Children our Greatest Treasure Proud – Ready – Resilient

1. Children our Greatest Treasure Proud – Ready – Resilient SC JFHQ J1.1 Service Member and Family Care Directorate South Carolina National Guard

2. The Soldier's Creed “I will never leave a fallen comrade” Our Responsibility “To never leave a child behind” Build Resiliency “ Resilient children are our future”

3. South Carolina National Guard INITIATIVE To increase awareness of available resources to Guard and Family members INTENT To help create a strong social network with Guard and Family members within the community PURPOSE Help communities understand the mindset of a military student when their parent is deployed

5. Deployment YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM PRE-DEPLOYMENT Notice that the service member will be deployed to another location in the US or abroad for long term duty. DEPLOYMENT (During/ Reunion) Deployment is the time the service member is gone. The family struggles with new and increased roles and responsibilities. POST-DEPLOYMENT – (30/60/90 Day) The service member is coming home. Reintegration begins with coming back into society, community and family life.

6. Deployment & Our Children The demands on military members and their families are complex. Children are especially vulnerable when separated from parents due to deployments. Deployment heightens the risk for emotional distress during the separation period.

7. Operational Security Most children may not be aware of scheduled dates. Protect the confidentiality of military families. Deployment or return dates are not published.

8. Military Interstate Children’s Compact – MIC3 http://www.mic3.net Resolving education transition issues for military families. The compact provides for the uniform treatment of military children transferring between school districts and states.

9. Strategies for Identifying Military Youth • Encourage the district to add a “military family” section on forms when registering for school • Observe, listen and ask children • Contact Parents/Guardians • Coordinate information from other building/district members • Post military family info in the school and on district websites • Invite local veterans to speak about patriotism (this usually leads to wonderful conversations ) • Add patriotic-themed reading books for your classroom/building library • Hero projects (encourage youth to write about their personal heroes)

10. Impact Aid Basic support payments that help local school districts educate federally connected children. Each district has a local point of contact. Web Address - http://www2.ed.gov/programs/8003/ SOUTH CAROLINA – Statewide Contact Ms. Felicia Poston Office Of FinanceSouth Carolina State Department Of EducationColumbia, South Carolina 29201803-734-8488803-734-8624 FAX

11. South Carolina National Guardmilitary resources available for your use: • www.scguard.com/j11-family-programs.php Family Programs • www.scguard.com/child-youth-programs.php Child & Youth • www.169fw.ang.af.mil Air Guard • www.facebook.com/scngfamilyprograms?ref=ts&fref=ts SCNG Family Programs • www.militaryonesource.com Information, resources, education, and consultation

12. South Carolina National Guardmilitary resources available for your use: • www.militarychild.org Military Child Education Coalition [MCEC] providing educational information and programs • www.militaryfamily.org National Military Family Association - NMFA is a Department of Defense site with a host of information and resources for military families and educators • www.scomk.org OMK (Camps, Mobile Technology Lab, Speak Out for Military Kids [SOMK], community resources/networking programs) • www.yellowpagesforkids.com List of education consultants, health care specialists, advocates, attorneys, government programs, grassroots organizations, and parent support groups

13. South Carolina National Guardmilitary resources available for your use: • Military Family and Life Consultants (MFLC) Stress/Anxiety, and Grief/Loss consulting, daily life issues, and relationship issues due to deployment Michelle Evans - michelle.evans@ahsg.us (Upstate) Jennifer Wolff - jennifer.wolff@ahsg.us (Midlands - Low country) • www.ChildCareAware.org Help finding and paying for quality childcare: 800-424-2246 • www.Tutor.com/military Homework help is a click away - online tutoring for National Guard, active duty and reserve students and their families. Some bilingual specialists located internationally. Access from anywhere in the world, 24/7

14. South Carolina National Guardmilitary resources available for your use: • www.unitedthroughreading.org Pre-recorded video books to stay connected with your children while deployed • www.familiesnearandfar.org The ability to keep families safely connected by instilling creativity and constant communication • www.MilitaryKidsConnect.org DoD website for children experiencing the challenges of military deployment • www.afcrossroads.com Armed Forces Crossroads – Collection of information involving support, education, employment, health, finances, and everyday challenges for Troops and their Families • www.ourmilitarykids.org OMK - Grants to support and sustain children of deployed National Guard and Military Reserve Families for special activities

15. Questions? Kathleen H. DaCamara, MS Child and Youth Program Coordinator/CPS/Ctr SC National Guard Email: kathleen.h.dacamara.ctr@mail.mil Office: 803-299-4025 Cell: 803-521-1038 South Carolina National Guard

16. CHILDREN ARE OUR GREATEST TREASURE Thank you for your time!