Alpena Public Schools students’ first day of school is Aug. 28.

That’s a week from today.

There’s so much to do before then, if you haven’t begun already.

You’ve gotta get your kids back on to an early-to-bed-early-to-rise routine, get them thinking about academics again. There’s school clothes shopping and school supply shopping. Making sure their vaccinations are up to date.

So much to do in so little time.

Back to school season is always an exciting time, a time full of promise of fresh starts, full of joy as friends we haven’t seen all summer return to our lives. Football season is underway. Already, the evenings are turning cooler and there’s a crispness to the evening air that reminds us fall is just around the corner.

We wish good luck to all of our students. May they find success inside and outside of the classroom.

Good luck to all of our parents, who play such an important role in that success.

Good luck to every school employee, from teachers to custodians to principals to administrative assistants who make sure kids’ school days go smoothly and productively.

It’s back to school time, folks.

We’re ready.