Yesterday, students stepped off the bus for the first time this year — some of them for the first time ever. They made the first of hundreds of journeys through their schools’ doors, took the first walk of thousands down the long hallways and sat down in the first of dozens of desks as teachers stood at the fronts of their classrooms. The 2022-23 school year has begun.
When we think of “back to school” that is who we picture: the kids and the educators. But while students-to-be compared class schedules with peers and teachers set up their classrooms, hundreds of other school employees were doing their part to get things ready for the academic year.
Librarians made sure catalogues were up-to-date and the latest young adult hits graced the shelves. School administrators checked, double-checked, then triple-checked all the paperwork was in order to get the year off to a smooth start. Cooks made sure the kitchens were stocked and ready, with hairnets and aprons on standby for the first bell and hungry bellies to come through the line. Maintenance and janitorial staff ensured everything in the building was spick and span, sanitized and made safe for students’ protection. Counselors readied their desks and furnished their filing cabinets with all the resources a student might need. Nurses organized their offices and equipped them with all the basic necessities needed to handle the injuries or illnesses that might crop up during the school day.
So we’d like to wish everyone — from the teachers and students to all the employees whose essential work is taken for granted — a safe, happy and healthy school year.
