School's in for fall

Published July 20, 2010
By Monica Mendoza
21st Space Wing Public Affairs staff writer

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- As new Peterson Air Force Base families relocate this summer to Colorado Springs, it means more children will start at a new school this fall.

According to the Department of Defense Education Activity, a military family moves three times more often than a non-military family. And, each move means starting over with questions about programs, school rules, bus schedules and more. National, state and local school officials, including the 21st Space Wing school liaison officer, can help make the transition into a new school a little easier.

Children who live on Peterson Air Force Base are zoned for schools in Colorado Springs School District No. 11. Registration forms can be found at www.d11.org/registration/. The first day of school in the district is Aug. 18.

In recent years, local, state and national education and military leaders have worked to make that transition into a new school easier for military children.

In 2008, the Department of Defense and the Council of State Governments created the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, which aims to help military students transition into new schools every time they move. The compact, which Colorado has signed, covers school records, enrollment in special programs like gifted and talented and International Baccalaureate. The compact calls for giving children an opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities, regardless of deadlines to tryout or train. And, the compact gives military children extra time off to spend with their family, without penalty, when a deployed parent comes home.

In June, top U.S. education and military leaders took part in a roundtable discussion with parents in Virginia to talk about the education challenges military families face. At the top of the list of concerns were the number of moves and the number of deployments, and how they affect a child's education. Parents told military officials that a parent's deployment affects a child's school work and school relationships with teachers and other students. One parent, Kathryn Griffin, whose husband is in the Virginia National Guard, expressed concern for Guard children, whom she worries get lost in public schools where teachers may not receive the special training they need to detect when children are experiencing problems due to a deployment or other military challenges.

Lisa Ballard, 21st Space Wing's school liaison officer, said the best thing parents can do is tell school officials and teachers when a parent is about to deploy.

"Inform the school staff and anyone who comes into contact with the kids," she said. "Let them know there could be changes in behavior with your child and (the staff) can be on the look out for signs."

One resource on Peterson AFB that Ms. Ballard recommends is the Youth Military Family Life Consultant, a licensed counselor available to talk to children and their parents.

"They work on education and prevention," Ms. Ballard said. "They are available even if a parent wants to talk about a child's behavior."

· Find out more about Colorado Springs School District 11 at www.d11.org.

· To read more on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, go to www.csg.org/programs/policyprograms/NCIC/interstatecommission_militarychildren.aspx.

· Peterson parents with school related questions can call Ms. Ballard at 556-6141.

· To reach the Youth Military Family Life Consultant, call 487-5663.

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