It’s likely that many of us have some regrets regarding our own education, wishing we had a stronger foundation of math or writing that could benefit us in our chosen careers. Many of us carry those regrets into parenthood, coaxing and coaching our children to better performance and a stronger future.

While public, private and home school programs strive to provide students with a solid education, building on fundamentals and providing opportunities to excel for those students capable, there is always room for improvement.

Parents in Southwest Georgia have a resource that teachers have known about for years – Hall School Supplies, on Gillionville Road, near Darton College. Since 1994, Hall School Supplies, owned by Steve Hall and operated with the assistance of a number of family members, has provided area schools and teachers with furniture, equipment and educational aids necessary for today’s classroom.

But the retailer is also a great resource for parents interested in purchasing computer software, educational toys and workbooks to enhance the education their children receive at school.

Hall got started in the school supply business while still doing business as an office equipment and school supply retailer on Century Road in Lee County. “It became apparent there was such a need for education supplies for schools, teachers and parents,” recalls Hall of his early days in school supplies.

He gradually shifted out of the office equipment business, focusing his efforts to school supplies, furniture and equipment. Hall eventually needed more room and constructed the little red school house building in Lancaster Village. The business outgrew that space as well, and Hall School Supplies moved into the current location on Gillionville Road about five years ago.

The store offers hundreds of products, from flash cards to blackboards, bulletin board decorating kits to language software, posters and incentive items. “Anything you walk into a classroom and see, we offer. Most teachers know what we do, but parents can also come here to buy things to help children catch up or move ahead,” said Hall.

Among the most popular educational tools offered by Hall is Singapore Math, a curriculum with consistent and strong emphasis on problem solving and model drawing, with a focus on in-depth understanding. The method has become more popular since the release of scores from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Studies in 2003 and 2007, which showed Singapore at the top of the world in 4th and 8th grade mathematics.

Hall School Supplies has a limited selection of hand-crafted art bags, perfect for tying to the desk of elementary school students to hold their supplies.

“If a child is having problems in school, parents can buy workbooks or DVDs to reinforce basic skills in math and reading and other subjects,” said Hall. “I don’t think a lot of parents realize what a resource this is for them.”

Hall School Supplies also carries products useful for children in doctor and dentist waiting rooms, from bead mazes to books to durable toys.

Hall School Supplies is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. For more information, visit them online at www.hallschoolsupplies.com.