Helping Children Succeed Workshops
Parenting with Love and Logic
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 3 yrs. – Teens
Organization: Alliance for Children & Youth
Presenter Dwayne Burks
Session Description: This session will equip parents to interact with their children and learn techniques for turning their negative behavior into positive leadership. The session will include components of Why Try, Learning with Love and Logic, facilitator’s personal experience as a parent of four children (aged 20 to 10 years), and classroom experience. Participants will also interact with one another, sharing their own experiences and expertise.
Biographical Information: Dwayne Burks is a Communities In Schools Coordinator in Gaston County Schools.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Why Try?
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 9 yrs. – Teens
Organization: Alliance for Children & Youth
Presenter Lisa Bolding
Session Description: OThe Why Try Program was created to provide simple hands on solutions for drop put prevention, violence prevention, drug and alcohol prevention, truancy reduction, and increase academic success. The same tools can be used to build better relationships with your child and encourage them to succeed in school.
Biographical Information:Lisa Bolding has been the Community In Schools Coordinator for the Alliance for Children and Youth for 2 years.
Number of Sessions Offered: 1
Just Read – Families Building Better Readers
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): Birth – 12 yrs.
Organization: Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
Presenter Dr. Priscilla Graham
Session Description: “Just Read” is a dynamic reading workshop designed for parents and children in elementary and middle school grades. This workshop teaches parents how to set their students up for successful reading practice at home with research-based activities they can do with their students to improve reading performance.
Biographical Information: Dr. Graham has been an educator for 25 years. She has taught in Department of Defense Schools and in various school systems in North Carolina. She is a graduate of East Carolina University, where she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in elementary education. She earned a Doctorate degree in school administration from UNCC. She and her husband of 38 years have 3 adult children and 3 grandsons. They reside in Gastonia.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Creative Activities
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 3 – 5 yrs.
Organization: Gaston College
Presenter Jacqueline Ammons
Session Description: Use items from home and children’s books to enhance your child’s learning while they have fun.
Biographical Information: Jacqueline Ammons received a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from UNCC and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Charleston Southern University. She taught elementary school for 28 years and at the college level for 8 years.
Number of Sessions Offered: 1
Make & Take Games for Learning at Home
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): 3 – 8 yrs.
Organization: Gaston County Schools
Presenter Jennifer Christy
Session Description: OParticipants will learn fun ways to incorporate learning at home as well as make games to take home and play with their children. The importance of daily routines and schedules for completing school work will also be discussed.
Biographical Information: KJennifer has 13 years of school counseling experience. This is her 4th year as the school counselor at Sadler Elem. She is a National Board Certified Teacher and a graduate of UNCC and Appalachian State.
Number of Sessions Offered: 1
Career Ready 101
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): Teens
Organization: Gaston Regional Chamber (Gaston Career Climb)
Presenter Gwen Moon & Ed Smith
Session Description: OParents – is your child ready for 21st Century Careers? Career Ready 101 is an integrated approach to exploring careers and their skill requirements, building workplace skills using KeyTrain, and creating life-literacy with such skills as financial awareness and job searching. The program leads users to the Career Readiness Certificate, a nationally portable credential.
Biographical Information: Dr. Ed Smith is the Director of Gaston Career Climb and the Vice President of Workforce Development for the Gaston Regional Chamber. Gwen Moon is the Program Coordinator for Gaston Career Climb and a Support Specialist for the Alliance for Children & Youth.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Let’s Read – The Magic of Reading with Children
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): Birth – 8 yrs.
Organization: Lincoln County Schools
Presenter Ginger Thompson
Session Description: Learn why we should read “to” and “with” our children and how the “magic” of doing this enables them to become better readers. This session will include a demonstration along with practical advice, tips, activities and strategies to guide parents in the most important activity they share with their children.
Biographical Information: Ginger Thompson is the BASC/Preschool Coordinator for Lincoln County Schools. She has over 30 years of teaching experience with a B.S. Degree in Early Childhood Education from Gardner-Webb University and a M.A. Degree in Reading Education K-12 from Appalachian State University. She has presented numerous workshops for parents and teachers on reading, math, behavior management, and teaching strategies. She serves on the Gaston College Early Childhood Education Advisory Board and on The Partnership for Children Board as the representative for Lincoln County Schools.
Number of Sessions Offered: Multiple
Understanding and Managing Tantrums
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): Birth – 5 yrs.
Organization: NC Cooperative Extension
Presenter Belinda Bogle
Session Description: Just a thought of thinking about a Temper Tantrum is enough to make you cringe. This session will give parents the understanding of why tantrums are a normal part of growing for young children, but annoying parents. Come and learn why tantrums happen and effective ways to handle tantrums that still allow parents to nurture a healthy parent/child relationship.
Biographical Information: Belinda Bogle is the Parent Education Coordinator for the NC Cooperative Extension in Gaston County. She has worked with young children for 15 years across the state and has spent 7 years working in her hometown of Gaston County. She is a certified parent educator and has her NC Family Support Credential for Family Support from Duke University.
Number of Sessions Offered: 1
Strength-Based Practices: A Guide for Individuals and Their Families to Experience Success
Target Audience (Parents/Guardians of): Birth – Teens
Organization: The Arc of Gaston County
Presenter Sara Osborne
Session Description: This session will illustrate the benefit of using strength-based initiatives when engaged in building, implementing, and achieving goals which support successful outcomes for citizens with developmental disabilities. It will also include details about providing natural supports and resources based on the individual’s and family’s needs.
Biographical Information: As the director of The Arc of Gaston County, as well as the parent of a special needs son, Sara brings both personal passion and vested interest to her position. Over the last few years, Sara’s dedication and compassion for people with developmental disabilities has proved evident as the recipient of two state awards from The Arc of NC.
Number of Sessions Offered: 1