The school doors in Ely swing open a little bit earlier than normal this year, with students heading back this week instead of next, with Labor Day falling a bit later on the calendar than usual.
Once again, the sad fact is there are likely to be fewer kids with backpacks heading inside, and fewer lockers to fill, and fewer mouths to feed at lunchtime.
No matter how you slice it, a district with 23 incoming kindergarteners is not the sign of a healthy district, or a healthy community, and should be a concern to all of us - no matter what side you fall on in the contentious and obvious community divide over copper-nickel mining.
We’ve written far too many stories about declining school enrollment and subsequent budget reductions, and we’d love to hear from all of our candidates for public office whether they’re running for school board, city council, mayor or state office - about what they’d do and what they’d support to turn those numbers around.
Continued lip service that Ely is healthy when these are entities are fighting for their lives - is really nothing more than political spin and frankly pure BS.
One of Ely’s biggest challenges is the sustainability of our school, our hospital and other community pillars. Their survival is at the core of our town’s survival.
Those debates need to occur, not only this election season but beyond.
Yet in the meantime a new school year starts in Ely with significant change: the move to a four-day school week.
It’s a huge adjustment. Not only for students, but parents, staff, entities that serve our youth and the town as a whole.
It also comes with huge sacrifices, particularly for those who had to take wage cuts because of the move made in an effort to keep the district afloat.
The move comes with both longer days and longer weekends and we hope amid the changes that student achievement won’t be affected and that Ely will continue to be known for its high-quality education.
Amid all the hullabaloo about financial survival, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture and education must continue to be at the forefront of all decisions made by the school district.
And in the end, it’s about the future of our children.
Whether it’s those 23 kindergartners starting school for the first time, the seniors coming to the end of their educational journey in Ely or those somewhere in between, the new year begins with hope and anticipation, excitement and even some angst.
We wish only the best for those students as the new school year begins, and hope that one day we’ll be writing about better financial times and some growth in enrollment in Ely.
