Executive Functioning: Spotting It and Supporting It at School and for Life Beyond (Series Begins Jan. 6, 2027) - The Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth, Inc.

For this webinar series, participants will automatically be enrolled in all 5 sessions.

Speaker

Elise W. Wulff, M.Ed., Senior Manager, MGH Aspire

Description

This interactive webinar series will break down the specific skills that make up Executive Functioning and introduce whole classroom, small group, and individual strategies to promote skill-building and generalization. Workshop goals are for educators to feel more confident and competent spotting EF skills in student strength and challenges in practical settings to most efficiently implement matched interventions. This workshop is applicable for general educators, special educators, direct service providers, administration, and paraprofessionals.

To receive PDPs and CEUs, participants must attend all 5 sessions, either live or via the recording, and successfully pass a quiz following Session 5. Within 24 hours of the live webinar, registrants will be emailed a link to view the recorded webinar. The recording will be made available for 7 days after each session.

This foundational session introduces the core domains of Executive Functioning (EF) and establishes a shared vocabulary for discussing these skills across educational settings. Participants will explore the cognitive processes that make up activation, memory, attention, emotional regulation, action, and effort. Through practical examples and case studies, educators will learn to identify EF strengths and challenges in everyday classroom situations and develop a framework for matching student needs to effective supports.

This session takes a deeper look at the Executive Functioning skills most directly connected to learning: attention, focus, and memory. Participants will examine how these skills influence student engagement, task completion, information retention, and academic performance. The session will provide practical strategies for supporting students with varying attentional and memory profiles while helping educators distinguish between skill deficits and performance challenges. Emphasis will be placed on classroom-ready interventions that can be implemented immediately.

Executive Functioning does not occur in isolation; stress significantly impacts a student’s ability to access and use EF skills effectively. This session explores the relationship between stress, emotional regulation, and cognitive functioning, helping educators understand why students may struggle with organization, attention, flexibility, or self-control during periods of heightened stress. Participants will learn to recognize stress-related EF challenges and implement supportive, neurodiversity-affirming practices that reduce barriers to learning and participation.

Executive Functioning skills develop most effectively when they are taught explicitly and consistently across settings. In this session, participants will learn how to embed EF instruction into daily classroom routines, targeted small-group interventions, and individualized supports. The session will provide practical examples of direct instruction, guided practice, and scaffolding techniques that promote skill development while minimizing demands on educator time. Participants will leave with a toolkit of strategies that can be adapted across grade levels and learning environments.

The ultimate goal of Executive Functioning intervention is for students to independently apply skills across settings, tasks, and stages of life. This workshop focuses on strategies that promote generalization and maintenance of EF skills beyond the instructional environment. Participants will explore methods for increasing student awareness, fostering self-reflection, creating consistent systems across environments, and gradually transferring responsibility to students. Educators will leave with practical approaches for helping students move from supported practice to independent, lifelong use of Executive Functioning skills.

About the Speaker

Elise Wulff, M.Ed., (she/her) has more than 20 years’ experience working with the neurodiverse population in both public and private sectors. With Aspire since 2007, Elise currently manages consultation and professional development services. As a neurodivergent individual herself, Elise applies her extensive experience and unique perspective in collaboration with neurodiverse individuals, caregivers, and providers to customize tools and strategies that enhance success across various life domains including home, school, and work. Elise has written curriculum to promote healthy self-awareness, disclosure, transition planning, and executive functioning. As an international speaker, Elise supports organizations and corporations to implement practical and sustainable inclusion. She has specific expertise in the neurodiversity framework, special education, universal design, social-emotional learning, tools to build independence, and strategies for executive functioning.

Elise received her undergraduate degree in psychology and theater arts from Emory University and her master’s degree in special education from Lesley University. Her clinical interests are in the areas of neurodiversity, executive functioning, parent/caregiver support, and effective and sustainable inclusion practices for individuals, educators, parents/caregivers, and providers.

Membership Information

Most MPY webinars are available ONLY to current staff from member districts and organizations. Public school memberships include police and fire personnel. Former and retired employees and members of committees, including but not limited to, PTO/PTA, PAC, School Improvement Councils, Health Councils, Drug/Alcohol Councils, and school volunteers, are not considered MPY members.

PDPs and CEUs

MPY is an approved Professional Development Provider through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (Provider No. F20180079). Professional Development Points (PDPs) are offered for most MPY professional development webinars. PDPs are issued in 10 hour increments, per DESE requirements.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for clinical staff through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association, Inc. (MaMHCA). The NASW and the MaMHCA approve each event individually. CEUs may be given in hourly increments.

To receive PDPs and CEUs, participants must pass the quiz.

Event Cancellation Policy

If you are unable to attend a MPY webinar you must cancel, through Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org, one business day before the webinar.

For MPY hybrid conferences, the date in-person registration closes will be posted on MPY’s website. Virtual conference registration will close one business day before the hybrid conference. You cannot cancel or switch your registration from in-person to virtual after in-person registration closes. Please email Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org with any questions regarding registration.

Register

FREE

MEMBER PRICING

Membership Access

All sessions are 12:00 – 2:00 pm

Session 1: January 6, 2027, Domains of Executive Functioning and Key Vocabulary
Session 2: January 20, 2027, Attention, Focus, and Memory: The Building Blocks of Learning
Session 3: February 3, 2027, The Intersection of Executive Functioning and Stress
Session 4: March 3, 2027, Teaching Executive Functioning: Whole-Class, Small-Group, and Individual Approaches
Session 5: March 17, 2027, Promoting Generalization: Helping Executive Functioning Skills Transfer Across Contexts