Last week, the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce and The Schools Foundation (TSF) hosted their State of Schools breakfast at the Von Braun Center.

Huntsville/Madison County Chamber’s 2025 Board Chair Jeff Samz opened the event, introduced notable attendees, and updated attendees on the chamber’s efforts in supporting all three school systems.

“In the Chamber’s 2025 state agenda, we prioritize policy and budget allocations that address the academic needs, physical safety, and health and wellbeing of every child to prepare them for long-term success,” Samz said.

Along with education and government leaders from the area, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, and Madison County Commission Chairman Mac McCutcheon were all in attendance.

For the first education presentation of the morning, Alabama School of Cyber Technology (ASCTE) President Matt Massey shared an overview of the school’s progress and new initiatives.

The school started four years ago with 72 students and has now grown to 365 students with plans to increase to an overall capacity of 450.

Some interesting new developments for the school include the development of an AI curriculum for the Alabama Department of Education, the establishment of the Alabama Cyber Range, the Advancing Cyber Concepts and Engineering Learning (ACCEL) program, and more.

In other exciting news, Massey shared the school will be the first K/12 research center in the nation.

“It’s going to allow us to partner with other agencies and our partners in education like never before,” Massey said.

Massey said the school’s influence is growing and that the ASCTE will be recognized worldwide for its excellence and as a resource for helping others.

Debra West, a TSF board member and retired educator, discussed the various programs her organization offers to support teachers and students.

West mentioned a new TSF program, Patrons and Players, which supports the funding of extracurricular activities such as sports and fine arts for families with financial challenges.

“We believe that no student should be left on the sidelines based on financial needs. Extracurricular activities, sometimes are the one thing that will keep a child focused on their education,” West said.

After her update, West moderated a teacher panel discussion with three teachers: Hannah Wylie (Huntsville City Schools), Kristen Brown (Madison City Schools), and Collier Mastin, Jr. (Madison County Schools).

During the forum, Brown shared her happiness when helping her students.

“When you have a kid who could not read or write the alphabet and all of a sudden they can write, and you’re closing that gap, there is no greater joy,” Brown said.

Wylie was recently announced as Huntsville City Schools’ 2024-2025 High School Teacher of the Year. During the discussion, she advised on how to best prepare students to enter the workforce.

“I think that the best thing to do is just redefine the conversation of success with our youth,” Wiley said.

She shared that this discussion with students should be about more than what type of degree or job they want; it should be about what personal success means to them.

Wiley continued, “It doesn’t necessarily have to look like what we think it should look like.”

Mastin, Jr., a dual enrollment welding instructor and teacher at Madison County Career Technical Center, encouraged parents to consider career tech as a first-choice option for students.

“I would like parents to know that they can send their smart and talented young adults to get a great, excellent vocational education and know that they can have a wonderful career. It can lead to higher levels of success,” Mastin said.

Chamber Foundation Board Chair Ron Poteat moderated the event’s Superintendent Panel Discussion, which featured Dr. Clarence Sutton (Huntsville City Schools), Dr. Ed Nichols (Madison City Schools), and Kenneth Kubik (Madison County Schools).

“It’s an exciting time for Huntsville City schools. We just passed the $600 million capital plan. We are growing with our community. We are learning to be innovative,” said Sutton.

Career and technical education proved to be a central theme of the forum. Education leaders across all three school districts passionately shared their efforts to prepare students for high-demand careers.

For Huntsville City Schools, a new Career Tech Facility on North Parkway is set to open in July.

“We’re very excited about our center. It started with collaboration from Mayor Battle in the City to our board and the superintendent. They came together to collaborate,” Sutton shared.

Superintendent Kubik emphasized the importance of business partnerships in curriculum development.

“We need you to help us to develop inventive programs, pathways, and curriculum. You know what your workforce needs. When we are developing new curriculum, we need your input so that we can develop the curriculum to provide you with the workforce that you need in your buildings,” Kubik said.

Dr. Nichols said his district offers middle school students 57 different electives, giving them a wide range of career options to consider early on in life.

“I think the earlier that we can get our students exposed to the multiple careers that are out there, then they make better decisions when they get to high school,” Nichols said.

Dr. Nichols also called on Huntsville’s business and civic leaders to create a community-wide event celebrating teachers and those who work with students daily.

“We celebrate Auburn, Alabama; we cheer for them. Why can’t we cheer for teachers?” Nichols asked. “Let’s get together and find a way to celebrate teachers.”

The 2025 State of the Schools event made it clear that strong partnerships between schools, businesses, and the community are key to preparing the next generation of Huntsville students, teachers, and administrators for a successful future.