MCEC 360 Summit Supports Military-Connected Students and Families in Montgomery, AL

MONTGOMERY, Alabama — On November 14-15, 2023, 62 education professionals from Montgomery Public Schools, Elmore County School District, Pike Road School District, Autauga County School District, and Pelham City School attended a summit aimed at addressing the unique needs of military-connected students and families. The summit, organized by the nonprofit Military Child Education Coalition® (MCEC®), served as a platform for collaboration and support for Purple Star Schools, which are recognized for their commitment to military families.

The MCEC 360 Summit brought together a diverse group of participants, including teachers, administrators, counselors, school and district staff, parents, and students. The event focused on enhancing Purple Star readiness and featured discussions on the Military Interstate Compact (MIC3), presentations from the School Liaison from Maxwell Air Force Base, and MCEC professional development training sessions We Serve Too – National Guard and Reserve Children and Supporting Military Children through School Transitions: Social/Emotional. Attendees also had the opportunity to interact with state-level MCEC Coordinators.

Raquel Crow, Behavior Interventionist at Johnson, Abernathy & Graetz (J.A.G.) High School, expressed enthusiasm for the summit’s objectives, stating, “We are ready to cultivate a new approach where military-connected students, families, and communities are better supported and equipped with the necessary tools to excel successfully in a holistic manner.”

The first day of the summit concluded with MCEC’s Tell Me A Story® event, which aimed to foster strong peer and parent connections. Fourteen parents and young children enjoyed a reading of the book Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type by a special guest reader, the Foley’s Chick-Fil-A Cow, accompanied by Alex Baker. The reading was followed by engaging activities and discussion groups, and each family received a copy of the book to take home.

On the second day, 20 schools participated in training related to MCEC’s Student 2 Student® (S2S) program. This program equips both civilian and military-connected students with the skills to establish and sustain peer-to-peer support programs in their schools, specifically designed to assist mobile children during transitions to and from new schools.

The 360 Summit was made possible through generous funding from The Alabama State Department of Education State Fund, highlighting the commitment of the state to supporting military-connected students and families.

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About the Military Child Education Coalition:
MCEC® is a 501(c)(3) global nonprofit leadership, service delivery, and advocacy organization. MCEC supports all military-connected children by educating, advocating, and collaborating to resolve education challenges associated with the military lifestyle. Learn more about the national advocacy efforts of MCEC at MilitaryChild.org and on social media at Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

For media inquiries:

Please contact the MCEC Director of Marketing, Karen Kirk, at Karen.Kirk@MilitaryChild.org, for questions about this release.