Our goal is to provide advocacy sessions that will empower parents to help their children be successful throughout the school year and beyond. These sessions are also designed to support family growth and sustainability. These sessions were suggested and developed with Parents Challenge parents.
THESE SESSIONS ARE DESIGNED TO BE A RESOURCE FOR PARENTS WHETHER THEIR CHILDREN ATTEND PUBLIC, CHARTER, OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS OR CHOOSE TO HOMESCHOOL.
These sessions are not geared to tell parents what to do, they will be geared to provide parents with tools and resources to make informed decisions regarding their child’s education that can be applied at school or at home. Ideally, these sessions help parents to ask questions, seek additional support, develop goals with their children, learn to assess performance data and develop skills to monitor their students’ overall progress. These sessions also support low-income families with financial and community resources.
AUTUMN Semester
Blue – Regular Advocacy Sessions
Orange – Tracks (must commit to the entire track to receive credit)
You do not receive credit for attending 1 or 2 sessions.
ALL sessions must be attended to receive CREDIT for the TRACK.
All in-person sessions will have a meal component.
Date
Topic
Time
Session #14: Power of Persuasion
Community Project
Mandatory: All Families
This session will feature our 4+Families sharing their journey of “The Red Paper Clip” Communication experience.
Location: Antlers Hotel
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
(Tuesday)
Dr. Regina Lewis,
Professor, Pikes Peak Community College,
Founder – ReginaSpeaks.com
Session #15: Surviving and Thriving Math Concepts (High School)
This session will focus on students conquering Integers, solving different types of Equations and Graphing on the Coordinate Planes. Join this session to discover a new way to help your child enjoy and understand high school math.
Location:
PPLD East Branch
5550 N Union Blvd
Colorado Springs, 80918
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
(Thursday)
Mary Ann Hubl
Owner, Math ETC LLC
Tutoring, Speaker, Math/Algebra/Geometry website
monumentalmath.com
Track #4: Survival Skills: How to get ahead and stay ahead
(Must commit to all three sessions)
Are you tired of missing the mark? Frustrated that those you thought were or should help you, have fallen short. Have you hit enough brick walls and not been able to recover? This series will take you on a journey to set and establish goals to eliminate the ups and downs of staying on track, meeting your expectations, and managing life with all parties involved.
Go on this journey of self-discovery with a former welfare mom who has earned her Ph.D and is a professor at PPCC and the Newman University.
9:00 am – Noon
Dr. Tiko Hardy, LAC, LCSW
Chief Diversity Officer, PPCC
Founder, Pikes Peak Leadership Solutions
February 2
(Virtual)
Session #16: One-on-One Brain Training
If your child is struggling to learn, focus, read, or remember, there’s a good chance the problem is brain-based. The way to address the cause is to strengthen the weak skill that is making learning (and life) harder than it needs to be. One-on-one brain training with one of our certified trainers does exactly that with fun, challenging mental exercises that strengthen weak skills and improve cognitive performance. Our programs are like fitness routine for the mind.
Cognitive Skills Training has supported clients struggling with: Attention Challenges, Reading Challenges, Traumatic Brain Injury, Math Struggles, Speech & Language Disorders, Memory Decline, Learning Disabilities, Autism Spectrum and many more…
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
(Wednesday)
Laura Lynch
Learning RX
Session #17: Chair Yoga
Join us for one-hour of chair yoga. Yoga combines physical exercises, mental meditation, and breathing techniques together to create the mind, body, and spirit connection. We use a chair to provide opportunity for those that need low impact but maximum results.
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
(Thursday)
Leon M Abdullah-Ward
Owner, In-Balance
February 4,
February 11,
February 18,
February 25,
March 4,
March 11
Thrivers Leadership Institute
129 N. Wahsatch
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Final Session
March 18th
Colorado Springs Community Cultural Collective at City Auditorium
127 1/2 E. Bijou, Suite 1
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Track #5: Nurturing Fathers
(Must commit to all 7 sessions)
The Nurturing Fathers Program is an evidence – based, parent training course designed to teach parenting and nurturing skills to men. Each 2-hour class session provides proven, effective skills for healthy family relationships and child development. The Nurturing Fathers Program brings together men from all family circumstances to explore what it takes to be their child’s nurturer and teacher. Fathers learn how important it is to provide loving praise and a nurturing and secure environment so that their children gain self-esteem and confidence. The program also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive and supportive co-parenting relationship with the child(ren)’s mother, whether the parents are together or separated.
THIS SESSION IS FOR DADS ONLY.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
(Friday)
Ken Sanders
Certified Master Trainer
Nurturing Fathers – CO
February 7
March 7
April 4
(Virtual)
Track #6: Cooking Matters at Home
(Must commit to all three (3) sessions)
February 7
Cooking Matters at the Store: Shopping on a Budget
This session will discuss how to buy fruits and vegetables on a budget, and practice comparing unit prices, reading food labels, and reading ingredient labels to find whole grains.
