For Parents

You are not alone.

The EF Leadership Institute is designed for families who have watched their bright, capable teen struggle with the hidden curriculum of high school — organization, initiation, time management, and self-advocacy.

Does this sound familiar?

Tap any concerns that match your teen. We'll carry them into the application so you don't have to start from scratch.

What We Offer

A program built around real support.

The Freshman Academy is the most supported phase of our four-year program. Students commit to four hours per week of workshops, coaching, and guided work sessions — and families receive regular communication and progress updates.

Weekly EF Skills Workshops

Direct instruction and practice in time management, planning, prioritization, and task initiation — skills that transfer to every class and every year.

Peer Mentorship

Every freshman is paired with an upperclassman who has navigated the same hurdles. The quiet, weekly relationship that does most of the work.

Relationship Building

Structured practice in making connections with peers and teachers, self-advocacy, and communication — so school starts to feel like a place they belong.

Work Sessions & Accountability

Guided work sessions where students plan the week, tackle assignments, and check progress alongside mentors who have been there.

Parent Communication

Biweekly updates on progress, strengths, and next steps — so you are informed and supported, not left guessing.

A Four-Year Path to Leadership

From supported freshman to paid senior leader. Students grow into mentors, workshop facilitators, and eventually run the organization itself.

For Parents

Workshops that equip the whole family.

Parent workshops run monthly alongside the student program. Each session is designed to give you practical tools, a deeper understanding of your teen's experience, and a community of families walking the same path.

Understanding Executive Function

Learn what executive function really is, how it shows up in daily life, and why bright students can still struggle with organization, initiation, and time management.

From Nagging to Coaching

Shift from daily reminders and friction to a coaching stance that builds independence. Practice language and strategies that encourage rather than undermine.

Reading the Signs of Overwhelm

Identify when your teen is hitting cognitive overload before it becomes a crisis. Learn to spot shutdown, avoidance, and anxiety — and how to respond.

Building Systems at Home

Create family routines and environmental supports that reinforce what students learn in the program — without adding another layer of stress.

Communicating with Teachers

Advocate effectively for accommodations and partnerships with school staff while preserving your teen's growing sense of autonomy.

Supporting the Transition to Independence

As students move from supported freshman to self-directed senior, parents learn to taper support gracefully so confidence — not dependence — grows.

Workshop Calendar

Save the dates.

Workshops meet one evening per month, 7:00 – 8:30 pm. Reserve your seat — you'll get a confirmation right away and a reminder the day before.

  1. Sep17Thu

    Understanding Executive Function

    Learn what executive function really is, how it shows up in daily life, and why bright students can still struggle with organization, initiation, and time management.

    7:00 – 8:30 pm · Institute Commons · Room 201

  2. Oct15Thu

    From Nagging to Coaching

    Shift from daily reminders and friction to a coaching stance that builds independence. Practice language and strategies that encourage rather than undermine.

    7:00 – 8:30 pm · Institute Commons · Room 201

  3. Nov19Thu

    Reading the Signs of Overwhelm

    Identify when your teen is hitting cognitive overload before it becomes a crisis. Learn to spot shutdown, avoidance, and anxiety — and how to respond.

    7:00 – 8:30 pm · Online · Zoom

  4. Jan21Thu

    Building Systems at Home

    Create family routines and environmental supports that reinforce what students learn in the program — without adding another layer of stress.

    7:00 – 8:30 pm · Institute Commons · Room 201

  5. Feb18Thu

    Communicating with Teachers

    Advocate effectively for accommodations and partnerships with school staff while preserving your teen's growing sense of autonomy.

    7:00 – 8:30 pm · Online · Zoom

  6. Mar18Thu

    Supporting the Transition to Independence

    As students move from supported freshman to self-directed senior, parents learn to taper support gracefully so confidence — not dependence — grows.

    7:00 – 8:30 pm · Institute Commons · Room 201

Ready to learn more?

Applications are open for the inaugural cohort beginning Fall 2026. Space is limited to 15 freshmen.