Student Transition Program
At DoDEA Pacific, military-connected children are at the heart of all we do. We recognize our military children move three times more often than their civilian peers, with many students attending six to nine different schools during their K-12 years. We also know frequent moves may cause stress and anxiety, adversely impacting students.
DoDEA Pacific’s Student Transition Program is designed to assist newly arriving elementary, middle and high school students with finding community within their new school.
Each Student Transition Program is served by a Program Coordinator and Student Ambassadors and provides:
- A lunch buddy and/or a dedicated place to hang out during lunch
- A personalized school tour from a Meeter Greeter, who can answer questions about classes and programs from a student perspective
- A career day at the elementary level where parents and professionals are invited to introduce students to various career paths.Â
- Information about after school activities, clubs, and social events is provided each week in the school newsletterÂ
- Community resources to assist with resilience following a PCS move
Beginning of YearÂ
Prior to the first week of school each year, the transition team offers two newcomer's orientations that includes an overview of expectations and a tour of the school. Also, at the elementary level, our transition program delivers five thirty-minute sessions. These sessions are offered to all students from prekindergarten through fifth grade and take place once a week.
Mid Year
In January, special sessions for kindergarten through second-grade students are provided in class. These sessions include check-ins, self-regulation strategies, and an introduction to Kelso's Choices. Resources are posted in studios, neighborhoods, and throughout the school as reminder of strategies that all students may use for self-regulation. For grades three through five, the transition team offers daily small group sessions during grade-level lunch periods.
Ongoing Throughout the YearÂ
Our Deployment Buddy program starts in August and continues throughout the school year for all grade levels. Deployment Buddies is a special program for students whose parent(s) are deployed for thirty days or more. These students are monitored closely throughout the deployment period. Â Additionally, the daily resiliency check-in via the Pacific Cares App identifies students daily who may have a need to speak with the counselor. The goal is for all students to feel safe, have a sense of belonging, and are ready to learn. The team is deployed throughout the school each morning to visit any student identified to address any student concerns. The team also endeavors to pair new students with new friends during lunch time to help ease their transition. When possible, the transition coordinator trains and delegates the delivery of sessions to Meeter Greeters, who provide the first impression of our school from a student perspective. On a student's first day, Meeter Greeters escort new parents and students to their new class and provide a brief tour of the building if time allows. Transition Team members are visible daily throughout the school, available to meet with students on-demand, and are often approached spontaneously by students in need of a conversation.
- Meeter Greeters:Â
- Daily: 7:15am - 7:35am to Meet and Greet new families and provide daily news updates via the Morning Message streamed LIVE on YoutubeÂ
- Birthday celebrations and pencils from the transition team
- Â Lunch Bunch
- Â During grade level lunch periods daily in the cafeteria
- PCSing Celebration Sessions:Â
- As needed
- Schedule of Events:
- Month of the Military Child celebrations and Activities throughout April each year
- On-demand access to a transition team member daily
- Hail/Farewell: First Friday of the Month during grade level lunches.
- Upcoming New  Family Activities:Â
- Football Tailgate, HHS Football Stadium, DATE & TIME
- Base Library Monster Mash, SFC Ray E. Duke Memorial Library, DATE & TIME
- Holiday Cookie Decorating, HCES Winter Wonderland, DATE & TIME
The Student Transition Program counselors and Meeter Greeters assist newly arriving students with finding community within their new school. Learn more about the Pacific Region’s Student Transition program
Contact the Zukeran ES STP Coordinator(s):
Learn more about the DoDEA Pacific region's Student Transition Program
