Military Connected Student Resources
Old Bridge Elementary School is dedicated to serving our military-connected families. With the Pentagon, Ft. Belvoir, and Marine Corps Base Quantico so close we are fortunate to have many military-connected families in our school community. We strive to serve these families by recognizing the challenges and sacrifices of frequent moves and transitions. At Old Bridge Elementary School, we want to make sure every student feels like this is a place where they belong and a place where they can feel at home.
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Our school counselors are here to help you make a smooth transition to becoming part of the OBE family. Please contact the school counselors with any questions or concerns you have.
Claire Kauffman
Military Family Point of Contact
OBE School Counselor [email protected]
Office hours Mon-Fri 9:00am - 10:00am
Available for Zoom also by request. Just email me!
Patty McNeely
OBE School Counselor, Monday-Wednesday
Tasha-Mae Nicholas, LCSW, DCSW, RPT
Military Family Life Counselor
Quantico FAP Military Family Life Consultants (Links to an external site.) 571-329-6946
Ft. Belvoir 703-414-9888
PWCS Military Connected Family Resources and Information:
https://www.smore.com/xr3zp
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PWCS Military Liaison Contact Information
Dr. Ransom
Project Director - 2019 DoDEA Military Grant
Prince William County Public Schools
Office of Student Services
703-791-7377
MCB Quantico School Liaison Officer
Little Hall 2nd floor
North Wing 2034 Barnett Avenue
Quantico, VA 22134
Phone: 703.789.3458
Quantico School Liaison Program
Fort Belvoir School Liaisons
9800 Belvoir Rd., Building 200 Fort Belvoir, VA 22060
Phone: 703-805-9119
Ft. Belvoir School Support Services
Available Services and Adherence to Military Interstate Children's Compact
Reading
Our reading specialist is Mr. Dobishinsky. His prime responsibility is the literacy learning of our students. This translates into many diverse roles, including testing our students upon arrival as a new student. Mr. Dobishinsky's email: [email protected]
English Language Learners
Our ESOL team includes Mrs. Ward and Mrs. Knudson. The ESOL team teaches lessons that support your student's academic language development. ESOL teachers work with small groups of students to develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. We collaborate with classroom teachers to connect our lessons to the content--reading, math, science, and social studies--and the skills that are being taught in the classroom. Although we work with small groups, we also work in the classroom to support student learning. Our focus is to help students develop academic vocabulary and language skills that will enable them to understand and apply content area learning.
Special Education
Our Special Education team is made up of Mrs. AJ, Mrs. Reidy, Mrs. Knotts, and Mr. Wade. The Special Education team serves students with IEPs to support their academic success.
Gifted
Our Gifted Teacher is Ms. Ciminelli. PWCS honors the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. By the terms of the Compact, PWCS has an obligation to provide like services for children of active duty military parents new to the division who have documented evidence of receiving gifted services in their prior school system. The student's identification and need for services is honored until a determination is made for identification and placement in the PWCS system. These students should receive services during the IDP (identification) process until they are found eligible or not eligible for services specific to PWCS. Ms. Ciminelli's email: [email protected]
This based on Article V of Virginia regulation 22.1-360 through 22.1-361. Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children:
B. Educational program placement. The receiving stat school shall initially honor placement of the student in educational programs based on current educational assessments conducted at the school in the sending state or participation/placement in like programs in the sending state. Such programs include, but are not limited to, (i) gifted and talented programs and (ii) English as a second language (ESL) programs. This does not preclude the school in the receiving state from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement of the students.
Additional Resources
Military Child Education Coalition is a global, nonprofit organization that focuses on ensuring quality educational opportunities for all military children affected by mobility, family separation, and transition.
Military OneSource has a wealth of advice and helpful information to connect military families to a wide variety of services, programs, partnerships, and opportunities that are available to military personnel and their families. Two particularly helpful articles include Parenting & Children and For Military Youth and Teens.
The Exceptional Family Member Program: for Families with Special Needs
When your family member has special needs, The Exceptional Family Member Program, EFMP, can help! Here are just a few of the ways it can help guide you to the resources your family needs to thrive.