After a 2011/'12 school year fraught with tension and concern, the coming one will be a blessing.
Thousands of Tri-City students will be heading back to school on Tuesday, some to new classrooms, some to new schools with new principals and new teachers.
But with the current public school teachers' collective agreement due to expire in less than a year, some old issues will continue to plague the education system.
The BC Teachers' Federation said it only signed the deal under the threat of legislation and there is a concern some teachers will be returning to the classroom bitter and demoralized. It's possible some will even continue to refrain from doing volunteer duties while others may simply jump back into school activities with enthusiasm.
Let's hope a year of relative calm will provide new optimism and a sense of purpose as the school year begins - for teachers as well as students.
What do you think?Are you concerned tensions left over from last year's public school dispute will linger this year? Vote in our online poll.
