Fort Buchanan, DoWEA promote student success through advisory committee

FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico — Parents, teachers, school administrators and installation leaders met Oct. 29 at Fort Buchanan’s command headquarters for a Department of War Education Activity Installation Advisory Committee meeting. The group gathered to discuss educational concerns, strengthen collaboration and ensure military families have a voice in decisions affecting their children’s education.

The Installation Advisory Committee, known as the IAC, includes representatives from Antilles Elementary, Antilles Middle and Antilles High School. It provides a formal forum for communication among the school community, DoWEA officials and installation leadership.

Ryan Smith, DoWEA Mid-Atlantic District superintendent, and Dr. Andrea Marr, the district’s family and stakeholder engagement officer, joined the meeting virtually.

“Each school selects two members: one parent and one teacher to be a member of the IAC,” said Neils Mateo, Antilles High School principal.

The IAC builds on the work of each school’s advisory committee, where parents, teachers and administrators regularly discuss priorities and concerns.

Ulises Marrero, Fort Buchanan’s deputy to the garrison manager, emphasized the installation’s commitment to supporting military-connected students through sports, Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps programs and other activities.

“Our students are the future,” Marrero said, noting the importance of opportunities that promote leadership, teamwork and personal growth.

During the meeting, members elected Sequena Cousins as chairperson, Tara Ulrich as vice chair, and Margorie Franceschini as secretary. The committee also discussed Vega Gate’s operating hours, a topic related to access to the installation. Marrero addressed those concerns.

“We understand the community’s concerns about gate hours. Current schedules reflect the need to balance overall requirements while sustaining essential services. We remain committed to supporting the community and will continue to consider its needs,” Marrero said.

The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for Dec. 8 and will focus on ongoing educational priorities and community issues.

Fort Buchanan’s continuing collaboration with parents, educators and DoWEA officials underscores the installation’s commitment to supporting military families, maintaining open communication and fostering an environment where students can grow academically and personally.

With an annual budget exceeding $500 million, Fort Buchanan supports about 15,000 active-duty personnel, Soldiers of the Army Reserve and Puerto Rico National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve members and Navy Reserve personnel, providing infrastructure and services that enable forces to train, mobilize and deploy worldwide.

To stay connected with Fort Buchanan news and events, download the My Army Post app, select Fort Buchanan and activate notifications.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.