On a plane home from Birmingham, Alabama, last week, an older woman seated next to me asked me if I was excited for school to start back up.

I chuckled, realizing that, once again, I was mistaken for someone 10 years my junior. Too exhausted for explanations, I smiled politely and said that yes, I enjoy this time of year.

Although I put away my textbooks for the last time several years ago now, it is true that this time of year excites me, and this year comes with plenty of great opportunities to look forward to.

As students bid farewell to summer and sharpen their pencils for a new year of learning, many changes are on the horizon.

Schools across our coverage area are experiencing changes in leadership, as Brandywine, Buchanan and Cassopolis begin the school years with new superintendents. Several school buildings have welcomed new principals, and many new teachers and coaches will instruct for the first time in their new classrooms Tuesday.

In addition to many new faces, students at various Dowagiac and Niles schools will begin to take advantage of months of hard work put into building upgrades.

As students freshen up their school clothes and stuff their shiny new school supplies in their backpacks, crews are working hard to put the finishing touches on new classrooms at Howard-Ellis Elementary, Ring Lardner Middle School and Dowagiac Union High School.

As Chris Taylor Alumni Field fills with Chieftain fans this fall, they will be cheering on the football team in new ADA compliant bleachers. 

Construction will continue through the school year at Ballard and Oak Manor schools and Niles Senior High School, with hopes of completing the projects by this time next year.

Next year, athletes will be able to play in Dowagiac’s new competition gym. Renovations to the district’s four elementary school buildings will follow, similar to the upgrades made to Union High.

The officials responsible for leading these projects in the Niles and Dowagiac school districts should be applauded for their efforts, as building projects are never easy tasks, and the community members who voted to approve these enhancements should be congratulated for their support. It is obvious that residents in both districts are good stewards of their communities and advocates for positive change.

Students heading back to school are in for a long list of new treats this year, and I encourage them to thank the adults who made them possible.

We may be saying goodbye to beach days and camping trips, but plenty of fun opportunities are just around the corner.

Ambrosia Neldon is the general manager at Leader Publications. She can be reached by phone at (269) 687-7700, or by email at ambrosia.neldon@leaderpub.com