Back to school: Bring listening, kindness as children learn in complicated times

Published in the San Antonio Express-News

For many in our community, back-to-school season stirs a mix of excitement, anticipation and nervous energy.

 Students wonder who they will sit with at lunch. Parents hope their child will be understood and supported. Teachers take a deep breath and quietly tell themselves, “This is the year I make a difference.”

The start of an academic year represents a fresh start — a chance to reflect, to reconnect and, most importantly, to reimagine what school can and should be for every child who walks through the doors.

This year, I hope we embrace that opportunity. Each of us — parents, educators, students and neighbors — has a role to play.

We are raising and educating children in complicated times. The world they are growing up in is noisy, fast-moving and often overwhelming. Many children are carrying invisible burdens.

I once had a fourth-grader quietly say to me, “Sometimes I feel like I have to pretend I’m fine just so the day can keep going.” That kind of honesty stays with you. It reminds us why schools matter.

School can be more than a place for academics. It can be a steady hand in a chaotic world. It can be the one place where every child feels seen, not just for their behavior or grades but for their hopes, their stories and the person they are becoming.

We must remember that learning is not a one-size-fits-all journey. Every student carries a unique story into the classroom. Some are grieving. Some are dreaming. Some are just trying to stay awake after a sleepless night. Others are new to our country, our language or our community.

Our responsibility, as educators and community members, is to meet each student with compassion, curiosity and high expectations. Yes, we teach reading and math, but we also help students discover who they are and what they are capable of becoming.

And let us never forget our teachers. They are more than instructors. They are mentors, counselors, advocates and artists of resilience.

I once asked a teacher why she stayed late three days in a row to tutor one student. She shrugged and said, “Because he finally believed he could do it, and I wasn’t going to let that moment pass.”

That is the heart of this profession.

Let us lift our teachers. Let us give them more than praise. Let us offer them support, time, resources and the trust to do what they do best. When teachers feel valued, students feel it too.

To our school and district leaders: Your decisions matter. Every policy, every schedule change, every program added or cut sends a message. Let that message be one of care and courage.

Prioritize mental health supports. Invest in meaningful academic growth. Make space for family engagement that goes beyond emails and evening events. Shape policies that serve people, not just data points.

What happens inside our schools shapes the future of our neighborhoods. Strong schools do not just build better test scores. They build trust. They build safety. They build communities. And the students who feel loved, challenged and empowered today will grow into the kind of adults we all want living next door.

As we prepare for that first bell, let us recommit to what truly matters. Let us come together as a village to create classrooms where learning is joyful, where students are known by name and by need, and where every voice is heard and valued.

Here’s to a year of growth, grace and meaningful progress. May we listen more closely, speak more kindly and show up for each other with open hands and open hearts — because getting it right for our kids means doing it together.