Not all parents will agree, but I think back to school is one of the best times of the year!
Yes, I know it marks one less year your kid is at home before leaving the nest, but I don’t look at the sad side of back to school. I see it as a time of renewal and the return of routine, which makes everyone a little happier and more productive, especially if you’re coming off a PCS this summer.
For military families, July, August, and September are months filled with careful preparation. There are shots to endure, backpacks to buy, and teachers to meet. We’re going to need all the help we can get (especially with homework!) to face the new school year ahead.
Print this collection of resources and add it to your school command center. You never know when you’ll want these education, PCS, and deployment resources at your fingertips.
Military Family Educational Resources
Although they can be scattered, the military does a pretty good job of providing educational resources for military kids. You just have to dig around and ask questions to unearth exactly what your family needs. Often, parents find that starting with one of the larger or more established outlets leads to the localized support that’s really required.
Student Liaison Officers (SLO)
The U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) employs Student Liaison Officers for all military branches worldwide. The SLOs offer guidance on topics such as PCS transitions, the transfer of school records, homeschooling resources, and determining how to acquire special education services.
DoDEA describes some of the SLO’s functions to help military families as:
- Serves as the primary point of contact for school-related matters
- Represents, informs, and assists Command
- Assists military families with educational issues
- Coordinates with local school systems
- Forges partnerships between the military, community, and schools
Military Interstate Children's Compact (MIC3)
The Military Interstate Children’s Compact is an agreement among states created to help military kids experience seamless transfers between schools. Although all states have signed on to a version, gaps in education transfers still exist.
As a parent of military students, it's essential to understand the MIC3 and how DoDEA addresses implementation. The compact has crucial information for parents to know how their local SLO can assist with issues detailed in the MIC3.
Photo from Shutterstock
Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC)
The Military Child Education Coalition leads the way regarding educational support. Their website offers more than enough to get parents on the right path for any school transition. MCEC has unique recordings, videos, and downloads loaded with advice for all ages, including high school students. Topics include College, Workforce, Life Readiness, and Exceptional Needs.
To implement these programs, MCEC has Military Student Consultants on the ground at some of the largest military bases to assist with school or PCS move issues that may hinder the family’s ability to settle in their new town.
One of the troubles of moving to a new school is the possibility that the school hasn’t had a significant military population in the past. Administrators from the local school up to the school board level must be educated on how to serve these students. MCEC’s consultants advise districts on how to serve military students properly.
Home Education
Homeschooling is a distinct possibility for military families for numerous reasons, including frequent location changes or the lack of quality of education at the current duty station. Myriad resources are available to help parents decide if homeschooling is the right choice for their family. A good place to start is with your state's homeschooling organization.
Help for Communicating with Teachers
Meg Flanagan, M.Ed, and military spouse, is the founder of Meg Flanagan Education Solutions, an education resource for busy parents. She is the go-to pro for everything military kid school-related. Meg shared some well-honed advice for communicating with your children’s teachers.
Chatting in person or through email can be tricky because, as a parent, your priority is your child’s well-being. However, as a classroom parent, you understand that supporting the teacher is one of the best ways to make the year successful.
Photo from Canva
Meg details how to balance these roles with the following effective communication techniques.
Instead of leading with a major frustration in your conversation, connect with the teacher by highlighting a positive aspect of the classroom or something your student particularly enjoys.
Then, ask your question or share your worries regarding your child. Keep these issues brief but descriptive using neutral language. Present the teacher with the facts only and wait for the teacher to share addtional details, as you may not be aware of additional situational facts.
Meg finishes with, “End with a positive message, like 'I look forward to working with you to help my child.' That’s it! Keeping to the facts and including positive feedback makes the teacher feel good. And that helps them to get to 'Yes!' "
Photo from Shutterstock
PCS Resources for Military Children
PCS and back to school go hand in hand. Whether it's your seventh grader or kindergartener, children of all ages benefit from a little extra encouragement. Sometimes, though, pep talks from parents aren’t enough to calm their nerves.
For very young children, the adorable Sesame Street website and moving app Sesame Street for Military Families could become their new best friends during a challenging PCS season.
Check in with your closest base’s Youth Sponsorship Program. It’s designed to educate and support transitioning families. The program provides resources to direct education-related questions and emphasizes connecting kids with other children in similar situations.
Review your school’s PTA or PTO page for events before school starts. Casual meet-and-greets on the playground are popular. Schools with a significant military-kid population often have military groups or committees within the PTA. Your specific school may also have transition-related topics listed on its homepage, especially if it’s a Purple Star School.
