Supporting Children and Families of Deployed Members of the Reserves and National Guard

INFORMATIONAL LETTER: 76
POLICY CODE: GCID

TO: Superintendents; Principals; School Counselors; School Nurses
FROM: Susan Gendron, Commissioner
DATE: January 25, 2008
SUBJECT: Supporting Children and Families of Deployed Members of the Reserves and National Guard

Here in Maine over two thousand Reserves and National Guard members have been called to serve the United States in the global war on terrorism. For some this has meant multiple deployments. These service members are forced to leave their friends, co-workers and, even more difficult, their families. In the Bangor area troops were deployed in the fall and just this month additional troops have been called up.

The Maine Department of Education, as a partner with Operation Military Kids and the Reserves and National Guard, is offering training to help school personnel and service providers in deployment areas to learn about resources and supports available to families and youth of Reserve and Guard members. Each step of deployment offers challenges to families. Teachers, school counselors, nurses and other school staff are an important part of a student’s support system.

I encourage you to attend the training to learn how to help support the children of deployed servicemen and women. Trainings will be held March 19th in Bangor and March 20th in Portland. The cost to attend the session is $25.00 per person. The trainings will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

To register please contact Karen Hatch Gagne at karenhg@umext.maine.edu or 1-800-287-1481. Please let her know which session you will be attending: Bangor, March 19th, Bangor Air Force Reserve Center or Portland, March 20th, Portland Armory. Lunch and materials will be provided. For additional information, contact Shelley Reed at the Maine Department of Education at 624-6637 or shelley.reed@maine.gov .

Truancy, Dropout, Alternative Education web site can be found at : http://www.maine.gov/education/tdae