Support your local school by volunteering

We're heading into a new school year.

And with the children preparing to adjust to the routine of books and classes, so too do we as parents need to find our routine.

I'm convinced that routine should include a healthy dose of support and volunteerism.

There are many opportunities to show your support for your local learning institution.

At elementary schools, there are projects and performances, competitions and conventions, and parent/teacher organizations. Middle school and high schools beckon with athletic events, music and plays, and academic competitions.

It's hard not to find something interesting going on at school. Take your choice of all ages. Each grade has something to offer.

Our schools are always in need of our support. Our children, our teachers and our administrators deserve it.

And with each of our school systems battling to do everything they can to provide the best education possible for our youth in a time of shrinking financial support and ever increasing federal and state mandates, it's even more imperative that we do what we can.

Something as simple as your attendance means so much to those involved in the learning process. It sends a strong signal that our community believes in its future.

It's easy to criticize when we don't attend school board meetings, when we don't show up at graduation, when we don't support our school's activities, or when we don't invest our time in our children.

We can always find something to be negative about, especially if we're not involved. But if we do attend, it becomes very simple to see the positives that are present.

In today's society, our teachers are tasked with not only educating our youth in science, mathematics, literature and grammar, but also providing a moral compass of responsibility and guidance.

School personnel have had to take on additional roles in nurturing and supporting our children beyond just teaching them what they need to know and how to apply that.

Many of us can recall that favorite teacher who meant so much in our development.

Let's remember those things as we encourage each other to demonstrate support for our students and their mentors and do all we can to work to build on those positives.

This is the first step on investing in our future.