March 7
Money-Saver Alert: This session will discuss how to use everything that you have (or have access to), practice using ‘hard to utilize’ ingredients in a variety of recipes and discuss how to save foods that you can’t use right away and how to limit food waste with children while still introducing new foods.
April 4
Spice Up Your Cooking: This session will discuss how to incorporate more spices in your cooking for more flavorful and exciting meals, as well as ways to save money on spices and health benefits of different spices.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm (Monday)
Jessie Henderson
Taylor Hargis
Care and Share
Session #18: Don’t be Afraid of Math Concepts – Conquer Them
(Middle School)
This session will focus on Conquering number patterns and Sums along with Conquering positive and Negative Integers. Students will work on Percent, Word and Solving Equations. They will be introduced to Geometry Topics. Join this session and learn that “The best angle in math is the Try-Angle”.
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
(Thursday)
Mary Ann Hubl
Owner, Math ETC LLC
Tutoring, Speaker, Math/Algebra/Geometry website
monumentalmath.com
February 17
(Virtual)
**This class is NOT intended to provide legal advice, as Ms. Love is not a practicing lawyer, paralegal, or entity who is allowed to provide case-specific legal advice. This class is meant to give an overview of the ways to navigate the family court process**
Session #19: Survive, Strive, and THRIVE Amidst
Family Court Experiences
Have you experienced past or present trauma or fear around appearing in family court? Are you going to family court in the future and you’re dreading the experience, or fear the unknown? Do you avoid filing paperwork, or have trouble advocating for your family, because the other parent, “has more money, is more powerful, (or) knows how to lie better than I do?” Family court can be an excellent tool to ensure your child’s best interests are legally met, however knowing what to do can be tricky. Visit this class to learn the definitions of terms like: CFI, PCDM, GAL, CASA, Parenting Time, Residential Care and more. Learn about what you really want for your children and family, how to document communications and decisions in an effective way; how to maintain some sort of normalcy for you and your children during family court events; how to retain your power, protect your children, and maintain emotionally healthy while co-parenting with a toxic parent; tools to utilize to increase the efficiency of your case; free and cost-efficient resources for legal advice/representation. If you live in regret, fear, or grief because of family court, please come seek some relief!
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
(Thursday)
Eliza M. Love, M.A.
Pre-K-8th Instructor – D-11
Adjunct Professor,
Grand Canyon University
Session #20: College and Career Success
The next step…how do I prepare for life after high school?
Learn how to explore and choose the pathway that’s right for you to build your future.
Course booklet authored by facilitator will be provided to each participant.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
(Wednesday)
Kristi Smith
Colorado Early Colleges, Colorado Springs
Author, Instructor
Session #21: Rising Seniors
(Juniors/Seniors in High School)
- Financial Budgeting/Savings – Learn how to budget and save while you are still young and free of major responsibilities. With a spending plan, you will be surprised at how much you can save. Also, when you invest your money early, you do not just earn interest on that investment, but over time you also earn interest on your interest. Learn key strategies to “KEEP FROM BEING BROKE”.
- Cooking 101 – In this class we will discuss the advantages of eating right and staying hydrated while living on your own for the first time or in a dorm. We will practice making a quick healthy snack that helps keep us full between meals.
- Time Management – How many times have you started a project/assignment, not accomplished very much, only to look at the clock and discover that it’s time for your next class/project? Where did the time go?
Time seems to be a pretty leaky thing. Unless it’s carefully controlled, it dribbles away second by second, hour by hour. Yet, this very flexibility can be used to your advantage. When you control time, you can learn, in effect, how to make time stand still while you get more projects/assignments done.
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
(Saturday)
Jacob Larsen, AAMS
Financial Advisor
Edward Jones
Jessie Henderson
Care and Share
Deborah Hendrix
CD Global Training & Consulting
Session #22: Zumba
Join us for one-hour of exercise. Join us for one-hour of exercise. Zumba is one of the most popular exercise crazes in recent years, and with good reason! There are many health benefits of zumba, including its ability to burn fat, work out the entire body, boost the metabolism, increase endurance, boost mood, aid coordination, and improve confidence.
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
(Thursday)
Leon M Abdullah-Ward
Owner, In-Balance
Session #23: Making Math Make Sense
(Elementary School)
This session will focus on Number Patterns for Addition, Multiples, Rounding Numbers, Fractions and Dealing with Decimals. Join this session and help your younger scholars understand that “Practice makes progress” rather than ‘Practice makes perfect’.
