The 2022-23 NJ school year is now over, but something was very different

The 2022-23 school year has come to an end in New Jersey. Time to put away the notebooks and break out the sunscreen for summer fun.

But first and foremost, a huge thank you to all of New Jersey's educators. Once again you powered through another year with our kids and helped make a difference in their lives.

They're not only smarter because of you, but they're also growing up more and more because of your efforts. It's something we as parents can't thank you enough for.

New Jersey's schools in general have been under a lot more stress over the past few years, and at this point is common knowledge as to why. We'll just say, March of 2020.

With canceled programs, masks, social distancing, and, dare I say, virtual teaching, New Jersey's educators have really shown what they're made of over the past several years.

And so have New Jersey families who also had to go through that on the other end. I'm sure most of us are thrilled those days appear to be behind us, hopefully for good.

Which is what brings us to this point. Thinking about this past school year, have you noticed anything different when compared to the past three years?

The most obvious thing to compare to is restrictions. But that's the very point here when looking back at the 2022-23 school year. And for some of the younger kids, this change was a first.

This past school year was the first truly normal school year since 2018-2019. A full year with pretty much no restriction, social distancing, masks, or virtual learning.

A bunch of class trips have also returned. And when you think about it, this was a new experience for some.

Let's look at 3rd graders for example. That particular class started its school journey in kindergarten virtually in 2020 and dealt with different kinds of restrictions up until this past school year.

But for all grades, it was a refreshing return to what normal should be. If someone's sick, they just stay home. No shutting down the school because of it.

Now yes, there are a few exceptions where this wasn't the case, but by and large, New Jersey had a pretty normal year. Think about that. It's a big deal.

I didn't even fully appreciate it myself until we met with one of my son's school teachers just before school ended, who pointed this out. It's crazy to think of what we went through for three years to get back to something we can actually call normal.

Let's really hope it stays that way for years to come. For now, it's time to relax and enjoy the long summer break.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.