Family Academy: Courses and Training (FACT)
Welcome! FACT offers FREE in-person and virtual workshops for families and School District of Philadelphia community members. Our workshops support personal growth, student success, and greater connections within our school communities and city.
In-person Family Saturdays with workshops for the whole family at 440 N Broad Street
Engaging virtual workshops, offered morning and evening and recorded to view later
FACT Live Workshop Calendar
All are welcome! Registration is required for In-Person Family Saturdays and encouraged for virtual sessions.
You can join Zoom sessions on your computer, mobile app, or telephone. CLICK HERE to learn how.
Interpretation is available by request. Request by registering at least eight days before the workshop you want to attend.
| Date of Workshop | Time(s) | Format | Workshop Title | Workshop Description | Provider/Partner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, December 5, 2023 | 10:00 am OR 5:00 pm | Virtual | From Stressed to Best: Unpacking the Pressure Together | This workshop offers parents and caregivers a toolkit for spotting stress symptoms in both adults and kids. Learn quick, effective coping strategies to ease daily tensions and address common concerns. This interactive workshop is your family's first step toward transforming stress into a state of calm and balance. Join us for practical tips to empower a stress-free life. | The Folke Institute |
| Tuesday, December 12, 2023 | 10:00 am OR 5:00 pm | Virtual | Paying for College: Just the Basics | Is your child gearing up for college or trade school? Learn about how to cover the costs associated with continuing education after high school graduation. Topics include: calculating true costs, financial aid programs, scholarships, and more. | Philadelphia Education Fund |
| Saturday, December 16, 2023 | 10:00 am | In-Person Family Saturday | Life’s a Game: Navigating Life with Asthma in Mind | Students with asthma and their families face unique experiences. The Community Asthma Prevention Program (CAPP) is here to help navigate these experiences! CAPP will give caregivers and students the tools to go through The Game of Life with asthma in mind. Caregivers and students will be tasked with making decisions to help control asthma in different real-life scenarios. | Community Asthma Prevention Program, CHOP |
| Saturday, December 16, 2023 | 10:00 am | In-Person Family Saturday | An Introduction to Trauma for Parents & Caregivers | Parents and Caregivers can play an important role in helping children recover from traumatic events. This workshop is designed to provide parents and caregivers with introductory information about the impact of trauma and the power of relationships to help children heal. The more parents and caregivers understand how trauma effects children, the more they will understand the reasons for kids' behaviors and emotions, and the more they will be able to help them cope. | Lakeside Global Institute |
| Saturday, December 16, 2023 | 10:00 am | In-Person Family Saturday | Unscripted Project: Improv for Families | This workshop will consist of exercises that allow families to create collectively. We start with a warm-up that could be a stretch to relax the body and mind and get participants in the mood to improvise. Then, working in pairs or larger groups, we work on improv exercises like mock job interviews for made-up positions like a “professional shoe tire”. This can help participants develop transformative skills they can apply to a real interview. Our goal is to bring families together and build authentic connections while keeping it light and fun. | The Unscripted Project |
| Tuesday, December 19, 2023 | 10:00 am OR 5:00 pm | Virtual | Preparing for "Better FAFSA" | Each year, millions of students fill out the FAFSA to begin the process of obtaining financial aid for college or trade school. There are some major changes to this year’s FAFSA form. We will review these changes so you will be prepared to complete the form when it becomes available in December. | Philadelphia Education Fund |
| Tuesday, December 21, 2023 | 10:00 am OR 5:00 pm | Virtual | Raising Confident, Competent Children | Children are more likely to be confident, succeed at school and in life when they develop certain internal life skills that help them feel good about themselves and get along with others. These life skills include being respectful, considerate, having effective communication/social skills and being independent. At each stage, from infancy through to the teenage years, parents have an important role to help children develop these skills and reach their full potential. | Turning Points for Children |
