Dear Friends, 

As 2025 comes to a close—my first year as Executive Director of Parent Teacher Home Visits—I’ve been reflecting on something family engagement pioneer Anne T. Henderson shared on our podcast. She described joining her first PTHV visits in Sacramento more than two decades ago and hearing the same message from teacher after teacher: “I was thinking about leaving the profession until I started doing home visits.”

That sentiment—educators rediscovering their purpose through authentic connection with families—has defined this year. 

Stepping into this role after serving on PTHV’s board many moons ago, I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for the intricate work that happens behind every training, every home visit, every relationship built. Together, we’ve witnessed the extraordinary power of authentic relationships to transform schools, support families, and reignite the passion of educators across the country.  

And when I say “together,” I mean it. None of what we accomplished this year would have been possible without you—our partners in this movement to center family voice, build trust, and create the conditions for every child to thrive. As we close out the year, the stories and milestones that follow offer a glimpse of what we have built together—and what is possible next. 

Honoring a Champion: The Jocelyn Graves Award 

In April, we had the honor of presenting the Jocelyn Graves Award to Kwesi Rollins, Chief Programs Officer at the Institute for Educational Leadership. Kwesi’s decades of work supporting family engagement and his unwavering commitment to equity embodies everything Jocelyn Graves stood for. Watching him receive this recognition reminded us of the power of persistent, principled leadership—and how the ripples of one person’s dedication can reach thousands of families and educators. 

If you haven’t yet listened to Kwesi’s conversation on our podcast, I encourage you to do so. His insights on building authentic partnerships across difference are essential listening for anyone committed to this work. 

National PTHV Week: Amplifying Voices from the Field 

September brought our third annual National PTHV Week, and this year felt different. The energy, the stories, the momentum—it all pointed to something we’ve known for a long time but are seeing with new clarity: educators are hungry for authentic connection with families, and when given the training and support, they embrace it wholeheartedly. 

Our webinar, “Strengthening Schools with Home Visits,” brought together practitioners, researchers, and advocates who shared both the heart and the evidence behind relationship-building visits. David Chavez, a special education teacher from Arvin Union School District in California, described visiting more than 30 families during summer school and being greeted on the first day of the school year with side-hugs, high fives, and children running up saying, “You came to my house! You came to my house!” 

These weren’t children flagged for intervention. They weren’t targeted because of attendance concerns or academic struggles. They were simply students whose teacher believed every child deserves to be known and valued—a principle that guides everything we do. 

Throughout the week, coordinators from across the country shared their experiences through touching and thought-provoking blog posts. 

• An Anne Arundel County (Maryland) school leader highlighted the journey of hope, heart, and home visits as she built a new district-wide culture of relationship-based family engagement. 

• Framingham (Massachusetts) educators wrote about creating lasting connections that extend far beyond a single visit. 

• A Prince George’s County (Maryland) school leader shared how building trust becomes possible even when trust feels hard to come by, especially through the lens of their Judy Centers. 

• Cajon Valley (California) educators described how a small, grassroots effort grew into a district-wide investment in home visits and a sustainable culture of trust with families. 

• A teacher-leader from Elk Grove Unified School District (California) reflected on moving from hesitant hellos to lasting trust, describing how home visits transformed her teaching career. 

Launching WE-Lead: A New Chapter in Wisconsin 

This July marked the beginning of an ambitious new partnership. WE-Lead—our collaboration with Wisconsin teachers unions Madison Teachers Inc., Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association, Racine Educators United, and Wisconsin Education Association Council—represents something special: the union’s organizing muscle combined with PTHV’s proven model and strong local leadership, all working together to transform teaching and learning while building power through authentic family-school-union-community partnerships. And it marks the first phase of a statewide home visit effort that will grow in reach and impact over the coming years. 

