Parents and local citizens are the most powerful part of school programs - if they want to be.

We're all busy people and sometimes our priorities let the meetings and help at school slip by. In the early grades, most teachers welcome volunteers who can afford a half hour to read to a part of the class or stay through a lunch period. Volunteers have a better view of what their child's school day is like, and most students who are initially afraid at school are more comfortable knowing their parent is a regular visitor.

One Mom felt her son's high school was a dreary, unwelcoming place, so she volunteered to paint the halls. Union contracting would not allow "maintenance" painting but would permit "decorative" painting. She suggested to the principal that a parent painting team could brighten up the halls with murals. She found 10 parents willing to help - two designers and eight helpers. Another obstacle was a rule that a janitor had to be in the school whenever it was in use. To overcome this complication, she scheduled her crew to paint during Saturday basketball games when janitors were on the job anyway.

The result was a brightly painted, attractive building for her student's education. Not bad for one parent with an idea.

The schools in a small community in West Virginia received a large, research quality telescope from the U.S. Naval Academy. It was stored in boxes for 5 years until volunteers in the community formed a foundation to develop an observatory for its students, solicited donations and grants, and got the support of the county school board and state officials. A new observatory for the area's students is now well on its way to becoming a reality.

The PTA website (www.PTA.org) and www.FamilyEducation.com (Family Education Network) offer dozens of ideas on how parents can support and raise funds for school projects.

Make one of your new year's resolutions a vow to put your power as a parent behind your local schools.

Dr. McIntire is the author of Raising Good Kids in Tough Times.