It’s always a little quieter around a newsroom in the summer – because, by and large, of the school break. There are no students to feature, no high school sports to cover, no adorable elementary projects to photograph and significantly fewer school board meetings to attend.

Like our local students and teachers, we take a little time away from school – or school coverage – and focus on other stories while we wait for the imminent return to the classroom.

The wait is over, and we’re glad school is back in session.

Between club activities, teacher awards, new programs and curricula and related stories, we keep the Franklin County Times chock full of school news from August to May. It puts a smile on my face to see those school headlines – like the ones this week about TES’ reading garden and the Franklin County Career Tech students’ pantry – return to these pages once more.

If you missed Lauren Wester’s column last week in honor of her one-year anniversary on the FCT staff, you missed a good one. One line in particular stood out to me as Lauren reflected on the first year of her first career role after college. She pointed out: “I have now witnessed a school year end and begin without myself being a student in the midst of it.”

I had to pause and count – and realize that this is now the sixth year that a new school year has begun and I haven’t been a student.

As Lauren indicated, it’s a little surreal. I spent 17 years of my life in school – elementary, middle and high school followed by four years to earn a bachelor’s degree. It’s hard to believe that after 17 Augusts beginning another year of organized education, I’m now in my sixth August not marked by a new backpack, notebooks, pencils and nervous jitters.

I’ve still spent more years of my life going to school than not going to school. There’s another fact that’s hard to wrap my head around.

I wish all the best to all our Franklin County teachers and administrators as they work to share precious knowledge with our students. To the students I say: these days will be over before you know it, and it won’t be long before you look back in surprise at how long it’s been since you were a kindergartener … a fourth-grader … a high school freshman … a college senior. Treasure this opportunity you have to learn and grow.