Bridge & Banner™ Launches First Arizona Pilot at James B. Rolle Elementary
Stephanie Rundle, founder of Bridge & Banner™
Stephanie Rundle with Bridge & Banner Families
~ Support Military-Connected Students’ Academic Transitions ~
YUMA, AZ, UNITED STATES, December 15, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Bridge & Banner™, a nonprofit initiative focused on academic continuity for military-connected students, today announced a six-month pilot partnership with James B. Rolle Elementary School in Yuma, Arizona. The program begins December 3, 2025, and marks the organization’s first Arizona pilot.
James B. Rolle Elementary is located in a community recently named a 2025 Great American Defense Community by the Association of Defense Communities and USAA. Serving a large population of military-connected and civilian families, the school offers an ideal setting to test tools designed to prevent learning disruption during military moves.
Seven PK–5 teachers, some military-connected and some not, will participate in the pilot. They will receive training and support to use Bridge & Banner’s skill-based learning continuity plans, which help ensure students do not lose academic momentum when they move. Each teacher will also receive a $500 stipend in recognition of their time and expertise.
Military-connected students move far more often than their civilian peers, typically six to nine times between kindergarten and high school. Frequent relocations can lead to lost records, repeated content, and instructional gaps that impact confidence and long-term academic outcomes. Bridge & Banner was created by educators and military families to address these challenges by offering clear, skill-based snapshots that help teachers and parents understand exactly where a student is in their learning progression.
“Yuma is one of the nation’s Great American Defense Communities for a reason, this city shows up for its service members and their families,” said Stephanie Rundle, MA, founder of Bridge & Banner™. “Partnering with James B. Rolle Elementary allows us to work alongside teachers and parents who live this reality every PCS season. Together, we’re proving that a child’s learning can move with them, not get left behind.”
From December 2025 through May 2026, participating teachers will examine how transitions affect learning for military-connected students academically, socially, and emotionally. They will receive coaching on working effectively with parents, who often serve as the most consistent source of academic continuity during moves. Teachers will implement Bridge & Banner’s learning continuity plans, documenting each student’s current skill level and identifying next steps for the receiving school to continue instruction seamlessly.
Throughout the pilot, both teachers and parents will complete surveys to evaluate clarity, usability, and impact. Parents will also provide pre- and post-move feedback to help refine the tools so they reflect real-world PCS stressors and timelines.
“Our teachers see the impact of frequent moves every year,” said Elizabeth Angulo, principal of James B. Rolle Elementary School. “Families arrive mid-year with boxes still packed and records still in transit, and students are expected to jump straight in. Bridge & Banner gives our teachers a clearer starting point and gives parents a voice in the process. That’s a game-changer for our campus.”
At the conclusion of the program, the seven participating teachers will serve as Bridge & Banner ambassadors at both the school and district levels. They will mentor peers in using the continuity tools, support scaling the program for all military-connected PK–5 students, and advocate for practices that acknowledge the realities of military family life. Rundle emphasized the ripple effect of equipping educators: “When teachers have simple, practical tools, they don’t just support one child, they change the system around that child.”
Parents will also play a central role in the pilot. Those who participate will receive resources to help them document their child’s learning from the moment new orders arrive through packing, moving, and enrolling in a new school. Parents will be coached on how to use the Continuity Plan in enrollment and placement discussions, helping ensure new teachers understand their child’s strengths and needs from day one. Their feedback will influence how Bridge & Banner supports families in future communities.
“For military families, school transitions are not a one-time event, they’re a way of life,” Rundle said. “Parents deserve a simple, respectful tool that travels with them and is taken seriously in every new classroom. That’s what Bridge & Banner is building alongside communities like Yuma.”
About Bridge & Banner™: Bridge & Banner™ is a nonprofit initiative of Veterans Collaborative, a 501(c)(3) organization, dedicated to supporting military-connected PK–5 students by ensuring smooth academic transitions from one school to the next. The program identifies a student’s current skill progression, outlines next steps for instruction, and equips military caregivers to advocate confidently for their child’s academic success. Built by educators and shaped by lived military experience, Bridge & Banner creates seamless learning handoffs that give teachers clarity and provide students with consistent momentum. Learn more at: BridgeAndBanner.org.
About Veterans Collaborative: Veterans Collaborative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that incubates and supports mission-driven projects serving veterans, military families, and the communities that stand with them. Through initiatives like Bridge & Banner, the organization develops and scales practical solutions that improve quality of life and long-term outcomes for service members and their families. Learn more at: Veteranscollaborative.org.
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Ali Craig
Victor + Valor
ali@victorvalor.org
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