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Celebrating Military Kids Year Round
By Randi Cairns We ask a lot of our military kids. They have to adapt quickly, handle change well, and build a new community for themselves from one military move to the next. They navigate being kids while a parent or loved one serves our country, often away from home.…
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Month of the Military Child: Teen Perspective
by Emily Trimillos Month of the Military Child is widely celebrated in schools throughout the United States in April. As a military kid (MilKid) myself, I grew up seeing it first-hand and I appreciate the efforts adults everywhere put into celebrating us. But I find Purple Up celebrations often feel…
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Helping Students Identify and Manage Pandemic Stress
by Jannell MacAulay, PhD, and Kendra Lowe, EdD, NCSP, LSSP COVID remains a steady topic of discussion, but the stress associated with this pandemic is anything but steady for most families and school communities. Stress has continued to increase for all of us—children, parents, and educators—to a point of exhaustion.…
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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…
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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…
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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.…
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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…
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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…
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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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Remote Learning: Scaling Virtual Walls
Virtual learning can create some very real obstacles, especially for military-connected students in the Season of Arriving. Navigating a new school and new home while trying to make friends in virtual classes may feel like facing a brick wall. Amanda Trimillos and Stacy Allsbrook-Huisman, coauthors of Seasons of My Military…
