Relationships Are Everything

Educator, mother, and former foster parent Haley Berry connects with kids every day
By Lisa Porterfield Thompson

Some people know their calling from a young age; others discover their passions later on. Educator Haley Berry falls into the latter camp.

“[When studying at the University of Arkansas] I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up,” she said. My goal was to just get a degree.”

While pursuing her bachelor’s, Haley met and fell in love with a pitcher for the Razorbacks baseball team named Layne. She knew she wanted to have children with him, and that desire propelled her onto a career path.

“I’ll be honest: at the time, [teaching] sounded good to me because I knew I wanted to have babies, and I wanted to be on the same schedule as they were,” Haley admitted. “It wasn’t until after I started [teaching] when I realized how strong my passion for kids really is.” 

Haley has worked in public education for 18 years, 15 of which have been with the Texarkana Arkansas School District. After five years of teaching kindergarten, she moved to fourth grade, before pursuing a two-year training program to become a dyslexia interventionist.

“It just never gets old, seeing those ‘ah-ha’ moments in a child’s eyes when it finally clicks, and they start to understand the connections between letters and sounds and all the crazy rules the English language has,” she said.

Then, in 2020, Haley accepted a secondary position at Arkansas High School, where she served as the graduation, credit recovery, and community service coordinator, as well as the testing coordinator. She currently serves as the 504 coordinator for the AHS campus. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is the federal legislation which prohibits publicly-funded institutions like schools from discriminating against disabled people. In the context of public education, Section 504 requires educators to provide accommodations, disability-specific services, and any needed support to all students, free of charge.

“My passion for working in the public school system is strong,” Haley said. “I take great pride and value in knowing that, for some kids, I might be the only person who speaks to them today, or the only one who smiles at them, or maybe the only one who has offered a hug, fist bump, or even a snack if they need it. I have always liked working with the underdogs: the students in foster care, the struggling readers, the ones who test your patience daily, or the ones you might call the ‘bad kids.’ That’s just who I am. I think I like the challenge of being able to connect with them and winning them over. Relationships are everything.”

In-line with that philosophy, Haley started a support group at AHS for pregnant students and young mothers. Though she is no longer able to lead the group due to professional constraints, she still believes in the value of structured peer support, especially for the most vulnerable students on campus.

Haley and Layne have two children of their own: Bella (16) and Bristol (13). After suffering a miscarriage in 2019, Haley felt inspired to become a foster parent.

Bristol, Layne, Haley (holding McKinley), and Bella.

“I really don’t know how to describe it other than God,” she said. “Looking back, I know it was a part of my healing, but it was also God writing this beautiful story.” She started praying and talking with her family about the possibility of fostering in February 2020. While her husband was willing to foster, he was reticent to give up his Sundays for the weekly licensing classes.

“If you know him, you know that Layne Berry is not going to want to give up fishing to go sit in long meetings inside a building,” Haley laughed. However, COVID changed the game: “No face-to-face meetings were happening any time soon,” she explained. “Suddenly, getting my husband to attend the weekly trainings on Sundays wasn’t so hard after all. We Zoomed instead, and he did almost all of it while fishing from his boat out in the middle of Millwood Lake. And, just like that, we were trained foster parents, had passed what seemed like 45 home inspections, and were ready for a baby who needed us.”

In June 2020, Haley received a call: an eight-week-old baby girl needed a foster home. She was at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. They went and picked up McKinley the next day.

mckinley on her first birthday.

After 18 months, McKinley was able to return to her mother’s care. At the time, this news was challenging for Haley, who had believed that McKinley ought to stay in the Berrys’ custody.

“I was tired, felt defeated and frustrated, and could not wrap my head around the system,” she said.  “After many tears and a lot of prayer, my train of thought shifted.”

Haley with McKinley and McKinley’s mom, Danielle.

Haley came to realize that McKinley was best served by being reunited with her mother. “We now had to focus on what was to come in this baby girl’s future. I knew I wanted to be a part of it. Her mama loves her—and every girl deserves their mama—so I chose to love her mama, too.”

McKinley has been back with her mother for two years now. She lives about 30 minutes from the Berrys, with whom she has regular playdates and sleepovers. 

“We are so thankful her mama continues to share her with us,” Haley said. “God is good.”