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<\/a><\/p>\nWalk a few paces to the front desk and you will see a Military Family Transition Center filled with resources available for military families.<\/p>\n
Walk a few paces further and one can see a Deployment Brag Wall that by the end of the year is filled with positive messages from military-connected students or parents.<\/p>\n
Mom, changed a tire by herself for the first time,<\/em> one sticky note states.<\/p>\n I snuggle with mommy,<\/em> says another.<\/p>\n A third note reads I\u2019m having fun with my friend<\/em>.<\/p>\n Only a few paces away is a colorful world map where students can see countries where their moms or dads are deployed or stationed, which according to Shelton Park Principal Tara Brewer is \u201ca great visual and positive thing because it helps them realize that their parents are together or even closer to each other.\u201d<\/p>\n This April, which is Month of the Military Child, the school will place a box filled with toy soldiers for students, parents or staff to take one so that it can remind them of their military-connected family member.<\/p>\n Shelton Park students are also happy to make one other special delivery, what\u2019s called a Comfort Box, which is provided to a student when their family member goes on deployment.<\/p>\n \u201cI like delivering the boxes because it helps children feel like they belong here,\u201d said Jackson Kwiatkowski, whose father is also in the Navy.<\/p>\n That box comes with a bear named \u201cCuzzy,\u201d which has a scarf, goggles and a camouflage-colored necktie.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is also a DVD to help you. You have postcards to send to a family member on deployment, a guidebook to help and a journal,\u201d Kwiatkowski added. \u201cOh, and there are also two dog tags so you can have one for you and one for Cuzzy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOftentimes, students will also give that dog tag to their mom and dad, which helps keep them close to their family member on deployment,\u201d Brewer added. \u201cI do feel like our students are very resilient and accepting of changes due to all of their life experiences they have to deal with each day.\u00a0They are the most kind, honest and caring students and so are there parents. That\u2019s what makes us a tight-knit community.\u201d<\/p>\n When families receive permanent change of station, or PCS orders,\u00a0Shelton Park doesn\u2019t forget them. The school has a rock garden outside of the school where departing students can leave a rock with a special message or icon that represents them, whether it be a heart or sayings like \u201cnever give up\u201d or \u201cit\u2019s the little things.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n