Newcastle parents whisked their children off to school this week, symbolically bringing an end to the long summer nights.

After dropping the kids off at school, you might feel the urge to kick back, relax and enjoy some “me” time. You deserve it after a long summer keeping the young ones entertained.

But wait! The schools need you. The volunteer jobs are endless. The playgrounds need monitors, the libraries can use assistance, the front offices might need your organizational skills, teachers almost never have enough helpers and the nurse’s offices are often in need of a mother’s touch to watch over a sick child.

But the best volunteer jobs may be working directly with students. Parents, grandparents and other citizens are always welcome to just listen to children read.

If you prefer something more athletic, check into becoming a volunteer to help a coach. The middle schools and high schools have an array of sports teams that need organizational and skills assistance in support of its coaches.

Getting involved in school doesn’t necessarily mean more time with children. The PTA at each school is looking for parents to volunteer in everything from teacher recognition to fundraising. Start by joining your PTA, and then get involved.

For those who want to take on a bigger role, ask about becoming a mentor. If you can give just an hour a week, Issaquah’s VOICE Mentor Program and Renton’s Community in Schools of Renton program offer opportunities to make a real impact on the lives of kids who need it most.

Learn more about Issaquah’s program at voicementorprogram.org and Renton’s at renton.ciswa.org. There are several students hoping to find a “special someone” to become their friend, cheerleader and confidante.

Schools require a background check on every volunteer, parent or not. All volunteers must apply and be approved before they get clearance to begin service. In addition to the typical background information, volunteers must undergo a Washington State Patrol criminal history check.

To get started, simply stop in at your local school’s office to learn more about volunteer opportunities. Learn more about volunteering in Issaquah schools at http://bit.ly/1U9T6kT and Renton schools at http://bit.ly/1JHYZzV.

Haochen Xu was just 4 years old.

He loved to read, had no trouble making friends and possessed a penchant for learning.

Haochen died June 27 at Harborview Medical Center, the day after a driver struck him as he and his mother tried to cross Newport Way Northwest in Issaquah.

Investigators say the driver was not speeding, but that is little consolation for a community that says the posted 40 mph speed limit along the road is way too high.

Changes are likely coming to the road, with Issaquah Mayor Fred Butler recommending a speed limit decrease. But this is after the worst case scenario became reality.

It took the death of a 4-year-old boy for real change to happen.

For years, neighbors on Newcastle’s Southeast 75th Street corridor worried a similar scenario would play out on their roads.

They’ve witnessed too many close calls, too many near accidents and too many speeding vehicles to feel safe living outside their homes.

The neighborhood can breathe a sigh of relief now, after the Newcastle City Council moved staff to initiate the long-awaited installation of speed humps on the corridor.

The vote took some courage, especially after a staff presentation that outlined the reasons the corridor did not require speed humps.

Studies showed speeds on the street are not out of control. As a result, staff suggested other measures, such as wide-edge striping and initiation of a neighborhood speed watch program.

But those studies, which only measure speed over a specific time period, can’t replace the experience of living on the street daily and witnessing something completely different.

It would have been easy for the council to take the numbers outlined in the study and send the neighbors packing without their desired speed humps. However, five of the six voting council members that night rightly looked past the data and into the worried faces of their constituents.

What happened in Issaquah must not happen in Newcastle, and neighbors believe the speed humps will save lives.

The council should be applauded for listening to their residents’ concerns, even when the data showed something different.

At the same time, the neighbors of the Southeast 75th Street corridor deserve an equal amount of praise for their unceasing fight in this battle. Their street will be safer, because they demanded it of their elected officials.

It was a true case of the numbers saying one thing, and the heart saying another.

In the end, as Councilman John Dulcich said, voting for the speed humps was “the right thing to do.”

Despite the fact that scenario will horrify most readers, every single summer, police get calls about children and dogs trapped in hot cars.

Temperatures have been in the 80s in recent days and it’s not midsummer yet.

On average, 37 children across the country have died each year since 1998 from heat-related deaths after being trapped inside motor vehicles, according to www.noheatstroke.org.

In our increasingly time-strapped society, where people have to run around with multiple things vying for their attention, it can probably seem like a timesaver to run in the store for a couple of things and leave the kids or the dog in the car. “I’ll just be a minute,” people likely think.

