This post is part 1 of 5 in the Back-to-School 2015 series.

The commercials have started. The back-to-school sections at the store are stocked. And in just a few weeks you will be packing lunches and backpacks and preparing for another school year. Didn’t summer just start?

As you are preparing for your children to go back to school, your children’s teachers have been getting ready, too. As a high school teacher, I have been planning curriculum, finishing the yearbook from last year, and setting myself and my students up for success.

What I can tell you is what has been on my mind as I’m getting ready to go back to school.

I’m thinking of my own children as I send them off to daycare.

Most days I will see your children more than I will see my own. And that’s okay — that’s part of the job.

I’m thinking about all the new faces I will meet.

Their stories, their personalities, their goals, their dreams. I’m thinking about my students who didn’t have dinner last night. I’m thinking about how I can be influential in their lives. I’m thinking about that hard-to-reach student, his/her struggles and how I can connect with him/her.

I’m also thinking about how to do more with less.

With more students in our classrooms and less money to support them, how will I make sure my students are getting the education they deserve? Well, it’s also part of the job. Teachers often spend money out of their own pockets to get supplies for their classrooms. I’m not complaining — I love to help my students when I can. My students are what matters. I learn from them and grow as an educator every day.

So, while you’re grabbing your back-to-school list and heading out for pencils and paper, your children’s teachers have been planning, too. Good teachers are everywhere and really, truly care about your kids’ education. They are advocates for children, the community, and the future.

It’s going to be a great school year. Your children’s teachers will be ready, willing, and excited for a fantastic year ahead.

Read more from our Back-to-School 2015 series!

• What Back-to-School Means for the Homeschooling Mom
• Smooth Operator: Advice for Your Back-to-School Transition
• Healthy Eating Tips for Back-to-School and Beyond
• I See You: A Letter to My Child’s Teacher (coming up)