Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

February 2, 2006

Workshops for Educators Will Focus on Supporting
Kids and Families Who Are "Suddenly Military"

When members of the National Guard and Reserve are deployed for active duty overseas, their children and other family members face unexpected problems and stress. Children may bring some of those problems to school with them.

Missouri education officials are working with the military to provide special training during February and March to help school counselors, teachers and administrators deal with the issues confronting children who are "suddenly military."

The Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) will conduct a two-day seminar for school counselors and other educators Feb. 15-16 at Osage Beach. A one-day workshop will be held March 2 in Jefferson City.

The Military Child Education Coalition’s Guard and Reserve Institute is funded by the Department of the Army Community and Family Service Center.

"The Guard and Reserve Institute training was developed by experienced educators and researchers to provide the awareness and skills to help our schools support the children of deployed servicemen and women. The institute seminar will ‘train the trainers’ so they can take what they learn back to their communities, campuses and colleagues," said Dr. Mary Keller, MCEC’s executive director.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is helping to host the training sessions and inviting school counselors and other professionals to attend. There is no cost to participants except their travel expenses.