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Dear Parents and Educators, Happy 2020 and welcome to our Spring Speaker Slate! Out of the gate, we were delighted to welcome  Jennifer Eberhardt and Julie Lythcott-Haims  last week for a poignant conversation about implicit bias. One attendee articulated that “This was the most powerful event I’ve ever attended and I’ve been attending Common Ground speaker events for five years. I’m not ashamed to say that tears streamed down my face more than once.The standing ovation at the end was genuinely well deserved.”  Thank you to these local luminaries who shared their deeply personal experiences with us. Next week John O’Sullivan joins our stage to talk about sports!  O’Sullivan loves competitive sports but has also observed that “the romance is gone, the fun has disappeared, and children no longer simply ‘play’ sports.” His talks are a call to action to reverse this trend and will change how we all think about youth sports. You can RSVP for this event below – do so today! The rest of our Spring 2020 slate – covering more timely topics – can be found here . Thank you for your support of the Common Ground Speaker Series! Warm regards, The Common Ground Leadership Team

Next Week!

Changing the Game Giving Youth Sports Back to Our Kids

JOHN O'SULLIVAN

For Parents of Athletes and Aspiring Athletes of All Ages!

Mon Jan 27 7:00pm Crystal Springs Uplands, Middle School Campus

Tues Jan 28 9:30am Saint Andrew's School 7:00pm* Woodside Priory School * Speaker Introduction by former NFL and Hall of Fame player  Ronnie Lott

REGISTER FOR YOUR PREFERRED SESSION

Coach and author John O’Sullivan believes that we need sports now more than ever to teach our children the core values of sportsmanship, teamwork, humility, determination and courage. However, our competitive sports culture – fueled by expensive youth programs and the myth that athletic performance paves the way to top colleges – has led parents and coaches to a frenzied focus on wins and short term success that often leads to burnout for young athletes instead of joy and positive long-term development. Drawing from the latest science in athletic development and parenting, as well as his extensive experience with coaches, parents and student athletes, O'Sullivan will shift our focus away from unrealistic priorities so we can support our kids toward healthier progression as athletes and as human beings. He is dedicated to a better reality: that sports provide opportunities for our kids to be healthy risk takers, overcome challenges, and view obstacles as opportunities, rather than excuses to give up – valuable skills that will last for life.   John O’Sullivan  started the  Changing the Game Project  in 2012 after two decades as a soccer player and coach at the youth, high school, college and professional levels. He is the author of the bestselling books   Changing the Game: The Parents Guide to Raising Happy, High Performing Athletes, and Giving Youth Sports Back to our Kids   and  Is it Wise to Specialize? and the just released Every Moment Matters: How the World's Best Coaches Inspire Their Athletes and Build Championship Teams .

First Up in February

LD, ADHD, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION OR ALL OF THE ABOVE?

CHILDREN’S HEALTH COUNCIL PANEL EVENT Moderated by Rosalie Whitlock, PhD

One Night Only!

Wed Feb 12 7:00pm Menlo School

REGISTER

Seasoned experts from Children’s Health Council ( CHC) will be on hand for an interactive conversation about the intersection of learning challenges plus anxiety and depression . Many students, including those with learning challenges, experience anxiety and/or depression as a result of the stressors that school and life bring. As a parent, how do you know what to do and whether to seek help when your child experiences these impediments to learning? Parents will walk away with greater insight about our own children, as well as practical strategies we can use to effectively support them . The panel will be moderated by Rosalie Whitlock, PhD , Executive Director of CHC .  Panelists include  Vivien Keil, PhD,  Clinical Director and Neuropsychologist at CHC,  Chris Harris, MEd , Chief Schools Officer at CHC and  Vidya Krishnan, MD , Head of Adolescent Mental Health Services and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at CHC.

Event Admission

All Common Ground Speaker Series events are free of charge to the parents, faculty and staff of our member schools. Unless otherwise indicated, adults not affiliated with a member school may attend for a $20 fee at the door. Please register on Eventbrite for each event. Registration is optional and offered for attendees’ convenience to receive reminders and event updates. Also please plan for early arrival to ensure seating which will be first come, first served. Directions and more information about Common Ground Speaker Series, including a list of our member schools , may be found on our website .

Other Community Events

Children’s Health Council (CHC) Events : Changing Brains, Shaping the Mind – Neuroplasticity and Learning Feb 5, 6:30pm, Palo Alto EdRev presents Supporting the 1 in 5 Mini-Conference: A Mini-Conference for Parents and Educators Feb 8, 9:00am - 2:00pm, San Jose For those who teach and support the 1 in 5 with learning and attention issues. A day of conversation and discussion with expert advice about working with children and youth with learning and attention differences. Choose from sessions for both parents and educators. Go home with new understandings and practical tips for supporting your kids whether at home or in the classroom. Complete CHC Parent Education  Schedule

www.commongroundspeakerseries.org

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