Register online at: bit.ly/MNAFEE_Workshop_2025
Registration Fees:
- MNAFEE Member ($59)
- Nonmember ($79)
- MNAFEE Student Member ($39)
- Nonmember Student ($59)
Email [email protected] to register 5+ participants from the same district or organization and receive a group rate.
Registration closes on Wednesday, Nov 5. at 4 p.m.
In response to the 2024 Surgeon General’s Report, this workshop invites educators to explore the impact of parental stress on children, families, and schools—and to learn practical ways to respond with support, connection, and care.
KEYNOTE UPDATE!
The afternoon begins with a keynote presentation by Tekla Johnson, LICSW, IMH-E, Parent Coach and Early Childhood Consultant, who will share insights on how stress in families ripples into children’s learning and well-being, as well as practical strategies to support well-being and development through attuned interactions. Participants will reflect in small groups before choosing between two interactive breakout sessions:
- Unlocking Academic Potential Through Better Vision with Dr. Megan Sis, highlighting the often-overlooked link between vision and school success.
- Building Safety from the Inside Out with Chrissy Mignogna, movemindfully, offering mind-body practices and psychoeducation strategies to help families manage stress and build resilience.
Together, we will reflect on the challenges families face today and explore how educators can play a vital role in reducing stress, strengthening relationships, and building supportive learning environments.
Workshop Details
12:00-12:10 p.m. - Welcome and Announcements
Lisa Helgestad, MNAFEE Fall Workshop Planning Committee Co-Chair
Ellen Haefner, MNAFEE Fall Workshop Planning Committee Co-Chair
12:10-1:30p.m. - Showing Up for Families and Children: Current Realities and Practical Strategies
In this keynote, participants will explore the impact of parent and caregiver stress on child development and wellbeing. The presentation will offer practical strategies to support families, including a Match, Mismatch and Repair Model, informed by the work of Dr. Ed Tronick, Dr. Linda Gilkerson, and Dr. Kristin Neff. Participants will walk away with additional tools to promote building and maintaining relationships with families, even in the face of difficult interactions and situations.
1:30-1:40 p.m. - Keynote Small Group Reflection
1:40-2:40 p.m. - Break-out Sessions (choose one):
A: Unlocking Academic Potential Through Better Vision
Proper vision plays a vital role in children's overall growth and development. Increased use of screen time can affect that development. In addition, research confirms that children's learning difficulties and poor academic performance substantially increases parental stress. Undiagnosed or untreated vision problems can interfere with learning and are often mistaken for learning disabilities, attention disorders, or behavioral problems. When visual deficits are underlying a child’s challenges, they continue to struggle despite the best interventions. Find out how to determine if a visual deficit is interfering with academic achievement, what can be done to help and what parents and teachers can do to practice good eye habits.
Megan Sis, OD, MS, FAAO
B: Building Safety from the Inside Out – Supporting Families with Mind-Body Practices and Psychoeducation
Families with young children are experiencing unprecedented levels of stress in today’s mental health crisis. I Am Safe offers a trauma-responsive approach that combines neuroscience with practical, accessible mind-body strategies designed for both early education professionals and the families they serve. This session explores how chronic stress impacts the brain and body, why nervous system regulation is essential for resilience and healthy relationships, and how simple practices can restore energy, enhance sleep, and improve mood—for adults and children alike.
Participants will:
Build a toolkit of easy-to-use practices to support mental health and well-being in the classroom, with families, and at home.
Strengthen community care by equipping families and educators with practical strategies before stress escalates into crisis.
Chrissy Mignogna, E-RYT, movemindfully Lead Trainer and Director of Education
2:40-2:45 p.m. - Break
2:45-2:55 p.m. - DCYF Update
Mi Yang, ECFE Education Consultant
2:55-3:55 p.m. - Panel Discussion: How do we create community?
Three school districts will share ways they are working to build community in their early learning programs. Each brings a different approach that is working in their community. Learn about how Duluth uses Circle of Security to build connection with families. Hear about how Minnetonka is offerring a co-facilitated class with a mental health therapist to support families. Discover how Monticello is using nature play to bring families together. They will share how the ideas came about and key learning along the way to help you explore ways that might be useful in your community.
Jen Jaros (Duluth Public Schools)
Sarah Ridgway (Minnetonka Public Schools)
Amber Smith (Monticello School District)
3:55-4:00 p.m. - Wrap Up and Evaluation