the new year is barely a month old, but already it’s clear that Rocky Mount is in for some growing pains in 2012 for results that will be better appreciated in 2013.

Headlines in the Rocky Mount Telegram this week show why.

Shop owners along Main Street are weathering a tough period as construction continues on the city’s Streetscape project. Once Streetscape is completed, downtown will be more attractive to shoppers and pedestrians than it has been in years. All of that carries the potential for prosperity for shop owners in the very near future, but in the meantime, they’re dealing with decreased traffic and other headaches caused by the construction efforts.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools, on the other hand, is preparing for the addition of a state-of-the-art high school to its system. Anyone who has traveled Bethlehem Road in recent weeks has to have been impressed by the size and look of the new facility under construction there.

As educators and students prepare to move into Rocky Mount High School next year, Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson and other administrators are leading an effort to make student reassignment as smooth as possible.

Reassignment is one of those words that automatically raises the worry level of parents. Few things are more important than the educational opportunities for our children, and change understandably brings stress and anxiety to folks concerned about their children’s welfare.

Jackson is to be commended for bringing in public input at an early stage and rolling out a timeline that underscores an inclusive, thoughtful, methodical approach to student reassignment.

It’s impossible to overcome the worries of everyone in such an effort, but the results next year will be more classroom space and better facilities for many Nash-Rocky Mount students. It’s important to keep our eyes on the goal as we negotiate the discussions that take place during the reassignment process.