The Second Mile Parent Initiative program created and developed a series of monthly parent training sessions known as Parent Parties® to increase parent engagement at school and to teach parents how to promote learning at home. The sessions are an innovative alternative to the traditional meeting or workshop that educates parents in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Parent Parties® uses interactive games and activities to present parent engagement strategies that support better learning outcomes for students.

Parents enjoy Parent Parties® because they get useful information and build relationships with the facilitators and each other. They learn that they are not alone and they leave feeling empowered to advocate for their children.  Teachers and staff enjoy having a well-attended forum to engage parents, share information and address concerns. Our motto: “No More Meetings for Us! Let’s Have A Party!” reinforces our desire to make learning relaxing and fun.

Parent Initiative and Teledyne Brown created the Parent Parties® kit in 2007 to reach more schools and organizations that support parent engagement. The curriculum covers 18 topics on a variety of subjects that include tips on teaching etiquette, helping with homework, communicating with teachers, and much more. It has been around for over 25 years and is used in more than 1,300 schools and 49 states.