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Academic Gaps and Overlaps
By Amanda Trimillos In conversations between teachers of military-connected students, two issues come up repeatedly: gaps and overlaps. At one table in the teachers’ lounge, it might go like this: “I have a new student who has already completed the unit we’re working on now. What do I do?” Across…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Game Plan: Adapting Strategies for Every Season
Even in a shifting pandemic environment, the Seasons of TransitionTM cycle continues for military-connected students. When a new situation means a new game plan, the strategies in Seasons of My Military Student: Practical Ideas for Parents and Teachers are still effective for healthy transitions. Here are some ways to adapt key…
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Back to School: Supporting Teachers Strengthens the Team
By Terri Barnes Building a strong student-advocacy team is essential for military-connected students. As the school year begins in a pandemic environment, now more than ever, the team-building strategy should include supporting teachers, as well as students. Military-connected students at new schools won’t be the only ones navigating a new…
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Start Early for a Strong Student-Advocacy Team
The Season of Arriving is a crucial time for military-connected students. As school transitions are happening alongside pandemic conditions, students and parents are facing the possibility of an academic year that is either partially or completely online–at a new and unfamiliar school. No matter what kind of classes are planned…
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Proactive Communication for Students in Every Season
By Amanda Trimillos In meet-the-teacher sessions at new schools with my children, time and time again I heard teachers use the term “proactive communication.” Teachers offer parents several ways to communicate – email addresses, phone numbers, and notation areas in student agendas. They emphasize the importance of proactive communication with…
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Exit Plan Cultivates a Healthy Season of Leaving
By Amanda Trimillos In the Season of Leaving, parents, teachers, and students work together to build an exit plan to cultivate a smooth transition from one school to another. A strong exit plan takes into account all the events, tasks, and actions leading up to the student’s last day of…