| Tuesday, January 9, 2024 | 10:00 am OR 5:00 pm | Virtual | Understanding Student Assessments | In this session, we aim to develop the assessment literacy of families so that they can make the most of their child's data. Specifically, we will review the key assessments that your child is administered throughout the school year, and we will discuss how you can utilize the data from these assessments to support your child academically. | Office of Planning & Evidence-Based Supports (SDP) |
| Thursday, January 11, 2024 | 10:00 am OR 5:00 pm | Virtual | You Can Go: Foster/Kinship Care to College | Young people who have experienced foster or kinship care may qualify for additional financial aid programs to cover college expenses, but many students and resource families don’t know how to access them. We will review the process of applying for these grant and waiver programs, and also introduce attendees to the colleges with devoted programs to support young people with foster or kinship care histories. | Philadelphia Education Fund |
| Saturday, January 20, 2024 | 10:00am | In-Person Family Saturday | Nourish to Flourish: A Planting and Affirmation Workshop | Welcome to 'Nourish to Flourish: A Planting and Affirmation Workshop.' In this enriching experience, families will come together to decorate planters with positive affirmations and plant the seed of their choice. Just like plants need water to grow, we need positive affirmations to nourish our emotional well-being. | Sankofa Healing Studio |
| Saturday, January 20, 2024 | 10:00am | In-Person Family Saturday | Fun with Shapes: Exploring the City with Your Child | Learn how families can support reading in fun everyday ways. Everyone is a storyteller! You will have some adult time with other committed caregivers to discuss the latest research, try some hands-on creative activities, then guide your children in the activities. Take home a beautiful book and inspiring activity materials. | Karen LefkovitzKaren Lefkovitz |
| Saturday, January 20, 2024 | 10:00am | In-Person Family Saturday | Autistic Artistic Arts: Communicating With Me Through Art | Autistic Artistic Arts is an enrichment workshop designed to address repetitive and compulsive behaviors, social impairment, as well as problems with communicating and processing sensory information for autistic children through art. | Beyond The Exterior, Inc. |
| Saturday, January 20, 2024 | 10:00am | In-Person Family Saturday | My Kid is Doing WHAT?! Sex Ed for Parents of Teens | Teaching Parents/guardians about the current culture and climate of sexual health with adolescents. Including best practices for communicating with your teen, STI basics, prevention, current birth control methods, mental health and wellness, and sexuality and gender identity. This class will also cover the PA laws around family planning, LGBTQIA issues. After this class parents/guardians will be able to educate their teen on STI symptoms, testing, prevention, and choosing a birth control method. Also have the tools necessary to have open communication with their teen. In addition parents and guardians will receive resources that support positive sexual health and wellness. | City of Philadelphia Youth Care Team |
| Saturday, January 20, 2024 | 10:00am | In-Person Family Saturday | Family Financial Reality Fair | Family Financial Reality Fair gives the opportunity for the youth and their family to experience some of the financial challenges and rewards they will face when they start life on their own. They will participate in real-world economic interactive activities and simulations. Financial Reality Fair Preparing Children along with their family for Real Life is a hands-on experience: identify their career choice and starting salaries then complete a budget sheet requiring them to live within their monthly salary while paying for basics such as housing, utilities, transportation, clothing, food and so much more. | Essential Elements of Community |
| Tuesday, January 23, 2024 | 10:00 am OR 5:00 pm | Virtual | Brain Development in Children & Teens | This workshop talks about brain development in both infants and teens and how parents and the environment help shape its development. It focuses on the 5 major areas of the brain and what they control. It then goes into more depth to focus on the teenage brain and how it is still forming and growing and this affects decision making. It talks about where teenagers are emotionally based on their brain development and how we can support them by providing structure and guidance. The topic also touches on violence and stress and the effects that these have on brain development. A 3 minute Utube video is shared to help explain the topic. | Northeast Treatment Centers (NeT) |
| Thursday, January 25, 2024 | 10:00 am OR 5:00 pm | Virtual | A Toolbox: Supporting Social and Emotional Learning at Home & School | Want to know more about Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)? Interested in learning how the School District supports your child in this area? Join us to discover the SEL toolbox schools use for fostering social and emotional skills. Families and caregivers will gain an understanding of the toolbox and walk away with practical strategies to use with their children at home. | Office of School Climate & Culture (SDP) |
