Optimism for the New School Year

This is an interesting year for me because for the first time, both of my kids will be at the same school (1st and 2nd grade). It’s also been 8 years now since I was in the classroom; nearly the same amount of time I was IN the classroom.

We moved to Oregon last year and due to the fact that our house happened to be just outside the boundaries of the main school district, we had to apply for a lottery to both of the Spanish immersion schools, and one kid got into each one. I tried to Cargo Bike it out for kid 1 so that kid 2 and my wife could go to the further school, but I guess I didn’t grow up in the Oregon rain enough and when it was 37 degrees outside and raining hard I couldn’t bring myself to make my kid come with me on the bike.

So, this was kind of the first traditional summer where both kids had school, a summer break, and now are returning to school ‘again’, not for the first time.

The public education system is facing huge challenges — covid, for-profit charters, private school seemingly on the rise in face of ineptitude during COVID etc. BUT I’m nothing but optimistic for my localized experience. It’s about teachers, it’s about community. It’s about never saying a kids school should be the end of a student learning. Even if parents can’t do it, there are so many free opportunities in most communities (libraries! etc) that just aren’t utilized… we need to get the word out!

Here’s to a GREAT school year!