It’s hard to believe it’s already the middle of August. The summer seems to have flown by. (But doesn’t it feel like that every year?).

This summer has been a busy one, marked by many of our annual traditions: street fairs, outdoor concerts, softball, county fairs, and the celebration of our Country’s Semiquincentennial (250th Birthday).

One can’t say there’s nothing to do here!

Now that the summer is almost over (well, technically it’s not over until the fall equinox on September 22), we start looking to the start of school.

Students in Sullivan County will walk through the doors on the first day of school on Tuesday, September 8 (unless you are a Liberty Central School District student, in which case it starts on September 3). Pennsylvania schools start even earlier, on August 31.

The later-than-usual start dates are perhaps because of a “late” Labor Day, which falls on September 7 this year.

Check out our “Back to School” special edition inside this newspaper for ways to prepare for the new school year and make it a successful one.

We have to give a shout out to everyone who makes our children’s school lives so fulfilling: from the teachers and school administrators, to parents, to all of the support teams like guidance counselors, coaches, food staff, maintenance workers, bus drivers, nurses… the list goes on.

Kids also have many resources outside of school, from dance studios and gymnastics, to libraries, to non-profit organizations making sure everyone has access regardless of income.

It really does take a village!