Navy Region Southwest School Liaison Newsletter

Academic Anchor
2011
In this issue: Current Events Transition Support Deployment Support 1 3 4 Command, School, and Community Connections 5 Home School Linkeage Partnerships in Education Post-Secondary Preparation EFMP Resources 6 6 7 8

NovemberDecember

Navy School Liaison Contacts Back Cover

Addressing educational issues that affect military children in Navy Region Southwest.

Current Events
Wake Up & Get Schooled Celebrity Wake Up Calls
Need help getting up in the morning?
If so, youre in the right place! We want to make it a little more interesting and fun to wake up each morning. Weve asked our friends to help start your day off with a Wake Up call. We all know that getting up early and getting to school on time can be a challenge. But we also know that if you want to graduate from high school, you need to show up for school. Starting in October through the end of the school year, you will receive a call from our celebrity education ambassadors listed below and other, take a look at our celebrity corner: Wiz Khalifa Nicki Minaj Trey Songz Greyson Chance Ciara Sway Calloway and more! How do you get a Wake Up call from Get Schooled? Fill out the form on the link below and make sure that you schedule your call with more than enough time to get up and get to school! Stay Connected with Get Schooled: Facebook and Twitter. When will you get your Wake Up call? Wake Up & Get Schooled calls start in October and will run throughout the entire school year. What day will you get your call? It will be a surprise! You will receive it on any school day. Who can get a Wake Up call? Only legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia who are at least 13 years of age or older at time of entry are eligible to sign up. http://getschooled.com/wakeup

CALIFORNIAS GOVERNOR BROWN PASSES LEGISLATION REGARDING MILITARY-RELATED ABSENCES: Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children encourages states to put into place policies and procedures to support military child education in areas to include: Educational Records Immunizations Kindergarten & First Grade Entrance Age Placement & Attendance Course & Educational Program Placement Special Education Services Placement Flexibility Absence Related to Deployment Activities AB 387, passed by Governor Brown on the 8th of October, allows each District Superintendent (coordinated through classroom teacher) in California to label deployment-related absences as excused, therefore removing any ADA monetary penalization that would occur with an unexcused absence. This is stipulated by children completing all assignments and any work missed during absences through work-study coordinated by classroom teacher. For questions regarding AB 387 Legislation, or any other Interstate Compact-related questions, please contact Shannon Milder at shannon. milder@navy.mil or 619-532-4251.

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Navy Region Southwest School Liaison Newsletter

Current Events
Bethume Elementary Implementes Peace Builder Program
On September 19th, the students of Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School along with service members from Naval Base San Diego took part in the first Peace Builder Assembly for the 2011-2012 school year. Naval Base San Diego Color Guard, nine sailors, and the Executive Officer for Naval Base San Diego, Commander Witherspoon, participated in a total of three, thirty minute assemblies in which over 700 students and staff had the opportunity to interact with sailors from the installation through an open forum discussion setting. Classes were escorted by the service members from their classrooms to the auditorium for the assemblies. Naval Base Color Guard presented colors and all assembly attendees recited the Pledge of Allegiance as one group. In addition, CDR Witherspoon and the students discussed why it is important to respect the American Flag as well as recite the Pledge of Allegiance in school. The focus of the assembly was to relate to the students how the Navy is comprised of individuals that are Peace Builders and how students can themselves become Peace Builders. CDR Witherspoon explained the Navy is called upon to assist people not only in San Diego but all over the world, and they take great pride in knowing they have assisted people they do not even know. Picking up trash, assisting classmates, family members and not bullying others were topics also discussed during the assembly. The students were also introduced to a new award that will be presented twice a year to those students that demonstrate qualities of being a Peace Builder. The JR Navy Achievement Award will be given after the fall semester and spring semester. CDR Witherspoon informed the attendees that she will be visiting the students and staff at Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary again for the presentation of the award.

NAS Lemoore Fire Department hosted NAS Lemoore Homeschoolers for a field trip October 5th.

