Common Ground: Education & the Military STAFF SERGEANT EDWARD GUEVARA, Public Affairs Chief, United States Marine Corps KRISTOPHER NEKVINDA, Executive.

Common Ground:Education & the Military

STAFF SERGEANT EDWARD GUEVARA, Public Affairs Chief, United States Marine Corps

KRISTOPHER NEKVINDA, Executive Officer, United States Marine Corps

PENNY RINKER, Counselor, Moorefield High School

TOMMY D. BAKER, Education Services Specialist, Beckley Recruiting Battalion

MSGT ERIC CEPEK, Regional Director, United State Air Force

SHELLY DEBERRY, Student Success Advocate, West Virginia Department of Education

Background in West Virginia

February 2010 WVDE met with Army Education Specialist Spring 2010 Development of Military Recruiting Protocol May 2010 Presented protocol to Army Station

Commanders August 2010 WV Student Success Summit October 2010 Report of the NASBE Study Group on Education

and the Military was released October 2010 Presented protocol to school counselors in 3

regional workshops October 2010 Presented protocol to the largest Army recruiting

battalion in West Virginia November 2010WV Board of Education created sub-committee

WV State Board Committee

Consist of:3 state board membersRepresentatives from the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force,

WV National Guard, Civil Air Patrol, Operation Military Kids, WV Parent Teacher Association and WVDE staff.

Agendas:Legislative recommendation to join Interstate Compact on

Education for Military Students (SB 189)ASVAB testing be available in all high schoolsApproval of Military Recruiting ProtocolDevelopment of MOU

Common Ground: Report

Key Report Takeaways: Approximately 7 in every 10 Americans between the ages of 17 – 24 are

ineligible to enter military service because: they are either physically unfit (including being overweight or obese) have criminal records have not graduated from high school

Military programs manage to succeed where others fail because of their attention to a holistic approach to student education and development.

Report Recommendations

State boards should promote the importance: of developing strategic partnerships that can benefit the development of all students into

productive and responsible citizens.

Study group urges state and local education agencies to:

take advantage of possible educational partnerships with all branches of the armed services.

State boards should leverage their authority over: state school counseling mandates, guidance counselor certification requirement, and

school counseling programs so that counselors can better inform students and parents about evidence-supported education programs and strategies, including military-themed/generated programs, as well as help them create a postsecondary plan that examines all options: work, college or the military.

Panel Discussion

Operation Military Kids Help create networks of people, organizations and other resources to help

support military children. Help children better understand and cope with military life, family member

deployment and reintegration, as well as the unique challenges facing their families.

Offer a wide array of recreational, social and educational programs for military youth living in civilian communities.

Educate and increase community awareness of the impact of the deployment cycle.

HB 2550 - Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.

Provide program information and appoint project officer/mentor when appropriate.

Provide materials to gain student interest in the program.

Provide instructor guides, lesson plans, activity books and other program resources at no cost.

Provide student membership with textbooks, uniforms and additional training materials.

Provide FBI background checks on all adult members at no cost.

WV Wing Civil Air Patrol

WV State Board of Education

Ensure that every student will have the opportunity to take the ASVAB test in their school or a school nearby, for the purpose of career assessment, exploration and development.

Create a communication plan to educate students, parents, faculty, administration and community members about the intent, purpose and benefits of this MOU.

WV Parent Teacher Association

Provide education and resources to its members of students, parents, faculty, administration and community members about the positive supports, including career development and tutoring services, available through military personnel through bulletin articles and displays/materials at WV PTA conventions.

Help to create networks of people, organizations, and other resources to help support military children.

Support and encourage all efforts to make available career and mentoring programs to all students in West Virginia provided through this MOU.

Educate and increase community awareness of the impact of the deployment cycle on service members, families, kids, and the community as a whole

Resources Available

Partners in EducationCareer MentorsGuard Fit ChallengeHumvee School Program YOU CAN School ProgramGED PlusAbout FaceForward MarchYouth ChallengeDrug Demand Reduction

PaYSConAPASVAB Career ExplorationMarch 2 Success TutorialASVAB test preparationPlanning for LifeEntertainment TeamEducator ToursCivil Air PatrolClassroom Presentations

Questions?

Next Steps

Educating educators, military personnel, parents and students about the benefits of the Common Ground Initiatives.

Additional Resources

WV School Protocol “Common Ground:Education and the Military”

2010-11 US Army High School Program Guide

Common Ground: Education and the Military Meeting the Needs of Students (The NASBE report)

COMMON GOAL: High School Graduation College and Career Ready

“Every school-day in America, 171 school buses loaded with children leave school never to return. That is our daily dropout rate.”

Quoted by Franklin Schargel in his book: "Helping Students Graduate, published by: Eye on Education.

6,911 students are expected to leave West Virginia schools this year without earning a high school diploma

(Education Week Diplomas Count 2010)

Contact Information

Shelly DeBerry

Student Success Advocate

West Virginia Department of Education

[email protected]