| Tuesday, February 6, 2024 | 10:00 am OR 5:00 pm | Virtual | Gender, Identity, and Pronouns 101 | Join us for "Gender, Identity, and Pronouns 101," a transformative workshop designed to guide parents, caregivers, and community members through the evolving landscape of gender and identity. Learn key terms, explore the spectrum of gender presentation, and gain effective communication skills to better support and advocate for your child. Take away valuable resources for continued self-education and growth. Make your family's journey one of understanding, respect, and empowerment. | The Folke Institute |
| Thursday, February 8, 2024 | 10:00 am OR 5:00 pm | Virtual | Raising Resilient Children | One of the most important tasks of parenthood is helping our children learn to deal with their emotions and stressors in their lives. Stressors within their family dynamic, community, academic and social settings. When children learn emotional regulation and coping strategies, it increases their resilience and ability to navigate challenges. | Turning Points for Children |
| Tuesday, February 13, 2024 | 10:00 am OR 5:00 pm | Virtual | Supporting School Communities Healing from Trauma | Learn about trauma through general education, historical perspective, and evidenced-based interventions with a commitment to empowering attendees. Understand how trauma contributes to trends in our school communities such as poor school performance, substance use, violence, truancy, low parent engagement, and mental health challenges. Identify interventions designed to address trauma through a holistic approach focused on wellness. Assess your level of trauma and develop a personal wellness plan that includes evidence-based interventions to reduce trauma symptoms such as exercise, healthy distractions, and mindfulness practices. | Merakey |
| Saturday, February 17, 2024 | 10:00am | In-Person Family Saturday | Busy Bites: Quick, Simple, Healthy Meals for Busy Families | Looking for quick meal ideas that the whole family will enjoy? In this workshop we will explore ways to cut down on time when preparing meals! We will learn some food label basics and get some tips for making healthy food in a snap! You and your children can follow along as we make a meal together that you can taste and you will even receive a cooking utensil to take home with you! | Eat Right Philly Nutrition & Wellness Program (SDP) |
| Saturday, February 17, 2024 | 10:00am | In-Person Family Saturday | Emotional Regulation through Mindfulness Techniques | This workshop seeks to bring parents and children together by identifying how the trauma they have experienced or will experience is actually an opportunity for them to bond. This is a workshop for participants to express how they have dealt with or managed their trauma and stress and how this impacted their ability to communicate effectively with their children and then children are given the same opportunity to express their feelings. Using hands-on mindfulness activities families will get an opportunity to work on perspective shifting to understand one another better. | Minding My SOUL Meditation |
| Saturday, February 17, 2024 | 10:00am | In-Person Family Saturday | Fun Science and STEAM Activities for Kids | In this session, Experience fun, easy science and STEAM activities that you can do with your whole family! | Office of Curriculum and Instruction (SDP) |
| Thursday, February 22, 2024 | 10:00 am OR 5:00 pm | Virtual | Self-Care Essentials for Parents | Tis compact yet impactful 40-60 minute workshop is designed to empower parents with essential self-care strategies that enable them to prioritize their well-being while managing the demands of parenting. Parents often find themselves juggling various responsibilities and dedicating most of their time and energy to their children. However, it's equally important to invest in self-care to maintain physical and emotional health. In this workshop, parents will learn practical techniques and gain valuable insights to cultivate self-care routines that nourish their body, mind, and spirit, allowing them to be the best parent they can be. | EduWellness |
FACT YouTube Channel/Video Library
FEATURED WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS FROM LAST SCHOOL YEAR
Keeping Your Family Safe Online and on Social Media
Pathways to Graduation
Get What’s Yours: Free Help Filing Taxes and Finding Public Benefits
Kooth Mental Health Platform Info Session for Parents & Caregivers
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English | Albanian (Shqip) | (عربي) Arabic | Chinese (汉语) | French (Français) | Khmer (ខ្មែរ) | Portuguese (Português) | Russian (Русский) | Spanish (Español) | Vietnamese (Việt)