Welcome Military & Government Service Families,

Stratford Landing Elementary School stands behind our military kids and families! Last year SLES proudly received the Virginia Purple Star Designation. Although this school year will look a bit different, we strive to continue standing strong in our commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military. We know that moving to a new school due to a parent’s work relocation presents unique challenges and we want to help make the transition as seamless as possible. Whether this is your child's first school or eighth move, please feel free to reach out to the front office at Stratford Landing and/or our Military Group here at the school.

This group aims to provide community to our military and government families, as well as to provide information and host events throughout the school year including Veteran's Day and Month of the Military Child. 

• Deployment Club - please let us know if your family is experiencing a deployment during this school year. We are working on ways to support students and their families while a loved one is serving away from home. 

• FCPS website includes a valuable list of resources for military families. 

★ Interested in getting connected to our group?

Please contact the group coordinators Jennifer Saunders and Rachel Calton anytime at military@slpta.org. Let us know if you’d like to be added to the email distribution list which will provide information on upcoming events, follow ups on activities we host during the year, and local support resources. We also welcome your ideas of how to best support our group.

Thank you to all who worked hard on completing Stratford Landing's 2019-2020 application for the Virginia Purple Star Designation! The Virginia Purple Star Designation is awarded to schools who have demonstrated a major dedication to supporting children and families who are connected to our country's military.

Programs  

★ Military Student Buddy Program

The SLES Military Support Group will be creating a Military Student Buddy Program for the 2020-2021 school year. We understand the challenge of moving to a new school during a traditional school year has been made even more challenging with the virtual start & Covid restrictions. We hope the buddy program will help ease that challenge a little.  

Please complete the Military Student Buddy form if your student is interested in meeting or being a buddy! Submit one form per each student interested in participating. We will do our best to match students in the same grade/class when possible. Once paired, the families can communicate with each other to decide how to best foster the buddy partnership for their students. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jen or Rachel at @email.  

Military Family Support Group Resources

Fort Belvoir School Liaison Office (serves our local military community)

Phone: 703-805-2606/1794

Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

Fort Belvoir Family & MWR - www.belvoir.armymwr.com

Fort Meyer Family & MWR - www.jbmhhmwr.com

Bolling AFB Family & MWR - www.mywfr.com/recreation

• USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore Region: https://metro.uso.org/programs

The USO for the Washington Region is located close by on Fort Belvoir. Check out all the wonderful programs they offer for our active duty, spouses & families at the link above. You can sign up for emails to be notified of the wonderful virtual programs the USO is currently offering.

• USO Pathfinder Program: https://metro.uso.org/programs/pathfinder

The USO Pathfinder program is a great resource for those looking to find a new job or start a new career. They can assist with resume reviews and guide you through all the resources available in the area to assist you toward the next step on your career path.

• USO Ticketline: https://metro.uso.org/programs/ticketline

Interested in receiving free tickets to local events? Sign up for USO ticketline email notifications. USO-Metro connects community organizations, companies and individuals who would like to donate tickets to the local military population, who can register to receive them for free.

• Vet Tix: https://www.vettix.org

Register to receive notifications about free and discounted concerts, sporting events and more!

• Blue Star Families - National Capital Region: https://bluestarfam.org/chapters/ncr/

Blue Star Families was founded by military spouses in 2009 to empower these families to thrive as they serve. We're committed to strengthening military families by connecting them with their neighbors – individuals and organizations – to create vibrant communities of mutual support.

• Military Child Education Coalition: https://www.militarychild.org

Their mission is to ensure inclusive, quality educational opportunities for all military-connected children affected by mobility, transition, deployments and family separation. Visit the website for numerous resources, programs and training tools for parents and students.