Before school starts, double-check if the new school or next grade level requires updated shots. Kindergarten and 6th grade are traditionally when kids need additional booster shots to enter the classroom. Many local health departments offer the shots for free if the back-to-school line for shots is way too long at your local base’s immunization clinic.
Be sure to explore our collection of PCS Resources. There, you’ll find everything you need to know about how to make your move easy, successful, and possibly fun. There’s even info about how to survive multiple weeks in extended lodging.
Photo from Canva
Kick Off the School Year with Savings
The older kids get, the more expensive they become. Take advantage of discounts and giveaways created for military families. Organizations and companies will only provide the opportunities if we use the programs!
- Follow the USO and other military family-centered organizations to participate in their giveaways and back-to-school events.
- YMCAs across the country host Back-to-School Bashes, some with school supplies on hand.
- Operation Homefront’s Back-to-School Brigade is well-loved for its effort to treat military kids who need school supplies. Kids receive backpacks filled with everything they need, plus a couple of items just for fun.
- Deal News is an excellent place to discover the latest sales and what to expect from retailers for back-to-school discounts.
- Was the Exchange picked over when you went in for back-to-school clothing and supplies? Look for your state and nearby state’s tax-free holidays. There are even more savings during these dates.
Practical Tips for the Upcoming School Year
Taking Care of Your Health
Parents, schedule time for your health care and well-being by returning to your regular exercise routine and attending the dentist and doctor’s appointments you’ve put off. Spa appointments count, too.
Hopefully, the new school year brings a little more time for yourself. Whether it’s a weekend away with friends or a round of golf, take time to gather your strength for the coming year.
Preventive Measures
- Preventing sick days is half the battle for a family’s successful school year, so start new habits over the summer to keep everyone healthy and happy.
- Talk with your doctor about starting probiotics, receiving flu shots, and taking other supplements to help build immune systems during the school year.
- Work on reestablishing bedtimes about four weeks before the first day of school. Moving bedtimes back in ten-minute increments will help you achieve a routine.
- Don’t forget haircuts! Go about two weeks from the first day of school to offset any mistakes.
- Speaking of hair—lice run rampant in the fall and winter because kids share close spaces (think bean bag chairs in the library) and share clothing like coats and scarves. Begin gathering preventive solutions like tea tree oil shampoo, conditioners, and other remedies friends and family have had success with.
Meal Planning
Many parents dread the monotony of school life: Get up, eat, come home, eat, clean, sleep. And it’s true: trying to figure out what to buy for lunch at the grocery store again is somehow exhausting.
I avoid the idea of lunch and dinner planning, even though I know there’s science somewhere along the way that proves the benefits of saving money and time. Good intentions make for a strong start, so tap the pros on Pinterest and see what they pack for lunch each day. No, you don’t have to buy bento boxes and craft creatures out of diced fruit, but a few new brands or ideas might work for your family.
Photo from Canva
Bonus: Deployment Resource for Military Kids
All parents know the importance of a bedtime routine, which often includes a story read by mom or dad. As back-to-school dates approach, these calming habits become even more important to stick to for happier and more productive mornings. If the military member is far from home during this transition, how can they help their children and spouse prepare for nighttime routines?
United Through Reading is a non-profit whose main mission is to connect separated service members with their children through books. UTR offers deployed and long-term geographically separated parents the opportunity to record themselves on video reading to their children.
Young children adore the repetition of a beloved book read by a parent repeatedly. Remember Good Night, Moon, everyone? But older kids benefit from these videos, too. Their parents don’t necessarily have to read to them, but both can simultaneously read a title. Later, the parent can discuss the major themes and how they relate to real life at home on video. UTR staff never sees the videos, so parents can be as silly or poignant as they want without hesitation.
A new school coupled with a deployment are huge obstacles for families. Kids who watch their parents read to them each night stay connected to their support system. Plus, the parent who stays at home also benefits from the servicemember’s support from afar.
For even more ideas for your school year, visit MilitaryByOwner’s Pinterest board for Military Kids. There, you’ll find dozens of ideas to boost back-to-school prep, ease PCS angst, and maybe a tip or two for meal prep.
There’s so much to do before school starts! Don’t worry; you probably won’t finish it before the first day, and that’s okay. You’ll pick up what’s left during the first month. That’s what I do, anyway.
Stay updated on military life, PCS moves, home buying and selling, home renting, regional base information and more with our regular blog posts.
