For teachers, students, and parents of school children, August feels like one long Sunday. Enjoy it while it lasts because Monday morning is coming, or Wednesday morning in our case.

Who will be in my class? How will I finish my summer work? Where’s the supply list?

The questions pile up as the day approaches. New teachers. New expectations. New outfits. Maybe even a new school.

It’s hard to know where to begin when the new year looms, with all its tension and possibilities. In moments like this, I turn to something I often share with my English students: If you’re stuck and don’t know where to begin, write the ending first.When crafting a story, whether short or long, writing the ending first can be a powerful tool. It gives clarity, direction, and purpose. Once the ending is in place, the middle and even the beginning fall more easily into line.

For students and families adjusting to a new grade, a new level, or even a new school, imagining the ending can be just as helpful. Picture yourself in June 2026. Maybe you feel ready to take on the challenge of high school. Maybe you’ve grown comfortable with the higher expectations of middle school. Perhaps you’ve made steady progress in reading, math, or science. You might be looking back on a season of success on the field or stage, or remembering the first time you picked up an instrument and turned it into music.

By picturing that ending now, the chapters in between come into focus.

It’s up to us to become the main characters in our own story of the coming school year. Along the way, we’ll face conflicts. Every good story has them. Will math be more challenging than expected? Will friendships shift? What if I don’t get along with my teacher?

The goal isn’t to avoid these challenges but to face and overcome them. Transitions to new things can be exciting and overwhelming, but every main character learns to grow through them. In the end, what matters most is how the story closes. What will your final chapter say about you?

For our youngest learners, the first time walking into a school building can feel both big and unfamiliar. They are taking their first steps toward independence, learning new routines, and beginning to see themselves as students. By the end of the year, they can look back with pride as confident readers and problem solvers who know they belong in a classroom.

The move into middle school marks another turning point. Students take on greater responsibilities, adjust to new social dynamics, and face higher expectations in their work. The ending to imagine is one where they have grown into stronger voices with clearer identities and the confidence to face what comes next. 

For students and families who are entering a brand-new school, the challenge is finding their place in a community that is not yet familiar. There’s a maze of hallways to learn, new traditions to discover, and friendships to build. By the end of the year, the hope is to feel rooted, comfortable with the school’s rhythm, and fully part of its story.

When I ask my students to write the ending first, it’s not because I want them to skip the hard work of getting started. It’s because the ending gives shape to everything that comes before it. A story becomes easier to write when we know where it is heading. The same is true for a school year. If students and families picture the closing chapter now, the middle months make more sense. The challenges along the way are not roadblocks but important parts of the journey. And each one will make you stronger.

As the coming school year ends (yes, I can see it already!), our country will begin celebrating its 250th birthday. That is an ending we can all see and look forward to, one that reminds us of the power of looking forward to a moment with pride and purpose. Each student has the chance to do the same on a personal level.

By June of 2026, what story will you tell about yourself?