Back to school can be a time of questions and concerns for all parents, but especially parents of students with epilepsy. This year, Covid-19 has multiplied those questions and amplified those concerns. With this in mind, Epilepsy Toronto and Epilepsy Southwestern Ontario have put together a panel of experts to speak directly to parents, offering insight into first aid and Covid-19 protocols in schools, and resources for students returning to the classroom and those opting to learn online.

Join us Wednesday, Sept 9, at 7:30 pm for a Facebook Live Event, with panelists: Carrie Charters (Social Worker, LHSC Children’s Hospital), Dr. Elizabeth Kerr (Program Director The Epilepsy Classroom, SickKids), Steve Lynnette (member of the Special Education Advisory Committee and parent), and Dr. Michelle Science (Infectious Diseases Consultant, SickKids). Find out their answers to the questions they are most often asked by parents, and then participate in a live Q&A, moderated by Epilepsy Southwestern Ontario’s Epilepsy Educator, Jayme Chami.

About The Panel

Carrie Charters is a paediatric social worker for the neurology program at Children’s Hospital – LHSC. In her role she works with inpatients and outpatients to provide clinical counselling and emotional support services, connection to community resources and funding opportunities, and helps families to articulate and advocate for their needs. Carrie’s professional background includes work in the child and youth mental health system and in education. When out of the office, you can find her looking for buses and trucks with her toddler and husband, Zoom-ing with friends and family, googling ‘Best Instant Pot Recipes,’ and watching CNN.

Elizabeth Kerr was awarded her Ph.D. from the University of Calgary, following which she completed a CPA/APA accredited internship in Neuropsychology at the Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario. She has been a Clinical Neuropsychologist at SickKids since 1995, holds an associate scientific appointment in the Division of Neurology, SickKids, and an adjunct clinical academic appointment with the Department of Paediatrics, the University of Toronto.  As a full-time clinician, Dr. Kerr heads up the Epilepsy Classroom and provides neuropsychological assessment and consultation to the Epilepsy Classroom, the Epilepsy Surgery program, and Metabolic Genetics.

Steve Lynette has represented Epilepsy Toronto on the SEAC (Special Education Advisory Committee) for the Toronto Board of Education for over 10 years, and previously held the positions of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the committee. SEAC makes recommendations to the board with respect to any matter affecting the establishment, development, and delivery of special education programs and services for exceptional pupils, and participates in the annual review of the special education plan, the annual budget process as it relates to special education, and reviews the board financial statements as they relate to special education. Steve is also a business owner and a parent of a child living with epilepsy.

Michelle Science, Ph.D., works in the Division of Infectious Disease in Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children; she has in-depth expertise in COVID and schools.