To note, April 12th is Purple Up! day where the military asks the community to wear the color purple to recognize the children. Below are the questions we asked JBSA:

 

How many military students are in the SA ISDs?

There are 35,000+ students throughout 29 Independent School Districts spread throughout the 9 County region that services JBSA.

What programs and resources are available to military children?

Child & Youth Education Services – School Liaisons are located at each installation and are the central point of contact for commanders, military families, and local school systems on school-related matters for grades Pre-K-12. The School Liaison Office (SLO) advocate, advise, and build alliances to help address education concerns/issues of the Total Force and offer a network, to educate and provide information/referral for both military families and school districts.

Services provided but are not limited to:

• Transition Support (School Districts & Boundaries), Deployment Support, College & Career Readiness, Scholarship Resources, Parent Workshops, School District Professional Development and Military Interstate Compact Compliance Support.
• SLO services are open to all DoD ID Card holders, educators who service military students and community partners within the pre-K-12 education realm.
• Some schools that are heavily military impacted have Anchored4Life program and Student to Student Programs, or Ambassador Programs to assist with the welcoming of new students into their schools.
• There are several that have “military kids clubs” which bring together those students that share the same service to our country to talk, do projects and provide support to them.
• Programs through the installation such as Military Family Life Consultants and other installation programs for service to their families

Military students transition typically 6 to 9 times during their K-12 career.  Each time, students embrace a new community, culture, education models, and make new friends.  Students often have to repeat courses, lose credits as well as have to sit out of extracurricular activities when they move through the school year.  Along with transition, they are expected to support the mission by understanding the needs of the military when a parent deploys. They receive permanent change of station orders to relocate and when the military member has to put service before their families’ needs.

 

Where can people find out more about what is happening throughout SA?

Families can contact their schools for highlights on campus.  They can all contact their local Child & Youth Programs for information on base events.   They can monitor JBSA School Liaison Office social media or 502 FSS Website – https://www.jbsatoday.com/