Graphic of land and sky with a family

Family Summit

Ensuring the safety, support, and inclusion of every member of our school community.

Welcome to the 2024 Family Summit: Safe, Supported, and Included!

FCPS held its 2024 Family Summit on April 20, 2024 at Marshall High School for all families, educators and community members in the Fairfax County Public School division.

Event Details

Date:Saturday, April 20
Time:8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: Marshall High School
Cafeteria and Lecture Hall

7731 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22043 

Please enter through Door 13.

What to Expect

  • Informational Sessions 
    Informative sessions on a variety of topics designed to enhance the safety, support, and inclusion of our school community. Some of the topics that will be covered include raising resilient, independent children; forming meaningful connections with children; addressing big emotions; and the dangers of opioids and fentanyl.

  • Online Special Education Resource Fair
    A virtual fair with asynchronous training for families and community members who have students with disabilities.  Additionally, an online exhibit hall will highlight FCPS offices and programs, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. 

  • Networking Opportunities
    Connect with other families, school staff, and community partners to foster a supportive network.

  • Resource Fair
    A showcase of valuable resources and services available to support families. 

Online Special Education Resource Fair

A virtual fair with asynchronous training for families and community members who have students with disabilities. 

Special Education Resource Fair: Exhibit Hall

Our virtual exhibit hall features FCPS offices and programs, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.

Guest Speakers

Guest speakers are well-known professionals in the community and will cover a variety of high interest topics for parents, FCPS educators, and administrators.  

Rachel Bailey

Rachel Bailey is a Parenting Specialist who has been serving families for more than 12 years. Besides being a mother of two, she also has a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology, a certification in Positive Discipline, and has provided services as an ADHD Coach, in-home mentor, and therapist. Through her podcast, programs, and services Rachel teaches parents hands-on tools for raising responsible, resilient children... while reducing the stress and guilt in parents' lives.

Guest Speaker, Rachel Bailey
Rachel Bailey, Guest Speaker
Session Title & RecordingDiffusing Drama: Addressing Big Reactions and Emotions In Your Home 
PresenterRachel Bailey
Time11:15 a.m - 12 p.m.
Description

When some kids don't get their way, their behavior not only becomes irrational, but often it becomes unnecessarily dramatic. In this workshop, you'll learn why certain children have such big emotions and behavior. You'll also learn how to reduce the frequency and intensity of these behaviors when they're happening... and just as importantly, what you can do to prevent them in the first place.

  • The science of "big emotions”
  • How do you respond in the moment
  • How to foster long-lasting resilience 
Guest Speaker, Dr. Unnatti Jain
Dr. Unnatti Jain, Guest Speaker

Dr. Unnatti Jain 

Dr. Unnatti Jain is a certified youth behavior change expert and studies behavioral patterns. She strongly believes that to build strong young adults’ parents must shift from control to connection. She is a TEDx speaker and shares her insights on her talk “How to move from control to connection”. 

Dr. Jain is also the author of “A Parent-Teen Journey” which is a wealth of anecdotes and strategies with guidance on how to move from control to connection with your child especially geared for immigrant families. 

She is a proponent of self-exploration in nurturing connection, and all through her talks and workshops she identifies the various components of control that hinder the child’s growth mindset and limit their potential. She works with parents and youth who struggle with issues such as doubt, anxiety, low self-esteem, confidence issues and lack of a growth mindset. Her target audience is 12-26 years and parents.

Session Title & RecordingNavigating Teen Turbulence: Practical Strategies for Parenting Adolescents
PresenterDr. Unnatti Jain
Time10:15 - 11 a.m.
Description
  • Understanding the typical challenges faced by teenagers and their impact on family dynamics.
  • Learning effective communication strategies to connect with and support teenagers.
  • Exploring practical approaches for setting boundaries and rules while maintaining a positive relationship with teens.
  • Identifying signs of common adolescent struggles such as stress, anxiety, and peer pressure, and learning how to provide appropriate support.
  • Discovering techniques for fostering independence and responsibility in teenagers.
  • Gaining insights into the importance of self-care for parents during the teenage years.
  • Developing a toolbox of resources and strategies for handling conflicts and difficult situations with teens.

Dr. Catherine McCarthy 

Catherine McCarthy, MDis a Duke-trained child and adolescent psychiatrist who's been named a "Top Doctor" by Washingtonian Magazine for 17 years running. With her neuroscience expertise in stress, anxiety, and the developing brain, Dr. McCarthy is a nationally sought-after keynote speaker and regularly lectures to parents and students in almost every school system, both public and private, throughout the DC metropolitan area.  In addition to appearing on TV news, she contributes to articles in multiple popular magazines. In her private practice of 25 years, she is dedicated to helping young people lead healthier, happier lives.  She is also the daughter of two long standing former FCPS teachers, and mother of two FCPS graduates. 

 

Dr. Catherine MaCarthy
Dr. Catherine McCarthy, Guest Speaker
Session Title & RecordingRaising A Kid Who Can:  Parenting for Adaptability in the Modern Age
PresenterDr. Catherine McCarthy
Time11:15 a.m. - 12 p.m.
DescriptionDistilling the latest science and best practices, Dr. McCarthy answers the complex question: Based on all that modern science has to offer, what are the most important things I should try to do in raising my kid? 

Using her new book as a guidepost, Dr. McCarthy will discuss simple and easy to implement strategies on how to help kids develop the neurobiological capacity to evolve into happier, healthier humans.

Stefan Mascoll

Stefan Mascoll is the Coordinator of the Student Safety and Wellness (SSAW) Office for Fairfax County Public Schools. The SSAW office oversees FCPS’s prevention, intervention and education programming in the areas of substance abuse, school court probation programming, Mentorworks, gang prevention, bullying and Opportunity Neighborhood. His office also provides clarification around the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook (Student Behavior Code of Conduct) for school staff, students and community members as it pertains to alcohol and other violations. He also serves as the FCPS representative on multiple community committees

 Stefan began his career in education as a Fairfax County Public Schools special education teacher prior to taking a position as a Violence Prevention Specialist in the Office of Student Safety and Wellness. He then worked as the Program Manager in the nontraditional school program, Achievement, Integrity, and Maturity (AIM) before serving as Assistant Principal at Glasgow Middle School. In the summer of 2016 he accepted the position of Student Safety and Wellness, Coordinator

Stefan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the State University of New York, Cortland, a Masters in Special Education from Virginia State University, and his administrative endorsement from George Mason University.

Guest Speaker, Stefan Mascoll
Stefan Mascoll, Guest Speaker
Session Title & RecordingOpioid Crisis: What Parents Should Know
PresenterStefan Mascoll
Time10:15 - 11 a.m.
Description
  • What are opioids?
  • What is the current landscape of the crisis? 
  • What is FCPS’s response?
  • What can parents do?

Session Recordings

All video recordings have been placed in the 2024 Family Summit Playlist on the Family Resource Center YouTube Channel. If you would like a copy of a session slide deck, please email [email protected].  
 

Interpretation and Multilingual Support

FCPS offers telephone support to parents who do not speak English as their first language. Participants can access the Family Information Phone Lines and a school system employee will respond to your call in your preferred language within 24 hours, Monday through Friday. 
 

This event is hosted by Fairfax County Public Schools in collaboration with the Fairfax Alliance of Black School Educators, the Black Women's Educational Alliance - DC Chapter, the Asian Educators Association, and the Hispanic Educators Association.