Editorial: New school year is upon us

• District 518

District 518

Talk about it

On Aug. 8 — wow, that seems early — new District 518 teachers officially began their training for the upcoming school year in Worthington. On Aug. 16, all of the district’s teachers returned for three days of readiness activities. On Monday, Worthington High School and Worthington Middle School start classes; Prairie Elementary begins school the following day.

Classes may be starting earlier in Worthington (and at many other southwest Minnesota locales) with last year’s advent of the flexible learning year schedule, but the district’s enrollment is — more importantly — growing. Prairie Elementary principal Joshua Noble noted in an article published on the Aug. 13 Daily Globe opinion page that there will be an estimated 240 kindergarten students enrolled at Prairie this year. That represents an increase of 25 over last year’s number, and an increase of 82 as compared to the 2005-2006 figure.

With additional enrollment — particularly at the kindergarten level — also comes the need for a renewed attention to safety. Next week, buses will be picking up and dropping off students, and motorists will need to pay close attention. Younger children should have guidance from parents or guardians about safety measures going to and from school, whether it be riding a bus, walking or riding a bicycle. School administration and staff, of course, will also need to keep students safe at school, too.

We look forward to a great new year in Worthington’s growing school district.

Tags: district 518, prairie elementary, opinion, education, worthington, editorials