A Letter from our President
September 2026
Dear Friends,
We are excited to unveil our programming for the 2026-2027 academic year and to invite you to engage with NYC-Parents in Action.
At NYC-Parents in Action, we help foster connection
As Dr. Marc Brackett, Founding Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of Permission to Feel reminds us, ”It’s not about fixing people; it’s about creating environments where they feel seen and heard.” This year, we’re coming together in Parent Talks not to trade ‘perfect’ parenting advice, but to share real perspectives, voice our honest concerns, and learn from each other’s day-to-day strategies. Effective communication, parent to parent, and parent to child, is vital to the healthy development of children and to reinforcing our relationships in our community. If your school or parenting community does not offer Parent Talks, we can help you get started.
Our Parent Talks are led by professionally trained, volunteer Facilitators. We offer training twice each school year. Our Fall Facilitator Training starts on October 16th. Contact [email protected] or reply to this email to learn more.
In addition to parent-to-parent learning through Parent Talks, we invite experts to inform us about today’s parenting issues. Last year, we discussed executive functioning, mattering, and online behavior. Check your inbox to register for future Parent Education events, including:
On September 23rd, our Parent Lifelines webinar series continues with Understanding College Admissions, a discussion with writing tutor and college admissions consultant Debra Resnicoff about the college admissions process – when to start, how to build your profile and still keep your cool. To register and learn more about the event, click here.
On December 2nd, Dr. Marc Brackett will join Heads of School Kari Ostrem (Riverdale) and Todd Shy (Avenues New York) as panelists for our annual Parenting Scene. Come participate in this vibrant discussion on parenting, at Trinity School beginning at 6:30 p.m.
In February, our signature Teen Scene event again offers a candid look into the lives and experiences of NYC high school students from their perspective. Look for event details in the coming months.
By living NYC-PIA’s motto to “Be Informed, Be Involved, and Be Connected,” we can share the complexities and joys of parenting and be better together.
Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy school year!
Warmly,
Charles Harkless
President, NYC-Parents in Action
Mark Your Calendars:
- Fall Facilitator Training Begins Friday, October 16
- Webinar – Understanding College Admissions – Wednesday, September 23
A conversation with admissions consultant Debra Resnicoff with practical advice for parents and their children for the college admissions process. - Webinar – How to Raise a Citizen with Lindsay Cormack – Thursday, October 29
Join NYC-PIA and political scientist and civic educator Lindsey Cormack, author of How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It’s Up to You to Do It), for a conversation about the role families play in preparing children to be informed, engaged citizens. - Parenting Scene – Wednesday, December 2
A robust dialogue with two heads of school and thought-leaders on perspectives in parenting: what’s changing, what endures, and how schools and families partner well. - Teen Scene – February 2027
Our signature student-only forum that discusses what teens are seeing and feeling—so parents can listen, learn, and engage more effectively.
Featured Webinar:
Understanding College Admissions:
How to Create a Successful Application
Wednesday, September 23
With the right tools, families can keep their cool during the college admissions process.
Join us to learn from admissions consultant Debra Resnicoff and Geoffrey Golia on how to navigate the college admissions process. This online event will equip students and parents with practical strategies for creating highly effective college applications.