March 1 2024- The article highlights the significant role of parents and grandparents as volunteers in K-12 schools, participating in activities such as chaperoning, class parenting, and mystery reading. While these interactions offer valuable support for children’s education and allow adults to stay connected to the school experience, the engagement often remains at a light level and is limited to family members.The article emphasizes the importance of more substantial school-community relationships to enhance creative and relevant instruction. It suggests that fostering stronger connections can address challenges in education such as academic disengagement, increased student absenteeism, declining test scores, and high teacher turnover rates.