There is a moment every August when the neighborhood seems to take a breath. Summer camps wind down, the pools post their final hours and somewhere in the back of a closet a backpack gets pulled out and inspected for survival potential. School is coming.
In our house, that means a middle schooler who seems to have grown two inches since June and is considerably less interested in letting me walk him to the door. I am told this is normal. I am still adjusting.
Chicago Public Schools students return on Monday, August 24, and our parochial and private schools open their doors across the surrounding weeks. But here is the thing I have come to appreciate about back-to-school in Beverly and Morgan Park: it is not just a family event. It belongs to all of us.
You can feel it in the mornings. Crossing guards return to their corners like clockwork. Buses reappear on the side streets. The coffee lines get a little longer and a little more hurried. Kids in fresh uniforms and first-day outfits stream toward buildings all over the neighborhood, public, parochial, and private alike, and the whole community shifts back into its school-year rhythm.
That rhythm is one of the quiet reasons our neighborhood works. Families choose Beverly and Morgan Park for many reasons, but our schools are near the top of nearly every list. They are anchored by teachers and staff who show up early and stay late, and they are surrounded by an army of volunteers: the parents and guardians running fundraisers, the neighbors serving on local school councils and volunteer committees, the coaches and scout leaders and tutors who give their evenings to other people’s kids. If you have ever wondered what holds a community together, it looks a lot like that.
So here is my back-to-school ask, whether or not there is a lunchbox in your kitchen. Give yourself an extra few minutes on morning drives and watch for small pedestrians who are still learning to watch for you. Wave to the crossing guard. Wear your helmet on bikes and scooters. When a student shows up at your door selling wrapping paper or raffle tickets, consider it an investment. And when you are picking up school supplies, haircuts and first-day treats, remember that our local businesses are ready to help, and every dollar spent in our commercial corridors stays in the neighborhood.
At BAPA, fall is when we take a collective breath as our summer events wind down. We still have porch concerts to look forward to this month and next, along with some new events and programming I am excited to share in the weeks to come. Plus, our Teen Corps is back in action, and we welcome teens back to our office with new energy and enthusiasm. Head to bapa.org and keep an eye on our weekly e-Villager for details.
To every student heading back this month: we are rooting for you. To every teacher, principal, aide, custodian, crossing guard and volunteer: thank you for the work you do. And to the parents and guardians standing on the sidewalk that first morning, watching a kid who no longer wants to hold your hand walk through the doors on their own: I will be right there with you, pretending I have something in my eye.
Here’s to a new school year, neighbors. It is going to be a good one.
See you soon,
Herb
