Summer is a season of transitions, at least as long as you and your children are involved with schools. I never considered the transitional nature of summer until this year when our family began to experience a range of transitions. In a single May weekend, our daughter graduated from The University of Texas at Austin, our son graduated from Lake Highlands High School, and Paula and I graduated from the Richardson Independent School District. Our family paradigm immediately shifted from the neighborhood school to new seasons of life. For years, life’s daily epicenter was the classroom, extracurricular activities, PTA, booster clubs, carpools and school events. And now we embark upon a new journey, with a daughter’s pathway of employment and career and a son’s trail of pursuing his passions in college.
We are now “empty nesters” and friends have asked three common, well-intentioned questions (each receiving a standard response): (1) “What will you do now?” (“Plenty; do you want my list alphabetical or numerical?”); (2) “Will you still attend LHHS events?” (“Sure, we just won’t go to every rehearsal, practice, performance and game.”); and (3) “Aren’t you sad and depressed that your kids won’t be living with you?” (“Sure, we’ll miss them; but I would really be sad if our kids wanted to keep living with us.”). We are not “sad” about no longer being immersed within our kids’ schools, rather, we are content with a wonderful journey of public education, from kindergarten roundup to the all-night party following graduation.
Long ago I stopped saying that we are “lucky” to live in Lake Highlands and attend neighborhood schools. Instead, I soon realized that we are “blessed” to be part of this community and the legacy of educational excellence, parental involvement and uparalleled volunteerism. In the vein of “it takes a village,” we are deeply indebted to numerous friends and unknown faces within the Lake Highlands community and schools who have directly and indirectly helped, prodded, encouraged, mentored, coached, consoled, and impacted our kids’ lives.
Upon reflection, each summer during the “school years” is a time of transition. Some transitions are major and daunting, such as the move from elementary school to junior high (and yes, we all survived) or the reality that your child needs a parking sticker for the high school parking lot. Other summer transitions are no less dramatic, but much easier to handle, such as leaving the favorite third-grade teacher for the unknown fourth-grade team. Or maybe it was the first meeting with the football coach or an audition with the fine arts department. And then there’s the school supplies transition from the pre-packaged one-stop shopping PTA bundle to the “I just need a spiral and maybe a pen.”
Beyond our individual families, schools themselves undergo transitions each summer. This is construction season at school’s to avoid interruption of school, whether it is periodic maintenance (such as roofing projects) or significant renovations and refurbishments (such as the expansion and revitalization work at Lake Highlands High School). This summer includes a transition in school attendance as several apartment complexes are vacated for the Town Center project; the impact will not be known until school actually begins. Summer also is a time of personnel changes in schools; new principals and teachers work to learn their campus and meet community expectations.
One major school transition affects all of us this summer. The state-mandated Aug. 27 school start date created a longer summer break this year, but also changed the school calendar, including final exams after the semester break and the last day of school in June. Please check school schedules throughout the year because some events may be moved from their traditional calendar dates.
I hope that your summer transitions have been smooth and maybe even enjoyable and memorable.
See you at school.
