This paper discusses a variety of ways school officials can effectively utilize participation by lay citizens in school affairs to maintain good public relations with the community. The important role of parents is stressed, and the value of homework assignments, teacher-parent group meetings, and individual teacher-parent conferences in developing school-parent relations is discussed. The author also examines ways of dealing with various community groups that are actively concerned with school affairs, often because of their dissatisfaction with some phase of the school program. The final section of the paper describes ways that parents can be utilized within the school setting to enrich students' educational opportunities and improve communications between the school and community. In particular, the author discusses the possibility of using parents as volunteer teacher aides, substitute teachers, in-class resource people for certain subject areas, members of curriculum development committees, participants in various extracurricular activities, and consultants for planning or improving the school plant and its physical facilities. (JG)