By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.American Forces Press Service
GROTON, Conn., Nov. 22, 2011 – Transition can present a multitude of challenges to service members as they prepare to move from one location to another -- sometimes from country to country. Children uprooted from the home, school and friends they’ve known must adapt quickly to a whole new set of circumstances.
Tamar Stearns works with her first-grade students at Dr. Charles G. Barnum Elementary School during class in Groton, Conn., near Submarine Base New London, Nov. 18, 2011. School officials have developed a strong support program for military children, who make up 90 percent of the student body. DOD photo by Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.The nearly 400 children of Dr. Charles G. Barnum Elementary School here face similar issues, but have a distinct advantage thanks to the faculty and other local organizations.
Although Charles Barnum is not a Defense Department school, nearly 90 percent of its student population consists of military children with parents stationed at Submarine Base New London or with smaller units of other services in the area.
With that knowledge in mind, the faculty of Charles Barnum has put together a robust support system to help military children quickly integrate into academic life at the school.
“Our teachers are amazing, in that they recognize our children come and go,” said Catherine Hanson, the community coordinator for the school. “As soon as a child arrives, they are part of the family here at Charles Barnum immediately. I have to say the staff does a great job welcoming these military children.”
Military children face a lot of obstacles, Hanson noted.
“They are uprooted often in their lives, and their education is, therefore, uprooted,” she said. “When you go state to state, different states have different curriculums, so when they bounce around these schools, they have to quickly adjust to the standards which they need to meet. This school does an excellent job acclimating these students, so I’m proud of the staff.”...
Much more here.
The children ALSO serve.
1 comment:
Kids who study in military schools have the edge of being more focused on studies over those who study at public schools since they have smaller class sizes.
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