# Back-to-school tools for military families

/ Published Aug. 11, 2015

WASHINGTON - Summer vacation should never end, says every kid, and it’s hard to blame them. But, telling your child it’s time to come inside and get ready for school doesn’t have to be bad news.

If you are one of the many who recently moved to a new school district, please know that school liaison officers can be a huge help. They work with relocating families and local schools to assist with the transfer of a student’s credit to their new school district for courses already completed. School liaison officers serve all relocating families, regardless of the member’s branch of service, ensuring a smooth transition to their new civilian schools.

For a military family, back to school is not just about the annual gathering of school supplies. It can also include a host of other challenges, such as deployment or learning how to register your child in a new school in a new community. Military OneSource offers information and resources to help during the back-to-school season. Here’s a short list, of what’s available to you:
      - Digital library resources are available on Military OneSource after you log in. Children,  youth  and teens will find TumbleBooks, the Student Resource Center, tutoring services, CultureGrams for Kids, resources for geography, current events, the arts, science, sports, government, history and more. You can also visit your local installation library for additional learning resources.
      - Tutor.com connects eligible students in military families to a live tutor online at any time 24/7 for one-to-one expert help with homework, test prep, proofreading and more in 40+ academic subjects. As of Aug. 1, traditional drilling/part-time Reserve and National Guard families are once again eligible to use the Tutor.com through the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.
      - Military INSTALLATIONS is DoD’s global directory where you can search for programs and services at a particular installation, or you can search for resources within a state or ZIP code.
      - The Education Directory for Children With Special Needs provides detailed information about schools throughout the country to help you make  informed  decision and ease the transition. Military OneSource specialty consultants also provide information and resources to help you become familiar with educational rights and ease those first-day-of-school jitters for you and your kids.
      - Are you homeschooling? At Military OneSource, you’ll find a variety of resources, from youth programs and military support services to virtual classes offered by the Department of Defense Education Activity and non-DoD schools.
      - Child and youth behavioral military and family life counselors are available to speak with a child who may need help adjusting to a new environment or handling grief, fear, loss or separation issues. These counselors understand the issues military children face. With your permission, they can help your child to address these issues in a healthy way.
      - Military OneSource offers confidential help at no cost for parents who need help balancing the challenges of military life. Confidential non-medical counseling gives you the tools you need to effectively manage parenting challenges, stress, grief and loss, deployment, and relationships at home and work.

Military OneSource has the tools you can use to help you get started with the back-to-school season, whether it’s practical information about a Sure Start, special education or available scholarships or perhaps your child’s first bus ride already makes you teary.