In Japan, the PTA actually has a role in running the school. They hold quite a lot of power in decision making. I guess it makes the community feel more a part of their student's education.
So the school open day is held on the weekend so all parents can attend and take notes to critique the school. The Monday classroom itinerary is followed with an opening ceremony and meetings of teachers+parents.
It was an interesting experience enough to validate a whole blog post.
The opening ceremony was pretty heavy. The students got right into it. It basically followed the theme of "This year we're going to do great! We're going to get stressed! But everyone! Do your best!". Various slide shows and songs even bought some of the parents to tears.
There was this one chant they did which was basically "Live hard. Learn hard. Do your best!" Where all the students had a special stance they took where they leaned back and shouted as loud as they possibly could. Since all of them had the regimented timing - 600 odd students shouting it at the exact same time made for something very powerful. It rattled the seats, the ceiling, and gave me goosebumps. Good luck students!
The classes were open-class so parents were hovering at the back and in the corridors looking in. The PTA are serious I'm not joking. Some of them had a pen & paper and were taking notes critiquing the teacher. Very stressful for them!
The final meeting they had a really long panel for all the teachers to sit infront of the stands in the gym for the parents to watch us. Each teacher had to say hello and 'please be kind to me' (by rough translation not direct) one by one. Was very nerve-wracking! Way more scary than students! I hope my pronunciation was okay haha.
There was this one story of a PTA meeting where the ALT decided to look smart and respectable. So he donned his best suit and tie and really sought to make a good impression. Turned out the PTA actually complained that he was TOO formal and TOO strict and that they didn't want him as a 'mean' teachers. So from that day forth he very rarely wore his suit to school again and the parents were happy with him again haha.
Not my image - Japanese students in an assembly. Mildly related. They sit so straight you could hold a ruler next to them: http://www2.kobe-c.ed.jp/hrd-ms/?action=common_download_main&upload_id=9600
