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Welcome to the home of National Parental Involvement Day & Public School Volunteer Week!
Kevin Walker
& Family
Dear Educators and Parent Leaders,
I do believe there is no social affiliation in contemporary America that offers more, and means more, than being a public school parent. Project Appleseed celebrates being public school parents because it is like joining a large club. All members are equal. What we want for our children and grandchildren is the same, regardless of what jobs we hold, where we stand on the social ladder, or how well or poorly we performed in our own school days.
As parents and caregivers, we have the opportunity to make a real difference in our children's education and the future of our public schools. That's why I'm writing to invite you to join Project Appleseed, a national campaign for public school improvement that celebrates and promotes family engagement.
Research has shown that when schools and families work together to support learning, student attitudes, attendance, homework, and report cards all improve. Family engagement has the power to enhance the essential bottom line - our children's learning. It's that simple.
At Project Appleseed, we believe that family engagement should be a priority for all schools. That's why we encourage schools to observe National Parental Involvement Day and Public School Volunteer Week, and to find innovative ways to reach out and include all parents and families in the process. By proactively engaging with families, schools can build strong, positive relationships and create a more welcoming and inclusive environment that supports student success.
As educators, you have the power to make a difference in the lives of your students and their families. I hope you'll join us in the national campaign for public school improvement and help us make a positive impact on the future of education in America.
Sincerely,
Kevin S. Walker
President & Founder
kevinwalker@projectappleseed.org
P.S. I'm proud to be a National Supporting Member of the PTA and a Community Ally of the National Education Association (NEA). Connect to me on LinkedIn here!
National
Selected key accomplishments
Project Appleseed, the national campaign for public school improvement, was founded by Kevin Walker in 1993. He currently serves as the organization's president and national director. Under his leadership, Project Appleseed was the creator of National Parental Involvement Day and Public School Volunteer Week, two of the longest-running family engagement events in American public schools. Mr. Walker worked with the Clinton administration to include original provisions for parental involvement in Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1994. These provisions were reauthorized under Title I of No Child Left Behind in 2001 and again under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. Mr. Walker has received recognition for his work, including being named one of the Top Ten People in American Education by Teacher magazine and receiving the Parenting Leader Award from Parenting magazine. Project Appleseed has been recognized as one of the "10 Unsung Nonprofits That Should Be Household Words".
Missouri
Our home state accomplishments
Project Appleseed is based in St. Louis, Missouri were Mr. Walker successfully proposed the Missouri Public School Accountability Report Card legislation, which was passed by the Missouri Legislature. He is the recipient of the Focus St. Louis "What's Right With The Region" Award and the co-founder of the Innovative Technology Education Fund.
Education
Mr. Walker holds a joint certificate from Washington University in St. Louis and has served as a guest lecturer in the Total Quality Schools program, a joint MBA/MSW program offered by the George Warren Brown School of Social Work and the Olin School of Business. He also studied political science and American studies at the University of Kansas, Lawrence and was the student body president at Webster Groves High School in 1979. He was later inducted into the Webster Groves High School Wall of Fame in 2007.