But interruptions, a long line or any other number of things can happen that can turn that errand into deadly minutes for helpless children and animals.

An article on the WebMD site, www.webmd.com/parenting/features/hot-cars-and-child-death-prevention, gives great tips for what to do, and what not to do. But the first tip on the list is the main thing that should be drilled into the heads of parents and pet parents — No Exceptions, No Matter How Brief.

A San Jose State University examination of media reports about the 636 child vehicular heatstroke deaths for a 17-year period (1998 through 2014) shows 53 percent (336 children) were forgotten by a caregiver, 29 percent (186 children) were playing in an unattended vehicle and 17 percent (110 children) were intentionally left in a vehicle by an adult. The circumstances were unknown for four children.

“Parked cars are deathtraps for dogs: On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 and 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes,” People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says on its site, peta.org.

If you see a child or pet in a hot vehicle, dial 911 immediately. It would be better for the police to get involved unnecessarily than for a child or pet to die. It’s difficult to get involved in another person’s business, but do you want the death of a child or a dog on your conscience, when you could have prevented it?

You endured the tests, the homework, the projects, the classes, the early start times and the occasional sleepless night to get to this point — right here, right now, the finish line is in sight.

Liberty and Hazen high school seniors will receive their diplomas at separate ceremonies June 12. Hazen’s is at the Kent ShoWare Center, while Liberty’s is at Safeco Field.

Now is the time to reflect. When you stare in the mirror, dressed in full graduation regalia, what will you remember most?

Is it that teacher that got more out of you than anyone, including yourself, could imagine? Is it the coach that cared more about the athletes than the wins and losses? Is it your parents, the ones who supported you along the way?

Is it your classmates, you know, the ones you relied on just to get through a long day? Is it your friends, the ones that stood by you through the ups and downs?

Or could it be the school itself? Will you miss that new state-of-the-art facility that Liberty students call home (all the while trying to erase the memories of “portable city”)? Will you miss driving down Hoquiam Avenue every day and rushing into Hazen just before the start of class?

Whatever it is, high-school graduation is a big life milestone and the moments that got you here shouldn’t be discounted.

As you sit on the floor of the ShoWare Center, or in the stands at Safeco, stop and remember this day. Laugh as your class speaker says something totally crazy, cry when your valedictorian says something really poignant and beam with pride when you cross the stage to receive your diploma.

When it’s all over, you deserve to celebrate, and you will, whether it’s at the school-sponsored post-graduation outing, or the many summer parties to come.

Just be sure to do so responsibly. You don’t need drugs or alcohol to commemorate the past decade of schooling.

Traveling to or from a summer celebration? Keep your eyes on the road and don’t drink and drive. A AAA Washington study calls the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day the “100 deadliest days for teen drivers and their passengers.”

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers, the study said. Impairment, speed and distraction are the major contributors to teen-driver involved traffic fatalities. Learn more at teendriving.AAA.com.

Start this next chapter of your life right by partying safely and responsibly.

The terms for four Newcastle City Council positions are set to expire at the end of the year — council position No. 1 (Lisa Jensen), council position No. 2 (Carol Simpson), council position No. 3 (Steve Buri) and council position No. 4 (Gordon Bisset).

Simpson and Bisset already announced they would file for re-election, while Jensen said she will not and Buri is still undecided.

Meanwhile, Newcastle Community Activities commissioners Linda Newing and Victoria Sandoval and as well as Planning Commissioner Allen Dauterman announced they will run for a City Council spot.

Additionally, the term of Coal Creek Utility District’s commissioner position No. 3, currently held by Douglas Kunkel, is set to expire at the end of the year.

Elected office is the ultimate volunteer job. While Newcastle City Council positions come with a $500-a-month salary, $600 if you’re the mayor, it is nominal — far less than minimum wage. All council positions are considered part time, and council members often have employment apart from the city.

It’s not a job for the faint of heart. Candidates must be passionate about their community and willing to dedicate the next four years to the city, if elected.

The idea of running a campaign may seem intimidating, especially against incumbents, but the community really is best served when every position has challengers.

Prospective candidates can file in-person at the King County Elections Office in Renton or online beginning May 11 until May 15. The deadline to withdraw is May 18.

