As we approach the end of 2023, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the extraordinary journey we’ve had together at Parent Teacher Home Visits. This year has been a milestone for us, marked by celebrations, achievements, and new beginnings. Let’s take a moment to revisit some of the key highlights that made 2023 such a momentous year for PTHV.

Silver Anniversary

Twenty-five years ago, parent and community organizers joined forces with educators to pilot a relational home visit model, Parent Teacher Home Visits, at eight Sacramento, California schools in an effort to counter deeply held mistrust and disrupt the cycle of blame between home and school.

For a quarter of a century now, PTHV has empowered school staff to forge trusting relationships with the families in their communities—nationwide and now in Canada, too. We commemorated our 25^th year with a year-long celebration. We reflected on the lessons of our past, forged new alliances, inaugurated the annual National PTHV Week, narrated our stories, and swung open the door to the next impactful chapter of our journey. PTHV Week emerged as a powerful platform for uniting communities nationwide. During this dedicated week, we saw a surge of activities, events, and initiatives championing the importance of home visits. It was a collective effort that showcased the strength of our network and the shared belief in the impact of meaningful connections.

The year culminated in an unforgettable reception at the 2023 National Community Schools And Family Engagement Conference, where we were honored with greetings from U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.

The reception is also where we bestowed our annual Jocelyn Graves Award for Distinguished Service in Public Education to Michele Brooks, parent activist and former PTHV Board member. Each year, we grant this award —named after our late co-founder—to a passionate education leader.

Annual Tally: Impact in Numbers

Each year, we collect and examine data about home visit practices around the country. It’s an opportunity to reflect on our progress toward our vision of a home visit for every learner. During the 2022-23 school year, our community conducted 32,915 visits across 393 school sites, and we trained 2,746 new educators in the PTHV model.  

New Leaders

This year, we were thrilled to welcome new faces to the PTHV family. On the national staff, we were joined by Program Managers Heather Kilgore and Carol E. Brady, along with Digital Communications Associate Alexus Martin. We also extended a warm welcome to a new board member, Cory “CJ” Jones, whose wealth of experience in education strengthens our commitment to positive change.

Creative Outreach

In 2023, PTHV took center stage in various forums, reaching wider audiences through podcasts, conferences, and webinars. Our team passionately shared insights, experiences, and success stories, sparking engaging conversations around the transformative potential of home visits in education. Here’s a sampling of convenings and conversations:

• Showcasing the Power of Home Visits
• Listen In: PTHV Featured On Corner CAFE Podcast
• It’s Professional Learning Season!

More in Store in 2024

PTHV team members, trainers, and facilitators also embarked on an ambitious effort that will unfold in 2024 through our training programs and implementation support. Stay tuned for more information in the new year.

In the meantime, as we bid farewell to 2023, know that we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our community of friends, partners, allies, and supporters, with whom this momentous year would not be possible. Together, we’ve made strides toward a more connected, inclusive, and transformative education system. Thank you for being an integral part of the PTHV journey.