s gaming habits.

Join ParentMap for an essential ParentEd Talk with Dr. Alok Kanojia (affectionately known as Dr. K) and discover a no-nonsense approach to navigating the nuances of gaming limits and lessons. Dr. K is a leading expert on video game addiction and a prominent mental health advocate for the digital generation.

Learn how to protect your kids from the all-too-real dangers of gaming addiction, build healthy gaming habits, establish appropriate limits, and work with — not against — your kids as they play and grow.

Presented in partnership with:

Nov. 12, 2024, 6:00-8:00 p.m. PT (In-Person Event at Bush School)

Screenagers Screening at Bush School (Community Room) 

We are excited to announce an upcoming in-person event in partnership with Bush School: a special screening of the acclaimed documentary Screenagers. This powerful film delves into the challenges families face in navigating the impact of screen time, social media, and technology on children and teens. The event will provide valuable insights and tools to help parents, educators, and students better understand and manage digital life.

Presented in partnership with:

Delaney Ruston - Nov. 19, 2024, 7–8 p.m. PT (Virtual Event)

Raising Digital Natives: Solutions for Healthy Screen Time Habits

Screenagers” filmmaker and physician Delaney Ruston offers valuable takeaways from her research on the impact of screens and will discuss how to foster open communication with kids about online experiences. Learn how to help your family find balance in the digital age.

Presented in partnership with:

Teacher Tom - Dec. 4, 2024, 7–8 p.m. PT (Virtual Event)

All in a Day’s Play: Boosting Brain Power Through Play

Beloved, Seattle-based educator Teacher Tom imparts insights learned throughout his decades-long career working with preschoolers. Learn his unique approach to child-led, play-based learning, and how you can foster a similar relationship and environment with the children in your life to help them learn and grow.

Presented in partnership with:

Dr. Ned Hallowell - Jan. 16, 2025, noon–1 p.m. PT (Virtual Event)

Navigating Neurodiversity: Strength-Based Support for ADHD Kids

Renowned pediatric psychiatrist Dr. Ned Hallowell shares decades of experience and personal insights about the unique gifts of ADHD and other atypical learners. Learn how to nurture your child's strengths and empower their sense of self-awareness and confidence.
 

Presented in partnership with:

Julie Metzger, founder of Great Conversations, and Peter Metzger, pediatrician

Feb. 5, 2025,  7–8 p.m. PT (Virtual Event)

Confident Conversations: Guiding Kids Through Puberty and Adolescence

Trusted experts Julie Metzger, RN, and Peter Metzger, M.D. of Great Conversations offer confidence-boosting approaches to challenging conversations for parents and kids about puberty, body changes, sex and other growing-up topics.

Presented in partnership with:

Robert B. Brooks and Sam Goldstein

Feb.  25, 2025, noon–1 p.m. PT

The Lost Art of Civility: Raising Respectful Kids

Robert B. Brooks and Sam Goldstein, coauthors of “Tenacity in Children” and “The Power of Resilience,” share powerful insights on one surprising solution to the lost art of civility. Learn how to promote empathy and encourage constructive dialogue at home, school and beyond.

Epiphany School STEM Night

March 13th, 2025, 

Save the date for STEM night on March 13, 2025! 

More information coming soon!

Presented in partnership with:

Dr. Ann-Louise T. Lockhart, pediatric psychologist and parent coach

March 20, 2025, noon–1 p.m. PT

Harmony at Home: Successfully Navigating Parent-Child Differences

Esteemed pediatric psychologist and parenting coach Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart shares practical strategies for building a strong parent-child connection, while supporting your child's individuality and embracing their differences.

Presented in partnership with:

Joe Newman, author and parent coach

April 1, 2025, noon–1 p.m. PT

From Chaos to Calm: Compassionate Discipline for Spirited Kids

Experienced parenting coach and “Raising Lions” author Joe Newman offers valuable insights on how to transform distracted and defiant children into kids who are motivated, respectful and attentive. Newman explores the deeper purposes behind conflict and what parents can do to spark change and work toward a calmer home.

Presented in partnership with:

Elena Aguilar

Wednesday, April 23, 2025, 5:00 - 6:15 p.m. PT

Cultivating Emotional Resilience to Build Equitable Schools

In this virtual keynote, participants will learn how to use a number of strategies to cultivate the kind of emotional resilience needed to build equitable schools. Participants will anchor in their values and purpose, explore how to navigate uncomfortable emotions, and learn why emotional resilience is the missing element in most equity endeavors. Participants will recognize and appreciate the connection between cultivating their own resilience and building equitable schools, learn how to use simple strategies to cultivate their emotional resilience when building equitable schools, and understand the critical importance of emotional resilience when building equitable schools. 

Elena Aguilar is an author, coach, and CEO. Elena Aguilar has worked in education since 1994. Her years of teaching, coaching, and leading teams in the Oakland, CA public schools deeply inform the eight books she’s written and the trainings she designs and facilitates. Elena is committed to creating equitable schools and organizations where everyone thrives. She founded Bright Morning in 2017 to advance this vision. See Elena’s Bio HERE and learn more about Bright Morning HERE. 

Presented in partnership with:

Lenore Skenazy, author of “Free Range Kids”
May 6, 2025, noon–1 p.m. PT

Let Go and Let Grow: Raising Confident, Independent Children

Author and Let Grow founder Lenore Skenazy shares her personal journey raising confident, independent kids and the growing movement to resist the pressures to be a hyper-involved parent in favor of a more laissez-faire approach to supporting children’s creativity, independence and growth.

Presented in partnership with:

Janine Halloran, licensed mental health counselor and founder of Coping Skills for Kids
June 5, 2025, noon–1 p.m. PT

Nurturing Resilience: Essential Coping Skills for Kids

Author and licensed mental health professional Janine Halloran offers parenting approaches to help kids learn to cope with the daily challenges of life, develop resilience and thrive.