What is the School Year Wellness Workshop Series?
Designed to empower, grow, and strengthen girls to live well through social, emotional, and physical learning, the invaluable School Year Wellness Workshop Series is here! This workshop series draws on the 8 core foundations of the program (see below) and also takes into account the needs the group of girls is presenting with. This consideration gives participants loads of valuable space to share about their lives, who they are, and problem solve challenges they are facing. In turn, this space provides the opportunity for girls to increase self-esteem and confidence, helps girls learn to better cope with stress, anxiety, technology, friendship and school challenges, body image, and overall differences, while fostering a connection with their peers in knowing they aren’t alone. Girls need these skills to thrive!
Who is this Workshop Series For?
This program is for ALL girls in grades 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8. Girls and kids come from all over Sonoma, Marin, and Napa counties. Designed with girls in mind, all kids who feel they would benefit to be a part of the Wise Girl Workshops’ program are welcome to join us, including non-binary and transgender youth.
This program is made for ALL girls because ALL girls benefit to learn about the valuable Core Foundations of the program. Listen, no girl is immune to low self-esteem, stress, or finding her way with technology, friends, and having problems. That’s where this amazing program comes in!
How Long is the Workshop Series?
The School Year Wellness Workshop offers a 15 week series in both the Fall and Spring semesters of each school year. Many girls who sign on for the Fall semester continue on in the Spring, so they enjoy a full 30 weeks of learning and growing. In fact, many of our girls grow with us throughout their school years and eventually join us in our high school Girls In-Service program.
Is it Different Each Semester and School Year?
Because many girls are a part of the program for years, we offer many new activities all centered around the 8 Core Foundations of the program. Each semester is different from the next as we want to keep girls engaged and enjoying our time together. Plus, there is always a new mix of girls coming together each school year. New girls are welcomed with kindness and open arms, as all girls are eager to make new friends. We promote and value inclusivity in our small group settings.
In addition, with the Core Foundations being the primary focus of this series, we find fun ways to help girls grow. We know girls cannot get enough of these messages, mindsets, and life skills we offer. For example, if you only talked about math 1 time, do you think you’d really get all the concepts down? Probably not. Just like learning math or other valuable skills, wellness skills are something girls need to keep hearing and learning over and over again. The great part is, we’ve got so many fun ways to engage and teach them about how to live well!
Where is the School Year Wellness Program Offered?
Our Petaluma location is held at McKinley School where the girls gain valuable social, emotional, and physical life skills to help them live well in a small group setting. McKinley School is located at 110 Ellis Street, Petaluma, CA 94952. Many girls come to our programs from all different school, including private, public, and home schools.
We also serve Santa Rosa, Windsor, and Healdsburg at our Sonoma Country Day School location for those in grades 3/4, 5/6, and 7/8. You don’t have to be a student of Sonoma Country Day School in order to participate. In fact, having girls attend from all different schools help them to expand their social network and make new friends. Sonoma Country Day School is located at 4400 Day School Pl, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 and is conveniently located off the Airport Boulevard Exit.
Why a Small Group Setting?
Wise Girl Workshops values small groups, which can extend anywhere from 6-12 girls per workshop. We believe this environment provides ripe grounds for emotionally safety which helps girls to build trust and authentic relationships.
Small groups offer a powerful opportunity linking many of our Wise Girl Workshops Core Values together. Small groups allow for:
- Meaningful connection and conversation
- Individualized attention
- True belonging
- Holding structure and emotional safety
- Flexibility
- Inclusivity
What is the Commitment?
Participants commit to joining for the full 15-week series upon sign up. In part, workshops are most effective with every member showing up weekly. This builds rapport, trust, and leads to the ability to gain valuable support from one another. By signing up for this workshop, you are committing your daughter to doing her best to show up weekly. The continuity of time together creates an amazing environment for girls to thrive. With that said, sometimes girls get sick, have appointments, or have things get in the way of attending a session, and we totally understand that. Primarily, the goal is to make most sessions as sporadic attendance leads to a disjointed group, which is exactly the opposite of what Wise Girl Workshops intends to create.
