Parent involvement is much more than a school full of parents. For parent involvement to be truly effective, schools must strive to draw in parents from all walks of life in order to share research-based reading strategies. Students will be able to reach their full academic potential when schools engage parents and empower them with effective strategies they can use at home. 

Laura Beaver and Jill Nolen, natives of North Carolina, have a combined 30 years experience in education. They have worked as regular classroom teachers as well as specialists for struggling and gifted students. While teaching across the hall from each other, Beaver and Nolen pursued their dream of writing a book.  In 2004, they published Into the Tub, a children’s book that includes research-based reading strategies for parents to use during story time.  Beaver and Nolen began spending after-hours time together outside the classroom doing book signings to promote this book.  Soon, this energetic pair found themselves traveling across the nation training educators on how to empower parents with the tools they need to help their children become successful readers. 

Their vision of parent involvement is much more than simply having a school full of parents...it is also about making sure that all parents walk away from the school empowered to use research-based reading strategies with their children. Their message applies to any parent – from a poverty-stricken teenage mother to a busy, middle-class father, from a grandmother raising her grandchildren to a well-educated lawyer.  They believe parents should walk away from every parent involvement event with strategies to make a positive impact on their child’s academic success.  By sharing strategies based on research in parent-friendly terms and by modeling strategies with parents so they can easily use them at home with their children, educators can draw in parents by the dozens. 

Over the past few years, Beaver and Nolen have created a variety of materials that are being used by schools as part of their parent involvement initiative. Learn how to draw in parents by the dozens by offering interactive, non-threatening evens, such as hunting for hidden treasures, building model cars or even making pepperoni pizzas.  With just a few clicks, you will be well on your way to a perfectly planned workshop at your school with a Parent Workshop Survival Kit.  And you can draw in parents by the dozens with Family Fun Events for all ages.  Planning parent involvement events for Pre-K to Grade 5 has never been so easy!


Jill and Laura have conducted school-based and district-wide staff developments across the U.S. sharing their vision and inspiring educators to become better partners with their parents. Request training information for your staff and let Jill and Laura help your school develop a new vision of parent involvement. Their contagious enthusiasm and practical solutions will leave you with a smile on your face, a stitch in your side and the knowledge and passion to empower your parents with the tools they need to help their children succeed.