Governor announces initiative for military kids Published Jan. 4, 2007 POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley recently announced an initiative to help the children of military parents who are deployed on active duty. The initiative includes training institutes to help educators better understand the challenges faced by children of deployed parents as well as a new Web site to help educators identify and assist these students. Joining the governor and First Lady Mary Easley at the workshop for public school educators in Raleigh were Board of Education Chairman Howard Lee, Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson, state National Guard Adjutant Maj. Gen. William Ingram Jr., Lil Ingram, Cumberland County Schools Superintendent Bill Harrison and National Guard families. "For many military children, teachers may be one of the few sources of stability and attending school every day may be one of the few 'normal' routines for those whose lives are disrupted when military parents answer the call to duty," said Governor Easley. "Teachers and administrators need to know how to identify and help children adjust and focus on learning during such a difficult time." Governor Easley asked the Department of Public Instruction and the Board of Education to develop institutes and encourage representatives from each of the state's school districts to participate in one of three regional Supporting Children and Families of the National Guard and Reserve Institutes held this year. These two-day training sessions were designed to help educators understand the challenges faced by children with deployed family members in the National Guard and Reserve and strategies to support the needs of children and their families. The institutes, which are projected to become annual events, are conducted by the Military Child Education Coalition, an international organization supporting educational opportunities for children in military families and have been provided free to local school districts. The new Web site, www.ncpublicschools.org/militarysupport, provides information about the stages of military deployment, common and serious stress reactions among students with deployed parents, tips on identifying and working with students with deployed parents, suggested lesson plans and activities, and additional resources for supporting children struggling with the separation from a family member during deployment. Information about the site will be communicated to teachers and administrators across the state. "While many people think of our military families in and around active duty bases in our state, the fact is we have children of National Guard members and Reservists all across North Carolina," said General Ingram. "Teachers in every school system have children dealing with the issue of deployment in their classroom. We owe it to the men and women serving our country to provide educators with the tools they need to support these children." More than 75 school personnel participated in the training held in Hickory on Nov. 16 and 17 and in Greenville Nov. 28 through 30. The institute today and Wednesday in Raleigh is the final training session for the year. "The Military Child Education Coalition sincerely thanks Governor Easley for his continued leadership and commitment," said Mary Keller, executive director of the Military Child Education Coalition. "His heartfelt example encourages all educators and community members to be informed, active advocates for the military children in this state. As a result of Governor Easley's leadership, North Carolina is truly a model of statewide support for families that serve." North Carolina is home to the fourth largest number of military personnel in the nation, about 123,000 including members of the National Guard and Reserves. Currently, more than 23,000 active military personnel and members of the North Carolina National Guard and Reserves are on deployment, according to the Department of Defense. (Courtesy of the North Carolina governor's office)