Sure, e-mail is quick and convenient, but several readers told us nothing beats a face-to-face encounter for getting to know the parents of your child's classmates and instilling a spirit of cooperation for the coming year. Dru Quarles of Charlotte, North Carolina, hosted a casual afternoon party the very first week of school. She invited parents and kids (siblings included), and to keep things simple, asked everyone to bring a snack. "I found out all sorts of helpful things, like which parents were looking to get involved. And the party made the class more cohesive from the get-go," she says. It doesn't have to be an elaborate gathering. Atlanta room parent Hillary Yarmowich planned an afternoon playdate at a park for her son's class. It was so successful that it blossomed into a weekly drop-in event. "It helped us build a strong class network, with lots of active parents and willing volunteers," she says. Another option: a parents-only coffee at school, right after morning drop-off.