I guess it’s working for you, but it amazes me that so many people believe that your isolated experiences in Santa Monica are typical of America in general. My son attended three different pre-schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and not a single one had parent teacher conferences (unless there was a serious issue) or expected us to bring supplies or fundraise. Some do, of course, but it’s not common everywhere. It’s a huge country and every state has it’s own culture and practices.