The goals are bold: strengthen family-school partnerships, advance equity by centering family voices, support teacher retention and job satisfaction, and strengthen educator voice through relational organizing. But after 28 years of this work, we know that transformation happens at the pace of relationships—and Wisconsin’s educators are ready to lean into that truth. 

Strengthening Our Training: More Story, More Practice, More Connection 

This year, we took a hard look at our training model and asked: How do we make it even more powerful? The answer came from listening to educators, leaders, and families. Ours is the only training of its kind in which teachers learn directly from families. Our trainings weave in the voices of educators and parents who share concrete examples of taking theory into practice. We’ve added hands-on activities that build the skills needed for authentic connection. We’ve deepened the focus on tying home visits to other family engagement efforts, recognizing that visits aren’t a standalone program—they’re part of transforming school culture from transactional to relational. 

We’ve also instituted a trainer development and certification process to ensure every educator who participates in a PTHV training receives the same high-quality, transformative experience. 

Voices That Matter: Our Podcast and Thought Leadership 

In a year of political turbulence and shifting federal priorities, we made a conscious choice to speak clearly about what matters. I wrote directly about the challenges facing schools and families, publishing pieces on the perils of lost federal leadership in family engagement, supporting immigrant families in moments of fear, and the critical importance of bringing families along when schools undergo change. 

But we also amplified other essential voices through our podcast. In November, we spoke with Anne T. Henderson, whose 40 years in this field have taught her—and taught us—that authentic relationships, not compliance, drive real change. Anne’s voice on the podcast also grounded this work in decades of evidence and practice. Drawing on more than 40 years of research and writing—including landmark reviews on family engagement and co-authored books like Everyone Wins and Beyond the Bake Sale—she traced how policy has shifted, why compliance-only approaches fall short, and how relational models like Parent Teacher Home Visits are proving what the research has long shown: when families are true partners, students, educators, and schools all do better. 

We also sat down with Missy Testerman, 2024 National Teacher of the Year, for a heartfelt conversation about building bridges between home and school. These conversations with practitioners and researchers help shape family engagement work for years to come. 

Sharing Our Learning: Conferences and Convenings 

Our program and trainer teams brought PTHV’s message to audiences across the country this year. In January, we presented at Sacramento County Office of Education’s workshop on Family Engagement in Community Schools. We led a powerful session at the S-TAC Community Schools EMPOWER Summit on “Leadership through Connection: The Transformative Power of Parent Teacher Home Visits.” And we participated in NAFSCE’s National Assembly for Family Engagement in Education, continuing to build bridges with leaders across the family engagement ecosystem. 

Each of these moments reminded us that the hunger for authentic, relational practice is growing—and that PTHV’s model offers educators a clear, research-backed path forward. Stay tuned for details on where we’ll be speaking in the coming year. 

A New Resource: Strengthening Community-Connected Classrooms 

This year we published “Strengthening Community-Connected Classrooms,” a resource that helps educators understand how home visits create the foundation for classrooms where every student feels they belong. The guide offers practical strategies for taking what you learn during visits and weaving that knowledge into daily teaching practice—making instruction more culturally responsive, more engaging, and more effective. Drawn from years of partnership with community schools across our national network, it reflects PTHV’s deep expertise in using relational home visits as a core strategy for community schools that center trust, shared leadership, and family voice. 

Celebrating Impact: Our Annual Tallies 

Every fall, we survey the field to understand our collective reach—tracking trained educators, completed visits, and expanding sites across the network. The numbers tell a powerful story: during the 2024-25 school year, educators conducted 30,950 home visits. But behind every number is a family who felt seen, a student who felt valued, a teacher who remembered why they entered this profession. 

More than 700 schools across 32 states, Washington D.C., and Saskatchewan are now part of the PTHV network. And this year alone, we completed 23 trainings across 18 different districts and organizations—from San Diego Unified in California to Capitol Region Education Council in Connecticut, from Lake Elsinore to Live Oak, from Kern High School District to Sacramento State University. The breadth and depth of our implementations reflect something important: this model works across contexts, grade levels, and communities because it’s built on a universal truth—relationships matter. 

