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July

Helping Military Children Deal with Deployment Inside a Northfield classroom, teachers and community leaders are learning how the big guard deployment will impact military kids. The Vermont Department of Education and Vermont National Guard teamed up to bring the nonprofit group Military Child Education Coalition here. Experts say deployments impact kids differently; some get angry at their parent for volunteering or ask why now? "It's not them. They didn't do anything to create this change," said Karen Campbell of Brattleboro. Children often feel out of control, so one tip is to let them be in charge of what they can control. Also having a support system in place is key. Karen Campbell has four children and her husband is getting ready to deploy for the second time. "So it's all kind of oh - d��j� vu kind of things - like I was there," she said. She attended the free workshop because there is no big military base in Vermont where families live, so guard members can feel isolated - especially kids - whose friends are not going through the same thing. Full Article +

DoDEA grant The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) awarded a grant to Manhattan -Ogden USD 383 through the Promoting Student Achievement at Schools Impacted by Military Force Structure Changes FY 09 Competitive Grant Program. USD 383 received a grant in the amount of $452,400.00. The amount of the grant is based on the number of military -connected students within the school district. "The Department of Defense Education Activity Grant reinforces our partnership with the Central Flint Hills Region," said Nikki Crisman, Fort Riley's Child and Youth Services coordinator. "Additionally it reinforces our partnership for Soldiers and Families who live and work in Manhattan and Ogden." Crisman said the grant enhances educational opportunities for Soldiers and their Families, which directly impacts military readiness, retention and recruitment. "Military Families pursue assignments where they have access to quality schools and education for their children," she said. "This grant will strengthen our community partnerships, as well as establish Fort Riley as the premiere division -level post in the world." Full Article +

July 9, 2009 - Help Needed for Children of Soldiers Honolulu Star Bulletin - - Editorial Much has been written about the psychological stress plaguing U.S. soldiers cycling in and out of war zones, but now comes news of an alarming spike in depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts among children of active -duty military families. The findings have grave implications in Hawaii, where many spouses and children remain while their active -duty loved ones are repeatedly deployed to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. For some families, being based so far from extended family elsewhere in the United States compounds the stress and sense of isolation. A concentrated effort to provide a range of services is strongly encouraged. Full Article +

July 8, 2009 - Morongo Unified Schools Receive $2 Million Grant By Melissa Pinion -Whitt, The San Bernardino Sun The Morongo Unified School District has received a $2 million federal grant focused on districts that serve children of military families. The Department of Defense Education Activity awarded the grant to help the district with professional development programs and expanded learning, military officials said. About 23 percent of the district's 9,630 students have family members in the military. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2007 allowed the Department of Defense Educational Activity to help students not enrolled in Department of Defense schools. Full Article + | DoDEA Press Release +

July 8, 2009 - Boards Say Funds Needed To School Military Children Harnett County School leaders and commissioners said Tuesday they want to pursue any federal money that is available to help build new schools. They also said the federal government is not doing enough to absorb the tremendous growth it is causing. School board members and county commissioners told a representative of U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge's office and a representative from the State Department of Public Instruction they want to take advantage of programs that are now available. Both boards instructed their staffs to begin the application process for federal bond programs that will allow for renovating old buildings and constructing new schools. Harnett County is eligible for money under two bond programs. The county can get as much as $4.5 million in funds through the Qualified Zone Academy Bond, or QZAB, program. That program allows for renovations and repairs to buildings which have at least a 35 percent population of free or reduced lunches. The money is can be used for anything except new construction. QZAB bonds can only be issued if the school district secures a private entity partner willing to contribute cash or in -kind services of 10 percent of the amount being issued. Harnett County is authorized to apply for up to $2.4 million under the qualified school construction bond program. There is no free or reduced lunch or community match required under the school construction bond program. The money can be used to build new schools but school board members and commissioners said it won't be enough. It has been projected that Harnett County will get at least 4,000 more students before the 2013 school year. That will require one elementary, middle and high school just to deal with growth in the southwestern part of the county. It is there the impact of the Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC, movement is being felt the most. Full Article +

July 1, 2009 - New Ga. laws effective today The 2009 session of the General Assembly enacted 89 bills that become law Wednesday, affecting Georgians from embryos to students to retirees. Of the 193 bills signed into law after the session, 91 took effect when Gov. Sonny Perdue signed them during the spring, and nine will become law Jan. 1. One each becomes law when appropriations come and one on Jan. 1, 2011. The list taking effect next week includes two controversial measures. One establishes April as Confederate History Month; it includes the designation of the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum in Savannah as an official state historical civil rights museum. The other measure would require proof of citizenship when registering to vote, but it can't be applied unless the federal government concludes it won't unfairly harm minority voting. Among the most sweeping new laws is the reorganization of the state's health agencies so that concerns of mental health and disabilities get their own department."A new, focused agency will improve our mental -health system, while the two remaining agencies have been reorganized to better align services," said Perdue's spokesman Bert Brantley. "Our end goals are simple: better care for our state's most vulnerable citizens and more value for our tax dollars." Full Article +

July 1, 2009 - Summer camps offer stress relief MILITARY CHILDREN: Dealing with deployment is purpose for two nonprofits' free programs At least 320 military children in the north country will be able to attend free summer camps in August. The two camps fall under different nonprofit programs, but they have the same objective: Get military kids that are dealing with deployments outside and away from the day -to -day stresses. Full Article +