With summer coming to a close, it is time to start preparing for the school year. This school year is set to be a productive one, with 4.5 million dollars in education funds being given to districts state wide.
I want to wish all students, faculty, teachers, and staff a blessed school year. As with every year, starting school can be stressful. Buying school supplies, meeting teachers, adjusting to waking up early, and even moving on the next grade are all things students and parents go through year after year. I pray this school year will be filled with knowledge and lasting memories for who all take part in this integral journey.
With school back to being fully in person, please remind yourself of the hustle and bustle early school mornings can bring to parents driving students to class, newly licensed students, and bus drivers. While navigating traffic in the morning can be daunting, I ask you all to be aware and patient with other drivers. Among the most important tasks students, parents, and teachers can complete this school year is ensuring safety when making their way to school.
Parents and students, a fundamental part of starting the school year is getting to know the teachers and staff. Teachers and staff have worked diligently through the summer to prepare themselves, the curriculum, and their classrooms with the necessary tools and functions to best instruct their students. By getting to know their children’s teachers and staff, parents can feel most confident in how their student is being taught and what they are learning in the classroom. Teachers and staff are trained professionals there to protect the students. It is crucial the parent/student/teacher bond is strong.
Along with getting to know your teachers and staff, it is important to understand your particular school’s policies and guidelines. This includes everything from when class starts, to what a student can and cannot wear, disciplinary actions, and expectations for the student and parents. Here is an example: A dreaded fear of most students and parents is missing out on key assignments and/or activities. I know it was like this when I was in school. Become familiar with the syllabi, and this fear will easily be discarded.
As I began this piece, I mentioned this time of the year is a stressful time in the lives of all involved. But something I always tell myself is that in the end it is going to work out and be okay. Now, that may sound simplistic, but I implore all of you to just repeat to yourself, whenever it feels like you are undergoing too much stress, that it too shall pass and it all is going to be okay. Form habits of good behavior, and with consistency and diligence, this school year may be the best one yet.
Please reach out to me with any questions, comments, or concerns during the interim. I greatly value your thoughts and will work tirelessly to ensure this school year goes smoothly. My email is Randy.Bridges@lrc.ky.gov.
Make it a great year!
