Parent Academy for Leveraging Student Success (PALSS)

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The Byram Hills Central School District is proud to introduce the Parent Academy for Leveraging Student Success (PALSS) — a new initiative designed to support parents and guardians across all grade levels with knowledge, strategies, and resources that promote student growth, wellness, and achievement.

Through engaging workshops and expert-led sessions, PALSS aims to:

Equip parents with valuable strategies to support their children’s academic and emotional development.
Strengthen the partnership between school and home.
Build a learning community where parents can share, grow, and connect.

The PALSS seminars were made possible thanks to a grant from the Byram Hills Education Foundation. Scroll down to learn more about each presenter and topic.

Next Up in PALSS

Upcoming Sessions – Reserve Your Spot

📘 How Children Learn to Read and Write

Presenter: Dr. Carolyn Strom
Discover the science behind how children learn literacy and how you can support it at home.
Part 1: Sept. 29, 6:30-8:00. How Children Learn to Read and Why it Matters
Part 2: Feb. 3, 1:00-2:20. How Children Learn to Write and Why it Matters
Location: Wampus Elementary School

How does a child’s brain transform as they learn to read and spell? What does the neuroscience of literacy development mean, in practical terms, for families and teachers? These two questions will be at the heart of these sessions, where Dr. Carolyn Strom will review key findings of research on how the brain learns to read, as well as connect these to the current educational landscape. She will share practical, evidence-based strategies for supporting reading and writing at home. While this session will be geared toward families with kids ages 2-12, the principles discussed will be relevant to anyone who wants to take a deeper dive into how we rewire our brains for reading and writing.

Dr. Carolyn Strom is a clinical professor, reading specialist, national literacy consultant, and former first-grade teacher. She works closely with school districts, families, educators, and edtech companies to bridge the gap between neuroscience and classroom practice. A recent recipient of NYU Steinhardt's Teaching Excellence Award, Dr. Strom has published in The Reading Teacher, The Reading League Journal, and the Handbook of Learning Disabilities. She also maintains a clinical practice in New York, supporting children with dyslexia. Dr. Strom holds a Ph.D. from NYU, an M.S.Ed. from USC and a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.

🧠 Building Executive Function

Presenter: Ms. Tanya Bosco
Empower your child’s growth with simple, everyday strategies to build the focus, flexibility, and self-control they need to thrive in school and beyond.

Nov. 3, 2025 (Grades 6–8) · 6:00–8:00 PM · HCC
Nov. 6, 2025 (Grades 9–12) · 6:00–8:00 PM · BHHS
Jan. 16, 2026 (Grades K–5) · 9:45–11:45 AM · Coman Hill

For the 6-12 sessions
Future-Ready Teens: Strengthening Executive Function Skills at Home.
Middle and high schoolers face growing demands academically, socially, and emotionally. Learn how to support your teen’s executive function skills, like time management, planning, self-monitoring, and persistence. This session provides concrete tools and resources to help your child stay on track, reduce stress, and build habits that lead to lifelong success. Short videos and downloadable resources will be available for continued support following the session.

For the K-5 Session
Growing Strong Minds: Helping Your Elementary Child Build Executive Function Skills.
Learn how to support your child’s developing executive function skills, like focus, organization, flexibility, and self-control, through simple strategies you can use every day at home. This session includes take-home tools, tips, and videos to help you build your child’s confidence, independence, and success both in and out of the classroom. Short videos and downloadable resources will be available for continued support following the session.

TO REGISTER FOR THE "EXECUTIVE FUNCTION" EVENTS, CLICK THE LINKS BELOW:

Tanya Bosco, Chief Strategy Officer of IDE Corp, is a leadership consultant, former English teacher and financial analyst, and co-author of Students Taking Charge: Implementation Guide for Leaders. She holds a master’s degree in education and an MBA in marketing, and her most relevant qualification just might be parenting a high schooler in today’s fast-paced world. Tanya brings helpful tools to support families in building the executive function skills kids need to thrive—in school and in life.

📱 Digital Wellness

Presenter: Ms. Sarah Gallagher Trombley

Jan. 6: Managing Personal Devices
Debating whether to give an iPhone? Contemplating the pros and cons of Smartwatches? Learn about all the different personal devices available for kids. Figure out what’s going to work for your family. The session will include physical examples of various devices for parents to see in person.

Jan. 20: Managing Group Texts/Chats
Get a handle on group chat. Learn how to say yes safely, how to set up parental controls, and how to coach your child through this highly nuanced form of communication. The session will include the Golden Rules of Texting Etiquette.

Feb. 3: Understanding Social Media
Get a comprehensive overview of the social media apps that teens use the most: TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Learn what to look out for, how to talk to your child about them, and how to make them as safe as possible. The session will include How to Create A Social Media Contract and a live demo of Snapchat.

TO REGISTER FOR THE DIGITAL WELLNESS EVENTS, CLICK HERE

Sarah Gallagher Trombley is a digital parenting author and speaker who helps parents navigate the digital world with and for their kids by providing insight and practical tips. Sarah helps parents with the “how” - how to manage parental controls, social media, choosing devices, video games & more. Her popular newsletter, Thoughts From A Digital Mom, and her award-winning on-demand courses for parents provide additional guidance and knowledge.