Kirtland School Liaison Officer

Visit the Moving Homepage at www.militaryhomefromt.dod.mil/moving for information on your gaining installation and surrounding communities. You can also subscribe to the Military HOMEFRONT Newsletters, which will be delivered to your email address. You will also have access to a variety of information, including:

• MilitaryINSTALLATIONS, which provides information about the programs, services and maps for military installations worldwide.
• PlanMyMove, which gives you customized moving tools, such as timelines, calendars and checklists.
• Both MilitaryINSTALLATIONS and PlanMyMove will connect you to reliable sources of information about programs and services outside the gate.
• Quick Checklist for School Moves

Student Online Achievement Resources (SOAR) is free website providing students and parents with resources to identify academic strengths and weaknesses in math and reading, instruct the student in math, reading and language arts through interactive tutorials and learning videos and involve parents by providing educational resources written specifically for parents. The website is www.soarathome.com. Students in grades 3 through high school have access to comprehensive and skill specific tests to help identify skills that students have mastered and skills where additional instruction might be needed. Assessments are aligned to state learning standards and immediate feedback is provided to students and parents. Skill specific tutorials provide additional instruction and review to students with lessons that are self-guided and have audio components so students can work independently or with parents. Real-life learning videos that reinforce reading and math skills are also provided. Parents can access their child’s account to see how they have done on tests and the tutorial activities any time. Hundreds of activities are provided that parents can work on with their child. Links to state websites and other educational resources to help parents learn more about a state or district the family might be moving to in the future. The Military Impacted Schools Association (MISA) sponsors SOAR in partnership with the University of Northern Iowa, The Princeton Review, and Houghton Mifflin.

Tutor.com is a free service that provides live one-on-one homework help for military families. Online tutoring services are available in English and Spanish from certified teachers, college professors, professional tutors and graduate students. Education support is available for K-12th grade, college students and adult learners with subject support for all grade levels in Math, Science, English and Social Studies. Stop by our base library to get signed up, wait for your email and head to www.tutor.com/military to start.

March 2 Success is a free online tool that provides educational content to help students improve their knowledge and test scores in the areas of Language Arts, Mathematics and Science. The site is sponsored by the United States Army and is more inclusive than traditional college entrance test prep courses. Visit the March 2 Success website at www.March2Success.com.

If you have a child with special needs and are Active Duty, be sure to enroll him or her in the Exceptional family Member Program (EFMP). This is a mandatory program for any family member who has special medical, educational, developmental, and/or emotional needs or concerns. The special need should be identified by a healthcare provider so that you can attend one of the free EFMP Workshops.

If your child has been identified for Special Education services or if you feel you child may need Special Education services, check out the following publications from Parents Reaching Out, a statewide non-profit organization that works with parents, caregivers, educators and other professionals to promote healthy, positive and caring experiences for New Mexico families and children. For more information, visit the PRO website as www.parentsreachingout.org. Publications can be found at www.parentsreachingout.org/resources/publications/specialed

Let's Begin the Journey (Overview of Special Education)

This booklet provides general information about the Special Education process for families and school personnel. Includes tools, tips and resources. ParentTraining and Information Center (PTIC)

The Handbook of Parental Rights & Special Education Procedures (IEP Process)

Parents of children with disabilities are full, participating members of their child's IEP team. Focus on the IEP process, record keeping, communication, partnerships and more. Information has been updated to reflect IDEA 2004. (Parent Training and Information Center/PTIC)

Book of Ideas (General and Special Education: Learning Styles and Instructional Strategies)

A resource book for families and schools as they consider accommodations, modifications and supports to improve student success in the classroom. Offers suggestions for differentiated learning that can be used by school assistance teams, IEP teams to meet student needs under NCLB & IDEA. Includes multiple intelligences, learning styles, literacy, inclusive education and student assessment (Parent Information and Resource Center/PIRC and Parent Training and Information Center/PTIC).

How Can I Help This Child (Sensory Integration)

Sensory integration is all about a person's ability to organize and process sensory information and to use that information to make appropriate responses. Learning about sensory integration helps fill in missing pieces about how our children learn. Great tool for families, teachers & service providers. (Parent Training and Information Center/PTIC)

Another excellent resource for Special Education issues is www.wrightslaw.com.

Gifted Education

In the state of New Mexico, gifted education falls under the Special Education Department. Students are identified through a referral and evaluation process. Programs are developed for each student through the Individualized Education Program (I.E.P.). Gifted services are provided through a variety of classroom models.