About 400 people attended the 2019 State of the Schools event held on February 13 at the Jackson Center in Huntsville.
This annual breakfast is presented by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber and The Schools Foundation. It focuses on the mission, vision, data and strategic goals for the future of public education across Madison County.
Superintendents from Huntsville City Schools, Madison City Schools and Madison County Schools participated in a panel discussion and discussed how students in their respective systems are preparing for the workforce.
Christie Finley, Huntsville Superintendent, said she has made it her main focus to support teachers with the tools they need to help each student succeed.
Matt Massey, Superintendent of Madison County Schools, said he is very proud of the number of students in his school system who are challenging themselves by taking Advanced Placement classes.
Robby Parker, Madison Superintendent, talked about his system’s rapid growth. During his two years as Superintendent, 800 students have joined the system.
New this year, students from each school system spoke about their educational experiences. The students included Regina Harris, a senior at New Century Technology High School, Elijah Luna, a senior at Sparkman High School, and Elizabeth Kasprzak, a senior at Bob Jones High School.
Ron Poteat, Board Chair for The Chamber Foundation, updated the crowd on new workforce initiatives being introduced on ASmartPlace.com, including new career exploration videos. One was played, featuring an employee from Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama.
Taze Shepard, Board Chair for The Schools Foundation, discussed the Foundation’s goals to help pay for more local teachers to take National Board Certification testing. The Schools Foundation has raised $40,000 in the past year to support this effort. It also raises money to send teachers to Industry Insights training, where they visit various industries throughout the year to help learn what skills are needed, so they can share this information with students. There is currently a text-to-give campaign underway to help with this. Text 44321 to SOTS19 to support these efforts.
This event brings our business and education communities together to highlight the Pre-K-12 education programs that are preparing students for long-term success in our region.
Local news coverage:
WAAYTV.com: Local school superintendents attend State of the Schools