Welcoming New Leadership 

We were thrilled to welcome Emily Garcia to our Board of Directors this year, even as we said farewell to Lisa Levasseur, whose tenure as Board Chair exemplified steady, thoughtful leadership. Lisa stayed on an extra year to help me find my footing as Executive Director—a gesture of support I deeply appreciate. Emily brings deep expertise in education policy and a commitment to centering equity that will strengthen our work in the years ahead. Her leadership at Flamboyan, where she has helped shape one of the country’s most visible family engagement efforts in Washington, DC, makes her a particularly strategic partner as home visits continue to grow across DC Public Schools and other key districts in our network. Already, Emily is asking sharp questions, connecting dots across organizations, and helping us think bigger about how to align practice, funding, and policy to scale this work. 

What You Told Us: Insights from Our Website 

Throughout 2025, we’ve been paying close attention to what you’re seeking when you visit pthvp.org. The pages you turn to most tell us what matters: 

You want to understand the vision—what a home visit for every learner could mean for your community. You’re looking for practical tools and resources that help you implement this work effectively. You need the evidence—research and evaluation that shows this model works. You want to grasp the core practices—understanding what makes PTHV different from other home visit models. And you’re seeking inspiration—stories from National PTHV Week and examples from schools like yours. 

This tells us you need three things: evidence, practical guidance, and inspiration. We hear you, and we’re committed to providing all three. 

Looking Ahead: An Invitation 

As we turn toward 2026, I want to pause and acknowledge the incredible team that makes this work possible. Behind every number I’ve shared—the 23 trainings, the 30,950 home visits, the podcast episodes, the blog posts—are countless hours of coordination, relationship-building, and problem-solving. From our trainers who travel across the country and bring both expertise and heart to every session, to our program staff who work directly with districts to ensure successful implementation, to our communications team sharing stories and managing the intricate details of National PTHV Week, to our board members who steward our mission, provide strategic guidance, and champion our work nationwide—this work requires extraordinary effort and dedication. 

My first year in this role has taught me that leading a national movement for relational practice means being in constant relationship yourself. It means coordinators juggling training schedules across multiple time zones, team members troubleshooting technology issues at 6 am for a virtual session, and colleagues spending weekends preparing materials, so educators have exactly what they need. 

To my colleagues: thank you. Your commitment to this work, your creativity in solving challenges, and your belief in the power of relationships sustain this organization and everyone we serve. 

As we look ahead, we’re preparing to launch a series of conversations on teaching and learning at the intersection of family engagement and instructional practice. We’re finalizing our new strategic plan. We’re reflecting on transitions—saying goodbye to board members who’ve shaped our work and welcoming new voices to the team. 

But most importantly, we’re looking to you. Because this work doesn’t scale through mandates or top-down initiatives. It spreads because educators and families like you experience the power of home visits and share that story with a colleague down the hall or neighbor across the street. It grows because administrators see their teachers re-energized and their students more engaged. It deepens because families tell other families, “The school really cares about us.” 

So here’s my ask: Take this message to your peers in another school or district. Tell them what you’ve learned about the power of relationship-building Parent Teacher Home Visits. And ask them to get in touch with us. Every conversation, every training, every home visit creates ripples that reach further than we can see. 

Thank you for being part of this movement. Thank you for choosing connection over compliance, for seeing families as partners, for believing that every child deserves to be known. And thank you for making my first year in this role both challenging and deeply meaningful. 

Here’s to the year ahead—and to all the relationships we’ll build together. 

With gratitude and hope, 

Andrea Prejean 
Executive Director 
Parent Teacher Home Visits 

Ready to bring PTHV to your school or district? Contact us to learn more about our training and implementation support. 

Andrea Prejean is Executive Director of Parent Teacher Home Visits.