It’s August in our town, and we’re doing what we always do. Families compare school supply lists at the store. Teachers unpack classrooms, arrange chairs and decorate bulletin boards, hoping to create spaces where students want to learn. Meanwhile, students await the first day with a mix of excitement, curiosity and nerves.

Most of us measure back-to-school preparation by backpacks, notebooks and new shoes. Those things are important, but children also need qualities that cannot be bought at a store: confidence, determination, kindness, curiosity and the belief that they can do hard things.

Over the years, I’ve learned that the first days of school are about much more than organizing classrooms and reviewing expectations. They’re about building relationships. Students are wondering whether they’ll make friends, whether their teachers will like them, whether they’re smart enough and whether they’ll fit in.

Every student arrives from a different place. Some families traveled during the summer. Some students worked. Others experienced a more difficult summer than their classmates may realize. Patience and understanding are especially important during the first weeks of school.

Parents are the most important teachers in a child’s life. They can help ease the transition by reestablishing routines, including consistent bedtimes, family reading and conversations about the next day. Simply asking children what they’re excited or nervous about can lead to meaningful discussions and help build confidence.

Teachers do far more than plan lessons. They create environments where students feel valued, safe and encouraged to challenge themselves. Behind every organized classroom are hours of planning, decorating, coordinating and preparing before students ever walk through the door.

The wider community also plays an important role. Businesses that donate supplies, volunteers who mentor students, drivers who slow down in school zones and neighbors who show appreciation for educators all help demonstrate that education matters.

Grades, tests and report cards are important, but education is also about helping children become good human beings. Some of the most meaningful lessons will never appear on a transcript. Students will remember the teacher who believed in them, the classmate who welcomed them and the parent who reminded them, “You’ve got this.”

This school year, I hope every child feels loved and supported, every parent understands their importance in their child’s education, and every teacher recognizes the lasting difference they make.

Backpacks will lose their zippers. Notebooks will fill up. Pencils will become too short to use. But the confidence we instill in children can remain with them forever.

As the new school year begins, let’s invest in our children with encouragement, patience and love. Those are the things they will carry with them long after the final bell rings.