Candidates must be registered voters at the time of filing and have at least one year of Newcastle residency on Election Day, according to state law. Candidates should also possess a willingness to dedicate several hours to numerous meetings and a strong resolve to serve the city and its residents.

Learn more about filing for the upcoming election at www.kingcounty.gov/elections.

So it’s crucial that they have good teachers. And good teaching doesn’t always happen in the classroom. In the Issaquah and Renton school districts, hundreds of people are giving valuable time.

Don’t have time, you say? It takes an hour a week. One hour.

Thanks to volunteer mentors, the future is brighter for more than 300 elementary, middle and high school students who are finding joy, confidence and opportunity through the VOICE Mentor Program, according to the Robin Callahan, executive director of the Issaquah Schools Foundation.

In Renton, more than 150 students received the guidance of a mentor through the Community in Schools of Renton program during the 2012-2013 school year. Community volunteers provided 2,885 hours of mentoring support.

The programs bring together mentors (some as young as 13) with students in need of academic, social or emotional support.

For many mentees, Callahan said in an email, the hour they spend each week with their mentor is like a warm hug of love and acceptance.

Unfortunately, with the end of the school year looming, there are still many students in need of a mentor. Each is hoping to find a “special someone” to become their friend, cheerleader and confidante.

Men, in particular, are in short supply. Sixty percent of mentees in Issaquah are boys, but only 20 percent of mentors are men. A strong male role model increases school success while decreasing absenteeism and discipline problems.

If you have just one hour to give, email Sue or Teresa at the VOICE Mentor office at voice@issaquah.wednet.edu. For the Renton School District, your contact is Mara Fiksdal, mfiksdal@rentonwa.gov.

Learn more about Issaquah’s program at http://voicementorprogram.org, and Renton’s at http://renton.ciswa.org.

Dulcich has single-handedly raised the profile of the local chamber, providing valuable social media promotion for its businesses and serving as a friendly community connector.

Her position was only part-time, but it was clear that Dulcich dedicated more effort and energy than her duties required.

Dulcich’s ability to recruit top-notch speakers made the chamber luncheons must-attend events. Because of her, the Newcastle business community got to hear from the likes of U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, King County Sheriff John Urquhart and King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg.

One of Dulcich’s greatest undertakings was the transformation of the Diamond Awards into a lavish evening affair. She made the community awards feel special again, and we hope that continues.

Though we know the Newcastle resident won’t suddenly disappear from the community, chamber events certainly won’t be the same without her leading them.

Like any good behind-the-scenes facilitator, Dulcich doesn’t care for the spotlight. Whenever possible, she heaped praise on the chamber members on the board.

But the reality is, Dulcich was a big reason the chamber has felt so welcoming, personable and connected recently.

Whoever replaces her has some big shoes to fill.

With the exception of the last name, you’ve likely never heard of these people. But make no mistake, the Newcastle City Council knows who they are, at least they should.

They are examples of just a few Newcastle residents who have come to at least one council meeting in the past year to voice their opinions.

They are, essentially, examples of democracy in action, a far too rare scene witnessed in the perpetually empty Newcastle council chambers.

Stronk and Johnson are vocal Olympus residents speaking out against Puget Sound Energy’s power-upgrade project; Jacobson is a Newport Woods resident who voiced a community’s concerns about a new apartment complex; and Putter, a former Newcastle mayor, is the constant presence at recent meetings challenging the council’s Coal Creek Utility District purchase-sale agreement.

More importantly, though, they are all residents getting involved in the place they call home and, hopefully, working to affect decisions.

Whether they are successful or not remains to be seen, but at least they are taking a stand for what they believe in, something we’d like to see more of from residents at meetings.

Remember, your government leaders — city, county, state and federal — work for you.

If you want to have a stake in this city, take a stand. Attend meetings and public hearings to weigh in on decisions.

Let us repeat that — $250,000 of taxpayer funds spent on a maintenance operations building that could be had for nothing, well, mostly nothing.

It doesn’t make much sense, does it?

But that’s what the council narrowly agreed to with the recent 4-3 approval of the purchase-sale agreement to acquire a Coal Creek Utility District-owned building.

