It’s back-to-school season for many families at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY).
For most, that means shopping for school supplies, waiting for class schedules, meeting new teachers, and wrapping up travel plans.
The installation’s four Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) schools released the student and family orientations for all grade levels last week. These orientations are especially important to new students and their parents to help learn the school’s layout and set expectations.
Bradley Schmid is CFAY’s School Liaison Officer. The Navy School Liaison Officer (SLO) is responsible for implementing all aspects of Child & Youth Education Services (CYES), a function of Child & Youth Programs (CYP) under Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR), and other school-based programming.
Schmid feels it is important for new students and families to attend the New Student Orientations as it’s often the first opportunity to meet the principals and ease some of the anxiety.
“All of the schools will be holding New Student Orientations and I encourage all new families to attend,” Schmid said. “It will relieve some of the stress that new students and families might have and will allow the new students to feel more relaxed as we approach the first day of school.”
Parents with additional questions or concerns about each school’s orientation and programs are encouraged to reach out to either the school directly or to contact the School Liaison Officer.
The orientations are a very beneficial resource and help make students feel excited for the new school year and can help to set expectations. The new year can, as Schmid said, still be a stressful time for both children and their parents. Families with children attending school for the first time can find learning new schedules challenging. Students transferring in to new school may feel anxious in their unfamiliar environment.
Jessica Briggs is a counselor at CFAY’s Fleet and Family Support Center. She says some children – especially those first starting – may need a significant amount of time to feel truly comfortable away from their parents and in their classroom. Sometimes, it can take several months.
“It’s OK and very normal to feel scared, or sad, or mad about something like starting school or changing schools,” Briggs said. “We encourage parents to talk to their kids and let them explain how they feel. Both the good and the bad. And these are feelings that the parents can also discuss with the teacher.”
Briggs also encourages parents to help set a routine for their school-age children and to ease kids into extracurricular activities so they don’t feel overwhelmed.
“An example could be come home, get a snack, play, do homework. Go to bed at the same time every day. Wake up at the same time every day. Eat breakfast which can help their mood throughout the day,” Briggs said. “Routines can help build confidence and make it feel as they have more control.”
Briggs works alongside Ashley Garcia. They are two of the staff members who help parents and children with one-on-one counseling sessions and lead parenting classes. Active Parenting is one of the classes offered locally.
Garcia says the classes like Active Parenting are a great way for parents to connect and understand the challenges they’re facing are the same ones other families are working through.
“Our one-on-one counseling programs can allow for a more personalized plan,” Garcia said. “For families who prefer a setting that’s more community-based, FFSC offers classes that can help build those ties.”
And the classes can help parents meet other families with children of similar age groups.
Briggs also stated that FFSC’s Work and Family Life program offers additional resources.
“Work and Family Life can help families with parents returning from deployment rebuild relationships, for example,” Briggs said. “There’s offerings to help build resiliency, develop healthy lifestyles, and just help point parents in the right direction like learning where and how to apply for free and reduced lunches.”
Children and their families can celebrate the end of summer and the start of the new school year with the help of CFAY MWR.
MWR is set to team up with the Yokosuka Navy Exchange and co-host the Back to School Block Party Saturday, August 10 in both the Red Brick Community Area and NEX Parking Lot outside the Main Base Exchange.
The festival will boast air toys, carnival games, live music, food, vendors, and a Lip Sync Battle where participants can win NEX Gift Cards.
| Date Taken: | 08.01.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.28.2024 21:11 |
| Story ID: | 477502 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 13 |
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This work, Yokosuka Prepares for Back to School, by James Kimber, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
