New school year brings excitement and purpose
From the Executive Director, Dr. Edgar Zazueta
August 18, 2025
Every May, it’s the same story. You hear educators counting down the days, marking calendars, sharing how many Mondays are left. After a long and demanding school year, the need for rest is real.
But then something remarkable happens.
When the first day of school arrives — whether in late July or just after Labor Day — those same educators show up with renewed energy and purpose. There’s excitement in the air, warm greetings in the hallways, and classrooms that feel like a fresh start. No matter how challenging the previous year was, I’m always amazed by the passion, love, and optimism that educators bring back each fall.
And yet, we know this work is never simple. With the start of the 2025–26 school year, school leaders face more than just new schedules and goals. Many of you are stepping into environments shaped by outside pressures — rising political tension, community division, and the lingering impacts of systemic inequities. These aren’t always issues that were on your radar at the end of last year, but they’re here now. And they’re real.
Considering all that, I want to offer three simple reminders.
Take a breath.
Give yourself permission to pause. There’s a lot coming at you, and it’s easy to feel like you need to have every answer. You don’t. Take a moment to reset. Reflect. Breathe. You’ll be more grounded, and your leadership will be stronger because of it.
Stay focused on the students.
In the middle of all the noise, our students remain the reason we do this work. Each one brings their own story, their own needs, and their own potential. When the path forward feels uncertain, let your commitment to student success guide your decisions.
Look out for each other.
This job is hard, and it wasn’t meant to be done alone. Call a colleague. Check in with a teammate. Share the burden when things are heavy and celebrate the small wins together. You are part of a community that understands what you’re carrying.
The challenges ahead are real — but so is your capacity to lead with clarity, compassion, and courage. And you don’t have to do it alone.
ACSA will be steadfast in supporting you with online and in-person professional development content that will help you immediately. We’ll offer more networking events and opportunities to build communities. We’ll also work inside the state Capitol and in Washington, D.C., to deliver advocacy that will help support educators.
Here’s to a year of connection, impact, and shared purpose. Take a breath. Stay focused on the students. And look out for each other.