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
(Wednesday)
Mary Ann Hubl
Owner, Math ETC LLC
Tutoring, Speaker, Math/Algebra/Geometry website
monumentalmath.com
March 17
(Virtual)
Session #24: Learning Your Way
It is important to understand how you learn in relation to how you work with others. This is particularly true for parents working with their children. This interactive session will help you to use how you learn to improve how you work with others at home and work. Participants will explore learning styles and identify their own unique style.
(Thursday)
Dr. Bridgitt Mitchell
Administrator, Professor, and Consultant
April 7
(Virtual)
Session #25: Renew your Parenting Journey with a Review of the Pillars for Success
If you have participated in any of the Pillars for Success Parenting Trainings offered by Parents Challenge, be sure to attend this fun-filled, energy packed review of the 9 Pillars of Successful Parenting.
We will:
- Review the main ideas of each of the 9 Pillars,
- Explore how each of the Pillars apply to your achieving successful interactions with your children
- Answer your questions as they arise
THIS SESSION IS FOR PARENTS ONLY
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
(Thursday)
Sandra Kwesell
Founder
Pillars for Success – Families in Transition
September 1st
Session #5
(In-person)
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Younger scholars
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Older scholars
Session #5: Family Yoga
Join us for one-hour of family yoga. Yoga combines physical exercises, mental meditation, and breathing techniques together to create the mind, body, and spirit connection.
Location:
In-Balance Studio
2820 E. Pikes Peak Avenue, C/S 80909
5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Leona M. Abdullah-Ward
Owner
In-Balance
Track #1
Must commit to all six (6) sessions
September 12th to
October 17th
(Mondays)
(In-person)
Location: Southeast YMCA
Track #1: Strategies for Success – Parent Session
(must commit to all six (6) sessions)
Parents did you know that children think differently from adults?
The Pillars for Success for Parents is a program that teaches parents to understand and successfully redirect/reverse challenging behaviors by:
- Disengaging from the power struggle
- Establishing and maintaining crystal clear boundaries
- Learning behavioral techniques to avoid misperceptions and communicate effectively
- Empowering the child to initiate pro-social behavior choices by implementing the technique of “irresistible influence” to effectively replace futile power struggles
- Building the child’s self-esteem and sense of mastery by presenting the child with choices that guarantee the adult’s ultimate control while simultaneously empowering the child
- Implementing well-timed praise seasoned with sincere and appropriate empathy.
THIS SESSION IS FOR PARENTS ONLY
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Sandra Kwesell
Founder
Pillars for Success – Families in Transition
September 13th
Session #6
(In-person)
Session #6: Cooking Matters
Hands-on cooking classes and nutrition discussions
Kids Say Yes to Fruits & Veggies – This session will discuss pros and cons of using different forms of fruits and vegetables, how to prepare meals and snacks that help kids eat more fruits and vegetables and share ideas for helping kids enjoy more fruits and vegetables.
Location:
Care and Share
2605 Preamble Point C/S 80915
NO CHILDREN UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE CAN ATTEND
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Jesse Henderson
Cooking Matters Program Director
(Limited Enrollment)
September 20th
Session #7
(Virtual)
Session #7: Dealing with People
So much of our lives revolves around screens, that many have never learned how to speak face to face to others. I say “Good Morning” to everyone. I once had a student whose response to my greeting was always “Don’t Talk To Me.” Even if she was in a bad mood, this was not a proper response. In this training, we talk about the proper way to deal with parents, teachers, peers, and bosses – even if you disagree with them. And in relating to them properly, you will find that you will get what you want more often.
THIS SESSION IS FOR STUDENTS – MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
James Divine
Speaker/Educator
Author/Musician
September 22nd
Session #8
(In-person)
Location: Southeast YMCA
Session #8: Reading Struggles and Dyslexia, a Bright New Day!
As parents of children who are struggling with reading and writing, we can be overwhelmed with emotions. We send our kids off to school, or maybe we teach them in our homes. Our hopes and expectations are high as we begin. Soon though, the hopes, the dreams, and the expectations give way to confusion as the struggles set in. As the difficulties persist, the confusion can give way to fear and even anger. In this session, we are going to take away the confusion and replace it with clarity. We are going to take away the fear and replace it with confidence. You will leave with a smile on your face and have the confidence you need to help your child have great success.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Rick & Lisa Weaver
Essentials to Success in Literacy
September 24th
Session #9
(In-person)
2 Session Credit
(Saturday)
9am – 2pm
Session #9: College and Career Success
The next step, college…then what?
Earning a degree or certification is a major step toward building your future. What do I do now? In this workshop you will learn how to find and land the ideal job for you in today’s market.
Location:
Colorado Early Colleges, Colorado Springs – Middle School
(Entrance across parking lot from Basketball Courts)
4405 N. Chestnut, C/S 80907
UCCS College Tour
1420 Austin Bluffs Pkwy C/S
THIS SESSION IS FOR STUDENTS – MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL
9:00 am – 11:00 am
Kristi Smith
Colorado Early Colleges, Colorado Springs
Bus transportation will be provided for all attendees. Swag will be provided.
Lunch and Snacks will be provided.
11:30 am – 1:30 pm
October 6th
Session #10
(In-person)
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Session #10: Exercise Sneakers
Join us for one-hour of exercise. This session is designed for those struggling with weight issues or limited exercise. This session will support those dealing with ankle, shoulder, hips, and back issues. Everyone is welcome to learn the best way to take care of your health.
Location:
In-Balance Studio
2820 E. Pikes Peak Avenue, C/S 80909
5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Leona M. Abdullah-Ward
Owner
In-Balance
October 10th
Session #11
(Virtual)
Session #11: Mental Health
With the world changing, many issues have surfaced for our youth and this session will discuss strategies of how to detect and cope with mental health challenges.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Gene Henderson
Henderson Consulting & EAP Services
October 11th
Session #12
(In-person)
Session #12: Cooking Matters
Hands-on cooking classes and nutrition discussions
Making Recipes Work For You – This session will discuss how to substitute ingredients in recipes, practice using recipe frameworks, and share meal ideas that allow each family member to choose the toppings or ingredients that they enjoy.
Location:
Care and Share
NO CHILDREN UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE CAN ATTEND
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Jesse Henderson
Cooking Matters Program Director
(Limited Enrollment)
October 20th
Session #13
(Virtual)
Session #13: Cultivating Healthy Minds & Bodies
Implementing healthy choices often takes repetition and support. Please join us for an informational session to learn about tools and tips that can improve your family’s physical, social and mental health!
9Health:365 advances health awareness, providing people with the tools they need to take responsibility for their own health.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Jennifer Mariñelarena
Customer Service Specialist
9Health:365
October 22nd
Session #14
(In-person)
Session #14: College Tours
Pikes Peak State College – Centennial Campus
5675 S Academy Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Colorado College (TBD)
14. E Cache La Poudre St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903
NO CHILDREN UNDER 7th GRADE CAN ATTEND
9:30 am – 1:30 pm
Bus transportation will be provided for all attendees. Swag will be provided.
Lunch and Snacks will be provided.
November 1st
Session #15
(Virtual)
Session #15: Emotional Intelligence for Students
Focuses on strategies for preschool through high school aged students to help families learn real-world strategies to cope with stress, uncertainty, relational aggression, and more. Strategies are researched-based and proven effective in the home and school environments.
THIS SESSION IS FOR STUDENTS – MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Eliza M. Love
Pre-K-8th Instructor – D-11
Adjunct Professor
Grand Canyon University
November 3rd
Session #16
(In-person)
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Younger scholars
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Older scholars
Session #16: Zumba
Join us for one-hour of exercise. Zumba is one of the most popular exercise crazes in recent years, and with good reason! There are many health benefits of Zumba including its ability to burn fat, work out the entire body, boost the metabolism, increase endurance, boost mood, aid coordination, and improve confidence.
Location:
In-Balance Studio
2820 E. Pikes Peak Avenue, C/S 80909
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Leona M. Abdullah-Ward
Owner
In-Balance
November 8th
Session #17
(In-person)
Session #17: Cooking Matters
Hands-on cooking classes and nutrition discussions
No More Mealtime Madness – This session will introduce fundamentals of maintaining a basic pantry and discuss ways to involve kids in the meal planning to create more buy-in at mealtime.
Location:
Care and Share
2605 Preamble Point C/S 80915
NO CHILDREN UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE CAN ATTEND
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Jesse Henderson
Cooking Matters Program Director
(Limited Enrollment)
November 10th
Session #18
(Virtual)
Session #18: Reading Resources
This session is for parents of scholars of all ages. It is designed to empower parents to help their child master reading for school and for pleasure. During this session, we provide information, tools, and resources for each of the 5 main areas of reading: Phonics, Phonemic Awareness, Vocabulary, Comprehension, and Fluency.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Lori Bitar
Academic Advocates
November 15th
Session #19
(Virtual)
Session #19: The Male Brain and How Boys Learn
This workshop addresses how the male brain develops and processes information. It also speaks to the power and influence of the hormone testosterone on the male brain.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Dedrick Sims
CEO
Sims-Fayola Foundation
November 16th
Session #20
(Virtual)
Session #20: Supporting and Building Male Emotional Intelligence
This workshop focuses on what parents can do to increase the positive development of male Emotional Intelligence “EI”. This workshop pulls for the tenants of Social Emotional Learning and other leading research around EI.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Dedrick Sims
CEO
Sims-Fayola Foundation
Please be advised. These sessions could be changed or postponed due to instructor cancellations, school dynamics or limited enrollment.
