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Back to school: time to be safe
- By Fernando Aceves
- Published 08/24/2010
- Commentary
- Unrated
Over the next couple of weeks, students throughout the Yakima Valley will all be back in school. It’ll be an exciting time for students who are looking to the future, and a time full of regret for the loss of summer as well.
It also means, drivers, be particularly careful. Watch for young people crossing streets. Take care when there’s heavy traffic near schools. There’s always a learning curve when it comes to cars and pedestrians at the beginning of the school year, especially near elementary schools and playgrounds.
The work that students, teachers and administrators do is important to all of us. The community benefits from a well-educated citizenry, one that holds learning and knowledge in high esteem, whether it’s focused on the local agricultural industry or on pure academics. It creates an effective workforce for business and industry, a savvy electorate and engaged community members.
Here in the Valley, annual test results tend to show that our education system needs a bit of help. The testing and rankings that are released year-after-year have definitely raised questions as to where best to focus on improvement efforts.
There’s the obvious pressure to bump up math and reading scores, as well as several other factors to look into. Generally, there’s pressure on students and schools to just simply do better.
We want our students to do well. We want their test scores to rank well when compared to the Westside of the state. We want the needs for employers to be filled with well-educated workforce-ready graduates from the Yakima Valley.
We want our graduates to have the skill to follow their dreams. We want them to have the knowledge to pursue all of the great opportunities offered in the country.
And we want them to have a fair chance to live full and well-lived lives.
Let it also be known, that we do hold teachers in high regard. Their work has deep and lasting implications for the lives of their students. We believe they work hard and are committed to success in the classroom.
These first days of school are all about optimism and the future. This goes for preschoolers, as well as the high school seniors, the 25-year-old graduate student and the 50-year old wanting to start all over. And to them we say, work hard and enjoy the challenge. The rest will take care of itself.
Meanwhile, everyone, be careful going to and from school. Take care when you are behind the steering wheel. Be safe. – F.A.
It also means, drivers, be particularly careful. Watch for young people crossing streets. Take care when there’s heavy traffic near schools. There’s always a learning curve when it comes to cars and pedestrians at the beginning of the school year, especially near elementary schools and playgrounds.
The work that students, teachers and administrators do is important to all of us. The community benefits from a well-educated citizenry, one that holds learning and knowledge in high esteem, whether it’s focused on the local agricultural industry or on pure academics. It creates an effective workforce for business and industry, a savvy electorate and engaged community members.
Here in the Valley, annual test results tend to show that our education system needs a bit of help. The testing and rankings that are released year-after-year have definitely raised questions as to where best to focus on improvement efforts.
There’s the obvious pressure to bump up math and reading scores, as well as several other factors to look into. Generally, there’s pressure on students and schools to just simply do better.
We want our students to do well. We want their test scores to rank well when compared to the Westside of the state. We want the needs for employers to be filled with well-educated workforce-ready graduates from the Yakima Valley.
We want our graduates to have the skill to follow their dreams. We want them to have the knowledge to pursue all of the great opportunities offered in the country.
And we want them to have a fair chance to live full and well-lived lives.
Let it also be known, that we do hold teachers in high regard. Their work has deep and lasting implications for the lives of their students. We believe they work hard and are committed to success in the classroom.
These first days of school are all about optimism and the future. This goes for preschoolers, as well as the high school seniors, the 25-year-old graduate student and the 50-year old wanting to start all over. And to them we say, work hard and enjoy the challenge. The rest will take care of itself.
Meanwhile, everyone, be careful going to and from school. Take care when you are behind the steering wheel. Be safe. – F.A.