Military Point of Contact

Jayne Murphy, Principal
JMurphy3@ecsdfl.us 

Lauren Tanton
LTanton@ecsdfl.us

Military & Family Life Counselor
Office: (850) 457-6356 ext. 504 111
Cell: (850) 417-5539

Enrollment Services

New to the area? Have questions about registering your child for school, or what documentation is needed for registration? Click here to visit our ECPS Enrollment Services department for this information, as well as the current Student Progression Plans.

Exceptional Student Education

Blue Angels Elementary promotes the joy of learning in a safe, child-centered environment for all students.  For our littlest Jets, we offer a Pre-Kindergarten Program, which provides developmentally appropriate educational services for students between 3 and 5 years old who are eligible for a special program.  
Students who are identified as having specific learning disabilities receive services tailored to their individual needs in their homeroom or in a small-group pull-out setting. Kindergarten through 5th-grade self-contained multi-grade classes provide developmentally appropriate educational service for students who are eligible for the program. 

Click to visit the ECPS Exceptional Student Education department.

Sondra Hill, Program Director
shill@ecsdfl.us • 850-429-2977

The NASP Exceptional Family Member Program is a great resource for families who have an exceptional student.

Transition Planning

At Blue Angels Elementary, our office staff is available to answer any questions regarding enrollment, records requests, withdrawals, and transfers. Please don't hesitate to reach out to Judi Williams at (850) 457-6356 or stop by; an office team member will be happy to help you. 

Academic Planning

Escambia County Public Schools (ECPS) FOCUS Parent Portal is a service that provides parents and guardians with access to specific student records.  It allows parents to monitor assignments, view report cards, communicate easily with their child's teachers, and stay informed about district news. The FOCUS parent portal provides school information for all their enrolled children in one location.  FOCUS may be accessed via the District website or a downloadable online application. 
Please visit FOCUS Parent Resources for more information. 

Resources

ECPS Military Families Page

The Joint Military Council for Education Excellence was established as a partnership between the Escambia County School District and Naval Air Station Pensacola in the Spring of 2020. Its mission is: Improving educational services and communication between the Escambia County School District and military families.

The Military Council convenes quarterly to address topics of mutual interest and to solicit input from community stakeholders, including military families.

School Liaison Officer

NAS Pensacola Fleet &Family Support Center

The Center also offers free in-person counseling support for military children, adults, and families.

NAS Pensacola MWR Homepage

Military OneSource connects you to programs, services and products developed for military life. Turn to Military OneSource for tax services, spouse employment help, webinars and online training, relocation and deployment tools, and much more. The site also has a link to a tutoring service designed specifically for military students as well as an MFLC locator so that families can look for MFLCs where they currently reside or are PCSing to. In addition, eligible families can also access free virtual counseling; learn more at this link.

Military Child Education Coalition

The Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission has a specific section for parents with resources detailing the role of the School Liaison as well as helpful articles on helping military children change schools and cope with moving, among others. They also have a section on supporting military families with special medical or educational needs.

The ASVAB CEP offers students a chance to explore all paths to careers - college, certifications, apprenticeships, licensure programs, and the Military - in one place. Contact your school counselor to find out when the ASVAB CEP is coming to your school.

Pear Deck Tutor (formerly TutorMe) is an online service that provides one-on-one, on-demand, live homework and writing support in certain subject areas.

Anchored 4 Life Program

The mission of the Anchored 4 Life program is to provide proven resources and strategies to children so they can become resilient, confident, and resourceful, to create a better world for themselves and others.

Anchored4Life is a peer-to-peer club that connects youth while building change and resilience skills. At Blue Angels Elementary (BAE), Anchored4Life Team Leaders serve as school ambassadors.  They welcome new students and facilitate smooth transitions to the BAE family. Our Team Leaders provide orientation for students who have newly enrolled during the past week.  New students are provided with an A4L Welcome Kit, given a tour of the school, and introduced to some of the unique aspects that come with being a member of the Blue Angels Elementary family.  Most importantly, Team Leaders engage in rapport building and provide meaningful connections with new students.  The Anchored 4 Life program is led by Gary Southworth, School Counselor, and assisted by the school MFLCs.

