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Top 10 in America!
Top pick by both
Teacher & Parenting
magazines!
Welcome to the home of National Parental Involvement Day & Public School Volunteer Week!
In-Person or Virtual Professional Development Solutions
Project Appleseed's professional development workshops provide the foundation for overcoming barriers and unlocking the benefits of high-impact family engagement. Led by Kevin Walker, founder of Project Appleseed and creator of National Parental Involvement Day, these dynamic sessions equip educators with the skills and strategies needed to build strong, lasting family-school partnerships.
Choose from our One-Day Traveling Workshop, Two-Hour Family Engagement Toolbox Training, or the new Two-Day Extended Workshop and Leadership Sessions—each designed to inspire, empower, and transform your team’s approach to family engagement.
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
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
Why Choose Project Appleseed?
Family engagement isn’t just important—it’s essential for student success. Our mission is to make it a systemic, integrated, and 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
Former Sec. of Ed. Cardona has celebrated National Parental Involvement Day for eight years, including during his tenure as Connecticut’s state supt.
A Proven Leader in Family Engagement and Public Education
Like Johnny Appleseed, Kevin travels America planting the seeds of school improvement from coast-to-coast. As the founder and president of Project Appleseed, he launched National Parental Involvement Day and Public School Volunteer Week, two of the longest-running national initiatives promoting school-family partnerships.
His advocacy helped in shaping key parental involvement provisions in Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, later reaffirmed under No Child Left Behind and the Every Student Succeeds Act. In his home state of Missouri, he successfully proposed the Missouri Public School Accountability Report Card and co-founded the Innovative Technology Education Fund.
Named one of the Top Ten People in American Education by Teacher Magazine (Education Week), Walker has also received the Parenting Leader Award (Time Inc.). He was a long-time participant and guest lecturer at Washington University in St. Louis, training school administrators, MBA, and MSW graduate students in the Total Quality Schools joint program, equipping them with effective family and community engagement strategies.
Project Appleseed Founder and President Kevin Walker addresses a National PTA audience.
Extensive Leadership and Training Experience
Walker’s hands-on experience spans parent engagement, community development, and school improvement at local, state, and national levels. He has served as a parent group leader, liaison, volunteer coordinator, and site council chair, working with superintendents, principals and teachers to strengthen community engagement. His expertise includes strategic planning, curriculum development, nonprofit management, public policy, integrating technology and communications.
With this extensive experience, Walker delivers dynamic workshops and training sessions, equipping educators, administrators, and community leaders with effective strategies to foster strong family-school partnerships that enhance student success. Have a question for Kevin? Email his assistant, Ruby Carey, to schedule a call.
Take the next step in transforming family engagement!
Find the perfect professional development solution for your school, district, or organization. Explore your options below or visit our Family Success Shop to place your order. Act now to empower educators and families for lasting success!
Explore Our Professional Development Solutions!
2-Hour Family Engagement Toolbox Training
Empower your team with a quick and focused training session on leveraging the Family Engagement Toolbox to strengthen school-family partnerships.
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Duration: 2 hours of interactive training.
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Learn how to implement the Family Engagement Toolbox effectively.
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Discover proven strategies for fostering meaningful family involvement.
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Receive hands-on guidance tailored to your school or district’s needs.
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Includes digital resources for ongoing support.
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Requires the purchase Family Engagement Toolbox - sold seperately.
One-Day Traveling Workshop - Foundational Family Engagement
Kickstart your family engagement initiatives with this comprehensive one-day workshop.
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Duration: Full day (8:30 AM - 2:30 PM) with lunch included.
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Explore the fundamentals of family engagement.
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Learn actionable strategies for immediate implementation.
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Tailored to meet the unique needs of your school or district.
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Led by Kevin Walker, founder of Project Appleseed and National Parental Involvement Day.
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Includes four complimentary 4-year Family Engagement Toolboxes for multi-school participants and one toolbox for single-schools.
Two-Day Traveling Workshop on Long-Range Planning
Dive deeper into family engagement with this expanded two-day workshop that includes planning for sustainable success.
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Day One: Essential Family Engagement workshop.
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Day Two: Long-range planning for systemic and culturally responsive practices.
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Develop a customized, multi-year action plan.
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Address barriers to engagement with proven solutions.
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Includes resources for implementation and follow-up support. .
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Includes four complimentary Lifetime Family Engagement Toolboxes for multi-school participants and one Lifetime toolbox for single-school participants.
Leadership Session in St. Louis - Individual & Small Groups Traveling Workshop
Join Project Appleseed’s signature Traveling Workshop in the heart of St. Louis, the organization’s home base.
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Designed for individuals and small groups.
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Duration: Full day (9:00 AM - 3:00 PM) with lunch provided.
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Offers the same expertise and strategies as our on-site Traveling Workshops.
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Customize your session date (must be scheduled 30 days in advance).
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Includes four complimentary 4-year Family Engagement Toolboxes for multi-school participants and one toolbox for single-schools.