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Fort McCoy commander thanks community, flags 120 incoming families and Impact Aid importance
Summary
Colonel Cornelia Baez thanked community partners for support during a federal furlough, urged families to submit Impact Aid forms, and said Fort McCoy expects about 120 families to move into the area in the next two years, a development that could affect district enrollment and planning.
Colonel Cornelia Baez, identified in the meeting as Fort McCoy’s garrison commander, thanked the Sparta community for assisting civilian workforce families during a recent federal furlough. Baez said many local churches and nonprofits supported employees who faced a 45‑day lapse in appropriations and acknowledged the role school staff play supporting military children who move frequently.
Baez highlighted Impact Aid, a federal program that provides financial support to school districts for students linked to military families and federal contractors, and urged parents on the installation to complete and return necessary forms so districts capture eligible funding. She emphasized that the aid benefits local schools and administrators and that district staff should work with military liaisons to ensure families are counted.
Baez said Fort McCoy plans multiple moves into the area over the next 24 months and estimated about 120 families could relocate, which staff and trustees said would meaningfully affect class sizes and staffing decisions. She closed by naming the district’s school liaison (Miss Becky Wally) as a contact for schools needing assistance and reiterated Fort McCoy’s desire to be a community partner.
