Part of the dominant story of school involves educators entering a community, claiming the ground called "school," and designing and enacting policies, procedures, and programs for the children in the community. Most often they do this in isolation of parents and community members. Because they have professional education, knowledge and experience, their claim on the ground of school is accepted and they take ownership of this ground. In this article, the author shares two stories of her experiences with welcoming parents into schools. The first is her own parent narrative; the second is a composite story, created from excerpts from field text of observations and experiences at Princess Alexandra Community School, a core neighbourhood school in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. In unpacking these narratives, the author explores what it means to be "welcoming" and she foregrounds elements that appear significant in creating a sense of place and engagement for parents in their children's schooling. (Contains 7 notes.)