I’ve always been a big fan of the “first day of school.” I haven’t had one in many years, but I still love walking through the aisles of the local drugstore as they’re stocking new school supplies.

The end of summer always meant two things to me: my birthday and the first day of school. I almost loved them equally. (I’m a first child. That should be a sufficient explanation.) Meeting a new teacher. Debating between lunchbox designs. Buying new notebooks and pencils and folders and markers. Walking through the store, armed with a detailed list, checking things off as they’re found. Stocking a brand-new backpack and laying out new clothes the night before the big day. It was all very exciting for me.

It reminds me of a favorite quote by Henry David Thoreau: “Morning is when I am awake and there is a dawn in me.” That really represents how I felt about heading back to school…it created “a dawn in me.” I loved the start of a brand-new year, equipped with brand-new supplies, with the promise of brand-new experiences and brand-new knowledge.

I hope you, along with your students, are excited about returning to school. I hope it, too, creates a dawn in you.

To get your year started off on the right foot, you’ll want to check out our Back-to-School Directory, which is your one-stop resource for companies that provide software, teaching aids and classroom furniture.

As we head into a new school year, I also hope that you’ll continue to let us know how we’re doing and what else you would like to see between these pages. We count on your feedback, so I hope you won’t hesitate to contact me if you have any thoughts or suggestions. We truly want this to be the ultimate purchasing solutions for products and services for your school.

I’m always interested in hearing from you. You can reach me at jill@christianschoolproducts.com.

Note: In our August issue, the Web site for Curriculum Mapper on page 18 was listed incorrectly. The correct Web address is www.curriculummapper.com. We regret the error.