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Welcome to the home of National Parental Involvement Day & Public School Volunteer Week!
Professional Development Solutions
Take the First Step!
Strong Families, Strong Schools
Introduction: At Project Appleseed, we believe that meaningful family engagement is the key to student success. Our professional development workshops are designed to break down barriers and unleash the full potential of high-impact school-family partnerships.
Led by Kevin Walker, founder of Project Appleseed and creator of National Parental Involvement Day, these engaging sessions empower educators with the tools, strategies, and confidence to build lasting relationships with families.
We offer flexible training options tailored to your needs:
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The focused Two-Hour Family Engagement Toolbox Training
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Our immersive One-Day Foundational Workshop
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Or the comprehensive Two-Day Planning Workshop for long-term sustainability
Our Graduate School for Parents equips families with trauma-informed workshops, a powerful Parent University Series, and Leadership Coaching—all designed to strengthen resilience, communication, and advocacy at home and in school.
Ready to bring strong family partnerships to your school? Enroll below or Contact us to create a customized training plan for your educators and families.
Benefits of Our Professional Development
Research shows that high-impact family engagement correlates with student achievement. Project Appleseed helps schools engage parents, families and communities using proven, research-based models.
Key benefits include:
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Improved student outcomes
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Increased family involvement
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Enhanced communication and collaboration
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Stronger school-family relationships
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A greater sense of community
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Increased professional knowledge and skills
Former Sec. of Ed. Cardona has celebrated National Parental Involvement Day for eight years, including during his tenure as Connecticut’s state supt.
Who Should Attend?
We encourage participation from building-level teams, made up of school staff and family/community members, as well as district leaders and other educational partners who aim to foster collaborative school communities including:
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School administrators
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Teachers
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Counselors
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Parent liaisons
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Parent leaders
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Support staff
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Parents
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Community members
Explore Our Professional Development Solutions!
Unlock the power of meaningful family engagement! Whether you're a school leader, educator, or community partner, our professional development programs are designed to equip your team with the tools to foster lasting school-family partnerships. Explore your options below—or visit our Family Success Shop to place your order and take the next step today.
Why Choose Project Appleseed?
Family engagement isn’t just important—it’s essential for student success. Our mission is to make it a lasting part of school improvement. Yet, many schools simply hope parents will participate rather than actively recruiting and guiding them. The reality is that many families want to be involved but lack clear direction. Project Appleseed bridges this gap with strategic, research-driven initiatives—like the Parent Engagement Pledge—that transform intention into action. Our approach not only engages families but also tracks and measures volunteer impact, delivering tangible results that strengthen schools and communities.
Our Traveling Workshop on Family Engagement draws from research by our partners and leading experts in education, family engagement, and child development. This workshop provides schools and communities with proven strategies to foster meaningful, lasting change.
What Educators Are Saying
"Good afternoon, Kevin,
I would like to express my gratitude for the excellent family engagement workshop you offered today at KCSOS. I learned so much!
We would like to again extend an invitation to the Kern High School District Parent and Family Center Liaisons' meeting scheduled on Monday, Nov. 4 at 10 am. I think your knowledge and experience will help the team so much as we continue to plan and finalize details for the 30th Anniversary of the National Parent Involvement Day.
Also, if you have time, I would like to interview you about family engagement in education for a Literature Review I am working on for my master's in educational administration.
Thank you so much for everything you have done to make our educational system better and help students as well as families all across the country."
— Parent Education Liaison, Kern County Superintendent of Schools, Bakersfield, CA
Leadership in Family Engagement Training and Workshops
Project Appleseed’s award-winning leadership team brings over 50 years of combined experience in transforming family-school partnerships through research-based training and hands-on workshops. At the helm is Kevin Walker, President and Founder, a nationally recognized advocate in public education and family engagement.
Kevin Walker
Walker launched National Parental Involvement Day and Public School Volunteer Week—two of the nation’s longest-running family engagement initiatives. His efforts helped shape federal parental involvement policies under Title I, No Child Left Behind, and the Every Student Succeeds Act. Named one of Education Week’s Top Ten People in American Education, Walker has trained educators and future leaders at Washington University in St. Louis and led family engagement initiatives from local school councils to national education policy. Learn more>>
Joining him is Susan Graham, M.A.Ed (c), CFLE, a Certified Family Life Educator with more than 18 years of direct experience working with families, schools, and communities. Susan brings a trauma-informed, evidence-based approach to every training, informed by her graduate work in Trauma and Resilience in Educational Settings. A skilled curriculum developer and founder of Achieve Life Balance, Susan delivers customizable training formats—from live Zoom workshops and Parent University webinars to on-site institutes and interactive family engagement game nights. Learn more>>
Susan Graham
