CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Parents can learn what to do and what resources are available to them and their children to overcome the challenges of frequent moves, deployments and varying school systems Sept. 25 at the Airman and Family Readiness Flight.
Frequent moves and parental deployments present unique challenges to a military child's education. On average, a military child will move seven times between kindergarten and their senior year in high school. Due to a wide variance in education policy and curriculum from one state to another, military children often face roadblocks to smooth educational transitions. Throw in parental deployments, and the challenges increase.
The Military Child Education Coalition will be sending representatives to conduct two parent workshops at the Airman and Family Readiness Flight. MCEC is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to "leveling the playing field" for military-connected children and their families.
"The interactive workshops will explore the social and educational implications of multiple school transitions and we'll share practical ideas and resources to help parents organize and plan smooth transitions for their children," said Donna Earle, MCEC's Parent to Parent Program manager.
The Parent to Parent Program has trained parents at installations worldwide on how to advocate for their child's educational needs from birth to age 18.
The two workshops will be held in building 500 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and later the same day from 6 to 8 p.m.
The first hour will be a joint session covering the social and emotional implications of multiple school transitions, tools for transition and local MCEC and national resources.
The second hour will be age-specific break-out sessions according to the following categories:
· For parents of children from birth to four years -- Preparing for the Journey: Establishing a Strong Foundation for Future Academic Success
· For parents of kindergarten through fifth grade -- Parent Strategies for Supporting Classroom Learning at Home, Ending Homework Hassles and Building Positive Communication with Your Child's School
· For parents of sixth graders through high school seniors - Chart Your Course: Planning a Successful Journey Through High School and Beyond
Parents attending the workshop will receive approximately $30 worth of complimentary MCEC materials - books, a DVD and charts - that are age-specific to their children.
"MCEC has done extensive research and developed materials to assist parents and educators," said Ms. Earle. "These are valuable resources for use in planning for their children's education. We are very excited to have this opportunity to come to Charleston and share this information with parents."
MCEC has partnered with organizations such as Wal-Mart to fund and produce educational outreach materials, such as the highly popular Sesame Street Talk, Listen, Connect DVD, a parent and caregiver magazine, and a poster that assists parents in explaining family separations during military deployments to young children.
To learn more about MCEC and parent workshops, log on to their Web site at www.militarychild.org.
To register for the Charleston AFB workshops Sept. 25 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. or 6 to 8 p.m., call the A&FRF at 963-4406. Also, remember to inform the A&FRF of your child's age when registering.