Parenting Conference 2022
Tuesday, November 15, 2022
Mountain Brook High School

5:30-5:40-Welcome and Orientation

5:40-6:25-Session I

6:30-7:10-Session II

7:15-7:55-Session III

Conference Sessions

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Look at Me! Look at Me!
—Kathryn Ely

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We are raising kids in a world of social media and competitiveness, in which everyone seems so focused on appearance and results...What are our kids experiencing? How is this world affecting them and distracting them from what is really important? How we can raise confident, happy, self-assured children who look within to know what they want and need, instead of focusing on what they think others want for them. 

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Kathryn Ely is a Licensed Professional Counselor, mental health and wellness consultant, and author. Empower Counseling & Coaching, her counseling practice in Mountain Brook, Alabama, specializes in Acceptance Commitment Therapy for anxiety and depression. Kathryn, and her associates, help teens, college students and adults move away from anxiety and depression, find clarity around their values, and guide these clients toward actions to live out their values. 

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The Latest Social Media Info from the Ones Living It: Our Students

—MBHS Student Panel

Join a group of Mountain Brook High School students in a discussion about the latest trends on social media apps, parenting hacks that worked, and the real challenges that are facing Mountain Brook youth through social media.

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RAISING SAFER KIDS: How parents can help their children build skills to avoid the danger of the teenage years.

—Dr. Dale Wisely

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Research tells us that teenagers, as a group, are less able to assess the danger in high-risk situations with their peers. They tend not to PERCEIVE the danger as well as adults might. In addition, the excitement of being with peers in high-risk situations impairs judgment.  And, even if they want to get out of a dangerous situation, they may not have avoidance strategies and exit strategies to do so. In this talk, clinical psychologist Dr. Dale Wisely will teach a method of parenting that may build a young person’s ability to assess danger, and build a repertoire of avoidance and exit strategies.

Dale Wisely Ph.D. is Director of Family Life and Adult Education at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. He also serves as  Executive Director of All In Mountain Brook, He was Director of Student Services and Community Education at Mountain Brook Schools for 12 years. He has been a child and adolescent clinical psychologist for 40 years. Dr. Wisely is a popular adult educator and speaker on family matters, parenting, and provides workshops and other professional development to a range of professional and public audiences.
 

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The Legal Side of Being a Teen: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

—Attorney Greg Foster & Judge KC Hairston
& Officer Richard Knecht

Designated driving is a good thing, right? It doesn’t come without risks. Judge KC Hairston, Attorney Greg Foster and Officer Knecht will share candid discussions on how the law relates to underage drinking, house parties, designated driving, texting and driving, fake ID’s and MIP’s.

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Greg Foster is a civil litigation attorney representing individuals or entities harmed by others.  He graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law and the University of Alabama Business School.  Also, he is a graduate of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.  He serves as a board member of All In Mountain Brook and the chair of the organization's communication committee.  He resides in Mountain Brook with his wife, Julie, and their daughter, Anna Bella, a senior at Mountain Brook High School.  

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K.C. Hairston serves as a Municipal Court Judge for the City of Mountain Brook and is the President of the Alabama Municipal Judges Association.  To assist with state-wide municipal court matters, K.C. also serves on the Judicial Conference and the Judicial System Study Commission for the State of Alabama. In addition to his work related to municipal courts, K.C. is a partner at Balch & Bingham LLP and is the past president of All In Mountain Brook. K.C. earned his B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Auburn University and his J.D. from Cumberland School of Law.  K.C. resides in Mountain Brook with his wife and four children.

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Officer Richard Knecht is the School Resource Officer as Mountain Brook High School and is a member of the ALL IN MOUNTAIN BROOK board of directors.

Navigating a Learning Disability—

Dr. Joe Ackerson (Sessions I and II only)

Dr. Joe Ackerson is a highly respected neuropsychologist who has worked with many families in the Mountain Brook and great Birmingham area to help provide insight and evaluations of individuals with potential neurophysiological needs ranging from ADHD and concussions to broader diagnoses. He will discuss the varying aspects of learning disabilities, what to do if you suspect your child may have a disability, and how to best work with the support team surrounding your child. He will be co-presenting with Victoria Seghatol-Eslami, as BS UAB Medical Psychology Student.

