November 21, 2026 | 8:30 am - 12:00 pm | Melrose High School
Parent University is a morning of workshops for caregivers and community members focused on education, parenting, community engagement, and related topics.
Parent U is free, registration is required. Melrose Parent University is brought to you by the Melrose Education Foundation in cooperation with the Melrose Public Schools. Special thanks to all our donors and to Melrose Cooperative Bank Foundation for a grant supporting this free event.
Schedule
8:30 - 8:50 Registration, coffee, community tables
8:50 - 9:00 Welcome by MEF
9:00 - 9:50 Workshop Session 1
10:00 - 10:50 Full Group Session with MPS administrators: Budget, strategic plan, and you
11:00 - 11:50 Workshop Session 2
Workshop Options - see below for full descriptions!
1.1 Saving and Paying for College
1.2 Healthy Friendships: Helping Young People Build Them, Sustain Them, and Act as an Upstander
1.3 AI and Teaching - the Good, the Bad, and the Unknown
1.4 Fostering Age-Appropriate Independence by Empowering Children’s Capabilities
1.5 Crabby kids: What To Do When My Kid Starts Snapping
1.6 The Science of Reading: What It Means for Your Child, at School and at Home
1.7 Understanding and Supporting Anxiety
1.8 Tweens love Typewriters: What we're learning from low tech and how you can bring that home
2.1 College Admissions Planning
2.2 Raising Curious, Compassionate, and Confident Kids: An Introduction to Story Starters
2.3 Your kids (and you!) are what you swipe: Building healthy digital habits in kids in the age of iPhones and AI
2.4 Forty Developmental Assets - Build Resiliency and Help Your Child Thrive
2.5 Owning Up: Creating a home where it’s safe to say “I Did It”
2.6 Transform Difficult Behaviors & Nurture Success and Greatness in Each Child
2.7 “Reveal-ing” today’s Math Class in Melrose
2026 Parent U: Workshop Descriptions
1.1 Saving and Paying for College
Target Audience: All; Presenters: Jeff Bentley, VP, Student Lending at Citizens; Amy Piantedosi, Director of Financial Aid, Tufts University
College is an investment, but the thought of saving for and financing a college education can be overwhelming for families. Though it’s never too late to begin saving, there are certainly advantages to starting early on in your child’s life. This workshop will discuss college savings options, tips, and different ways to pay for college, including types of financial aid, the FAFSA, student loans and more.
1.2 Healthy Friendships: Helping Young People Build Them, Sustain Them, and Act as an Upstander
Target Audience: Grades K - 5; Presenters: Ali Calnan, Prevention Specialist & Survivor Advocate at the Melrose Alliance Against Violence (MAAV); Valerie Esty, BU School of Social Work, MAAV Intern.
This workshop is aimed at supporting parents of elementary and early middle school students as their children navigate friendships. We will cover how to support your children in building healthy friendships and navigating challenging situations such as bullying. We want you to walk away feeling like you have the skills to support conversations with your children about healthy and unhealthy friendships and support them in acting as an upstander.
1.3 AI and Education - the Good, the Bad, and the Unknown
Target Audience: Grades 4-12; Presenter: Josh Cristiano, MHS educator (AP Research, AP Lang Teacher)
According to the College Board's latest study, 84% of students self-report using generative AI on school work -- but how are they using these tools? Also, why? In this workshop, we'll dive into the data and case studies in order to examine how we can best support and not bypass student learning. We'll discuss how to avoid cognitive offloading, the developing brain, and new strategies for successful learning. By the end of the workshop, you'll be able to best support your learner in this ever-changing landscape.
1.4 Fostering Age-Appropriate Independence by Empowering Children’s Capabilities
Target Audience: Grades K - 5; Presenters: Dr. Carolyn Cassill & Dr. Abby Oostendorp, Newton Neuro Brain & Behavioral Health
Parents want their children to become more independent in a safe and healthy way, but are often uncertain how to do this. This workshop focuses on encouraging the development of executive functioning and adaptive skills across key transition points (such as Kindergarten, 3rd grade, middle school, etc.) by creating environments that invite children to contribute meaningfully and take on responsibility. It highlights the importance of recognizing children’s competence, providing opportunities for them to help and problem-solve, and supporting growth through natural consequences to strengthen confidence, autonomy, and readiness for adult life.
1.5 Crabby kids: What To Do When My Kid Starts Snapping
Target Audience: All; Presenter: Jillian Russo, PsyD, PediMIND Program, McLean
In this workshop, we’ll look at developmental trends in childhood irritability and what can impact its expression, and learn about childhood irritability as part of mental health disorders and when to seek help. We’ll also learn strategies to better understand and support emotion regulation
1.6 The Science of Reading: What It Means for Your Child, at School and at Home
Target Audience: All; Presenters: Tiffany Hogan, Professor, Mass General Brigham University & Research Associate, Harvard Medical School; Milissa Churchill, Principal, Horace Mann Elementary School; Kassie Merrill & Ani Breay, Co-Reading Leads, Melrose Public Schools
You may have heard the phrase “the science of reading,” but what does it actually mean for your child? This session will share up-to-date research on how children learn to read. Together our team will discuss how this research is put into practice in our schools and what you can do at home.
