A new school year will be here within a matter of days. That alone is a strange sensation, since graduations and moving-up ceremonies seemed only a matter of days ago.

But September 2022 is hopefully a sign of a normal that we haven’t seen since three Septembers ago. The pandemic was a disruption to our schedules and to our sense of normal. It tested our patience and often our ability to function. For much of the past 30 months, normal has felt like a long time away.

As a new school year begins, we are no less concerned about our children’s safety, but trust moves back into the hands of our teachers and staff of our local school. This school year will be about personal connections, rather than remote instruction. Revised pandemic guidelines are far less stringent: masking wearing is no longer required, except for those who have tested positive within the past 10 days; quarantine is no longer recommended for people who are exposed to COVID-19 except in certain high-risk settings, and students and faculty who’ve had COVID recently no longer need a clearance note from a doctor to return.

We are warned that some of these restrictive measures could return if, at any time, high community COVID levels return, but we are now better prepared to respond. And common sense still prevails: regular hand washing and good hygiene should remain the norm, along with keeping kids out of school if they show any symptoms. Schools, and all public buildings, need to cleaned regularly and well-stocked with hand sanitizer.

But we are in a better position than we were those two Septembers ago. Students who walk through the doors on opening day should be able to anticipate a year filled with adventure and all the experiences we associated with youth: sports, homecoming, the school musical and the everyday experiences that we all took for granted until recently.

Here’s to a new year and new beginnings, and wishing the best for our children.