Results
The Children's Tumor Foundation
09/18/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/18/2026 13:30
2026 NF Knowledge Series: Growing with Confidence – School Success for Students with NF
Middle school, high school, and the transition to college can bring excitement, change, and stress. For students living with NF, these years can also bring additional questions about learning, accommodations, friendships, organization, and self-advocacy.
These topics were the focus of a recent Children's Tumor Foundation NF Knowledge Series webinar, "Growing With Confidence: School Success for Students With NF." Hosted by April Seliga, Director of Patient Education & Engagement Development for the Children's Tumor Foundation, the session featured practical guidance from Sara Murray, M.Ed., Outpatient Education Coordinator for the NF Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, along with firsthand perspectives from two young people living with NF.
Start Early and Build a Support Team
One of Sara's key recommendations was to begin communicating with the school team early. Families can help teachers, counselors, nurses, and other staff understand how NF affects their individual student and what support may be helpful.
For middle and high school students, these conversations can also be an opportunity to begin practicing self-advocacy. Students can learn how to explain their needs, ask for help, and participate in decisions about their education.
Sara also reminded caregivers to give themselves grace. Families are balancing school, activities, medical appointments, work, and everyday life. The goal is not to implement every strategy at once.
"The point of all this is to help you and not to overburden you or overwhelm you."
The Children's Tumor Foundation has resources to help drive conversations with your school team. Our NF1 for Educators brochure is designed for families to share with teachers and school administrators, and the NF1 and Learning resource provides further in-depth information. You can request free copies from our resource library. Click this link to create an account with our printing partner, Mele Printing. Once your account is created, you can request the free CTF materials you'd like to receive.
Finding Strategies that Work
Executive functioning was another major focus of the webinar. Skills such as attention, organization, task initiation, time management, emotional regulation, and working memory can be challenging for some students with NF1.
Sara recommended trying practical tools such as timers, planners, visible lists, structured study periods, and breaking larger assignments into smaller steps. Families and educators can model these strategies, practice them with students, and adjust as needed.
She also emphasized that school success goes beyond academics. Clubs, mentoring programs, volunteering, and other activities can help students build friendships and find communities where they feel supported and connected.
Our NF Parent Guidebook is a 160-page workbook with information and useful tools to help families navigate NF1 learning and executive function challenges. Click here to download the guidebook for free, or request a print copy using this link to create an account with our printing partner, Mele Printing.
Learning to Advocate for Yourself
Brinley Jacob, a 15-year-old high school sophomore, shared how finding the right school supports and speaking up for herself have shaped her experience.
Her advice for students trying to find their community was simple. "I would just say, like, talk to people because that's how I kind of found my group."
She also emphasized that having an IEP does not eliminate the need for self-advocacy. Students may still need to remind teachers about accommodations or explain what they need to succeed.
Gabe Donovan, 22, shared his perspective as a graduate student who has used accommodations throughout different stages of his education. He encouraged students considering college to connect with disability or accommodations offices early and ask questions about available support during the college search.
His message was clear: it is better to have supports in place and not need them than to need support and not have it available.
Preparing for What Comes Next
Sara also discussed 504 Plans and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), which can provide eligible students with accommodations, specialized instruction, services, and other supports based on their individual needs.
As students approach life after high school, planning can expand beyond academics to include college, employment, transportation, independent living, and other practical skills.
Throughout the webinar, one message kept coming up: start conversations early, build a strong support team, and encourage students to find their own voice.
Click here for more information about our NF Knowledge Series webinars.
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The Children's Tumor Foundation published this content on September 18, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 18, 2026 at 19:30 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]