File photo (Image credit: CFJC Today).

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: First day of school marks unofficial end to a dreadful summer

Sep 5, 2023 | 4:46 AM

SUMMER IS OVER today, unofficially at least. Technically it doesn’t end for another two and a half weeks but once school goes back in, the days of “nibblin’ on sponge cake” and “watchin’ the sun bake,” as the recently late Jimmy Buffet put it, are pretty much done.

For many, especially those slammed by the wildfires, summer’s end couldn’t come soon enough. This past one has been, to put it mildly, the pits. Day after day of scorching weather, unbreathable air and depressing news reports about evacuations and struggles.

But today, the kids are back in class, and we’ll have to adjust our habits — no more can we tear through school zones; instead, we have to get used to cutting the throttle to an impatient 30 km/h and keeping an eye out for errant little gaffers and teenagers who might step off the sidewalk at the wrong time.

School District 73 authorities warn us the first few days could be somewhat chaotic with late registrations and accommodating kids whose families have been impacted by the wildfires.

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This school year will be busy for educators and school trustees. The quest for new school spaces will continue, in competition for provincial funding with districts throughout the province. New schools are on the books or under construction, representing tens of millions of dollars, and more will be needed.

The Kamloops district is blessed with having a full complement of teachers, which isn’t the case in some other districts. According to the BC Teachers Federation, teacher recruitment is a challenge due to workload and burnout.

Premier David Eby says his government is working to remedy the situation, but the provincial impact of shortages isn’t yet clear, partly because, according to the BCTF, the Province doesn’t do proper tracking.

Yes, it will be a busy school year. But let’s hope the months ahead are better than the ones of this summer just ending.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.