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Conversations about the challenges military-connected kids face as they navigate multiple education systems from birth through high school.
Episodes
Tuesday Aug 13, 2024
Tuesday Aug 13, 2024
Listen as Scott Arcuri, Vice President of Field Operations at Operation Homefront discusses their mission to build strong, stable, and secure military families. They provide relief and recurring family support programs, including events like the Back-to-School Brigade, Holiday Meals for Military, and Star-Spangled Babies. Operation Homefront is truly focused on helping military families not just survive but thrive.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Military Spouse Association of Camp Pendleton. To learn more, visit https://www.msa-cp.org/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
Operation Homefront
https://operationhomefront.org/
Back-to-School Brigade
https://operationhomefront.org/back-to-school-brigade/
Family Events
https://operationhomefront.org/events/
Bio:
“Our military families face constant change, uncertainty, and separation, yet they willingly devote their lives to service. We owe them an enormous debt of gratitude, and it’s an honor to come alongside them to help when they need it most.”
Scott Arcuri joined Operation Homefront as Vice President of Field Operations in January 2023 after serving a distinguished 32-year career in the Air Force. He spent the majority of his time in uniform as a personnel officer and he commanded units in Korea and in South Carolina. Scott held a variety of staff and leadership positions during his career, including Director of Personnel for U.S. Air Forces in the Middle East, and later in Europe and Africa; two tours at the Air Force Personnel Center; and three tours at Headquarters Air Force at the Pentagon. His career was devoted to leading, developing, and assisting Airmen and their families across the globe and he is passionate about continuing that work at Operation Homefront. Scott holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a master’s degree from Central Michigan University, Air Command and Staff College, and Air War College.
Tuesday Jul 30, 2024
Tuesday Jul 30, 2024
Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) are foundational to a child’s healthy development and well-being. Listen as Dr. Elizabeth Hisle-Gorman and Dr. Binny Chokshi discuss promoting PCEs and how the Healthy Outcomes From Positive Experiences (HOPE) model supports strengthening families.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Ramstein Officers’ Spouses’ Club. To learn more, visit https://www.ramsteinosc.org/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
MCEC Global Training Summit
Don’t miss Dr. Hisle-Gorman and Dr. Chokshi’s presentation at the Global Training Summit.
Virtual Session, Thursday, August 1, 2024
Promoting Positive Childhood Experiences in Military Connected Children and Youth
Promoting healthy child development necessitates a focus on positive childhood experiences (PCEs). Though military life can provide children with a bounty of resources and opportunities, military children also routinely experiences the stressors associated with military life, such as parental separation and frequent moves. Promoting PCEs in military children can help to buffer the impact of the unique challenges for military connected children and adolescents and can support their academic and future success. This interactive workshop will first review the connection between adversity, positivity, and wellbeing, then discuss the four building blocks of the Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences (HOPE) model, and conclude with an opportunity for participants to discuss PCEs as they relate to military children, including a discussion of relevant community and advocacy organizations, whose programs promote PCEs in military children and adolescents.
https://www.militarychild.org/event/gts/gts-register/
Healthy Outcomes From Positive Experiences (HOPE)
https://positiveexperience.org/
Hidden Heroes- Elizabeth Dole Foundation
Operation Purple Camp- National Military Family Association
https://www.militaryfamily.org/programs/operation-purple/operation-purple-camp/
The Military Child Well-being Toolkit
https://www.militarychild.org/resource/wellbeing-toolkit/
Military OneSource
https://www.militaryonesource.mil/non-medical-counseling/
Bio:
Dr. Hisle-Gorman is Director of the Military Family Research Division and Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics. She began her career as a social worker working in neighborhood development efforts in Washington, DC to support and strengthen families to prevent family violence and overcome hardship. However, a move to a military town with her active-duty military spouse, re-focused her on work with military families. She served as a Child Protective Services officer in Onslow County, North Carolina and worked extensively with military families. After completing her Ph.D. in Social Work at the University of Maryland, Dr. Hisle-Gorman taught and worked in community development and was the senior author on one of the first articles to document the clinical effects of military deployment on children. She subsequently moved to USUHS to expand its research portfolio exploring the effects of military life on children. Her research interests are focused the impact of past military deployment on military children, effects of parental injury and family violence on pediatric health and mental health, and healthcare usage trends in military pediatrics. However, she has also worked on projects examining autism in children, indicators of immunization completion, neonatal health, care for transgender individuals, healthcare disparities, and the effects of medications on children. Dr. Hisle-Gorman has significant experience working with the Military Health System Data Repository and conducting retrospective research studies about military-connected children using the MDR. Dr. Hisle-Gorman most enjoys mentoring medical students, residents, and junior faculty on research projects, and teaching them the research process on an individual basis.
