School Days

Well, a new school year has begun, and for some weird reason I hear Hank Stram, the old Chiefs head football coach, urging his Super Bowl team to “Keep matriculating the ball down the field!”

          In one fell swoop, Hank re-defined the word “matriculating” from that of studying at a place of higher learning to one of advancing a football.  Mr. Webster could not have been pleased.  The truth is, I guess I’m reminded yet again that I’m another year removed from my own halcyon school days which happened to coincide with the glory days of the early Chiefs teams.

          Lots of excitement on the first day of school.  Everything new and shiny for some kids, whether it be the school, teachers, or classmates.  Maybe it’s the same old same old for other kids, but with a fresh start- the blackboard wiped clean and this the year that little Tommy makes the honor roll- okay, let’s not get carried away here.  And the first day of school is always a great photo opportunity; even if that excited school day smile on your child’s face is the last one you’ll see for the rest of the school year. 

          From this old man’s perspective, though, today’s school days don’t seem so bad, almost fun.  Teachers seem much more positive and encouraging than I remember mine being.  I know it’s an unfair characterization, but I tend to remember many of my teachers being cut from the same cloth as Professor Kingsfield in the movie “Paper Chase” when he famously tells his class, “You come in here with a skull full of mush, and if you survive, you leave thinking like a lawyer.”

          Teachers have a tough job and I have great respect for their profession.  Whether the learning comes easy or hard for kids, education is a game-changer.  Its impact on their lives cannot be over-stated.

          At Bickimer Homes, we understand the importance of schools to a family.  Schools are a major determinate on where we build.  Our newest subdivision, Cedar Ridge Reserve, is one such example.  Situated on College Boulevard just west of Woodland Road, Cedar Ridge Reserve is within a 5 minute radius of an elementary, middle and high school in the highly rated Olathe School District.

          Yes, school days, are here again.  And just as we have for the last 37 school years, Bickimer Homes keeps matriculating down the field, building homes on a solid foundation.