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Transition Support

Navy Child & Youth Programs

Youth Sponsorship Form
Name _____________________________________ E-mail _____________________________________ Phone _____________________________________ Child(rens) Name/Grade _________________________ __________________________________________ What is a Youth Sponsor?
If no, would your child be interested in becoming a Youth Sponsor? Yes No In what area of town do you expect to be living?

____________________________________________________
What school does your child attend? ____________________________ What Youth Center does your child attend? ________________________ Is the familys Service Member currently deployed? Yes No Is the familys Service Member expected to deploy? Yes No If yes, when? ___________________________________________ Communication between the Navys School Liaison Program and our families is very important. We are creating a distribution list of email addresses to which to send local military resources. Are you interested in receiving military resource information? Yes Please return this form to your School Liaison Officer or Youth Center Manager.

A Youth Sponsor is a child who assists another child in feeling welcomed to the area, and helps military children feel connected to their new duty station. The Youth Sponsorship Program supports children through outreach and continuous guidance upon the childs integration to the new location. Are you new to the area? Yes No If yes, would you like your child(ren) to have a Youth Sponsor? Yes No

Connecting Navy Families, Commands and K-12 Schools

Questions?
www.mwrtoday.com/slo 619-532-4251 youth.sponsorship@mwrsw.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Navy-SLO/144612695576942?ref=ts

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Deployment Support
OPERATION BIGS
The first program of its kind in the nation, Operation Bigs is an initiative of Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County. Operation Bigs provides mentors to children of military families through our site-based programs. Volunteers meet with their Little Brothers and Little Sisters for one hour one day a week (times and dates are the same every week) at the childs school or local community center. During that hour the volunteer and child play games, sports, and do other fun activities together, while building a friendship. We have four Operation Bigs sites in San Diego, serving children ages 7 - 12 years old. These are the days and times we meet each week during the school year at each of those sites: MCAS Miramar: Mondays 3:30-4:30 pm Point Loma: Tuesday 3:30-4:30 pm Coronado: Wednesdays 1:05-2:05 pm or 1:40-2:40 pm Serra Mesa: Thursdays 4:00-5:00 pm. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age and able to commit to the program for one year. We are currently recruiting volunteers, especially male volunteers, for this coming school year - come join us! Its a great way to make a difference in a childs life while having fun at the same time!

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Command, School & Commuity Connection

Federal Survey Cards:

Supporting Impact Aid

Dont forget that in October, your schools will be sending home the Federal Survey Cards for Impact Aid. As military families, it is important that you complete and return the Federal Survey Card your child will be bringing home in the early part of October. By investing a few minutes of your time to complete this card, you allow your school to accurately report the number of military dependents enrolled. Additionally, by returning the Federal Survey Card, school districts will be able receive funding from the federal government through the Impact Aid Program. The Impact Aid Program is designed to directly compensate local school districts for: (1) local revenue lost due to the presence of federally owned, and therefore tax-exempt, property and (2) costs incurred due to federally connected students, such as the children of armed services personnel working at a nearby military base. Unlike most other forms of educational assistance, Impact Aid disburses roughly $1.3 billion annually in unrestricted federal funds directly to local school districts rather than through state agencies.

For more information, check out the Ed.gov website at: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/impactaid/whatisia.html You can also contact your Regional School Liaison Officer, Shannon Milder at 619-532-4251 or shannon.milder@navy.mil

Navy SLO Support at Lincoln Housing Expos

-Robin Williamson Fall is a time when Navy School Liaison Officers have many opportunities to meet military families new to San Diego. One avenue to connect with families is through participating in Lincoln Military Housing Expos. This September, SLOs attended at least sixteen expos in the metro San Diego area. Families learned about the SLO program, received military family resources, and visited with their neighbors. Some expos highlighted their Youth Centers with tables and activities for children. Admiral Hartman hosted a Teen Room table staffed by a dozen teens eager to meet new military children. Gateway played games and danced with attendees. These practices are highly supportive of the Youth Sponsorship program, connecting children with children when they PCS here, for a more successful transition.

