It’s late August, and there’s something in the air.
The smell of fresh varnish on the classroom floors? The sight of piles of notebooks and backpacks in school supply donation bins? The thud of pads and the coach’s whistle on the field?
A feeling of anticipation?
All the signs are there, and it’s true: public schools open for the new year on Monday.
The massive operations known as Gloucester and Mathews county public schools, and their counterparts in the private school ranks, are all ready for the fresh start. There’s something about the new year that captures the imagination: new grade levels, new classmates, new subjects, new teachers … and from the other side of the room, new students and parents to get to know.
Many words will be said beforehand, and once the school bell rings, it’s down to business, the nuts and bolts of educating.
Teachers do much more than impart knowledge. They challenge students to learn and to accelerate their learning. They are a listening ear to the proble...