While the first days of school may seem blissfully distant, there's no time like now for planning. Remember Aesop? Be the ant, not the grasshopper.

The DOE's Office for Family Engagement and Advocacy has summer workshopsfor parents; most are on Saturdays to encourage working parents' participation. If your summer plans mean weekends away, write the OFEA for information on their monthly workshops beginning in fall.

Parent engagement can transform a school and its culture; just look at what happened at PS 11 in Clinton Hill. Working with other families in your child's school builds community, a persistent theme among our commenters. But change doesn't come without sweat and effort; if you don't invest it, who will?

Remember that ant: Invest your creative energy now; your children, their friends, and kids you don't even know will reap the rewards.