Educators from across the county gathered on April 17 at the Southside Community Center to discuss the future of Etowah County students.
Representatives from private schools, public schools and a homeschool academy were present Wednesday morning to speak at The Chamber’s Education Summit. Also present were the presidents of Gadsden State Community College and Jacksonville State University.
Etowah County Schools Superintendent Dr. Alan Cosby; Attalla City Schools Assistant Superintendent, Stephen Hall; Coosa Christian School Principal, Leta Freeman; Gadsden City Schools Superintendent, Keith Blackwell; Holy Comforter Episcopal School Headmistress, Cheryl Moorer; Pathways Academy Principal, Darlene Harcrow; Westbrook Christian School Administrator, Rachel Neal; Gadsden State Community College President Dr. Kathy Murphy; Jacksonville State University President Dr. Don Killingsworth; and Challenger Learning Center of Northeast Alabama Committee members Barry Allen Cherry and Allen Millican spoke during the summit. According to The Chamber, representatives for St. James Catholic School were unable to attend the summit due to scheduling conflicts, but representatives of the school will be present for the next summit.
Speakers focused on different areas of growth at their respective institutions and areas where they collaborate with other schools or institutions.
“This isn’t a competition,” Cosby said. “It isn’t us against you or you against us. It is about us working together to best help our students and our staff.”
At the end of the summit, representatives for the new Challenger Learning Center spoke about what the high-tech facility will be able to offer once it is built in Rainbow City.
The future center will serve students from all over northeast Alabama, including Etowah, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, DeKalb, Marshall and St. Clair counties and northern Jefferson County.