2026 - 2027 Programs

RECENT Programs

Self-Care for Parents: Where Do I Find the Energy I Need? with Carrie Stack, M.Ed.

Every day, parents and caregivers support, guide, and inspire their children - requiring endless patience and energy. Too many of us forget to take care of ourselves. We cannot give what we don't have. This interactive keynote highlighted Carrie's most popular self-care strategies, shared with tens of thousands of people. Attendees learned tips, tools, and strategies to apply right away in their parenting journeys.

Carrie Stack, M.Ed. is a Certified Life Coach, author, and motivational speaker with 25+ years of experience providing people with skills and tools to make positive changes in their lives. She is the founder of the Say Yes Institute (SYI), a company focused on coaching and building emotional intelligence, and the author of The Dream Boss: Inspire Individuals and Teams to Succeed. Click here to learn more. Thank you to the John and Mary Murphy Educational Foundation for their generous support of this program.

2025-2026 Programs

SpeakOUT Boston Returns to Winchester!

Panelists from SpeakOUT Boston, a nonprofit organization that supports LGBTQIA+ community members, returned to Winchester and shared their personal stories. Following the panel, attendees participated in a Q&A and listened to honest, genuine and heartfelt answers. We hope you’ll join us as we continue to learn how to have safe, candid and supportive conversations about LGBTQIA+ issues with our friends, family, and community.

Real Choices and “Dream Schools”: Helping Your Child Find the Right College Fit with Jeff Selingo

The college admissions process has never been more complex - or stressful - for families. New York Times bestselling author and college admissions expert Jeff Selingo joined us for an engaging conversation about how parents can best support their children through today’s admissions landscape. Drawing on years of research, Jeff shared practical insights to help families reduce stress, look beyond “dream schools,” and focus on finding the colleges where students will truly thrive.

Transition to Kindergarten Panel and Resource Fair, 2026

Parents and guardians joined us for an interactive panel to learn about the non-academic aspects of transitioning to kindergarten. Following the panel and Q & A, they visited the Community Resource Fair to learn about after-school opportunities for your school age child. Panelists included Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Hackett, School Nurse, Kindergarten Teacher, School Psychologist and Elementary School Principals. The Community Resource Fair included parent representatives from all five elementary schools, enrichment opportunities and after-school care.

An Evening With The Superintendent, 2026

Winchester Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Hackett provided an informal and interactive forum with Q&A for parents and caregivers to hear about a wide range of topics and issues in the schools.

The Privates Rule Workshop: Realistic Strategies to Prevent Sexual Abuse with Dr. Nora Shine, Child and Family Psychologist

In this workshop, Dr. Shine shared a set of research-driven, realistic strategies that parents, caregivers, and educators can use to prevent sexual abuse of children. Her workshop helped participants feel empowered as they learned; facts about child abuse and effective prevention strategies, ways to recognize and confidently address adult behaviors that raise concern and how to increase communication with children so they feel safe, supported, and protected.

Managing Anxiety in Our Children (and Ourselves) with Lynn Lyons, LICSW

In this presentation, national expert, Lynn Lyons offered practical strategies to reduce anxiety and promote resilience in children from preschool through high school. She discussed ways to: prevent anxiety and teach young people to connect with others and manage emotions in an effective way; gave step by step instructions for helping a child suffering from anxiety; and how to help children manage social pressures, including social media and screens. Her latest book for adults and teenagers is The Anxiety Audit: Seven Sneaky Ways Anxiety Takes Hold And How to Escape Them. She is also the co-host of the popular podcast Flusterclux. Click Here for more resources, including her books, videos and webinars. Click Here for more information about Lynn Lyons, sign up for her newsletter and link to her podcast. This program was co-sponsored in partnership with the Winchester Coalition for a Safer Community. Thank you to the John and Mary Murphy Educational Foundation for their generous support of this program.

Digital Well-being: How can we help kids navigate a world where everything is shared and compared? with Dr. Devorah Heitner, Author of “Growing Up in Public: Coming Of Age In A Digital World”

Dr. Devorah Heitner shared her insights on how to help tweens and teens navigate boundaries, identity, privacy, and reputation in their digital world. She addressed ways to help kids be authentic when everything can be shared and compared, how to help kids/teens find balance between active and tech time, and why mentorship is better than just monitoring. A Q&A followed the presentation. CLICK HERE to download a copy of the discussion guide for her book. CLICK HERE to sign up for her newsletter. Thank you to Winchester Co-operative Bank for their generous donation to this program!