Who Facilitates this Workshop Series?
Facilitators for the Petaluma location include Sierra Dator, MSW, LCSW, who has over 23 years experience running groups for all ages. In addition Tina Parrish, NASM, Y-200 and long time faciltator with Wise Girl Workshops also facilitates one of our grades 5/6 cohorts and joins other workshops by bringing in the Core Foundations of Joy in Movement and Nutrition for Life. You can find out more about Tina and Sierra here.
The amazing Margaret McLung facilitates our Santa Rosa location. With over 8 years of experience as a school counselor, Margaret knows how to connect with youth and is highly experienced in running groups of all ages.
When Are The Workshops Held for the Spring 2025 Semester?
Workshops serving Rohnert Park, Novato, and Petaluma are held at McKinley School, 110 Ellis Street, Petaluma, CA 94952.
Workshops for Santa Rosa, Windsor, and Healdsburg are held at Sonoma Country Day School 4400 Day School Pl, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 and is conveniently located off the Airport Boulevard Exit.
Please note, your daughter does not have to attend either of these schools to join the program. In fact, girls come from all over Sonoma and Marin Counties to participate giving girls the opportunity to make new friends from all over!
What is the Investment for the School Year Wellness Workshop Series?
The investment includes experienced group facilitation, all snacks and supplies, and Wise Girl Workshops swag.
The investment of the program spreads out evenly over the 4 months of program for the 15 sessions. The first payment is due upon sign up. The next 3 payments will be due on February 1, March 1, and April 1. Statements are emailed to you via Wave.
The early registration rate is $206.25 per month, and the regular monthly registration rate is $243.75 per month. Click on the workshop you are intersted in and find our rates there.
Alternatively, you can also pay the entire 15 week series in full, and there is a ticket option when you go to register.
If you need a different payment plan, then please reach out to me via email at wisegirlworkshops@gmail.com and let me know your needs. I’m happy to work with you so your daughter can join us!
Where Can I Sign My Daughter or Child Up?
For Santa Rosa, CA location at Sonoma Country Day School:
Grades 3/4 meets on Wednesdays from 4:15-5:30PM from January 8-April 30, 2025
Grades 5/6 meets on Tuesdays from 4:15-5:30PM from January 7-April 29, 2025
Grades 7/8 meets on Thursdays from 4:45-6:00PM from January 9-May 8, 2025
For Petaluma, CA location at McKinley School:
Grades 3/4 meets on Wednesdays from 4:15-5:30PM from January 8-April 30, 2025
Grades 5/6 meets on Tuesdays from 4:15-5:30PM from January 7-April 29, 2025
Grades 7/8 meets on Thursdays from 4:15-5:30PM from January 9-May 1, 2025
Check out all our programs for Wise Girl Workshops here.
What is the Cancellation Policy if my Daughter Withdrawals?
First off, full refunds are given if cancelling 2 weeks prior to workshop start date. You must cancel by email to wisegirlworkshops@gmail.com. Secondly, there are no refunds or credits given if cancelling thereafter. No refunds or credits given for missed sessions. If you withdrawal your daughter within the cancellation window, you are refunded the full amount minus a $20 processing fee. You are responsible to pay for the entire session if your daughter withdraws early from the program.
How Do I Know if this Program is Right for My Daughter?
Great question! The prerequisites to join Wise Girl Workshops is that your daughter is interested in attending AND she is open to making new friends. Forcing your daughter to attend our programs is typically not beneficial to your daughter and to our program. Often times, parents who force their child to attend without their daughter’s buy in end up struggling, not enjoying their time, and bring the participation level down for other girls. In these cases, our facilitators may ask to meet with you and your daughter to talk about how to either be successful in our program or whether we recommend withdrawing from the program. If we recommend your daughter to withdraws from the program, we provide a refund for any prepaid sessions.
Last But Not Least
Please note: This is not a therapy group. There will be no diagnosis or assessment. This is a wellness and empowerment workshop.