Office of Student and Family Support

Supporting the Children of Guard and Reserve Institute

To:	Superintendents, Charter School Leaders and other Interested Parties
From:	David P. Driscoll, Commissioner of Education
Date:	September 2006

Operation Military Kids Massachusetts (OMK-MA) will host a two day session, Supporting the Children of Guard and Reserve Institute, to help educators, guidance counselors, school nurses and social service providers learn to recognize and address the challenges facing the children of deployed servicemen and women. The session will be conducted by the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) and is funded by the Department of the Army Community and Family Service Center. This conference will be held November 2 - 3, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Westford Regency Inn and Conference Center, 219 Littleton Rd., Westford MA. There is no cost to participants except for travel and lodging. To access the registration information, go to the MCEC website: http://www.MilitaryChild.org/GuardForm.asp or contact State OMK Coordinator, Gretchen May, UMass Extension 4-H, 413-577-0332, gmay@umext.umass.edu I encourage you to send representatives from the district including guidance or other counseling and a school nurse to this unique training opportunity.

Background:

Operation Military Kids (OMK) - Massachusetts is a collaborative effort and partnership of the U.S. Army's Child and Youth Services, USDA's National 4-H Program, the University of Massachusetts Amherst 4-H Program, and UMass School of Public Health and Health Sciences in affiliation with the MA Department of Education, the MA National Guard, the U.S. Army Reserve, Boys & Girls Clubs, and the American Legion.

Last Updated: September 6, 2006