As certain as the change of seasons, we successfully began yet another new school year in Farmingdale. At the beginning of this month, eager young minds invaded the various Farmingdale school buildings with their new school clothes and backpacks filled with important school supplies.

Before the children arrived, their teachers had spent many hours voluntarily gathering materials and preparing classrooms so as not to waste a single precious moment of learning time. Teachers are greedy when it comes to guarding class time because they know the considerable breadth and depth of the curriculum they must cover and children must learn.

A few tears may have been shed at the kindergarten door on that first day, as young children let go of mommy or daddy's hand and left for the first time for a full day of fun and learning. It might have taken a day or two and some gentle words from the teacher, but most of the children knew that all the mommies and daddies would learn to accept the fact that their babies weren't really babies anymore.

The start of a new school year brings a plethora of emotions and concerns for parents, students and teachers alike. A new grade, or even a new school building can be a source of stress as well as excited anticipation for both students and parents. Teachers have a host of new names to learn ASAP, and a bevy of precious new minds to understand, fill and influence.

We all look forward in this new school year to the smooth integration of our sixth grade students into Howitt Middle School. Because the community has wisely supported the transformation of Howitt into a true middle school, these lucky youngsters will now be treated as secondary students, and be exposed to foreign language, technology, home and careers, as well as art and music on a more advanced level.

Our students' continued improvement on the various State assessments is essential in the 2003-2004 school year. While we may have mixed feelings about the number of tests students are required to take, the fact of the matter is that education standards have been raised significantly in New York and we must prepare our students to compete. At the same time we must maintain the rich, diversified program which helps mold well-rounded, complete human beings.

On the athletic field we look forward to another stellar season from all our interscholastic teams. Our students who participate in the arts will undoubtedly flourish as well.

Like every other school year, 2003- 2004 begins with hope and anticipation and the promise of great achievement and reward for those students who stay focused and work as hard as they can. Maximum success will come for all children if parents, teachers, administrators and board of education trustees continue to communicate and to work well together. In Farmingdale we all know that the children come first.