The beginning of school is always an exciting time, full of promise and possibilities. School memories stay with us throughout our lives, from the inspiration of a favorite teacher to the elation of winning a sporting or club competition. Now it’s that time of year once again, with some students having headed back in late August, while the rest started school this week.

York County students have a lot to look forward to this year, with lots of changes and improvements in facilities and staff.

Biddeford has new leadership in Superintendent Jeremy Ray, and is celebrating the completion of the Biddeford High School renovations. Hopefully, these improvements will help build pride among the students and staff and lead to a better learning environment overall.

Many districts are welcoming several new faculty members and administrators, including new principals at Saco and Biddeford middle schools, a superintendent who is starting his first full year with RSU 57, and a new headmaster taking the reins at Thornton Academy.

Some interesting learning options are being introduced this year, too. In Kennebunk, the high school science teachers are working with University of New England professors to arrange physics and chemistry workshops for the students. At nearby Massabesic, high school students will be able to take online courses that aren’t offered onsite, such as some less common foreign languages.

In Sanford, a Nellie Mae Foundation grant has helped the school provide iPad tablet computers for students in grades nine and 10, helping them embrace technology in their learning and improve their skills. Wells Elementary School is implementing the STEM ”“ Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics ”“ curriculum for students in grades 3-4, and at the high school, a new course in AP Technology will be offered for the first time.

There’s so much going on overall that it’s easy to feel that excitement in the air as students and school faculty and staff sharpen their pencils and get down to the important business of learning.

The unfortunate cloud hanging over many of our schools this year, however, is that budgets have not been approved in Biddeford or Regional School Unit 23. As well, the threat of withdrawal is looming in the RSUs, with Dayton, Saco, Kennebunkport and Arundel all pursuing efforts to get out of their respective arrangements. We hope the negative political climate is not directly felt by students, whose education is what everyone is fighting about, after all. It is already being felt by teachers, however, who are unsure of whether or not they’ll keep their jobs and don’t have the OK to spend money for their classrooms.

When Biddeford’s school budget failed for the second time at the polls on Aug. 16, the council asked for cuts and was prepared to approve a budget of $500,000 less, bringing the total reduction to the school budget to $900,000 below the original proposal, but many councilors changed their minds after hearing from students and teachers. Consequently, Biddeford voters will see the same budget again on Sept. 20.

Councilors feel that residents are taking out their frustration with an increased city budget on the school budget, and they think they can change hearts and minds if they really put the effort in this time.

That remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: The school budget process isn’t working. It’s a two-step process, with step one being a Town Meeting-style vote at which items can be discussed and amounts adjusted; and step two being a referendum ballot vote on that final figure.

If a budget is voted down twice and voters even check off the box saying they think the budget should be lower, they’re sending a pretty clear message. In Biddeford, it’s being ignored.

In RSU 23, covering Saco, Old Orchard Beach and Dayton, the school budget has also failed twice when it came time to vote by referendum, despite getting approval in the Town Meeting-style vote. This has caused significant frustration for the superintendent, Patrick Phillips, who has called for the budget process to be reconsidered.

Voting cannot be a knee-jerk negative reaction to higher taxes or a carte blanche for free spending simply because it’s “for the children.” Most districts work very hard to balance the concerns of those who struggle to make ends meet and don’t even have children in the schools with the concerns of well-to-do parents and all those in between.

It’s the responsibility of each citizen to learn about the budget ”“ the whys and hows of each line item ”“ and decide for themselves whether those figures need to be raised or lowered. The time to voice proposed changes is at the district budget meeting, when any voter can have a say in each line item.

The reality, however, is that attendance at such meetings is abysmally low, not even representative of the populace, and it’s a lot easier to balk at the budget figure in the voting booth and check “no” than it is to take the time to understand the budget. Participation is not likely to increase, so it seems as though it would make sense for the citizenry to leave the budget process up to those who have been elected and charged to understand it and have taken the time to learn the ins and outs. That’s how it works for the municipal budget in most cities.

If the majority of people don’t participate in the democratic process, it doesn’t work correctly, and it’s clear that’s the case with these school budgets. We hope people can put aside their deeply emotional reactions to the school budget this year, despite their feelings about their school district or the overall tax increase, and OK a budget so the schools can move forward and make the most of all their positive attributes.

For voters, this year should serve as a wake-up call to get involved more during the next budget cycle.

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Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski, representing the majority opinion of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.