Schools in Dare County (Outer Banks) started back yesterday. It was during a conversation at Knuckle-Up that, for the first time,  I couldn’t join in on, as my youngest son graduated from First Flight High last June and started school at College of the Albemarle, the community college here on Monday. I’ve had boys in Dare County schools since 1986 and, well, that’s 24 years! Where did the time go? What happened to my youth?

College of the Albemarle is a great school with great vision. And, even better, they are not looking to me for lunch money or permission slips,  nor do they need me to volunteer or make cupcakes.  No after school care or athletics to arrange, no guidance counselors to meet. No controversies to attend to, like the time when the youngest was in second grade, riding home on the bus, exhausted. Some little punk sat behind him kicking the seat, bump, bump, bumping my youngest in the back of his aching head. He did ask once to stop, which only encouraged the little devil behind him to kick even more. My youngest finally had had enough, and turned around and told the beast that he was going to get his BB gun and shoot him dead if he didn’t stop. Well, the little beast did stop and as soon as he got off the bus, told his mother about it, who called the school’s principal, who called me in for a meeting.

In spite of similar shenanigans (after all I am the mother of three boys), I’m happy to report that my experience with Dare County Schools has been very positive. With dedicated teachers and staff, parents who are involved,  a variety of programs, the welfare of the children is most important.  Dare County Schools earned high recognition in state testing, and Dare’s on-time graduation rate is best in state (second year in a row). For more news and information, check out their website at www.darecountyschoolsonline.com.

Educate Every Child