School bells to ring

The first school bells are set to ring next week in all four area districts, signaling a new year of learning, change, and opportunity. For some families, it’s the first magical walk into kindergarten. For others, it’s the jump into high school, leap into college, or beginning of “empty nest” territory.
Whatever the milestone, back-to-school season always proves that the only constant in life is change, and this year some of that change is significant.
Change is definitely a theme in Hampton, where the 2025-26 school year marks the debut of the H&H Bearcats, a new sports cooperative with Heartland Community Schools in Henderson. The partnership will launch this fall in all high school sports except football, which will join in 2026 due to existing conference commitments.
Hampton Supt. Holly Herzberg said the cooperative has been a busy but rewarding project, with students training together all summer and coaches organizing team bonding activities. Weekly planning meetings and early decision-making allowed both schools to build relationships before the season begins. “While change is difficult, we’re embracing it as a new opportunity for everyone,” Herzberg said.
Change may involve alternative traffic routes in Aurora, where a long-running 1st Street project has been on the minds of school officials all summer as heavy rains pushed back progress. As of Monday, the timeline for opening the south end near the school remains “less than ideal” for the first days of class, according to Supt. Jody Phillips. The district is preparing temporary traffic adjustments, with updates to be shared this week.
While delays are frustrating, they also present a real-world lesson in patience and flexibility. As a community, we can help by following any revised traffic guidelines and showing students, by example, how to handle inconvenience with understanding.
Change in Giltner begins up front, with a new superintendent and K-6 principal at the helm, as well as 14 other new staff members. That’s a lot of new names and faces for students and families to learn, and vice versa. Again, patience and perspective will help everyone adapt to the new environment.
High Plains and Hampton schools will both be introducing new policies which ban cell phone access and use during school hours. That represents a significant change in a teen’s world, but it’s a good one that is proving to allow kids statewide to be more engaged in the learning process.
Throughout Hamilton County, school colors are coming out, teams will hit the practice fields as of Monday, and a new season of possibility is about to unfold. If you listen closely, you can almost hear the pages turning from summer to fall. 
Here’s to a safe, successful, and memorable school year for all.
-- Kurt Johnson