On a scale of 1 to 10, the importance the school your child attends plays in shaping their future is a 9, according to Barbara Williams, FMWR school liaison officer.
"You never want your child to lose ground. You never want them to lose the gains that they have already. You want to build on that; you always want to build on their skills and their interests. You want them to soar," Williams said. "If you're ever in a school where there is not a correct fit, your child will not achieve to the level that they are capable of."
To ensure your child enrolls in a school that's right for them and paves their own path to success, call 842-9642 or email barbara.w.williams@us.army.mil to connect with Williams, who has dedicated her time and livelihood to the families of Redstone Arsenal, both those living here in Huntsville and the surrounding community, as well as those preparing to make the move to the Tennessee Valley. An expert in not just the three school districts that surround the Arsenal, Huntsville, Madison and Madison County, but outlying communities such as Scottsboro and Arab as well, Williams works with parents to share information about enrollment, academics, extracurricular activities and other items of importance when it comes to deciding the best fit for a child's educational needs. On a regular basis, Williams finds herself out in the community, experiencing what each school has to offer firsthand, to provide parents with the most up-to-date and accurate information possible.
"Looking at the website is one thing, being in the school, seeing what those programs are, seeing the kids engaged in those programs, I'm able to say this is what they offer, these are the programs that they have, this is what their students are doing," Williams said. "I know firsthand which helps me to be there and engaged in each school."
She takes that information to Garrison commander Col. John Hamilton, who, with Williams, meets with area superintendents, central office staff and principals quarterly to talk about the areas of educational concern particular to a military, mobile child. Through the Military Child Education Coalition, educational opportunities are also available to counselors, teachers and other school leaders to help them best serve military children. Through the Student 2 Student program, which pairs incoming students at local high schools and middle schools with a peer mentor who helps them transition to their new school by showing them around and sharing information they might not otherwise receive in an orientation packet, Williams ensures that both young and old are involved in welcoming new students to the area, from the administration, to teachers and students.
"Our partnerships with local schools are more than just in name," said Williams, who attends school board, principal, PTA meetings and other educational events at schools throughout the community. "We are engaging with them from the Redstone community, from the Garrison level."
In her role as school liaison officer, Williams also meets with the parents of rising kindergartens at the installation's Child Development Centers to help prepare them for the start of their educational journey, as well as with high school students to plan for life beyond high school. She also oversees the Army Youth Sponsorship Program, a program similar to the Student 2 Student program to help new students grow acclimated to School Age Services and Youth Center on post, as well as the Homeschool Support Program, which brings together homeschool families connected to the Arsenal every Thursday for support, arts and crafts, computer technology skills and physical education.
"It gives their children the opportunity to have the socialization skills that they may not get at home, and they get to learn some additional skills that they may not have at home," she said.
While many incoming families have already made the move to the Rocket City as a result of BRAC, the work is far from over for Williams, who isn't there just to assist families moving to Alabama, but also serves as a resource for all school age children and their parents, regardless of how long they've called Huntsville and the surrounding community home. If there is a concern or a question about the school system and the quality of education a child is receiving, Williams is there to help, advocating for the needs of the student.
"My services don't end when they get here and they get enrolled in school," Williams said. "I'm available to any concerns they may have about the schools."
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