April 2024 | Volume 15 | Issue 1
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Storyteller A day in the life of Mountain Brook Schools communications specialist William Galloway Best friends and Preschool Partners students Laila, Yashua and Blair during recess. Photo courtesy of Preschool Partners.
By LEE HURLEY
W
illiam Galloway isn’t accustomed to having the light reflected back on him. The communications and public relations specialist for Mountain Brook Schools spends his days shining the light on others. It’s something that seems to come as naturally as his broadcasting voice, which he also puts to good use. The only thing typical about each day for Galloway is the fact that there really isn’t a typical day. A single recent day included meetings with MBS Athletic Director Andy Urban and Superintendent Dicky Barlow, discussion of a new podcast with football leaders, coordinating nighttime events at Cherokee Bend Elementary, responding to a media query about a National Merit finalist, sending out reminders about Career Tech Month and helping coordinate state basketball credentials. Galloway is the point man on communicating to more than 4,300 students and 750 school employees through a variety of channels. “I operate between 20 and 30 social media accounts, but I monitor over 100,” he said.
Building bridges Preschool Partners helps children prepare for the future By CISSY JACKSON
See STORYTELLER | page A24 William Galloway, Mountain Brook Schools communications and public relations specialist, in the lobby at the school system’s main office. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
INSIDE
Sponsors........... A4 City......................A6
Business........... A10 Community...... A18
Schoolhouse... A20 Events.............. A22
The first few years of a child’s life are a critical foundation for the cognitive, emotional and social skills they’ll carry with them when they grow up. At Preschool Partners, those social and emotional skills are just as important as school-readiness skills. Founded by St. Luke’s Episcopal Church parishioners Jeanette Hancock and Bill Black, PSP was focused at its inception on helping children from under-resourced communities prepare for kindergarten and supporting parents’ engagement in their children’s education. After nearly 30 years, its mission and reach have grown to include more areas of developmental success. In addition to the school’s academic reputation, many Mountain Brook families are eager to send their children to PSP because their classrooms include a mix of children from a variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and many neighborhoods, from Mountain Brook to Woodlawn and from Norwood to Center Point.
See BRIDGES | page A26 Sports.................B8 Opinion..............B12
Real Estate...... B14 facebook.com/villageliving
Home & Garden
All-South Metro
Find tips and tricks from area businesses to jump start any project in our Spring Home & Garden Guide.
Ty Davis named the Player of the Year; several other Spartans make all-metro team.
See page B1
See page B8