The month of April provides a great opportunity to recognize our students who receive special education services by raising awareness of the challenges that they face on a daily basis, as well as the opportunities that impact their education and lives. Friday, April 15th was one such day, as we celebrated our students through teamwork and competition at the third annual Meet in the Middle Event at Caroline High School.
For me, this was a great opportunity to see the spirit of our community as school board members, administrators, teachers, students, parents, volunteers and donors came out to share this special day with our students. There were many smiles today as students who are often overlooked for their physical abilities, were celebrated as athletes and competitors. I would like to thank all of our special education teachers, Mrs. Lori Askew, Mrs. Lora Glass, Mr. Jim Garrett, area Special Olympic Coordinator, and all of our donors or volunteers for making the Meet in the Middle event possible.
In addition to being Disability Awareness Month, April is also designated as the Month of the Military Child. Over 71,000 school-aged students in the Commonwealth of Virginia come from families where one or both parents serve in the armed forces. Military children are more likely to experience frequent moves throughout their childhood which may impact them both socially and academically. Additionally, as our service members deploy with the uncertainty of placing themselves in harms way in the service of this country; their spouses and children have to cope with the psychological impact of separation and possible loss of a significant family member.
Therefore, April reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that the children of military families are remembered, understood, and most importantly nurtured in our schools and in our hearts.
