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it from waning parental involvement. In the past several years, my daughter's local elementary school has experienced declining parental participation in all school activities. In response, the administrators and school staff initiated a program last fall to encourage 100% parental involvement throughout the school year. Every parent received a list of opportunities to volunteer and events to attend, and they were asked to make commitments to a few of the suggestions. The activities ranged from attending parent-teacher conferences to volunteering in a classroom to going to Family Fun Night, etc.

We lead busy lives, and I know that it is not easy to find the time to volunteer at your child's school. However, I strongly encourage you to find or make the time. At the very minimum, you should always attend parent-teacher conferences. These meetings are your opportunity to learn how your child is performing in the classroom.

I encourage you to volunteer in your child's classroom. You will get an up-close view of what they're learning and who their friends are. When your kid sees you volunteering at their school, it is a source of pride to them. It shows that you are interested in their education and most importantly, in them. Your presence and the donation of your time lends importance to the place where they spend 35+ hours of their week.

As parents, we are responsible to not only take an interest in our child's education, but also to extend their education. No curriculum, no matter how thorough it claims to be, can cover every topic to any depth. To the parents who complain, "My school's not doing enough for my child," I would say, WE - parents - must do what is necessary to get our children what s/he needs. If your child needs tutoring or additional help, explore ways to get it. My daughter participates in many of her school's extra learning activities, but as parents, we make sure to nurture interests that may not be covered during the school day.
For example, I don't feel that my 4th grader's curriculum has enough science instruction. As a parent, I create educational opportunities that extend and enhance the acquisition of this knowledge. This can be as easy as unplanned visit to our local creek to its watery inhabitants with nets and our bare feet, or as costly as a week-long summer camp that has a science focus. The "good stuff," real-life learning doesn't have to be complicated or expensive.

On a similar note, if my daughter expresses an interest in something,

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