Call it the unofficial end of summer. Myriad students will head back to class next Tuesday for the start of another school year.
Some students have been looking forward to this – others not so much.
But school is much bigger than a building. It’s an important stage of life with many reasons to be embraced.
For primary school students, school is usually an exciting place – for scoring a new fuzzy Wookiee lunch bag or Disney backpack, if nothing else. They arrive with eyes wide open and, once the initial fears and feelings of trepidation pass – hopefully – they marvel at the possibilities school presents.
Those innocent feelings might not carry on through a child’s entire school career, but, much like Pokemon Go, the possibilities of school have no end point.
Students should take advantage of opportunities school offers to explore things that interest them, and not just academically. Most schools, and particularly secondary schools, offer plenty of extracurricular clubs and activities, along with a range of after-school and intramural sports.
Schools are also a place for social and emotional learning; where many of the building blocks needed to succeed in life are developed and nourished. Lifelong friendships are built in classrooms, lunchrooms, courtyards and soccer fields.
Indeed, a school isn’t simply a building where teachers teach and students sit and learn. It’s a place to connect, create and collaborate.
They’re places where children grow into adults, and prepare to face the world on their own terms.
But it’s not just students who benefit. There are also plenty of opportunities for parents to get involved in their child’s education – to work together to improve student achievement and the overall education experience for all students.
And, it’s never too late for a refresher on playing nice in the sandbox.
The oft-used adage about the road of life seems appropriate – school is a journey, not a destination.