Back to School or Back to the Dining Room

September usually starts off with a change of energy - the weather cools off, our coffee returns to piping hot, and the buzz of starting back up at school sweeps through homes, department stores, and newly decorated classrooms. However, with covid-19 still advancing world wide, the question of whether students should go back to school or back to the dining room looms as we enter another month of quarantine.

I helped my 4th grade educator mother evenly space her desks 4 feet apart to accommodate all 25 students soon returning to the classroom. Although the teachers will do anything to make sure our kids feel welcomed, the room once filled with curiosities is now replaced with a sense of uncertainty - stripped of all games, books, and recess toys.

The same day, picking up a few things at Target, I walked past a father and son deciding on a new mask that would match the kid’s first day of school outfit. A striking conversation to have with a soon to be second grader, but the son’s excitement on choosing a mask to show off to all his friends was just as thrilling to him as picking out a lunchbox. It reminded me that school is more than reading, writing, and arithmetic - it is a community we all long to hold onto.

So, whether you are starting the month walking to school or down the hall to the kitchen table, September will offer a change of perspective, patience, and growth far beyond the textbooks. Our students need to feel safe, teachers need to be supported, and parents need to remember they are not alone. We are all in this together.

We have put together a collection of back to school inspired images from our StudioNow Community who are, like us; parents, students, and teachers.

Virginia Petrucci

Rebecca Mason

Qi Yuan

Olga Gimaeva

Eric Barkkari

Nikola Spasic

Nicoletta Romei 

Lacey Jewel

Busingye Kagonyera

Jan Cattanneo

Froi Rivera

Desy Al-hikmah

Dennis Otieno