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Home School Linkage

Need Tutoring Support at Home?
7,119,353 sessions and counting!
We are excited to announce that eligibility for the Tutor. com for Military Families program has been expanded. All Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve members and their families, regardless of their deployment status, are now eligible to access the program at http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Tutor.com/4f7c2cc43e/c9175257ec/ b84416b6f2. Questions about eligibility can be directed to our website. The new eligibility statement details the expanded program coverage is available at: http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Tutor.com/4f7c2cc43e/c9175257ec/ c166d7fca0 Due to the expanded eligibility, the account creation process has changed to ensure all military families can create an account online if they are not near an installation. Military members across all services and their dependents can create an account online at http://cts.vresp.com/c/?Tutor.com/4f7c2cc43e/c9175257ec/ fe8d0c3fda.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the changes, please contact Jennifer Marsh at jmarsh@tutor.com.

Partners In Education
The California School Board Association selects a Naval Base Ventura school (Las Posas) as a finalist for the prestigious Golden Bell Award.

Hero Tree Dedication at Pacific Beach Middle School

-Robin Williamson On September 12th, 2011, Pacific Beach Middle School (PBMS) gathered military students, parents, and first-responders from Station 21 in PB for a heartwarming tree dedication ceremony. A student from PBMS had raised funds last year to purchase this anchor tree for the schools garden. The school wanted to dedicate this special tree to all military and first-responder heroes, in commemorating the tenth anniversary of 9-11. Students made sentimental signs and presented carnations to the heroes and families being honored. It was truly a memorable event.

Golden Bell Award

Counselors from our two military kids clubs and our NBVC Schools Liaison, Monica James, have been asked to attend the visit as well. Additionally, the teachers have already received information about our latest letter writing campaign (to the sailors of NMCB4) which they will be working with their kids on next week.

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Post-Secondary Preparation
Do not pay for college application assistance, career planning tools, financial aid or scholarship assistance. everything is available free of charge.

Seniors

College Application and Admission Process: No More Snail Mail

The college application process is in full swing and keeping track of applications, test scores, passwords and college accounts can be confusing. It is a good idea to record all information on a spreadsheet. Most colleges set up online access for applicants to check on their application status and to request any additional information from applicants. Check these college accounts frequently for notices of admittance, final transcript requests and registration information. Normally, everything will be posted to online accounts.

Juniors
The Early Assessment Program (EAP)

EAP is a tool for students, California State Universities and participating California Community Colleges to determine if students are ready for college level Math and English. The EAP is offered in 11th grade as part of the California Standard Tests (CSTs) in the spring. The EAP uses a selection of questions taken from the CST tests as well as additional questions at the end of the CSTs. ALL 11th graders should participate in the EAP and should bubble the option to send scores to both California State Universities (CSU) and California Community Colleges as their decisions on colleges may change before they graduate. For detailed information on the EAP and to create a student Roadman to Success visit www.csusuccess.org.

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Post-Secondary Preparation

Contact your School Liaison Officer for details on your college planning needs.

Sophomores
Start Keeping Records

College may seem a long way off but it is just around the corner. Many university and scholarship applications ask for details on co-curricular and extracurricular activities, volunteer and work experience, and awards. Start recording all information on everything you do. Include dates, events, award names and contact information for coaches, employers or volunteer coordinators.

Helpful Links
www.californiacolleges.edu
Californias official source for college planning and applications for University of California Campuses (UCs), California State University Campuses (CSUs) California Community Colleges and participating Independent Colleges www.cccapply.org Application site for California Community Colleges www.collegeweeklive.com College tours on your computer studentaid.ed.gov Information from the Department of Education on preparing and funding a college education www.collegeboard.org College planning and SAT registration www.actstudent.org College planning and ACT registration

Freshmen
High School Begins

You have only just started your first high school classes and yet it is time to think about getting involved in your school and community. In addition to academically excellence, universities and scholarships look for students who participate outside their regular school classes. A sport, club, scouts, academic team or non-profit is a great way to get involved. Find something you enjoy but do not over do it, grades are still your top priority.

College Testing Update

Are SAT Subject Tests No Longer Required for UC Admission?

SAT Subject Tests are no longer required to be considered for admission to any of the 9 undergraduate Universities of California campuses. However, SAT Subject Test scores can add value to a students application, especially for competitive majors. SAT Reasoning Test or ACT scores are still required.

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EFMP Support

California Special Education Local Plan Areas (SELPA)

What is a SELPA?
In 1977, all school districts and county school offices were mandated to form consortiums in geographical regions of sufficient size and scope to provide for all special education service needs of children residing within the region boundaries. Each region, Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), developed a local plan describing how it would provide special education services. SELPAs are dedicated to the belief that all students can learn and that special needs students must be guaranteed equal opportunity to become contributing members of society. SELPAs facilitate high quality educational programs and services for special needs students and training for parents and educators. The SELPA collaborates with county agencies and school districts to develop and maintain healthy and enriching environments in which special needs students and families can live and succeed.

Overview
Significant changes have occurred in services and programs provided for children with exceptional needs in the public schools of California. These changes have stemmed from new laws and regulations at both the state and national levels, as well as from the spirit of fairness, balance and equality that characterize the public school system in America. New interpretations of existing laws by the courts have further modified and expanded the services required for exceptional students. Previously, children with disabilities were identified only if their educational needs were obvious. Then, they tended to be placed into programs designed to serve children with similar disabilities in special schools or located separately on comprehensive school sites. Such categorical programs were usually effective in providing specialized services for the populations they served; but in many cases, expectations for these groups were inappropriate in relation to the students actual potential. Gradually, the community and public agencies have become aware that children with disabilities can be educated with their nondisabled peers, guaranteeing equal opportunities for all children... including children with disabilities.

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EFMP Support

These laws and regulations promote changes and procedures leading to such things as the following: Accountability Annual Reviews of Progress California Special Education Management Information System (CASEMIS) Reporting Career Training Community Involvement and Support Compliance Reviews Coordination of Resources Among Districts by Regions Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) Assessment and Data Reporting Due Process Rights Educational Benefit Full Service to All Students with Disabilities Guaranteed Equality of Access Improved Self-Esteem for Children with Disabilities Increased Parent Participation

Individualized Educational Programs (IEP) Less Restrictive Placements (LRE) Local Governance Systems Program Evaluation Quality Program Reviews Social Acceptance of Children with Disabilities Staff Development Programs State Performance Plan Indicator Data Collection Transition from School to Post Secondary Education and Employment Today, as never before, parents, students and staff work together to make certain that the appropriate services are provided on an individualized basis for every child with a disability. The services are provided through the SELPAs. The Local Plan developed and maintained in each community by the people who live there, is the basis of these improvements and the foundation of services.

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Your Navy School Liaision Contacts

Shannon Milder
Navy Region Southwest Regional School Liaison Officer shannon.milder@navy.mil 619-532-4251

Monica James

Naval Base Ventura County monica.james@navy.mil 805-989-5211

Paula Emmert

Navy Region Southwest Deputy School Liaison Officer paula.emmert@navy.mil 858-349-7678

Margaret Gladders

NAS Lemoore margaret.gladders@navy.mil 559-998-2242

Lora Willett

Murphy Canyon/ Downtown Feeder Schools lora.willett@navy.mil 619-991-2509

Melissa Burns

NAS Fallon melissa.l.burns@navy.mil 775-426-3738

Kelly Donahue

Coronado/South Bay/ Imperial Beach kelly.donahue@navy.mil 619-247-9109

Tina Wekell

NPS/Monterey ecwekell@nps.edu 831-656-1008

Chanin Massaglia

East County/Santee/ Lemon Grove/El Centro chanin.massaglia@navy.mil 619-247-9082

If you havent found us yet, please look for us on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/NavyEFMP.sandiego You can also contact your Regional EFML at 619-556-6899 or christel.chase.ctr@navy.mil

Robin Williamson

Coastal Schools/Point Loma robin.williamson@navy.mil 858-431-6482