• Blue Angels Elementary's Comfort Crew Club will develop leadership skills, enhance coping skills, build confidence, reinforce team building, and offer support.
• Character Development Quotes to instill positive messages.
• Activity Groups will teach strategies to enhance resiliency.
• Kits and Activity Packets will be provided by our MFLC to keep youth connected and have valuable resources to use during their transitions.
• Training and ongoing support will be provided to increase and improve transitions for school age youth.
• A Service Project will be supported to strengthen community ties, increase self confidence, understand competence, and gain self-efficacy.

Military Recognition Events

Military Recognition Events

Additional Resources for Educational Opportunities

The Dandelion

The official flower of the military child is the dandelion. Why?

The plant puts down roots almost anywhere, and it's almost impossible to destroy. It's an unpretentious plant, yet good looking. It's a survivor in a broad range of climates.

Military children bloom everywhere the winds carry them. They are hardy and upright. Their roots are strong, cultivated deeply in the culture of the military, planted swiftly and surely. They're ready to fly in the breezes that take them to new adventures, new lands, and new friends.

Experts say military children are well-rounded, culturally aware, tolerant, and extremely resilient. Military children have learned from an early age that home is where their hearts are, that a good friend can be found in every corner of the world, and that education doesn't only come from school. They live history. They learn that to survive means to adapt, that the door that closes one chapter of their life opens up to a new and exciting adventure full of new friends and new experiences 

(Military Child Education Coalition, 2017).

Blue Angels Elementary Is Proud to Be a

Military Student Mental Health

The Military and Family Life Counseling Program provides free, confidential counseling to service members, their families, and survivors on or near installations. Trained to work with the military community, military and family life counselors deliver valuable counseling services, briefings, and presentations to the military community.  BAE has Military and Family Life Counselors located on our school campus who are available to speak with students and their families upon request.

We have a full-time School Counselor, Mr. Southworth, who focuses on the well-being, social, and academic development of our students.  Each year, he provides Upstander Programs, which empower students to stand up against bullying. 

Our Mental Health team connects students and their families with counseling services in the school setting. Our Mental Health Counselor, Rachel Schnimmtou, provides school-based mental health counseling. Our Counselors partner with students to improve academic achievement and their overall sense of well-being.

For more information, please get in touch with Mr. Gary Southworth at 850-457-6356

About the Military & Family Life Counseling (MFLC) Program

Pine Meadow Elementary School is honored to offer non-medical counseling to our military-connected students. MFLCs support military families through the unique challenges of military life, including cycles of deployment and reintegration, by providing non-medical, short-term counseling. Through a partnership between the school district, the installation and the office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy, counselors will be assigned to various schools during the school year.

What is the counselor’s role in the school?

MFLCs provide consultation, training, and educational presentations/workshops to program faculty, staff, parents, and children. MFLC support augments services already in place at each school. Counselors take part in everyday school activities and events. They are available to support in areas related to deployment and reintegration; family dynamics; positive coping mechanisms; staff support and education; parent education and stress reduction. Counselors are also available to facilitate groups and trainings to build leadership skills; manage anger; build self-esteem and confidence and strengthen communication.

How are counselors selected?

Counselors are selected for their demonstrated expertise and training and are under the management of the office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy. Counselors hold a master’s or doctoral degree, are independently licensed and have experience working with children and youth. Counselors go through rigorous background checks before being placed in schools.

Why are the counselors in certain schools and not others?

Schools were selected by the Service Branch to receive MFLCs based on the number of military connected students attending each school. Military families who have students in schools without counselors can typically receive the same support through the installation’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department, Fleet and Family Services or the A&FRC.

Do counselors keep records about students and families?

No. Services provided by counselors are private and confidential with the exception of mandatory federal and military reporting requirements (i.e., child abuse, domestic violence and other life-threatening situations). No counseling records are maintained.