[00:00:00] Speaker A: You.
[00:00:06] Speaker B: It's official.
School is back. Or at least it's about to be back.
Whether you're packing a kindergarten backpack, you're buying middle school sneakers, sending a teenager back to high school, or watching your college student discover that I need money for textbooks somehow means I need money for everything.
The school year is here, and today we're making sense of the return from the little ones that are learning their ABCs to the grown folk that are learning that student loans have paperwork.
Welcome to Public Facing the podcast, where we take what's happening in the real world, we shake it up, season it with a little common sense, and serve it hot. Today, we're talking about school.
Not just kindergarten or high school or even college. We're talking every level, because education doesn't have one front door.
You've got preschoolers that are walking into classrooms for the first time.
You've got elementary students that are leveling up, middle schoolers that are entering that mysterious land where backpacks weigh approximately that of a small automobile.
How about those high school students that are thinking about college and graduation and careers, and those college, trade and career school students that are getting ready to navigate a whole new level of independence?
The big message for this year is don't just get ready to go back. Get ready to move forward.
[00:01:46] Speaker A: Foreign from the natural state. This is Public Facing the Podcast with Joe Holman.
[00:02:01] Speaker B: I'm Joe Holman. Let's start at the beginning.
Preschool, pre K, kindergarten, elementary school.
This is where the school year reset gets real.
For some families, this is the first big transition.
New classroom, new teacher, new routine, new lunchbox even, and a bunch of new forms that are asking for the exact same information you've already provided three times.
But seriously, the early years are about building the habits that make everything else possible.
Getting up on time, showing up, listening, reading, asking questions, learning how to work with other people. And perhaps most importantly, learning that you cannot simply raise your hand and announce, I don't feel like doing this today.
Although some adults have apparently maintained that skill while well into adulthood.
Now, for elementary students, the new year reset is about consistency.
Parents and caregivers, let's get those routines going early.
The bedtime, the morning schedule, homework space, transportation plan, lunch. What about those after school arrangements?
And don't forget the emotional side, because a child can have the newest backpack, the freshest sneakers, and enough pencils to supply a small office and still be nervous about walking through the school door.
So ask the question, how are you feeling about going back?
Not just did you get your school supplies because Sometimes the most important school supply isn't the pencil.
It's confidence.
Let's talk middle school, shall we?
Middle school, that's the place where childhood and adolescence meet in the hallway and neither one knows who's steering.
This is where independence starts becoming a bigger deal.
Students need organization. They need communication skills. And I don't mean those that are texting.
They need adults who can set boundaries without making every conversation feel like a congressional hearing.
And they need reminders that asking for help is not failure, it's strategy.
So for families heading into the new school year, I say create the routine, create the communication, create the expectation that school is important.
But make sure that they also know that your child is more important than a report card.
That's the foundation.
And now we're moving up.
Welcome to high school.
Yeah, where the assignments get bigger, the decisions get bigger, and somehow the teenager's appetite gets way bigger.
The high school isn't simply about getting through four years.
For the new school year, students should be thinking about what comes after high school, college, trade school, career and technical education, military service, workforce, entrepreneurship, even a gap year. There are so many options, and there isn't one single definition of success.
But there should be a plan.
Freshmen, don't sleep through the first year thinking that senior year is forever away.
Sophomores, you're closer than you think.
Juniors. Yes, it's time to get serious.
And seniors? What about seniors? Well, welcome to the year where everybody's suddenly asking, so, what's next?
Yeah, your teacher, your parents, your relatives at Thanksgiving, the person at the grocery store. Everybody wants to know the plan.
But here's the important part.
Students don't have to have their entire lives figured out at 17 or 18.
They do, however, need to start exploring, which means talking with counselors, researching programs, looking at career pathways and building skills, also applying for opportunities and paying attention to to deadlines.
The students that are considering college, career or trade school financial aid is part of the conversation.
The 2026-27 FAFSA covers the academic year beginning 7-1-26 and running through June 30 of 27.
The federal deadline is June 30 of 27. But schools and states can have earlier deadlines, sometimes much earlier.
So waiting for the financial deadline may mean leaving money on the table.
And that is why my advice is simple.
Don't wait until the deadline starts hollering at you.
