K-12 Military Kids Toolkit School Program

1.Military Kids in Minnesota 2.Effects of Deployment 3.Resilience 4.What’s In It For You 5.Sample Curriculum 6.Contact Information Agenda

Military in Minnesota MN Military Kids 23,341 Military Connected School–aged youth in Minnesota Over 3,000 families affected by deployment in ****These numbers are in constant flux Service Member Demographics Army Active Duty: 4,765 Army National Guard: 7,645 Army Reserve: 2,465 Air Force Active Duty: 159 Air Guard: 2,121 Air Force Reserve: 1,031 Navy Active Duty: 2,412 Navy Reserve: 733 Marine Active Duty: 1,436 Marine Reserve: 181 Coast Guard: 348 Coast Guard Reserve: 45

School-Age Youth: Behavioral changes Increased anxiety Change in school performance/ attendance Teen specific: Increased care of home and younger siblings Behavioral changes, peer pressure, lower self-esteem Difficulty understanding media coverage Military Kids: Effects of Deployment Cycle

Resilience: is an ability to bounce back, recover from hard times or return to original form or position. “Resilience is the capacity to rise above difficult circumstances, the trait that allows us to exist in this less-than-perfect world while moving forward with optimism and confidence even in the midst of adversity.” -Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg Building Resilience in Children and Teens ;Giving them Roots and Wings. 2 nd Edition Military Kids: Resilience SF

Proactively identify and engage military connected youth and families to ensure they have access to appropriate resources. Opportunity to better serve military connected students and identify possible behavioral and academic changes. Increase awareness of students in your school and the unique challenges they face What Is In It For Your School

Support: The school will have the resources to better support military connected youth Advocate: Educators can be an advocate for military connected youth Resilience: Schools provide and foster resilience building in military connected students What Is In It For Your Parents

Opportunities to meet with other Military connected students at school Self identify as a Military connected youth in a safe proactive environment Learn about available resources Have a place to express themselves with one another in a safe environment What Is In It For Your Students

Allow for families to self-identify on enrollment forms Put a military-friendly window cling in your window Send out a school-wide announcement about a peer support group Recognize April as being Month of the Military Child How to Identify Military Connected Youth

K-12 Military Kids Toolkit: - Educators Guide - K-12 Curriculum

#1 Forward March: Gain awareness about military children, the Deployment Cycle and ”Beyond the Yellow Ribbon” #2 Chase that Stress right out the Door: Discover techniques for managing stress and strong feelings. #3 Buddies:Recognition of and the need for support systems. #4 Changing Flight Patterns: Coping with change, adjusting to a possible shift of family roles, and character traits as resilience builders. #5 Activate: I CAN! Discern the possibility of personal choices. #6 Coming in for a Landing: Build Resilience by reviewing the tools one already has in their “toolbox” and plan a strategy to meet life’s challenges ahead. Military Kids: PSI Toolkit Lessons for K - 3rd grade:

Military Kids: PSI Toolkit Lessons for K - 3rd grade: Leader page

Military Kids: PSI Toolkit Lessons for K - 3rd grade: Student page

#1 Fall In: What is Deployment and what does it mean? What to expect in the 5 sessions. #2 Mobilization Unite: Understand who is a military connected kid, how the family roles change during the deployment cycle. #3 Obstacle Maneuvers: Discover techniques for managing stress and conflict. #4 At Ease: Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems and how to balance school, activities, and family life. #5 Positive Thought Activation: Explore coping skills for life events and how to identify alternative solutions to problems. #6 Decompression: Build Resiliency by reviewing the tools one already has in their “toolbox” and plan a strategy to meet life’s challenges ahead. Military Kids: PSI Toolkit Lessons for 4 th -12 th grade

