Editor's Notebook: Ready or Not, Here School Comes

Three Village teachers have already returned to work and families are preparing for the new school year, which begins Sept. 7 – less than one week from today.

When they return to school, students will see a number of differences, from newly completed construction projects to an increase in school lunch prices to changes in school hours.

Last week, Three Village Patch brought you a variety of features centered around the students of Stony Brook University. Over the next few days, we'll turn our focus to school kids in the Three Village school district, with coverage ranging from resource guides to school supply lists to budget concerns. We'll go inside the new facilities at Ward Melville High School and we'll hear from one of the most influential voices in the district.

Our coverage will continue throughout the school year, with continued coverage of school board meetings and other events important to the community.

As always, Patch welcomes letters and opinion pieces of up to 500 words on local topics of interest. E-mail us at christines@patch.com.

Today: "It Takes a Village" columnist Cheryl Donnelly helps families get ready for school.