Joe Ackerson, Ph.D. is Clinical Director of Ackerson & Associates, a group of cognitive and behavioral experts dedicated to promoting healthy minds and successful people. He is a pediatric neuropsychologist who provides evaluations and consultations for individuals, families, schools, courts, athletic organizations, and agencies.

Cell Phone 101: The WHAT, the WHEN, and the HOW

—Suzan Brandt, Director of Technology, Mountain Brook Schools

The decision about when your child is ready for a cell phone is different for every family. Join Suzan Brandt as she examines things to consider as well as how to set up parent monitoring tools that will help keep your child safe, reinforce positive behaviors, and establish healthy boundaries.

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Suzan Brandt is Mountain Brook Schools Director of Technology. She spent the past 10 years as a local school technology coordinator at Mountain Brook Junior High. Brandt attended Auburn University and obtained a master’s in special education from UAB. She has been a member of the Mountain Brook Community, along with her husband and two children. The MBS technology department juggles myriad responsibilities, including user accounts, maintaining servers, ensuring data protection and promoting good digital citizenship.

Body Image: When Dieting Becomes Dangerous —Katie White

This presentation is designed to educate families on ways to talk about intuitive eating, body image and a balanced lifestyle. Additionally, parents will learn the signs and symptoms of eating disorders as well as how to navigate getting a child help if there is a problem.

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Katie White has a master’s degree in community agency counseling and has worked at A Center for Eating Disorders (ACED) for nearly 10 years. Previously, she has worked with preteen and teenage girls for more than 20 years in various ways. She was an English teacher, coached field hockey and lacrosse, a long-time summer-camp counselor, working in the community programs Girls’ Inc and Girls On the Run, as well as director of youth programs on a cruise ship. Katie works diligently to coordinate all adolescent programming and services for ACED’s adolescent clients. She works alongside parents, families, and the extended community of all adolescent clients at ACED. She works directly with the client’s school system providing education and outreach to ensure each client’s academic needs are carefully coordinated and met.She is currently completing her advanced Family Based Therapy (FBT) Training, and proud to soon be among the first Southeastern Certified FBT therapists.

How to Help our Childen Conquer Setbacks

Coach Chris Yeager 

Setbacks are part of life; How we respond to them are what make them worthwhile. As a parent, we want to be prepared to support our child when these situations happen. Join Coach Chris Yeager as he shares the importance of embracing setbacks as part of a child’s growth.

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Coach Chris Yeager is a graduate of the University of North Alabama. He served as the offensive line coach at Troy State University before accepting head coaching positions at West Blocton and Walker High Schools. Coach Yeager took over the football program at Mountain Brook High School in 2006. He has led the Spartans to many successful seasons, as well as mentored many students and players during his time as a head coach. Coach Yeager was named as the head coach for the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star football fame in 2012 and served as the All-Star teams offensive coordinator. Coach Yeager has lived and raised his family in Mountain Brook and passionate about the youth of this community.

The Power of Family Conversations Around the Dinner Table

Dr. Dicky Barlow 

Enjoying time together around the dinner table can seem like a fleeting moment in the busy schedules of our families. Even in the chaos that power of having your family around the dinner table can provide irreplaceable time for connection, sharing, and understanding. Dr. Dicky Barlow will share some insightful tips on how to help your family connect during these moments together.

Dr. Dicky Barlow has served as the Superintendent of Mountain Brook Schools since 2009. In this role, he collaborates with over 700 school system employees in order to provide an effective, challenging and engaging education for every one of Mountain Brook’s 4,400-plus students. Throughout his time at Mountain Brook, the school system has consistently been ranked the top public school in the state and among the top one-percent of public schools nationally. Dr. Barlow has lived and raised his family as a member of the Mountain Brook community.

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Thanks to all who came to our parenting conference. Watch here for our January-April 2023 programming schedule.