Haley Downing – KSU School Counseling Graduate Student
DeShawn Fogle – KSU School Counseling Graduate Student
Major U.S. Air Force Retired
Jeffrey Hernandez – KSU School Counseling Graduate Student
SGT U.S. Army Retired
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24,699 Total Active Duty Military (Army,
Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast
Guard)
7,553 Civilians Working at Military
Installations (Teachers, Customer Service
Reps, etc)
361 Department of Defense Civilians –
Employes of Dept of Defense
Approx. 7,500 National Guard Men and
Women
233,000 Veterans in the State of Kansas
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Thumbs up or down: Do we have a good
understanding of the needs of our
military-connected students and
families?
What are some of these needs?
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What did you hear that stood out to you
as being important or surprised you from
the video clip?
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Personal experience
E.V.: 12 years service, noncustodial parent to
two children, was a military child himself
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Strengths: Socially intelligent, compassionate and
empathic
Struggles: Sometimes chose inappropriate ways to
try and fit in
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“When National Guard, Army Reserve and
other military parents living in civilian
communities are mobilized, their children
have unique needs for special support and
services. Now they are "military kids" but
they still look the same to teachers, friends
and the rest of the community. Their lives
are turned upside down! Many of their usual
support systems may no longer be adequate.”
– Operation Military Kids
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Identity confusion- Am I now a military child?
What does that really mean/what does that
change?
Not being located near or not knowing other
military kids
Reserve families are generally not located close
to a military installation- don’t have access to
the same services that other military families
have i.e. healthcare, childcare
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Fosters maturity
Growth inducing
Encourages independence
Encourages flexibility
Builds skills for adjusting to separations and
losses faced later in life
Strengthens family bonds
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A student may show signs of serious stress
during and immediately after deployment to
war. The following signs indicate that the
student is in acute distress and will need to
be referred for immediate evaluation:
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Unfocused agitation or hysteria
Disconnection from peers and adults
Serious depression or withdrawal
Auditory or visual hallucinations
Any prolonged major change from normal
functioning that continues six weeks after
deployment
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After six to eight weeks:
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Have not been able to resume normal classroom assignments and
activities
Continue to have high levels of emotional response such as
continued crying and intense sadness
Continue to appear depressed, withdrawn and noncommunicative
Continue to have difficulty concentrating in school
Express violent or depressed feelings in “dark” drawings or
writings
Intentionally hurt or cut themselves or are at risk for hurting
others
Gain or lose a significant amount of weight in a period of weeks
Discontinue taking care of their personal appearance
Exhibit a possible drug or alcohol abuse problem
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How has your school or district sensitively met
the needs of military connected students?
What are some ideas you have or things you
would like to try?
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Elementary Aged Students
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Engage in play activities
Paint or draw pictures reflecting feelings and thoughts about how
to make things better
Write in a journal
Read and discuss stories about children in conflict and children as
problem solvers
Write cards or letters to the deployed family member
Make a memory book or calendar reflecting positive thoughts and
actions
Take part in individual and group counseling when problems
arise
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Middle School and High School Aged Students
Keep a journal
 Engage in art activities
 Write poetry
 Write stories
 Write cards or letters to the deployed family member
 Relax by doing deep breathing and muscles relaxation exercises
 Learn problem-solving strategies
 Participate in small group discussions
 Participate in support groups
 Exercise
 Listen to music
 Take part in individual and group counseling when problems
arise
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Focus on student and the classroom learning
environment
Provide structure
Maintain objectivity
Reinforce safety and security
Be patient and reduce student work load as needed
Listen
Be sensitive to language and cultural needs
Acknowledge and validate feelings
Reinforce anger management
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Teachers show their pleasure and enjoyment of students.
Teachers interact in a responsive and respectful manner.
Teachers offer students help (e.g., answering questions in
timely manner, offering support that matches the
children's needs) in achieving academic and social
objectives.
Teachers help students reflect on their thinking and
learning skills.
Teachers know and demonstrate knowledge about
individual students' backgrounds, interests, emotional
strengths and academic levels.
Teachers seldom show irritability or aggravation toward
students.
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Purpose: To sensitively respond to unique
needs of military-connected children and
families
Phone privileges during school hours
Skype access during school day
Offering computer/internet access to
community members
Brainstorm: other potential
accommodations or amendments to school
policy?
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Has the family supplied the school with Family
Care Plan info?
Deployments can affect children’s sense of trust
“Normal” kids will have difficulty dealing with
a deployment- what additional issues can we
anticipate for military children with special
needs?
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Dads at a Distance
Moms Over Miles
Free tutoring http://military.tutor.com/
4-H Military Partnerships
Interactive iBook by Sandy Risberg
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Military-Connected Students in the Classroom
Military Child Initiative- John Hopkins
University
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Library of Best Practices
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(2013). Military active-duty personnel, civilians by state. Retrieved from http://www.governing.com/govdata/military-civilian-active-duty-employee-workforce-numbers-by-state.html
American psychological association. (2015). Improving students’ relationships with teachers to provide essential
supports for learning: Positive relationships can also help a student develop socially. Retrieved from
http://www.apa.org/education/k12/relationships.aspx
Battistich, V., Schaps, E., & Wilson, N. (2004). Effects of an elementary school intervention on students’
“connectedness” to school and social adjustment during middle school. Journal of Primary Prevention, 24(3).
Birch, S.H., & Ladd, G.W. (1997). The teacher-child relationship and children’s early school adjustment. Journal
of School Psychology, 35(1).
Custer, K. (2014). A study of perceptions of mothers, caregivers, and school-age children regarding educational
experiences during maternal army reserve component deployments. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Kansas
State University, Manhattan, KS.
Department of veterans affairs. (2009). Kansas and the U.S. department of veterans affairs. Retrieved from
http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/factsheets/ss_kanas.pdf
Educational opportunities directorate of the department of defense. (2011). Educator’s guide to the military child
during deployment. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/os/homefront/homefront.pdf
Hamre, B.K., & Pianta, R.C. (2001). Early teacher-child relationships and the trajectory of children’s school
outcomes through eighth grade. Child Development, 72(2).
Kansas adjutant general’s department. (2015). Kansas national guard. Retrieved from
http://www.kansastag.gov/ng_default.asp
National military family association. (2015). Info + resources. Retrieved from http://support.militaryfamily.org
Operation: military kids. (2015). Operation: military kids (OMK). Retrieved from
http://www.operationmilitarykids.org/public/statePOCHome.aspx?state=Kansas