Oak Park and River Forest High School announced on Mar. 27 that it will host a Parent University Pop-Up presentation, “From Chaos to Calm: How to Keep Your Cool When Things Get Heated,” on Wednesday, April 8 from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. in the South Cafeteria. The event is open to all parents and caregivers, with light snacks provided.
The session aims to help families manage stress and improve emotional regulation at home. Organizers say the workshop will offer practical strategies based on evidence to help parents understand stress physiology, reduce escalation cycles, and strengthen family stability. The event is designed so that participants can use the tools immediately without adding extra tasks.
The school notes that parenting often requires maintaining emotional control under chronic stress conditions, which can affect household dynamics when personal stress levels rise. According to organizers, “If you’ve ever wondered how to stop the stress response from taking over your house, you aren’t alone; and you aren’t a ‘bad parent.’ You’re likely just stuck in a dysregulation cycle.”
All grade levels are welcome at this event, which takes place before Sophomore Parent Night. No pre-registration is required for attendance.
Oak Park and River Forest High School serves grades nine through twelve with an enrollment of 3,393 students during the 2019-2020 school year in Oak Park and Cook County according to Illinois Report Card. Of these students, grade ten had the highest concentration with 26.2 percent of all students enrolled according to Illinois Report Card. Other grades included grade nine at 25.6 percent, grade eleven at 25.4 percent, and grade twelve at 25.3 percent according to Illinois Report Card.
The school’s student body was composed of approximately 56.9 percent white students, followed by black (18.2 percent), Hispanic (12.6 percent), and Asian (3.8 percent) populations during the same period according to Illinois Report Card.
Questions about the event can be directed via email to Kris Johnson at kjohnson@oprfhs.org.
