I find this to be a school culture issue. Some schools are open and great about communication and some are not. My neighborhood public school just got email accounts 2 years ago (hello 21st century!). From what I hear, they never use them. My current school, a charter school, is generally GREAT about email communication. They openly acknowledge that they have to be if they are to be up to date.
However, as much as they tell everyone that they are open to parents in the school, I have personally found that NOT to be the case. They don't want parents to be anywhere near academics. They want parents to come only at lunch and recess.
When dealing with the brick wall of not being allowed in my child's classroom, all I can think of is a line from the movie, "Crossing Delancey" (I must have seen this in my teens). Paraphrased, "I made myself into a piece of furniture and planted myself there." That's what I did to get into my child's classroom. I asked and asked and offered to volunteer and teach and whatever. Finally, I just showed up and sat down.
