Reflections as the school year begins

The end of summer is here and school is reopening. May it be a good year for all. As we begin this new academic year, allow me to share two reflections. 
First, for parents of elementary and high school students. Please do not neglect the moral and faith formation of your students during this year. Parents have many hopes for their child. They hope their child will grow up to be healthy, be a success in life, have a happy marriage, have wonderful children, have a nice home and financial success, etc.
All of these hopes are natural and good. At the same time, the greatest hope a parent can have for their child is that their child will come to eternal life with God and not eternal damnation. All the other hopes fade to nothing compared with the hopes of the eternal fate of their child.
We encourage the young people to strive to achieve so that they will make a living. However, we also have a duty to them to encourage them to grow in faith so that they will make a life, a life which begins now and lasts for all eternity. Parents, please do not lose sight of the faith formation of your son or daughter this school year, regardless of the school they attend. All other human cultures would have considered it absurd to educate young people without educating them in values. Our culture, however, seeks to educate our young people in a “value neutral” education. The fact is, not to teach values is to teach values. Not to teach values tells young people that the value they need to embrace is that there are no values. 
Fortunately, our Catholic schools teach values. Yet even our Catholic schools partner with parents. Parents need to embrace their essential role of teaching values at home, too. For the sake of your child, parents, please attend to the faith education for your child whether they attend Catholic, private or public schools.
My second reflection is for teachers. Thank you for your role in the lives of our young people. Your dedication, efforts, talents, and love can make a substantial difference in the lives of your students. Students often spend more time during a school day with their teacher than with their parents. This is especially true of elementary teachers but can be true of older students as well. Teachers have the opportunity to be a positive and powerful influence in young lives.
I do not remember much of what an individual teacher may have taught me. I know teachers taught me. I know my colors, I can write cursive, I can tell the difference between a pronoun and an adjective, I know that E=MC₂, and the Golden Rule. I know my teachers taught me all this and more but I do not remember when or whom.
No, I do not necessarily remember what they taught me, but I remember how they made me feel about myself and the example that their own personal conduct gave me. The teachers I remember are the ones who made me feel that I could succeed, who made we feel worthwhile, who encouraged me when I messed up, or who corrected me for unacceptable behavior. I still fondly think of them. Kids are psychological geniuses and they quickly sense which teachers care enough to care. Kids may not say thank you. Often they do not realize at the time how fortunate they are to have a caring teacher. But they often realize it later in life.
Teachers, thank you for your service. Thank you for all you do. Teaching is a challenging and at times and an exhausting job. Sadly, sometimes we adults can make the work even more difficult. But please know we are grateful and know you can make a difference in the lives of your students. 
May God bless you all.