Helping out at your child's school isn't as time-consuming as you might think, either. There are many different ways to lend a helping hand, no matter what your schedule may be. If you aren't able to volunteer your time during the day, for example, you might be able to help out after work by putting together classroom materials.

Here are some things to consider about becoming involved:

• The most important first step to becoming involved is joining your school's PTA. It's the best way to find out what's going on in your child's school, and where your help is needed most.
• You don't have to wait for an invitation. Offering your help at your next PTA meeting or parent-teacher conference will certainly be appreciated.
• Remember that though not all volunteer work is immensely glamorous, it is always helpful. While helping to assemble worksheets might seem a little tedious, it frees up time for teachers to focus on how to teach your child in the best way possible.
• Don't be shy about sharing your talents. The same skills you use at work can certainly be used to help out your child's school; if you're a graphic designer, for example, you could help design flyers for school events.
• It's important to reach out to other parents and encourage them to become involved, too. Helping produce a newsletter or web site for parents can be a great first step.

Remember that giving any amount of time to help your child's school will be helpful. Even if you can only help for an hour a month, that hour's work will be more beneficial than you might expect. The important thing is to be an active part of your child's education, both at home and at school.

To get more ideas on how to become involved in your child's school, try one of these links:

• The National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education is a great jumping-off point for information of all kinds about getting families involved in schools.
• If you're looking for new ways to become more involved in your child's education, the George Lucas Educational Foundation's Web site is a great place to start.
• Project Appleseed is dedicated to improving public schools through parent and family involvement. It's aimed at both families and school staff, and provides suggestions on how to foster involvement in school.