School Liaison

School Liaison: David Lehfeld

When it's time to relocate, the School Liaison is here to help the transition go as smoothly as possible for your children. With Navy families moving every three years on average, a student can attend up to nine different schools by graduation. Our School Liaison (SL) helps families with children in Kindergarten through 12th grade and assists with everything from school registration and homeschool support, to meeting graduation requirements. Getting in contact with the School Liaison as soon as possible will eliminate much of the guesswork for you as a parent. 

What is a School Liaison?

School Liaisons are located at each installation and are the main contact for miltiary families, local school systems, and installation leadership for school-related matters K through 12th grade. School Liaisons are experienced professionals who support, advise, and build partnerships with the civilian and military community to help address common education challenges of military families. 

Who is eligible for School Liaison support?

School Liaison Program support is open to all DoW ID cardholders, educators who service military students and community partners involved with K-12 education. Support is available to all uniformed services, including National Guard and reserves, those in geographically separated units, the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service and the uniformed members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

What types of support do School Liaisons offer? 

School Liaisons offer a wide variety of support to ensure the best possible education for military-connected students. 

Services include: 

• Transition support - including assistance with local school options, transfer of credits, youth sponsorship referrals, and more
• Nontraditional schooling options, including home-schooling
• Special education support and referrals
• Deployment support
• College, career, and military readiness
• Parent and educator workshops
• Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission, or MIC3, compliance

Educators: 

Contact your School Liaison for support with: 

• Military family resources
• Staff development on military culture
• Building partnerships in education
• Deployment support strategies
• Guidance and information on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children

Public School Information

Loogootee Community Schools and North Davies Community Schools are zoned to base housing; however, Indiana has an expansive open enrollment policy. Both Loogootee and North Davies Schools provide bus transportation to base housing.

Indiana Enrollment/Registration

 Contact the appropriate school district for information on registration requirements, fees, and specific academic or extracurricular activities.

Newcomers and those registering their children for the first time are required by IL law to provide proof of immunizations. Here you will find information on immunizations as well as downloadable health, dental and eye examination forms applicable for Illinois. The Illinois Certificate of Child Health Examination Code requirements and a description of each is available at https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Health-Requirements-Student-Health-Data.aspx

Free and Reduced Meals
Income eligibility guidelines are listed at https://www.isbe.net/Pages/School-Nutrition-Programs.aspx.

Kindergarten and First Grade Eligibility Requirements
For enrollment in Kindergarten, children must be five years of age on or before September 1st of the current school year. Children must be six years of age on or before September 1st to be eligible to attend First Grade. 

Home School Information

The state of Indiana does not require home school students to be registered with the state but does have a helpful website to assist families that choose a home school option at:

https://www.in.gov/doe/students/homeschool-information/

The compulsory school attendance law requires all children to attend a school taught in the English language from either the start of the school year during which a child will turn 7 (if the child is to attend a public school), or at age 7 (if the child is to attend a nonaccredited, nonpublic school {including, but not limited to, a "homeschool"})

An additional resource for military families choosing to home school
Home-school Association for Military Families
https://hslda.org/militaryfamilies

K-12 Special Needs

Parents of special needs students can connect with their local public school’s Special Education Student Support Services by visiting the following websites.

Special Ed Connection (Please contact your local School Liaison for login access.)
A free web-based resource available to Navy families, provides resources and tools that enable families to better understand special education requirements and available services.
www.SpecialEdConnection.com 

Military OneSource
Offers assistance to families with special needs and family members at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/.

Specialized Training of Military Parents (STOMP)
https://wapave.org/

Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)

Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Liaisons are located at Fleet and Family Support Centers and provide information and referral to help EFM families identify and access appropriate military, national and community resources. They assist in the navigation of EFMP related programs and systems and are responsible for:

• Provision of information, referral and systems navigation to special needs families

• Linking families with available military, national and local community resources

• Non-medical case management

• Development and maintenance of Individualized Service Plans (ISP)

• Partner with Military Treatment Facility (MTF) Coordinators to provide information, education and marketing

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the kindergarten cut-off date?
  • Five years old by September 1
     
• Do I have to live in the zone where the school is located? 
  • Yes and no, contact the local district to see about open enrollment
     
• Do the local schools have talented and gifted programs?
  • Yes
     
• Is there school choice or other school options in the area?
  • Yes
     
• What schedule does the local high school follow? 
  • Traditional scheduling

PCS Support

Military School Liaisons (All branches)
https://www.dodea.edu/Partnership/schoolLiaisonofficers.cfm

MIC3 - Military Interstate Children Compact Commission
https://www.mic3.net/

Relocation
https://ffr.cnic.navy.mil/Family-Readiness/Fleet-And-Family-Support-Program/Work-and-Family-Life/Relocation-Assistance/

K-12 and Post-Secondary Academic Support

Tutor.com
No cost, online tutoring and homework help for U.S. Military and their families.
https://www.tutor.com/military 

Khan Academy
A personalized learning resource for all ages.
https://www.khanacademy.org/

Federal Student Aid - FAFSA
https://studentaid.gov/

ACCESS College Foundation
ACCESS Counselors support high school students with post-secondary planning.
https://accesscollege.org/high-school-advisors/

Join Services Scholarship Database
A comprehensive, fully searchable Join Services Scholarship Database for Military Dependents. 
https://www.partners-in-purpose.com/

Military Family Support

Department of Defense Education Activity 
DoDEA

The website you need to visit if you are PCSing to an area overseas that does not have a DODEA school.
DODEA NDSP

Blue Star Families
www.bluestarfam.org

Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC)
https://www.militarychild.org/

Military OneSource
https://www.militaryonesource.mil/

National Military Family Association (NMFA)
https://www.militaryfamily.org/

Navy Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS)
https://www.nmcrs.org/

Navy MWR
https://www.navymwr.org/