A press conference and community celebration in the Northwest High School auditorium on Saturday, February 2, at 10:00 a.m. will mark the opening of the Northwest Cluster Family Academy, a comprehensive community resource center for children and families. Members of the Board of Education and Deputy Superintendent of Schools James A. Williams are among the officials scheduled to participate in the press event.

The Family Academy is an extension of the George B. Thomas, Sr. Learning Academy, Inc. In addition to tutoring and mentoring programs to enhance academic performance, the Family Academy will provide an array of services to support students and families.

More than 100 students already have enrolled in the Family Academy, which currently is staffed by approximately 40 tutors. The Montgomery County Department of Police, the Department of Recreation, and the Cinnamon Woods community are among the many partners that have joined to provide services and support to the Academy. The program has received funds through the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention HotSpot Communities Consolidated Grant.

The Northwest Family Academy joins similar programs at John F. Kennedy, Paint Branch, Sherwood, and Springbrook high schools.