Brain Building and Early Literacy and Numeracy:
Strategies and Supports for Young Children (Birth to 8)
Family and Community Engagement Strand
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Westfield State University
Jayne Singer, PhD
Faculty, Brazelton Touchpoints Center
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Clinical Director, Child
and Parent Program, Division of Developmental Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston
Dr. Singer is a clinical psychologist with extensive experience working with a diverse array of children and families in
hospital and community-based settings. She is the Clinical Director of the Child and Parent Program in the
Developmental Medicine Center at Boston Children’s Hospital, where she works with families of children aged birth
through early childhood with a wide variety of medical, developmental, emotional, behavioral, and familial challenges.
She is also an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Singer joined the faculty at the Brazelton Touchpoints Center (BTC) in 1999; a continuation of her clinical work
with Dr. T. Berry Brazelton since 1989. At BTC, she leads the Early Care and Education Initiative and has developed
adaptations of the Touchpoints Approach for families living with children with Special Needs. She is the primary author
of the Touchpoints in Early Care and Education Reference Guide and the Touchpoints in Reflective Practice guides for
practitioners.
In addition to collaborating on the development and implementation of curricula for the general professional
development programs of the BTC, Dr Singer also creates and facilitates workshops on Reflective Practice, Mentorship, and
Supervision as they relate to the Touchpoints Approach.
Cindy Milner
Cindy Milner is the Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) Coordinator for Ludlow, Hampden,
Wilbraham, Longmeadow and East Longmeadow, MACPC Co- President.
Margaret O'Hare
Margaret O'Hare is the Director of the Massachusetts Parent Information and Resource Center (Mass PIRC) at the
Federation for Children with Special Needs. This federally-funded program provides information, training and technical
assistance to families, schools and districts around how families and schools can partner to support student
achievement and improve schools. Peggie currently serves as the Chair of the Parent and Community Education and
Involvement Advisory Council of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education which has developed and is now
disseminating the Family, School and Community Partnership Fundamentals as guidance to families, schools and
districts about implementing family and community engagement. As a pediatric physical therapist and special
educator, Peggie has over 35 years of experience in providing direct services to young children and their families,
administering state and national grants, and educating adults as adjunct college instructor and frequent workshop
presenter.
Kermit Dunkelberg
Kermit Dunkelberg is the Program Coordinator of the Ludlow Area Adult Learning Center, a Community Services
Initiative of Holyoke Community College and the recipient of a DESE/ACLS Capacity-Building mini-grant for family
literacy in 2010.
Conference and PLC website: http://www.eec.state.ma.us/BrainBuilding.aspx