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:
 

Having a Military Representative on the local Board of Education

  • serves as liaison between the school district and military installation

Military leaders to keep informed

  • 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

Designated school official to be liaison with military installation

  • 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

Work with local associations

  • 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 policy in support of mobile families and need to provide a smooth transition from one school district to another

  • 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"

Help educators understand "what's on the other side of the fence"

  • 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.

Military installation help with shortage of teachers and staff by

  • providing information in base paper and briefings at meetings

Military installation support programs such as:

  • 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
Site Map