Senior Redstone Commander Lt. Gen. Patricia E. McQuistion, second from left, presents a certificate of appreciation to superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler, second from right. Other officers at the presentation were Deputy Garrison Commander Sgt. Maj. Kyle Crump, left, and U.S. Army Garrison Commander Col. William L. Marks. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Leaders at Redstone Arsenal acknowledged contributions of Tennessee Valley school districts with an education appreciation luncheon on April 17.

Redstone officials used the event at The Summit to “underscore how excellent schools benefit the scores of families that make up the workforce of Redstone, now at 37,700 strong, and for the overall well-being of the area,” John Peck said. Peck is public relations manager for Madison City Schools.

“Madison City Schools salutes back Redstone for all its does for our country and this community,” Peck said. The Madison district qualifies for extra federal funding because more than one in four Madison students have a parent or guardian who works on federal property.

Many work on Redstone Arsenal for the U.S. Army or for one of its many defense contractors.

“This is not a Huntsville issue. It’s not a Madison County issue. It’s a Tennessee Valley issue,” U.S. Army Garrison Commander Col. William L. Marks said. “To maintain a strategic edge, you must attract the best and the brightest.”

Marks emphasized the importance of Common Core education standards that create benchmarks, like goalposts, while letting schools determine the playbook.

Schools must instill a “passion for learning” to produce the kind of critical and creative thinking skills that enabled Huntsville to lead America’s manned space program, Senior Redstone Commander Lt. Gen. Patricia E. McQuistion said.

Madison City Schools Superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler was among educators that received a plaque of appreciation. “We are proud to partner with Team Redstone to provide the very best education we can,” Fowler said. “Strong schools are essential to the future of our children, just as a strong defense is to the security of our country.”