Sure, on the surface, it looks like a good deal — “I only have to pay $250,000 for a $750,000 building? What a steal!” — but more and more, this agreement is starting to feel like an iceberg. It’s what’s underneath the water that you should be worried about.

The ominous, below-the-surface obstruction is the 10-year non-assumption agreement that comes with the purchase.

For the next decade, the city agreed to forfeit its legal right to take control of the utility district, and what’s worse, the council approved it without really knowing what assumption means.

There was no analysis, no study of what assumption could bring the city financially. Is assumption a good thing? Is it a bad thing? The council truly doesn’t know, and yet, it agreed to dismiss the possibilities for the next 10 years.

We understand that assumption wouldn’t be completely free. There are filing, processing and legal fees that come with it. But under assumption, the city would be acquiring so much more than just the $750,000 building.

Who knows where the city will be in a decade, or what the City Council will look like, but it seems short-sighted to bind the hands of Newcastle’s future public officials by taking away this choice.

Furthermore, the city will pay for the building with monies from the cumulative reserve fund, a fund that is to be used “for capital purchases or for operating shortfalls due to unforeseen cost increases or unanticipated revenue losses.”

Last we checked, the city has been performing admirably without the building. What unforeseen circumstances make this purchase necessary now?

As former City Councilman Bill Erxleben said at the Jan. 20 meeting, this fund should not be used for capital “nice-to-haves.”

That leads us to the true requirement of the purchase. We’re not truly convinced that city staff needs this building.

Sure, it would certainly be more convenient to have a place to house public works vehicles and equipment. The parking lot at City Hall does get quite crowded, and those public works vehicles stick out like a sore thumb.

Could this new building house the Newcastle City Hall of the future, though? Could it really be the site of a Newcastle museum, as some council members suggest? If the answers are yes, then sure, maybe there is value in it, but again, we’re not convinced.

It appears that this agreement is all but finalized, though. Residents will have a final chance to make their voices heard at the CCUD’s Feb. 11 public hearing on the issue.

Look to the future — The city has enjoyed a few years of financial stability, but looking at future forecasts, challenges are ahead as development revenues begin to disappear. Begin the discussion now, not later, to make decisions that will ensure the city’s financial future isn’t seeing red.

Keep an eye on Energize Eastside — Puget Sound Energy’s Community Advisory Group just selected its recommended routes, and both include proposed electric transmission lines through Newcastle. The company’s Energize Eastside process, aimed at upgrading power lines to fulfill the growing demand, is far from over, though. Make your voice heard and participate in the coming Environmental Impact Statement process and any other avenues offered to share your concerns.

Do something with Lake Boren Park — It’s been more than a year since the city unveiled a series of conceptual designs for improvements to Lake Boren Park at a town hall meeting. During that October 2013 presentation, a majority of respondents supported park improvements, and even expressed a willingness to pay for it through a park levy. City leaders need to decide how much of a priority Lake Boren Park truly is and move forward with a levy process if it’s that important.

Make a long-term decision on marijuana — The Newcastle City Council extended the six-month moratorium on marijuana-related business activity within Newcastle at its Dec. 2 meeting. A moratorium is only a temporary measure, though, and a permanent solution must be reached sooner rather than later. The council has talked about marijuana numerous times and each time it does, a ban is discussed. The council should decide how marijuana fits into the city and begin laying the groundwork for a permanent solution.

Try for a city ZIP code again — The most one-sided response at the June 2014 town hall meeting was residents’ desire to acquire a unique Newcastle ZIP code. The city last petitioned for its own ZIP code in 2009, but the request was denied, as it was in 2004 and 1994. Municipalities are required to wait five years between ZIP code requests, so now is the time to try again.

Communicate with your residents — In this digital age, it’s more important than ever that a city have an online presence. Newcastle has Twitter and Facebook accounts, but they are not consistently used. Keep your citizens informed of city events and answer resident questions through these social media platforms. Just look east to the city of Issaquah for the right way to disseminate information to the populace. Newcastle City Councilwoman Carol Simpson scratches the surface with her weekly email blasts, but the city can do more. City Manager Rob Wyman often stresses the importance of customer service among his staff; well, this is part of it. It’s an easy way to be responsive to your residents.