Staying Connected With Your Child’s Teachers During Your Deployment

No matter where you are around the country or the world, you can take an active role in supporting your child’s education. With communication technology and strong interest, you can keep up with grades and stay in touch with teachers. Children tend to perform better in school when their parents are involved in their education. Set the stage for success. Let your child know that school and education are important — whether you’re home or deployed.

Plan ahead to stay involved

Make a plan to stay active and involved in your child’s education at every stage.

• Take advantage of Plan My Deployment. Let the Plan My Deployment articles and resources, including the printable list of predeployment tasks and considerations, help you manage your numerous tasks, including setting the stage for your child’s education while you’re deployed.
• Meet with teachers prior to deployment. Set up a meeting before you deploy so you can work out your plan for staying connected.
• Talk about how to stay in touch. Ask your child’s teachers before you go about the best way to stay in touch. It might be through email, a school website or even texting through school messaging platforms, such as Klassly or Remind. Check with your child’s teachers to see what’s available in your child’s district. Discuss the potential for time differences while you’re deployed and how best to handle these communication challenges.
• Discover technologies. Before you deploy, find out what communication technologies you can access during deployment. Determine whether or not video and phone conversations will be feasible. Not all locations will offer strong signals for real-time communication, and time differences may also be a factor for talking to teachers.
• Use the school’s online resources. Defense Department schools use GradeSpeed to keep families up to date on grades and attendance. Civilian schools may offer similar services.
• Take advantage of the EFMP & Me services. EFMP & Me can help you effectively navigate through the DOD’s network of services and support for families with special needs, especially during deployment.
• Share when you want to be informed. Tell teachers what specific issues you want to know about, such as a low grade or an unexcused absence. It’s a good idea to let your student know what you’ve asked the teachers to share, and it’s also helpful to ask your child to share any school issues and concerns with you throughout your deployment, too.

Keep in touch

There are lots of creative ways to stay in touch with your child and support the education process. Try these ideas:

• Stay in regular contact with your child’s teachers. Check in as frequently as your mission allows via email or telephone.
• Send a class gift. Pick up something special from the area of the world where you’re deployed. You’ll be the students’ favorite parent. If it relates to what the class is studying, you’ll be the teacher’s favorite parent, too.
• Ask your partner or child’s guardian for assistance. Your partner can be your “boots on the ground” for all things educational. Reinforce your partner’s role to your student, and set your partner or guardian up for success. Your child’s designated guardian can oversee homework, talk with teachers and help your child get to school on time. Discuss successes and challenges with your care partner regularly. If your partner or child’s guardian has difficulty speaking English, ask the school to provide a translator.

Find time during your deployment to work on strengthening your connection with your child’s school. Your commitment to staying involved can set up success in the classroom and beyond.

Your local school liaison is your primary point of contact for all school-related matters, including helping with your child’s education questions and concerns while you’re deployed. You can also contact Military OneSource to speak with an education consultant. Call 800-342-9647, set up a live chat or view overseas calling options.