School Bells Ringing

That reassuring ritual of renewal – the ringing of school bells – is underway.

Here in Florida and throughout the American south – schools are opening this week. In the northern climes, students and teachers return to classes after Labor Day. In Europe and around the world, schools generally open in September.

In the southern Hemisphere – where I’m off to later this week – schools are re-opening after July’s winter break. In Colombia, on the northern edge of South America, private schools can choose between a September-June or March-December calendar. Parents with more than one child in different schools should make sure each sibling is on the same schedule!

In England, the Michaelmas term begins next month. In Turkey classes begin in mid-September but the cram school (dersanes) open soon and families will flee the resorts of Bodrum and Cesme to get home in time for special lessons. In Florida, there is no sales tax on school related goods this month. Buy those backpacks and pencils now.

Pencils? How about getting a new laptop or updating your Facebook entry? Whatever! The school bus will be here soon and it good feeling for those of us who have dabbled in education for so long.