Executive Skills Workshop


Start Strong: The Hidden Skills Behind School Success

August 27, 2026 at 7:00pm | Virtual Workshop | Free and Open to Families!

As a new school year begins, many families hope for smoother mornings, greater independence, and fewer homework battles. The truth is, success in school involves more than excelling in academics. Strong Executive Skills are the foundation for building good learning habits that translate into student success in the classroom, and in life.

Join us for a free virtual workshop for parents, exploring the hidden skills behind school success, including organization, routines, planning, emotional regulation, and building independence. Through practical strategies, relatable examples, and a touch of humor, parents will discover ways to support children while helping them build confidence and take ownership of their learning.

Together, we’ll explore how to support and empower students, teach skills that are often assumed but rarely explained, and create systems that help children thrive both at school and at home. This FREE workshop is open to current Janus families and any parent(s) of a student who could use a hand developing their Executive Skills in preparation for the new school year.

Parents will leave with:
• Practical tools and strategies
• Encouraging, realistic approaches for everyday challenges
• Ideas for building independence gradually over time
• Resources to support a strong start to the school year

Registration required to receive workshop link.

register now

What Are Executive Skills?

Executive skills, sometimes called executive functioning, are the cognitive processes that help individuals plan, organize, manage time, regulate emotions, sustain attention, and follow through on tasks. These skills are essential for every child’s academic success and daily life, and they can be particularly challenging for students with learning differences.

At Janus, we take a strengths‑based, student‑centered approach to executive skills development. Rather than asking students to fit into a system, we design environments, routines, and supports that allow students to access learning while building independence and confidence over time.

Executive Skills Curriculum

We are currently developing a three‑year middle school executive skills curriculum designed to support students as they build self‑awareness, independence, and transferable strategies across academic and real‑life contexts.

This curriculum draws from:

  • Classroom‑tested practices used daily at Janus
  • Research‑informed frameworks
  • Feedback from educators, students, and families

Additional details will be shared as the curriculum becomes available.

On‑Demand Professional Learning

We are in the process of transforming our most recent executive skills workshop into an on‑demand learning experience that can be accessed by individuals or organizations.

This self‑paced format will allow educators and professionals to:

  • Build foundational understanding of executive skills
  • Explore practical tools and strategies
  • Apply concepts directly to their own learning environments

Live Professional Learning Opportunities 

While we continue to expand our on-demand executive skills offerings, live professional learning remains an important and intentional part of our work. 

We plan to offer in-person and/or virtual executive skills workshops once or twice each year, creating opportunities for educators and professionals to come together for meaningful, real-time learning.

Our live workshops are designed to be:

  • Interactive and engaging – not passive presentations
  • Grounded in real classroom scenarios and practical strategies
  • Centered on professional conversation, reflection, and collaboration

Participants consistently tell us that what makes these sessions valuable is the chance to:

  • Learn alongside other educators and professionals supporting learners with learning differences
  • Engage in hands-on activities that model executive skills strategies in action
  • Ask questions, share challenges, and problem-solve collaboratively in the moment

Live workshops offer something that on-demand learning can’t fully replicate: the energy of shared inquiry, the nuance of discussion, and the insight that comes from learning together in real time. In addition, PA educators may earn Act 48 hours, giving our training opportunities added value. 

Because these sessions are offered periodically and space may be limited, we encourage interested educators and professionals to stay connected so they don’t miss future opportunities.

Register

Please complete the registration form by 8/26 to receive the virtual workshop link.

If you have any questions about the Executive Skills Workshop or are interested in other professional development training resources, please reach out to Bev DeRise at info@thejanusschool.org

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