I definitely think the most important steps in building parent-teacher connections start early on in the school year with open-house/meet-the-teacher type events. Making an effort to get to know families on a personal level and introducing yourself are critical to this connection. Throughout the school year, communicating with families via student planners, weekly emails/letters, and parent-teacher conferences can help build and grow this connection all year.

The best thing to do is start at the beginning of the school year, so when they come for open house make sure you are introducing yourself and being open about the ways that parents can communicate. I have known some teachers who have given their phone numbers out to parents instead of an email. That just depends on your personal boundaries. Then, you can ask some parents to volunteer to work in the classroom. Maybe they could make copies or sit in on a class. You could also use a students planner or binder to leave little comments about the students work. It is important to leave positive comments as much as negative ones.

I think the other people had great suggestions, but I would also remember that not every parent will want to be as involved with their child's schooling as you would expect. Some parents might not see traditional education as a priority, so it might be harder to create a bond with them, but just be cordial with them. All you can do is communicate effectively with them and read the situation to see if it has the possibility of turning into them wanting to volunteer in the classroom, chaperone on school trips, etc.

Make sure you encourage the parents to come to school events and planning school-approved events for the parents to come into the classroom may also be a way to get more involved with the student's parents.