School bells ring, are you listening?

Whether you’re eager for school to start or dread it, another academic year is almost here. At this time next week, we’ll be counting down the hours until the first day of classes: Friday, August 5.

Even if you don’t have children or grandchildren in school, you have probably noticed school supply displays at local stores and the smell of new crayons in the air. This coming Saturday and Sunday is the time to buy – it’s Tennessee’s annual tax-free weekend, when there is no sales tax on clothing and school supplies ($100 limit per item) and computers ($1500 or less).

If you have a question about specific items, a Google search for “Tennessee Tax Free Weekend 2016” will take you to TN.gov and two alphabetical listings: one of items eligible for the tax break, and another of those that are still taxable. The eligible list ranges from Aerobic Clothing to Writing Tablets, and even includes surprising items like bowling shirts, diapers and pajamas.

I want to encourage you to shop for all those things at home. There will be no city/county sales tax proceeds, but merchants in our community benefit all the same. By shopping in Lawrence County (even at big retail franchises), you help support your neighbors who work at those stores.

While you’re buying school supplies, teachers are getting their classrooms ready for students. Preparations begin much sooner than you might think, and personnel at two schools have been working especially hard – Ingram Sowell Elementary and Coffman Middle School. Ingram Sowell’s sixth grade is moving to Coffman this year, a change designed to benefit students at both schools. I applaud administrators who aren’t afraid to make those kinds of choices. It’s proof of a statement on the school system’s website, that “teaching and learning are the driving forces behind all decisions.”

The entire summer has been a busy time for many in our school system. The Summer Feeding Program (a partnership with the Department of Human Services) provided 1,924 breakfasts and 3,402 lunches to children during the month of June. These meals were prepared at Ingram Sowell and served at ten sites across the county. Summer school and other less formal programs were conducted across the county to help students catch up and retain skills. Several local high school students, accompanied by their teachers, participated on the national level in Career & Technical Education subject areas.

Progress continues in our effort to build a new college facility in Lawrence County, where residents can earn degrees (including a Bachelor’s) in high-demand fields. A recent meeting with Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville was extremely positive, and Columbia State is committed to the project as well. We want to build on the good work of our K-12 school system to help Lawrence Countians reach their full potential.

So as a new school year begins, I’d like to ask that we all, especially parents and grandparents, do everything we can to support our schools and those who work there. We should treat teachers and administrators with kindness and respect, just as we want them to treat us and our children. Their jobs are not easy, and if you’ve spent the summer with your kids, you probably have an idea of just how tough it can be.