From administrators to custodians, from receptionists to teachers, school systems in Western Tidewater, at least, are getting ready for the new school year. Note to students: that begins bright and early Tuesday, Sept. 3. Your parents will also likely remind you daily.

One way that the adults working at schools are preparing is by starting off with convocations, which are large assemblies often formal in nature. On Monday, the Southampton High School auditorium was heavily populated with principals and faculty from the county schools.

Two of the topics among many included instruction on properly handling students who become injured or violently ill, and how to protect everyone from potential blood-borne pathogens. Teachers were also reminded of their responsibility to report potential or suspicious abuse of children.

Outside of school, a person might not even consider such possibilities. But those are the sort of things apparently everyone needs to know beyond teaching reading, writing and arithmetic.

Franklin is scheduled to hold its gathering this Thursday, and Isle of Wight County will have one next Monday, and likely all present will review similar issues and more relating to their professions.

As witnessed at Southampton, the different schools showed enthusiasm, and we’re hopeful that’s an attitude that will last through graduation in 2014.

We want to encourage every person who works in the area schools to make their personal goal this year to be better at their jobs than last year. Seek for the ways to work smarter, not just harder. Preparation now could go a long way to long-term success.