I admit it: last year, I ditched out early on our PTA meeting (my daughters were climbing on me). This year, I vowed not only to attend but to listen carefully until the bitter end -- which was more than an hour and a half. Many other parents seemed to be doing the same, even those toting squirming babies. After all, we want to know how budget cuts will affect our children, what might be whisked away, how we can all help. It's harder, this year, to take for granted that certain programs and services will magically happen on their own.

Our principal declared herself optimistic, despite the 5% cuts we're being hit with. She opened the meeting on an upbeat note, reading friendly letters students had written to her over the summer -- one, amusingly, begged for better toilet paper in the school bathrooms. As the stream of teachers and parents spoke, I realized just how much of what helps our school succeed comes from the PTA. They make many of our arts programs possible. They maintain the web site. They organize enrichment classes taught by parents (last year, a dad helped kindergartners make a movie). They pay for some of the school's supplies. And, of course, they raise the money and recruit parent volunteers to do all of this. <!--more-->A theme of the meeting was: the school is doing great right now, but it can only continue to do so through the constant help and cooperation of all parents. And that doesn't have to mean giving money, which is in shorter supply these days. Volunteer in the cafeteria. Read to a Pre-K class. Come to gym class and teach kids how to throw a football. Every little bit helps.

The last Insideschools poll showed that while 65% of parents attended the first meeting of the year, others were unable to attend, or felt that the PTAs were not welcoming.

What can PTAs do to make themselves more inviting to parents? Offer childcare? Translation? Staggering meeting times? More refreshments? Please share your ideas.