The Common Ground Speaker Series
Stanbridge Academy is proud to be a member school of the Common Ground Speaker Series. Each school year, Common Ground presents distinguished speakers in education, parenting, and health at venues across the San Francisco Peninsula. Parents, faculty and staff at dozens of member schools attend Common Ground events free of charge. Guests from non-member schools and the general community are welcome to register and attend virtual live stream events for a non-refundable $10 fee. Registration closes two hours before the start of each event or when maximum registration is reached.

 Upcoming Events

Tuesday, April 29th | 7:00-8:15 p.m.
What to Know About Opioids: Overdose Prevention, Awareness & Response for Parents & Teens
In-person: Synapse School, Menlo Park
In this presentation by Dr. Ronni Brown, Senior Community Health Planner for San Mateo County, parents and teens will learn about the use and misuse of opioids including fentanyl, and evidence-based harm reduction strategies to prevent overdose deaths across the spectrum from youth to adults. The workshop will cover the following topics:
  • The magnitude of the opioid epidemic
  • Use and misuse of opioids, including fentanyl
  • The signs of an opioid overdose
  • How to administer naloxone (All attendees will receive a box of naloxone)
  • Ways to prevent substance misuse in your children (Teens are welcome to attend)
  • How to get involved in overdose prevention in San Mateo County
REGISTER for this important IN-PERSON EVENT!
Visit the Common Ground Speaker Series website for details and highlights of previous Common Ground speakers, a list of member schools, videos, and more.

 A Few Prior Events

Beginning in Fall 2002, the San Francisco Peninsula's Common Ground Speaker Series has covered a wide variety of parenting, health, and education topics to help launch the next generation. See below for summary descriptions of select presentations. Visit their Past Season webpage for access to videos and speaker notes of prior events, as well as highlights from past seasons.
PARENTING
Making Peace with Discomfort: When is it okay to let kids struggle?
* Lisa Damour, PhD
The Ever-Changing Brain: Best Practices for Nurturing Every Child’s Unique Neurodiversity
* Fumiko Hoeft, MD, PhD with Ben Powers
Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides
Terri Givens, Ph.D. in conversation with Rosetta Lee
Building Resilience: Preparing Teens to Thrive in Uncertain Times
Madeline Levine, Ph.D.
Hunt, Gather, Parent: Raising Kind Humans
Michaeleen Doucleff, Ph.D.
One Trusted Adult: Building Mentoring and Caring Relationships
Brooklyn Raney
10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People
Dr. David Yeager in conversation with Dr. Carol Dweck
HEALTH
Teen EF Skills: Strategies for Middle and High School
* Dr. Pardis Khosravi and The Schwab Learning Center at the CHC
​The Essentials of Executive Functioning
Adele Diamond, Ph.D. and Vivien Kiel, Ph.D.
Eat to Beat Depression: Nutrition and Mental Health
Dr. Drew Ramsey​
Broader Look at Protective Factors Against Childhood Depression
Dr. Shashank Joshi with Dr. Amy Heneghan
Emotional Intelligence: Unlocking the Power of Emotions
Marc Brackett, Ph.D.
Combating Loneliness Through Connection and Community
Kasley Killam, MPH
EDUCATION
College Transitions: Essential Skills to Thrive on Campus and Beyond
* Ana Homayoun & Prof. Louis Newman
​Parenting Past the Pandemic: A Guide to Returning to School
Dr. Tanya Altman and Dr. Damon Korb
New Tech Normal: Creating Balance & Boundaries Around Screentime
Anya Kamenetz
What Your Kids Are Doing Online (and The Truth About How It Makes Them Feel)
​​​​Dr. Dolly Klock and Michael Robb