Promising Practices

Developing and strengthening partnerships at the local, state, and federal levels are essential in providing a continuum of education for all military children. Key in developing the partnerships is the philosophy that "all military children--regardless of where their parents are stationed--should be guaranteed a quality education--just as their civilian counterparts."
In order to strengthen those partnerships a good two-way communication program must be in place at the local level. Some of the "best practices" that have proven effective include:
 

• serves as liaison between the school district and military installation

• Military Advisory Board Member
• Installation Commander
• when new commander arrives, important for Superintendent and Military Advisory Board member to meet (within first month) to open lines of communication and discuss priorities
  • update meetings should take place periodically
• School Liaison Officer
• Public Affairs Officer
• Family Advocacy Officer
• Officers' and Enlisted Spouses Club

• enhances communication lines with the military installation
• works with Military Advisory Board member to keep current on issues such as
  • Impact Aid
  • housing plans (short term and long range)
  • personnel mission plans (short term and long range)
  • privatization of military housing
  • A-76 studies
  • cost competitive initiatives
• is primary contact when military do not know where to go to answer question or solve problem

• National Military Family Association
• Air Force Association
• Air Force Sergeants Association
• Association of United States Army
• Navy League
• community organizations/military relations committees

• Board of Education approve resolution in support of military recruiters in schools
• Smooth transition for "families on the move"
• personalize communication
• Right Start program (schools provide information to all newcomers)
• Smooth Move program (schools provide information to all military leaving area)
• register new students via the web
• begin an "800" number or e-mail for military to contact district with specific questions
• school set up information tables/registration at Base Exchange in the summer
• keep buildings open year round for registration
• provides school tours and briefings for families when "house hunting"

• provide new staff orientation of community--include tour of military installation
• stress excitement military children bring to classroom, the need for staff to understand quick and long deployments, the tremendous wealth of resources available to staff (speakers, volunteers, etc.)
• each year provide all principals with tours of military installation and briefings
• take in-service day for staff and develop around the theme "get to know your community" the entire day staff visit and tour various areas--including military installation, historic areas, etc.

• providing information in base paper and briefings at meetings

• Commander announces to military members that their duty assignment on parent/teacher conference day is at their son's/daughter's school
• volunteers in the school
• adopt a school program
• shadow programs for middle and high school students
• flights for JROTC students
• base liaison officer assigned to each JROTC unit
• volunteers for science and math programs
• speakers bureau in all schools
• career fair for middle and high school students
• volunteers to assist JROTC with marching
• military band mentors with middle/high school students--then holds a joint performance
• mentoring program
• recruiters administer the ASVAB test for students
• military police as DARE instructors
• military police are members on school district safety committee
• military hospital assist with health screenings, physicals, dental exams

Military Impacted Schools Association** Bellevue, Nebraska
Webmaster:  djyenzer@yahoo.com
Phone:  800-291-6472
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