Dr. Binny Chokshi is a general pediatrician, with a focus on adolescents and young adults. Dr. Chokshi's research and education interests are focused on understanding the impact of early life stressors on health across the life course. To mitigate the effects of trauma and stress on children, Dr. Chokshi advocates for a trauma-informed approach to healthcare. She has developed web-based e-modules to train outpatient pediatricians in responding to childhood adversity with a trauma-informed care approach and has also trained medical students and residents at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. In a prior role at Children's National Hospital, she also worked with hospital leadership to develop hospital wide trauma-informed practices. In her current role at USUHS, Dr. Chokshi examines how military specific factors may impact child and and family health, with a current focus on how social determinants of health such as food security impact military child health. Dr. Chokshi is also passionate on promoting positive childhood experiences, to foster healthy development in children and counter the impacts of stressful experiences. Dr. Chokshi has a vested interest in medical education and completed Masters in Education at the George Washington University School of Education and Human Development. On a national level, Dr. Chokshi serves on the Expert Leadership Team for the American Academy of Pediatrics project “Building Capacity for Trauma-Informed Pediatric Care”.
Tuesday Jul 23, 2024
Tuesday Jul 23, 2024
BigFuture’s mission is to ensure every student has free resources to plan for life after high school. Listen as Greg Rafal, Director of BigFuture Program Implementation at College Board, shares how they are focused on supporting all students plan for their future. He also discusses the importance of consistent college and career guidance for our military-connected students, and how BigFuture is helping do just that.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Sheppard Spouses’ Club. To learn more, visit https://sheppardspousesclub.org/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
MCEC Global Training Summit Pre-Summit Professional Development
Don’t miss Greg Rafal’s session at the Global Training Summit.
Distinguished Lecture Session, Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Where Students Can Own Their Future
In 2021, the College Board published research that showed students were 25% more likely to attend college and 31% were more likely to complete a bachelor’s degree after connecting with colleges and scholarship programs through the College Board Student Search Service™. Using the College Board BigFuture School mobile app can help students plan for college and career options after high school, and even empower students to drive their own conversations with colleges and scholarship providers across the country by joining the Student Search Service™. Learn from the Director of the BigFuture Program Implementation himself, Gregory Rafal, on how to find and support military-connected students with free tools and resources that can help them get ready for their next big adventure.
https://www.militarychild.org/event/gts/gts-register/
The College Board
BigFuture
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/
Student Search Service
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/student-search-service
Bio:
Greg Rafal is the Director of BigFuture Program Implementation at College Board. In this role, his focus is to increase K-12 and caring adult awareness of BigFuture and to lead the BigFuture Live virtual community event strategy. Prior to his role at College Board, he worked in higher education. Most recently he was at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business where he oversaw global programs for undergraduate and MBA students. He also worked in international student admissions and student affairs at several other institutions. He received his MA in International Education and Training from American University and BA in Spanish/Political Science from Christopher Newport University. Greg is originally from northern Virginia and is based in Washington, DC.
Tuesday Jul 16, 2024
Tuesday Jul 16, 2024
"Every child deserves love, acceptance, and respect." In this powerful discussion, Keygan Miller from The Trevor Project shares the organization’s mission to support and empower LGBTQ+ youth. The conversation highlights the importance of education, acceptance, and creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals, especially in the military community.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
MCEC Global Training Summit Pre-Summit Professional Development
Don’t miss our four pre-summit sessions focusing on Mental Health and Well-being, Monday, July 29, 2024: Promoting Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems for Military-Connected Students, Mental Health Risk Factors and Suicide Prevention for Military Families, Improving School Climate to Promote the Mental Health of Military-Connected Youth, Pioneering Progress: Exploring Promising Practices of the DoDEA Grant Program for Military-Connected School Communities https://www.militarychild.org/event/gts/gts-register/
The Trevor Project
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/trevorspace/
Bio:
Keygan Miller is the Director of Public Training for The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people. Keygan oversees design and facilitation of public trainings to advance Trevor’s life-saving suicide prevention work and teach audiences to be strong allies for LGBTQ+ youth. Prior to this work, Keygan was an Advocacy Manager at The Trevor Project, and they served as an Intervention Specialist for Cincinnati Public Schools. Keygan received a Master of Arts in Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Cincinnati as well as a Master of Education and Human Development in Education Policy from The George Washington University.
Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
Tuesday Jul 09, 2024
Resilience is often described as our ability to “bounce back” as we are faced with challenges. Our military-connected youth live a highly mobile lifestyle and developing resiliency skills can assist in navigating the unique challenges of this life. Listen as Dr. Rachel Millstein and Stacie Fredriksson discuss programs that provide opportunities for youth to build these skills.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Naval Officers’ Spouses’ Club of San Diego. To learn more, visit https://noscsandiego.com/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
MCEC Global Training Summit
Don’t miss Dr. Millstein’s and Ms. Fredriksson’s presentation at the Global Training Summit.
Virtual Session, Thursday, August 1, 2024
Resilient Youth for Military-Connected Children
Resilient Youth is a six-session virtually-delivered program developed by the Massachusetts General Hospital Child Resiliency Program and Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, offered by Home Base at Massachusetts General Hospital. We have been able to reach youth across the country to teach relaxation, coping, and communication strategies through this innovative program. Youth and parent feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, instructive, and pre-post intervention data are currently being collected. The program is expanding as we seek to be able to offer this educational program as a preventive measure to help military youth cope with their unique stressors.
https://www.militarychild.org/event/gts/gts-register/
Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Mass General Brigham Program
https://homebase.org/programs/new-england-programs/resiliencyprograms/
Bio:
Dr. Rachel Millstein serves as the Clinical and Research Co-Director of the Mind Body Health team at Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program. Since 2020, Dr. Millstein has been providing program development and oversight of Home Base Resiliency programming in collaboration with the MGH Benson Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine. Her clinical skills as a SMART and Resilient Warrior/Family/Youth group leader along with her documented research and data analysis background have helped lead the program’s growth. In the Co-Director role, she provides clinical oversight and research management for the services provided at Home Base in the Mind Body Health Services directorate.
Stacie Fredriksson has been at Home Base for more than 5 years and currently manages the Family Support Team which provides peer support and resiliency programming. A veteran herself, Stacie served 14 years in the Air Force on active duty as an intelligence officer before transferring to the Air Force Reserves where she served the last 9 years of her career at USCYBERCOM before retiring in 2016. Stacie is married to her husband, also an Air Force veteran and together they have two children and two dogs who keep them both busy and focused on the importance of living each day to the fullest! A native of Texas, Stacie has adapted to New England and enjoys spending time outside, cooking, reading and traveling.
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
Tuesday Jun 25, 2024
Dr. Elizabeth Connors and Dr. Samantha Reaves discuss the impact that data has in developing a comprehensive school mental health support system. They address the importance of having system and individual level data to assess the quality of programs and services, and how to utilize that data to make improvements.
This podcast is made possible by our partnership with The National Child Traumatic Stress Network and their generous support. To learn more, visit https://www.nctsn.org/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
MCEC Global Training Summit Pre-Summit Professional Development
Don’t miss our four pre-summit sessions focusing on Mental Health and Well-being, Monday, July 29, 2024: Promoting Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems for Military-Connected Students, Mental Health Risk Factors and Suicide Prevention for Military Families, Improving School Climate to Promote the Mental Health of Military-Connected Youth, Pioneering Progress: Exploring Promising Practices of the DoDEA Grant Program for Military-Connected School Communities https://www.militarychild.org/event/gts/gts-register/
National Center for School Mental Health
https://www.schoolmentalhealth.org/
National Center for Safe Supportive Schools
School Health and Performance Evaluation System
Bio:
Elizabeth H. Connors, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor at the Yale Department of Psychiatry. She directs the Yale Program on Implementation Consultation and Research (https://medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/consultationcenter/research/school-mental-health-implementation-consultation-research/) and is a co-founder of the Yale Measurement-Based Care Collaborative (https://medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/research/programs/clinical_people/mbccollab/). Elizabeth is also a core faculty member with the University of Maryland National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH, https://www.schoolmentalhealth.org/) and is a co-developer of The SHAPE System national performance standards and free online quality improvement resources for comprehensive school mental health systems (see https://theshapesystem.com/). Elizabeth conducts research, evaluation, training and consultation with school systems, community organizations and healthcare organizations to promote equitable access to high quality mental health supports.
Elizabeth’s father and brother are US Navy Veterans, and she grew up in the Florida panhandle where many of her friends and community members were active duty, veterans or military-connected.
Dr. Samantha Reaves is an Assistant Professor at the National Center for School Mental Health. She is an experienced school mental health clinician and researcher who often provides technical assistance to school, district, and state leaders around their school mental health quality improvement efforts. Her personal research interests lie at the intersection of mental health and education. She often investigates how school or family factors influence student outcomes in underserved communities. As a clinical-community psychologist, she believes great prevention work can be done and realizes the importance of strengthening the systems children are nested in to promote wellbeing. She is committed to supporting schools, at multiple levels, to improve policies and procedures around student socioemotional functioning. In her work at the NCSMH she primarily supports the Partnering for Student Wellness project, the SOR parenting program evaluation, and the National Quality Initiative.
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
Tuesday Jun 18, 2024
In our latest episode, we were honored to have Lisa Howard delve into the critical topic of mental health within the military community. Lisa open-heartedly shares her personal family experiences, emphasizing why having open conversations is vital to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Team Seymour Spouses' Club. To learn more, visit https://www.teamseymourspouses.com/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
MCEC Global Training Summit
Don’t miss Lisa’s presentation at the Global Training Summit.
Virtual Session, Thursday, August 1, 2024
Building Your Personal and Community-Based Toolbox of Resources
Children don’t say,” I had a hard day. Can we talk?” They say, “Will you play with me? or Stay out of my room.” Discover fresh ways to communicate with military youth especially when the parent/educator is concerned with mental/behavior health challenges. Learn what steps to take if concerns need to be alleviated and what resources are available. (Registration for our Virtual Session will open June 25, 2024).
https://www.militarychild.org/event/gts/gts-register/
The Barry Robinson Center
https://www.barryrobinson.org/
Bio:
Lisa Howard has been a military spouse for 28 years. She served as both an enlisted Soldier and officer within the United States Army Reserve from 1986 to 1998. Lisa earned a Master of Social Work in 1999 from Savannah State University. She has two children: Lucas (23, adopted in 2002 from Baku, Azerbaijan) and Madeline (22, born in Germany). Her family has relocated 13 times for Army assignments- twice to Germany.
Currently, Lisa is the Vice President, Government Affairs & Community Engagement for The Barry Robinson Center where shares the mission of BRC with the military community through multiple formats.
During the 28 years of active-duty service with her spouse, she has been an active member at the unit and community level. Lisa has the honor and privilege of holding a volunteer position as an Army Arlington Lady at Arlington National Cemetery.
Lisa loves to hike in the Shenandoah Valley, cheer for the Green Bay Packers, and bring the family together at the “Howard Hideaway”.
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
Tuesday Jun 11, 2024
The Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3) addresses key educational transition issues encountered by children of military families. But what does implementation of the Compact look like? Listen as Shelly Ramos, Senior Director of the Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division at the Texas Education Agency and MIC3 Texas State Commissioner, shares three unique case studies and solutions that illustrate how MIC3 works to assist in successful education-related transitions.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Scott Spouses’ Club. To learn more, visit https://www.scottspouseclub.com/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
MCEC Global Training Summit
Don’t miss Lindsey Dablow, Training and Operations Associate (MIC3), presenting two sessions at the Global Training Summit.
Distinguished Lecture Session, Tuesday, July 30, 2024
MIC3 201: Case Studies and Implementing the Compact
The format of the Compact 201 Training is an interactive session focused on discussing case studies to demonstrate the correct implementation of the Compact. Participants will learn of the legal provisions related to education that protect military children as they transition interstate between public and Department of Defense Education Activity schools. Participants will discuss Compact gray areas and learn about Commission resources and best practices for military families, school districts, and states.
Virtual Session, Thursday, August 1, 2024
MIC3 101: Addressing Key Educational Transition Issues
The National Office facilitates the MIC3 Compact 101 Training. Participants will gain an understanding of the legal provisions related to education that protect military children as they transition interstate between public and Department of Defense Education Activity schools. The Compact 101 Training provides participants with a working knowledge of the Compact, state structure and implementation, rules and regulations, and how the Compact supports military students. (Registration for our Virtual Session will open June 25, 2024).
https://www.militarychild.org/event/gts/gts-register/
The Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3)
https://mic3.net/mic3training-net/
Bio:
Shelly Ramos serves as the senior director of the Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division at the Texas Education Agency. Ms. Ramos provides statewide leadership for the implementation of new legislation and State Board of Education mandates for K-12 education, including the state curriculum standards known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS, the Texas Virtual School Network, Mathematics Achievement Academies, and Civics Training Program as well as high school graduation requirements. Ms. Ramos has served as the commissioner designee from Texas for the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3) since 2016.