Beyond the Yellow Ribbon: Military Kids: Peer Support Initiative (PSI) SCHOOL PROGRAM MISSION 1: Formation- “Fall- in!” Grade 4 th, 5 th, 6 th grades Start/End Dates Semester 2 Guidance Lesson Content 1.NAME TENTS: Hand out a marker and a sheet of paper to each student. Have them fold it lengthwise in half. Put Name in the middle (large). In each corner have them write the answer each question: 1. What family member is in the military or connected to the military? 2. What extracurricular activities do you enjoy? 3. What responsibilities do you have in your family schedule? 4. Draw a picture of your current emotion. Students share the corners on their name tent, as time allows [10 minutes] 2.PRE-Assessment: Have students take pre-assessment, “What Do You Know” [Appendix A] Using the “What Do You Know” question sheet, discuss the answers and why they answered it that way. [15 minutes] 3.INTRODUCTION to Material: Discuss what is ahead for the next sessions. 4.STAGES of DEPLOYMENT : Ask the students their definition of “deployment”, “reintegration” Draw the Deployment Cycle so all can see [use Appendix B as a guide] Ask what they think the stages of deployment would be and what happens in each. Ask them the possible emotions a student might go through in each stage. [10 min] 5.SKIT: Read the Deployment Skit [Appendix C] Follow up with questions [Appendix D] [10 minutes] 1.JOURNAL reflection: Students take 2 minutes to write down 1 thing they learned today and any questions they might have. (OPT to share now or next session) ASCA Standard / Competency Personal/Social Development:A1.5 Identify and express feelings Personal/Social Development:A1.12 Identify and recognize changing family roles Materials  Markers and pens/pencils  What Do You Know Pre-Assessment questions (Appendix A)  Deployment Cycle (Appendix B)  Deployment Skit (Appendix C)  Deployment skit follow-up questions (Appendix D)  Journal or paper booklet # of Students Impacted 4 th, 5 th, 6 th graders Lesson Presented In.. Evaluation Methods Perception Data:Results Data: Attitude:  Determined to succeed during deployment cycle Skills:  Connect with others and be willing to share Knowledge:  Understand Cycle of Deployment and Military terms Achievement Related:  Recognize new roles within family unit during deployment cycle Achievement:  Improve communication with family and networks. Contact Person Kirsten Fisher, , or Laura Groeneweg, ,

MISSION 1: Formation- “Fall- in!” Objectives : * Assess baseline of basic military knowledge * Acknowledge/ and connect with other military connected kids * Understand the Cycle of Deployment Lesson: 1. NAME TENTS: Hand out a marker and a sheet of paper to each student. Have them fold it lengthwise in half. Put Name in the middle (large). In each corner have them write the answer each question: Students share the corners on their name tent, as time allows [10 minutes] 2. PRE-ASSESSMENT: Have students take pre-assessment, “What Do You Know” [Appendix A] Using the “What Do You Know” pre-assessment, share answers and discuss. [15 minutes] 3. INTRODUCTION to Material: Discuss what is ahead for the next sessions. 4. STAGES of DEPLOYMENT : Ask the students their definition of “deployment” and “reintegration” Draw the Deployment Cycle so all can see [use Appendix B as a guide] Ask what they think the stages of deployment are and what happens in each Ask them the possible emotions a student might go through while their parent goes through each stage. [10 min] 5. SKIT: Read the Deployment Skit [Appendix C] [5 minutes] Follow up with questions [Appendix D] [10 minutes] 6. JOURNAL reflection: Each student takes 2 minutes to write down 1 thing they learned today and any questions they might have. (OPT to share now or next session)

4 th -6 th grade Curriculum 7 th - 12 th grade Curriculum K -3rd grade Curriculum Resources to supplement the curriculum

1.To register go to A member of the MN National Guard Youth Programs will you the curriculum and answer any questions you have after submitting your application 3.Promote Military Kids: Peer Support Initiative within your school or community 4.Implement the lessons in a small group setting 5.Your feedback is valued! Please feel free to comment on the lessons and share success stories through survey monkey Access to Curriculum

Operation: Military Kids Hidden Heroes Trainings Hero Packs/Comfort Pillows Speak Out for Military Kids (SOMK) Mobile Technology Lab (MTL) Youth Activities Amber Greeley – MN OMK Program Specialist or

Contact: Laura Groeneweg: (651) Link to register and receive toolkit: