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Target Audience
Parents & caregivers in NYSAIS member school communities
Questions
NYSAIS Member Schools can reach out to our support team at our support portal with any questions regarding this series.
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Webinars
School Readiness: Executive Function Needed to “Do School”
Presenter: Sarah Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP
Date/Time: Tuesday, September 29, 2026, 7:30 – 8:30 PM ET
The underlying executive function skills – working memory, time awareness, task initiation, organization – that students need to successfully “do school,” and strategies to start the year strong.
The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success & A Better Life
Presenter: Shawn Achor
Date/Time: Tuesday, December 1, 2026, 7:30 – 8:30 PM ET
The seven core beliefs that measurably predict student resilience, happiness, and long-term success – and practical tools for parents to help shape them.
The Family Guide to Screen/Life Balance: What to Do About Tech & Kids
Presenter: Catherine Price
Date/Time: Wednesday, January 13, 2027, 7:30 – 8:30 PM ET
Transform screen-time fights into conversations: strategies for delaying smartphones, building better boundaries, and creating healthier relationships with technology, AI, and chatbots.
Protecting Your Child in the Age of Deepfakes
Presenter: Evan Harris
Date/Time: Tuesday, February 9, 2027, 7:30 – 8:30 PM ET
What deepfake tools can do, where children are most exposed, what new federal laws mean for families, and how to recognize warning signs and have age-appropriate conversations.
How Temperament Shapes Who We Become: Why Some Children Need More than Others to Flourish
Presenter: Aliza Pressman, PhD
Date/Time: Thursday, April 8, 2027, 7:30 – 8:30 PM ET
A science-backed lens on temperament: which stress builds resilience, which requires support, and which demands protection – for raising children who feel seen, understood, and capable.
The Power of One
Presenter: John O’Leary
Date/Time: Tuesday, May 4, 2027, 7:30 – 8:30 PM ET
Through emotional storytelling and unexpected humor, a reminder of the impact of daily attitudes, the power of gratitude, and how small, intentional moments of connection leave a lasting imprint on our kids.
- Tuesday, September 29, 2026
- Tuesday, December 1, 2026
- Wednesday, January 13, 2027
- Tuesday, February 9, 2027
- Thursday, April 8, 2027
- Tuesday, May 4, 2027
- Parent Series webinars will be recorded and available to registered school communities.
- Recording availability windows:
- September 29, 2026: available until December 31, 2026
- December 1, 2026: available until March 1, 2027
- January 13, February 9, April 8 & May 4, 2027: available until June 30, 2027
- Instructions to access recordings/resources will be sent to the registered school contact and anyone pre-registered on Zoom.
Sarah Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP
Sarah Ward, M.S., CCC/SLP has over 30 years’ experience in the treatment of executive dysfunction. She is an international expert and presents seminars on the practical strategies she has developed with her co-director, Kristen Jacobsen. Their latest work, The Time Tracker Program, has received high acclaim for its innovative approach to shifting students from adult-managed to self-regulated time management. Ward has presented to over 2,000 public and private schools and organizations across the globe. In recognition of their international impact on executive function skills in education, Ward and Jacobsen were named one of the Top 10 Professional Development Providers for 2023 by Education Technology Insights Magazine.
Shawn Achor
Shawn Achor became one of the world’s leading researchers on the connection between a positive brain and success. He has traveled to more than 50 countries studying how beliefs predict performance, resilience, and well-being. Achor is a New York Times bestselling author of multiple books, including The Happiness Advantage, which has sold more than one million copies worldwide. His newest book, The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success and a Better Life, was released in May 2026. His research has been featured on the cover of Harvard Business Review, his TED Talk is among the most viewed of all time, and his PBS program has reached millions of viewers. Achor has worked with one-third of the Fortune 100, as well as the NFL, NASA, and the U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton. He has been interviewed twice by Oprah Winfrey and is one of only two external speakers ever invited to address the president’s staff at Camp David.
Catherine Price
Catherine Price is a science journalist, speaker, New York Times bestselling author, and a leading voice in the national conversation about how people of all ages can create healthy relationships with technology and live meaningful, fun lives. Her books include How to Break Up With Your Phone, The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again, and The Amazing Generation: Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World, a book for kids and teens co-authored with Jonathan Haidt. Her work has been featured in The Best American Science Writing, NPR, The New York Times, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Wall Street Journal, Popular Science, The Los Angeles Times, and TIME Magazine, among many others. She writes the popular Substack newsletter, How to Feel Alive, and her TED Talk on fun has been viewed more than eight million times. Price’s goal is to help people of all ages scroll less and live more.
Evan Harris
Evan Harris is a national expert on emerging AI risks in schools, with a focus on deepfake abuse and digital safety. He has advised the Office of the First Lady, the Department of Education, and the General Counsel of the National Association of Independent Schools, where he co-authored their legal guide on deepfake sexual abuse. A former teacher and administrator with a decade of experience in independent schools, Harris holds a master’s in Private School Leadership from Teachers College and was a Technology Ethics Fellow at Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute. Most recently, he developed the first national deepfake safety course for students, earning media coverage from outlets like CNN and NPR.
Aliza Pressman, PhD
Aliza Pressman, PhD is a developmental psychologist with nearly two decades of experience working with families and the health care providers who care for them. She is the cofounding director of the Mount Sinai Parenting Center and is an associate clinical professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling book The 5 Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans, and the host of the award-winning podcast Raising Good Humans. Her newest book, The Orchid Code, will be published in spring 2027.
John O’Leary
At age nine, John O’Leary survived a life-altering explosion that left him burned on 100% of his body and fighting for his life. Today, he shares that extraordinary journey as a bestselling author and sought-after speaker, inspiring audiences around the world to live with greater gratitude, courage, and purpose. His story continues to impact millions through his writing, podcast, and the film adaptation of his story, Soul on Fire, which was released in theaters in October 2025.