2024-2025 Programs

SpeakOUT

Once again, Parent to Parent is started our Pride Month celebration in May! Attendees heard the incredible personal stories of LGBTQIA+ community members. Panelists from SpeakOUT Boston, a nonprofit organization that supports LGBTQ+ community members and works to create positive change, shared their personal stories. Audience members asked questions and listened to honest, genuine and heartfelt answers. Discussions focused on how to have safe, candid and supportive conversations about LGBTQIA+ issues with friends and family members. More information about SpeakOUT can be found HERE!

THE SANDWICH GENERATION: Finding Balance While Raising Children & Supporting Aging Parents

A Parent to Parent, Winchester Council on Aging, and Jenks Partner Presentation, this program was a dynamic conversation with Liz O'Donnell, Caregiver, Local Expert and Author of the Nationally Recognized Wellness Book, "Working Daughter: A Guide to Caring for Your Aging Parents While Making a Living.” The book can be ordered at BookEnds. Liz addressed the unique and sometimes competing challenges of caring for your children and aging parents, including; how to balance responsibilities and commitments while maintaining your well-being; start crucial conversations with aging parents around issues of independence and safety, such as downsizing and driving; build a network of support with family members, siblings and friends for the care of your parents; and navigate the challenges with humor, resilience and self-compassion. Caregiver Resources mentioned during the program: Click Here for the Caregiver Resource Page from Liz O’Donnell. Click Here for a digital resource directory provided by the Council on Aging and Winchester Seniors Association at The Jenks. 

An Evening With The Superintendent, 2025

Winchester Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Hackett provided a forum with Q&A for parents and caregivers to hear about a wide range of topics and issues in the schools.

Transition to Kindergarten Panel and Resource Fair, 2025

Parents and guardians joined us for an interactive panel to learn about the non-academic aspects of transitioning to kindergarten. Following the panel and Q & A, they visited the Community Resource Fair to learn about after-school opportunities for your school age child. Panelists included Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Hackett, School Nurse, Kindergarten Teacher, School Psychologist and Elementary School Principals. The Community Resource Fair included parent representatives from all five elementary schools, enrichment opportunities and after-school care.

What if I say the wrong thing? How to respond to grieving kids and teens with Jen Noonan, Program Director, MSW and Jonathan Gay, Executive Director of The Children’s Room

When a child or teen experiences a loss, we are often unsure what to say or do, especially since grief manifests differently depending on the child’s developmental stage. Jen Noonan and Jonathan Gay, grief experts from The Children's Room, provided an interactive program for participates to learn how grief shows up for kids and teens. This virtual program offered some practical tips and tools about what to say and do, and how to help when someone has experienced a loss. The program will included an extended Q&A with participants. The Children’s Room creates safe, supportive communities, so that no child, teen, or family has to grieve alone. Based in Arlington, MA, The Children's Room offers in-person and virtual programs for children, teens and their families designed to create connection and community after the death of a parent or sibling.  All groups and services for families are provided free of charge so that families have no financial burden.  Click Here to learn more about our speakers. Watch Recording Here!

Are The Kids Alright? Smartphone Sense with Dr. Allison S. Baker

Dr. Allison Baker joined us and the Winchester Coalition for a Safer Community for an in-person discussion identifying the effects of social media, personal devices and technology on youth mental health. She shared the importance of free play, independence and sleep for our kids, as well as connection and parent support for a healthier community. Here are some resources that were mentioned at the program: Common Sense Media; Protect Young Eyes; Office of the Surgeon General-Youth Mental Health and Social Media; and Clinic for Interactive media and internet disorders Boston Children’s Hospital.

Helping Teens Find Their Balance: Mastering Time, Tasks, and Well-Being with Sarah Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP

Many middle and high school students struggle to balance homework, extracurriculars, sports, social lives and other responsibilities. Parents frequently witness their children feeling overwhelmed by procrastination, deadlines, and the constant need to refocus. This lecture provided parents with practical, research-based strategies to help their students develop the independence and executive function skills needed to thrive. Parents learned how to: help their kids plan effectively when they have more work than time, factoring in due dates, task importance, and point values; teach kids to recognize not just a daily schedule but to truly sense how much time they have available, including all the “hidden” time needed for preparation, travel, and potential time robbers; parents were provided tools to guide their kids in planning study time, identifying what and how to study, and learning from previous test experiences to improve future performance; and help kids understand how distractions break up their time and how constant refocusing eats into their productivity. To learn more, please click here for Cognitive Connections Website

For additional history, please visit our Past Programs page