Building Sustaining Advocacy Teams in Challenging Times
By Amanda Trimillos, EdD Advocacy, communication, and partnership are all terms often used early in a military-connected student’s transition to a new campus. Shifts in learning platforms to e-learning, hybrid learning, and social distancing have challenged schools and families to become creative in how they build, operate, and strengthen student-advocacy…
First Parent-Teacher Conference at a New School
by Stacy Allsbrook-Huisman Parent-teacher conferences are essential checkpoints for military students attending a new school. Parent-teacher conferences are the speed bump during the Seasons of Transition ™, an event in which parents and teachers can align their expectations. This usually takes place six weeks after the start of school. And in…
Don’t Chase Curriculum: Focus on Student Needs
By Amanda Trimillos Even before the school year opened its doors to students this year, conversations have taken place on many levels on ways to best meet student needs. Teachers are discussing how to catch up students who missed material in pandemic learning environments; parents are talking about how to…
MIC3 Offers New Resources for Military Families and Schools
By Stacy Allsbrook-Huisman There are many online resources available to military families, from blogs to official government sites. When it comes to school transition and military-connected students, an outstanding resource to turn to for up-to-date information is Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3). MIC3 is a commission with representation from…
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New School Welcoming: Student Sponsorship Programs
By Stacy Allsbrook-Huisman Military-connected students adjusting to a new school commonly experience feelings of isolation, confusion, and searching for support. Students switching schools during the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to experience these feelings even more intensely. In an online round table discussion, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona hosted a Zoom call…
Tips to Avoid Summer PCS Slide
By Amanda Trimillos Traditionally, the end of the academic year signals the beginning of summer camps and long hours at the pool for students. While the fun in the sun activities take place, parents express concern behind the scenes that academic skills begin to decline with each passing summer day.…
Early Planning Helps School Transition
By Stacy Allsbrook-Huisman Spring usually signals the Season of Leaving has officially begun. The Season of Leaving can happen any time of year when a move is on the horizon, but many families have military orders in hand as the school year closes and they are anxiously reviewing their to-do…
Month of the Military Child in 2021: In-Person, Hybrid, and Virtual Celebrations
By Amanda Trimillos Many schools across the nation developed grand plans for Month of the Military Child celebrations in April 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to cancel those plans with little notice. A year later, these same schools have adapted to virtual and hybrid learning environments—and Month of…
Keep Kids Connected by Going Back to Basics
By Terri Barnes As vaccinations roll out, health experts still urge families to stay the course and remain vigilant about COVID safety measures. After nearly a year of disrupted learning, research shows students are affected socially and emotionally as well as academically. For some military-connected students, all this upheaval comes…
Survey Brings Attention to Experiences of Military Students
The Military Kids Now 2020 Survey conducted by the Military Child Education Coalition reflects what military families already know: military life creates real challenges for military-connected students. Dr. Amanda Trimillos and Stacy Allsbrook-Huisman, authors of Seasons of My Military Student: Practical Ideas for Parents and Teachers, say they’re hopeful the…
