Maine Department of Education - Training: Supporting Children and Families of The National Guard and Reserve Institute

INFORMATIONAL LETTER: 25
POLICY CODE: GCID

TO: Superintendents of Schools; Principals, School Counselors and Nurses

FROM: Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner

DATE: September 25, 2006

RE: Training: Supporting Children and Families of The National Guard and Reserve Institute

The Department of Education is supporting the Maine National Guard’s special training session to help educators recognize and deal with issues and problems facing children of deployed servicemen and women. The Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) will conduct the two-day session at the Augusta State Armory, 179 Western Avenue, Augusta on October 5th and 6th from 8:30-4:00 pm.

I encourage you to send a representative from the district guidance office or other counseling staff as well as a school nurse to this unique training opportunity. The Department of the Army Community and Family Service Center funds the Institute. There is no cost to participants. Guidance counselors, school nurses and social service professionals who deal with children of military families can access registration information at the MCEC website: http://www.MilitaryChild.org/GuardForm.asp.

Here in Maine, approximately two thousand Reserve and National Guard members have been deployed in the global war on terror. Some members have been deployed multiple times. Children and families undergo many challenges on a daily basis and this Institute will help educators understand how they can become important parts of the student’s support team.

For more information regarding the Institute contact Linda Neault at 254-953-1923 or Linda.Neault@MilitaryChild.org, Rick Bach, National Guard State Youth Coordinator at 207-626-4384 or Richard.Bach@us.army.mil or Shelley Reed at the Maine Department of Education, at 207-624-6637 or shelley.reed@maine.gov