Check the school, check the state, check the financial aid office, and for goodness sake, complete the paperwork.
Because nothing says character development quite like discovering that you've missed a financial aid deadline and that would be sad.
In high school, it isn't just about college preparation. It's life preparation.
Students should leave high school knowing how to communicate, how to manage time and to solve problems and how to work with others and also how to advocate for themselves.
And finally on this, how to walk into a room without immediately looking down at your phone.
That's a skill, trust me.
So as high school returns for the new year, don't just ask, what classes are you taking?
Ask them, what are you building?
Because that's the real question.
Because education isn't just about collecting credits, it's about collecting capabilities.
And speaking of the next chapter, let's talk about the people who have officially entered the world of. Okay, now you have to keep track of everything.
Talking about those college students. Yeah, I see. You see, you're checking your class schedule and you're checking your bank account and you're checking your class schedule again because you're hoping the bank account was wrong.
Now, for students that are returning to colleges, universities, community colleges, and those that are return to trade schools or career programs, this new academic year is about more than simply registering for classes. It's about getting organized.
Check your enrollment, your financial aid, your housing, transportation, your technology, and even your textbooks.
And check your school's calendar, because there is no universal national college first day.
Different institutions use different academic calendars.
Let me give you an example.
Your cousin's school that's starting on August 24th does not mean that your school starts August 24th.
Your roommate's schedule is not your schedule.
And I thought today was a holiday is generally frowned upon and not considered an academic strategy.
So for students that are receiving financial aid, the paperwork matters. The federal 26, 27 FAFSA is available now for the new award year. And federal student aid encourages students to pay attention to school and state deadlines because those, well, they can come before the federal deadline.
And remember that college doesn't only mean a four year university.
Community colleges, technical programs, trade schools, career schools, certificate programs, even workforce training, there are multiple pathways into a successful career.
And that means. Because the question shouldn't always be what college are you going to?
Sometimes the better question is what skill are you developing?
Because my friend, skills, travel credentials, travel experience.
Right, that travels too.
And the ability to learn.
Yeah, the ability to learn. That may be the most valuable credential of all.
And for adults that are returning to school.
Welcome back. Seriously, because going back to school as an adult takes courage.
You might be balancing work, family bills, schedules, even other responsibilities.
So, respectfully, I say to you, good luck.
But here's the positive.
Because you're not starting over.
No, you're. You're not starting from scratch.
You are starting from a place of experience.
Now, every job, every mistake, every challenge, every lesson, every single thing you've learned outside the classroom is coming into the classroom with you.
So whether you're 6, 16, 60, or somewhere in between, the next chapter can still be a good one.
Now, that's three levels. High school, right? I mean, elementary, middle school, high school, all in one school year. And there's one big opportunity.
Start prepared, stay flexible, and keep moving forward.
And now it's time for the part of the show where we like to put the backpack down.
We want to zip up the conversation and give you the final word.
Now, this school year isn't just about returning to buildings. It's about returning to possibility.
For younger students, that means discovering middle schoolers, developing high school students, deciding for college, trade, and career students, advancing.
And for adults, returning to education, it means proving that learning doesn't have an expiration date.
Being a lifelong learner is beautiful.
So don't chase perfection this school year. Chase progress.
Ask questions.
Use the resources that are available to you.
Stay organized and give yourself some grace.
And remember, a new school year is a new opportunity to become a little more prepared, a little more confident, and a lot more intentional.
And that's the final word.
And that's a wrap on school days, right here on Public Facing the Podcast. If this episode has helped you get ready for the new school year, do me a favor. Share it with a friend, a family member, even a coworker.
Send it to a parent or a student.
Send it to the person who's currently standing in the middle of the school supply aisle saying, or wait, what grid are they in again?
Yeah, seriously, just share it and make sure you follow. And stay connected to Public Facing the podcast for more conversations about the people, issues, and everyday moments shaping our world.
Until next time, stay informed, stay encouraged. Stay public facing.
I'm Joe Holman.
Class dismissed.
[00:15:44] Speaker A: Thanks for listening to Public Facing the podcast with Joe Holman. Visit us online at publicfacingpod Stream and on
[email protected] PublicFacingPod.
Sa.
