Military-connected students find support, success at school

As kids in a military-connected family, sisters Maren and Macie Doty have faced unique challenges as students. However, with support from their school district at Central Lee Community Schools and their local community, they have both shown resiliency, displaying high achievements in academics and leadership in their classrooms.

Five years ago, the Doty sisters, along with their older brother Maddox, lived through the experience of having their father, Matt, deployed to Iraq with the Iowa National Guard. Maren, now an 18-year old senior, and Macie, a 16-year old sophomore, remember the difficulties of having a parent away from home and how that affected their daily lives.

“You see other kids with their parents at sports activities, community nights and daddy-daughter dances, and it does make you sad,” Maren said. “We didn’t get that opportunity to do those everyday things with him, but we knew he was supporting our family and doing it for a good reason.”

Maren and Macie’s father was deployed for about a year, first for a three-month training in Texas and then onward to Kuwait. Even though he was away, the family looked for ways to involve him and stay connected.

“We did a lot of Facetime, and we even had a Flat Stanley that he took with him to different places,” Macie said. “I also had a really good third grade teacher who let me stay in at recess if I needed to and let me write to him on an app.”

April’s Month of the Military Child celebrates students like Maren and Macie, who have made sacrifices in their daily lives for the safety of the state and country. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Military Community and Family Policy since 1986, the Month of the Military Child encourages schools and communities to recognize the resiliency and contributions of youth from military families.

“The lives of military-connected students and families are not always easy, and it’s important that we recognize the sacrifices they have given for our country and support them in their journey,” said Jathan Chicoine, military veteran and education program consultant at the Iowa Department of Education. “The Month of the Military Child is a wonderful reminder that Iowa schools play a vital role in supporting students from military families, providing not only stability and comfort but also opportunities to persevere and succeed.”

At Central Lee, which has been identified as an Iowa school district with a high number of military-connected students per capita, steps are currently being explored to see how they can better support their students from military families.

“Since we are along the Mississippi River, we have many families in the Coast Guard and National Guard in our community,” said Andy Crozier, superintendent for Central Lee Community School District. “Our committed team of school counselors, principals and educators work every day to connect with students to learn what they need while their parent is deployed overseas, training away from home or in unique work situations.”

Crozier notes that it can be challenging to identify which students are a part of military families, as it is only self-reported at registration. It causes his team to work harder to identify and support these students through compassion, guidance and connection to school and community resources.

“We don’t always understand the backstory of what they’re going through,” Crozier said. “Treating kids with compassion and care and building relationships with their families is something we can do to help provide some stability and support.”

Maren and Macie spoke of the support they received as students at Central Lee and how the close-knit district and local community helped them continue moving forward during challenging times.

“Central Lee is a smaller school, with about 85 kids in my class,” Maren said. “Many people stepped up and helped us, and the school was a big part of it. It helped that we were in the same routine at school. We still got to do all of the normal things that other kids got to do.”

As part of Central Lee’s commitment to providing supports for military-connected students, Crozier also serves as a school representative on Iowa’s Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission, otherwise known as MIC3. The commission is a part of an agreement among the 50 states, District of Columbia and six ex-officio representatives to ease the educational transition of school-aged military students who attend public schools. Iowa’s MIC3 team meets quarterly to discuss tactics for providing high-quality supports for military-connected students.

“We represent every school district in Iowa,” said Laura Kacer, commissioner for Iowa’s MIC3. “Our charge is to recognize that military-connected students need additional supports. Many military families move approximately six to nine times during their course of education, and frustrations and the need for advocacy can arise. We are here to provide guidance for schools as well as families and welcome them to contact us for assistance.”

As commissioner, Kacer can act as a liaison between military families and school districts to find the best supports for military-connected students. Common advocacy issues may include transferring credits and transcripts, accessing resources and finding a sense of belonging to the school and community.

“Schools can create a welcoming environment by being up-front about what resources are available for military families,” Kacer said. “There may be reluctance from families to ask for help, so removing barriers and creating a supportive environment is highly important.”

Maren and Macie agree that schools should continue investigating what supports they can provide for their military-connected students, as it can not only impact their school performance but also their overall wellness and development.

“For some students, it may be helpful to see a counselor or therapist for mental health,” Maren said. “It may be something for schools to encourage more for kids in military families.”

The Doty sisters have proven that students with the right supports can persevere through the challenges of having a parent in the military. They encourage other military-connected students to keep moving forward, ask for help when needed and look towards the future.

“This tough time will eventually end,” Macie said. “They will come back. I know from experience that is the best feeling when they finally come home.”