1.7 Understanding and Supporting Anxiety
Target Audience: All; Presenter: Sheilah Gauch, LICSW, M.Ed, Principal and Clinical Director of Dearborn Academy
In this presentation, we will break down and learn about the science behind anxiety and identify ways to support it. Anxiety impacts us all differently; particular attention will be given to understanding anxiety in your children - and yourselves. This is especially important for caregivers of children who have challenges of any kind. Understanding our stress responses can not only help our kids - but help us in supporting them!
1.8 Tweens love Typewriters: What we're learning from low tech and how you can bring this home
Target Audience: Grades K-8; Presenter: Adam Azia, Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School
Description: Introducing typewriters (yes, typewriters!) into my seventh grade ELA class has been a game changer for some students. In this session, through a hands on exercise with typewriters, you'll learn more about what has happened in the classroom and discuss what makes these low tech tools appealing for students. We'll discuss broader trends in schools and the value of lower tech alternatives, and brainstorm ways caregivers can translate what we've learned to their homes.
2.1 College Admissions Planning
Target Audience: Grades 9 - 12; Presenter: Meghan Jenkins, Jenkins College Coaching
College planning does not need to be stressful! This workshop will help parents and caregivers of high school students understand the key stages and timeline of the college admissions process, including academic preparation, college research, application components, and testing. Parents will leave with practical tips to support their children throughout this important time.
2.2 Raising Curious, Compassionate, and Confident Kids: An Introduction to Story Starters
Target Audience: Grades Preschool - 3; Presenters: Ellie Axe, Director, MBA, Story Starters
How do we help young children understand differences, ask thoughtful questions, and build a sense of belonging? Join Story Starters for an engaging, interactive session exploring how children understand race, identity, and fairness. Through research, picture books, and practical strategies, parents and caregivers will get a taste of the Story Starters experience and leave with tools to spark meaningful conversations at home.
2.3 Your kids (and you!) are what you swipe: Building healthy digital habits in kids in the age of iPhones and AI
Target Audience: Grades K - 5; Presenter: Niels Rosenquist, MD, PhD, Mass General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, co-founder of Dialecticfound.org
Parents of young children are faced with many challenges. One of the biggest relates to their kids' exposure to, and eventual adoption of, digital technologies. This session will focus on how to best prepare your children for their eventual use of digital devices and technologies in a way that promotes “healthy” usage of digital devices on consumption of content from screen time. Drawing on scientific research and best practice models, the session will combine presentation with individual/group exercises with the goal of having parents develop concrete goals for their homes and their communities.
2.4 Forty Developmental Assets - Build Resiliency and Help Your Child Thrive
Target Audience: All; Presenter: Emily Hatchouel, Public Health Specialist, City of Melrose
The developmental assets framework identifies 40 research-based, positive experiences and qualities that influence young people’s development, helping them become caring, responsible, and productive adults. When young people have more assets, they are more likely to thrive now and in the future, less likely to engage in risky behaviors, and are more likely to be resilient in the face of challenges.
2.5 Owning Up: Creating a home where it’s safe to say “I Did It”
Target Audience: All; Presenters: Rebecca Taplin, M. Ed. & Beth Hampson, M. Teaching and Learning, Pathways to Restorative Communities
Come learn how choosing curiosity, focusing on strengths, and leading with dignity can transform avoidance into accountability, suspicion into support, and covering up into owning up. The presentation will feature an overview of the restorative approach, discussion of why Restorative Practices lead to more truth-telling when kids make mistakes or bad choices, and activities to help you practice applying restorative principles and language to real-life situations
2.6 Transform Difficult Behaviors & Nurture Success and Greatness in Each Child
Target Audience: All; Presenter: Sam Healy, LICSW
The Nurtured Heart Approach™ (NHA) is an evidence-based approach and set of strategies to teach children of all ages self-regulation, critical life skills and values within the context of everyday routines and activities. Participants will learn practical strategies and specific techniques to help children transform difficult behaviors and reach their highest potential.
2.7 “Reveal-ing” today’s Math Class in Melrose
Target Audience: All; Presenters: Jennifer O'Brien, Elementary Curriculum Coordinator, Asst Principal Winthrop School; Ellie Noto, Director of Academics, STEM 6-12
In this session we will be unlocking the secrets of our new math curriculum and show you how you can best support your child for success. We will engage in lesson routines used in your child’s classroom and discuss strategies to extend the learning at home.