Research shows that when schools and families work together to support the education of a child, not only does the student perform better in school, but all throughout life. The best way to nurture a strong relationship between school and family is to create a friendly and welcoming school environment. This checklist is designed to allow schools to assess their “family friendly” practices. This tool gives school leaders the opportunity to evaluate how inviting and “customer friendly” their school is to families and the community. It can also help to point out various areas that may have been previously overlooked and can be easily addressed.