Prior to joining the Texas Education Agency, Ms. Ramos worked in educational publishing developing products for social studies teachers and students. She also served as a classroom social studies teacher for eleven years.
Tuesday Jun 04, 2024
Tuesday Jun 04, 2024
Dr. Sharon Hoover discusses the importance of prioritizing the mental health and well-being of students in schools, and how multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) provide a framework that supports the “whole child”.
This podcast is made possible by our partnership with The National Child Traumatic Stress Network and their generous support. To learn more, visit https://www.nctsn.org/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
MCEC Global Training Summit Pre-Summit Professional Development
Don’t miss our four pre-summit sessions focusing on Mental Health and Well-being, Monday, July 29, 2024:
- Promoting Comprehensive School Mental Health Systems for Military-Connected Students
- Mental Health Risk Factors and Suicide Prevention for Military Families
- Improving School Climate to Promote the Mental Health of Military-Connected Youth
- Pioneering Progress: Exploring Promising Practices of the DoDEA Grant Program for Military-Connected School Communities
https://www.militarychild.org/event/gts/gts-register/
National Center for School Mental Health
https://www.schoolmentalhealth.org/
National Center for Safe Supportive Schools
School Health and Performance Evaluation System
Bio:
Sharon A. Hoover, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and Professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Hoover is Co-Director of the National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH, https://www.schoolmentalhealth.org/) and Director of the National Center for Safe Supportive Schools (NCS, https://www.ncs3.org/). She leads national efforts to support states, districts, and schools in the adoption of national performance standards of comprehensive school mental health systems (see https://theshapesystem.com/).
Dr. Hoover has led and collaborated on multiple federal and state grants, with a commitment to the study and implementation of quality children’s mental health services. Creating safe, supportive, and resilient schools has been a major emphasis of Dr. Hoover’s research, education, and clinical work. She has worked for two decades, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Education, and the World Health Organization to train state and community education and behavioral health leaders and professionals in multi-tiered systems of support for mental health and psychological trauma. Dr. Hoover is a co-developer and international trainer for two widely used, evidence-based school interventions, the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) and Supporting Transition Resilience of Newcomer Groups (STRONG).
Tuesday May 28, 2024
Tuesday May 28, 2024
“The things that make me different make me, me”. Don’t Hide It, Flaunt It (DHIFI) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance acceptance, understanding, tolerance and mutual respect for an individual’s visible or invisible differences. Listen as Meg Zucker shares her story and how she believes we should all embrace what makes us unique.
This podcast is made possible by generous funding from the Fort Liberty Spouses’ Club. To learn more, visit https://www.fortlibertyspousesclub.org/.
Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.
Show Notes:
Resources:
https://donthideitflauntit.org/
https://donthideitflauntit.org/project-flaunt-hub/
Born Extraordinary: Empowering Children with Differences and Disabilities
Author: Meg Zucker
https://news.va.gov/130375/free-resource-for-military-project-flaunt/
Bio:
Meg Zucker is the Founder and President of Don’t Hide It, Flaunt It (DHIFI), a non- profit organization dedicated to advancing acceptance, understanding, tolerance and respect for people’s visible or invisible differences, and the author of Born Extraordinary: Empowering Children with Differences and Disabilities (published by TarcherPerigee/Penguin Random House). Meg was born with Ectrodactyly, a genetic condition which results in her having shortened forearms, one finger on each hand and one toe on each foot and which she passed on to two of her children. A Wall Street lawyer with over twenty years of experience in the field of anti-money laundering, Meg was inspired to start DHIFI when her oldest child was bullied in elementary school because of his physical difference. For the past seven years, DHIFI has partnered with Scholastic Inc. to provide Social Emotional Learning/ empathy programming to students nationwide.
Meg has combined her skills as a prominent anti- money laundering speaker and her personal experience to become an inspirational and impactful speaker to audiences ranging from students and faculty in schools to community groups and Fortune 500 corporations. Her speeches have reached millions of people across the country, and she has empowered attendees to celebrate their visible and invisible differences, create cultures of inclusion and spread empathy.
Sharing her message of empathy and empowerment, Meg has been featured on TODAY (NBC) and My Extraordinary Family (The Learning Channel). Meg is profiled in the 2021 book The Female Lead: We Rise By Lifting Others. Meg’s articles have appeared in primary national print media and magazines such as USA Today, Parents magazine and The Forward.