This week’s paper contains The Newtown Bee’s annual Back To School section, getting ready for the 2024-25 school year, and as in most years, it contains useful stories concerning back to school issues as well as the bus routes for Newtown schools, which is an always useful guide to help parents know when is the best time to send their young students out to wait for the bus in the morning.

The bus routes have become a regular point of contention between the publication and the Board of Education, but both sides have been working hard each year to make sure that they reach print and arrive in mailboxes. The school administration finds itself caught between when they get the information from All Star Bus Company and its own need to review the information for accuracy and the best routes for children, while The Bee Publishing finds itself needing to get the Back To School section out well before the start of school so that the advertisers who pay for inclusion in the section and thus pay for the printing of the section have adequate time to be seen by audiences of prospective consumers who would purchase their back to school goods and services. The Bee Publishing Company and the Newtown school administration both remain committed to working together to ensure that the needs of all parties are met — parents, students, advertisers, and The Bee and the schools, and ensure that the bus routes will remain in print. It is a valuable service to the community.

New Superintendent (and former Assistant Superintendent) Anne Uberti has released her first message to the district (see page B-4), also largely concerning the bus routes. The Back To School section has important information on Kindergarten registration on page 16 of that section and the Fall Sports schedules begin on page 20.

Looking forward, Education Reporter Jenna Visca is looking to talk with some schools to see what last-minute things are being done at each school to gear up for the new school year.

August is National Back To School month, and according to NationalDayCalendar.com, “With shorter days, it’s time to dust off the backpacks, fill them up, and plan for a new school year. Preparing children for the new year includes everything from supplies, clothes, checkups, planning schedules, and making new friends. Teachers develop their lesson plans and ready their classrooms for the new, smiling faces.”

It is also National Get Ready For Kindergarten month, as it is important to prepare students about to have their first formal classroom experience for what they are facing. According to NationalDayCalendar.com, “Kindergarten is an essential prerequisite for your child’s education. Research into student behavior in kindergarten is useful in predicting academic performance in first and second grade. Kindergarten can also be a stressful experience for any child. Getting them ready is important. Putting your child in social situations ahead of time will help tremendously. Attending birthday parties, family gatherings, summer camping with friends and enrollment in social activities are excellent ways to get your little one socially savvy.”

Lastly, it is National Immunization Awareness month, which according to NationalDayCalendar.com, is “in August to spread awareness on the importance of immunization. It’s also the beginning of back-to-school preparations and a good time to make sure your children are properly vaccinated before they head back to school.” Most schools including Newtown have requirements for certain vaccinations, and it’s important for students to make sure they get their immunizations.

We wish all the students of Newtown a happy and healthy 2024-25 school year, full of joy, learning, and the excitement of new experiences. Good luck to the sports teams as they gear up for their fall practices and games.