Naval Support Activity Philadelphia School Liaison Program
School Liaison Officer | For Families | For Educators | For Command Leadership

The School Liaison Officer is the primary point of contact between the military installation, the local schools and school districts, transitioning families and the community at large. The School Liaison Officer can provide support in the following areas:

• Assisting families with school transfers and helping to "level the playing field" for military children and youth.
• Connecting educators with the Navy deployment support system to inform them about cycles of deployment and tools that are available to assist educators when working with Navy children.
• Serving as subject matter experts for installation commanders on K-12 issues, helping to connect command, school and community resources.
• Offering support to exceptional military families with children who have special needs by providing assistance in making referrals, and in privacy, policy and state and federal regulation matters.
• Assisting Navy families involved in home schooling by sharing information and resources on issues, policies and legislation and leveraging Navy Child and Youth Program resources to assist families who have chosen the home-schooling pathway for their children.
• Creating a volunteer network of resources to support installation and community members
  who have a vested interest in the success of all youth.
• Working` with installation and school leaders to provide graduating military students with access to post-secondary information and opportunities.

Regional School Liaison Officer
Navy Region MId-Atlantic
Office: (757) 322-2679
Cell: (757) 470-994
Fax: (757) 444-4067

The seven (7) core functions of a School Liaison Officer (SLO):

School Transition Services (PCS Cycle): School Liaison Officers assist families with school transfers and help “level the playing field” for military children and youth.

Deployment Support: School Liaison Officers connect educators with the Navy deployment support system to inform them about the cycles of deployment and the tools that are available to assist educators in working with Navy children.

Command, School, Community Communications: School Liaison Officers serve as subject-matter experts for installation commanders on K-12 issues, helping to connect command, school and community resources.

Special Education System Navigation: The School Liaison Officer should offer support to exceptional military families with children who have special needs in the following ways: provide information, make referrals, offer assistance in navigating, protect the privacy of students and exceptional military families and be knowledgeable of the policies and regulations.

Home School Linkage and Support: School Liaison Officers assist Navy families by gathering and sharing information on home schooling issues, policies and legislation from local school districts, and help leverage Navy Child and Youth Programs resources to support these families.

Partnerships in Education (PIE): PIE creates a volunteer network of resources to support installation and community members who have a vested interest in the success of all youth.

Post-Secondary Preparations: School Liaison Officers leverage installation and school resources to provide graduating military students with access to post-secondary information and opportunities.

Specific responsibilities include

• Serve as the installation point-of-contact for local Child and Youth Service matters.
• Facilitate communication between local school authorities and senior leadership.
• Advocate for the educational needs of military children.
• Provide information regarding all schools in the area.
• Ensure a communication link with inbound and outbound families on educational issues.
• Maintain contact information pertaining to the Exceptional Family Member Program and other local resources for students with special needs.
• Engage with school leaders, installation leadership and families on items of interest such as understanding required state testing, school exit exams, high school seniors applying for financial aid, student transition, Individual Education Plan (IEP) etc.
• Serve as a liaison between organizations providing services to students, school personnel and community to foster partnerships between schools, families, and military and civilian organizations.
• Educate teachers, counselors, and administrators on unique issues affecting military families.
• Command a working knowledge of federal, state and local laws applicable to military child education.

For Families

Navy Families - School & Education

Public Education
District schools are often called “neighborhood schools” because they are within the town/city where the student resides. They provide a free, public education for all students who reside in the boundaries of the district and make special arrangements for students with special needs. District schools get their financing from local, state, and federal government funds. An elected board of education traditionally oversees the budget and policies of the district schools. In most cases, they must admit all students who live within the borders of their district.

Charter schools are public schools which are run independently of the local school district. These schools receive tax dollars but the sponsoring group must also come up with private funding. They aim to provide educational innovation, improve academic achievement and establish a multi-cultural environment without regard to economic status. Charter schools must adhere to the basic curricular and teacher certification requirements of the state but are free from many of the regulations that apply to conventional schools and the day-to-day scrutiny of school boards and government authorities. Charter schools may focus on an area of instruction such as specializing in teaching mathematics and science or working with students who are considered “at risk.” Charter schools are open to all students; however, the “Charter document” may limit students to a certain geographic area. A lottery system is generally used if there are more applicants than spaces available.

Magnet schools are highly competitive, highly selective public schools renowned for their special programs, superior facilities, and high academic standards. Magnet schools are operated by local districts, regional centers, and/or an agreement between schools and districts who share policy and curriculum decisions for the school. Students generally choose to attend a magnet school because of an interest in the school's academic focus or unique programs such as science, technology, math, performing arts, foreign languages, or International Baccalaureate. All students are eligible to attend magnet schools. However, school districts usually limit the number of students who may attend magnet schools and must use a lottery system to select students if there are more applications than spaces available.

Career Technology centers are often provided for students in grades 9-12 who have an interest in specific vocational or technological training. They are able to learn technical skills while earning a high school diploma. Some programs are housed in separate buildings form the regular district high school while others are incorporated within the high school. Teachers must have state certification as well as special training/experience in the areas taught.

Non-Public Education
Religious Private Schools are private schools which generally espouse a specific religious belief based on the denomination or faith established by the governing board. Often religious schools have open enrollment and do not require their student body to be members of the faith or denomination, although they do require that all students abide by the rules established by the school leadership. In addition to academic coursework, religious schools usually require coursework in religious studies. Students must apply to attend the school and entrance exams may be required. Private religious schools can refuse admission to any student or dismiss a student after enrollment for an infraction of the rules. Teachers’ requirements and tuition costs vary by school. Transportation may be included in the cost of tuition or may be separate charge.

Local Schools - School District of Philadelphia

Private School Information
Please note that the U.S. Navy neither endorses nor supports any of the organizations listed below. Information is provided purely as a resource for families that may be seeking private educational options for their children.
Private School Review | Review.com
NCES Private School Search
Religious Private Schools

Home School Resources
Home School Central
Home School Legal Defense Association

Special Education Resources
Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) | EFMP Point of Contact, (757) 462-7563
Specialized Training for Military Parents (STOMP)
DoD Military Homefront Special Needs Toolkit

Post-Secondary Education Preparation & Schooling

SAT / ACT Power Prepration
Colleg Scholarship Information
Government Benefits
Student Aid

Transitioning & Additional Family Service Resources

Family & Education: Military OneSource | DoD Education Agency | School Quest | Military Kids Connect | Staying Strong | The Military Family's Parent Guide for Supporting Your Child in School | Military Child Education Coalition | U.S. Department of Education

Recreation : 4-H | Purple Camps | Boys & Girls Clubs of America | YMCA

Fleet & Family: Fleet & Family Support | Child & Youth Programs (CYP) | CYP Parent Handbook | Morale, Welfare & Recreation | Family Housing

Navy Youth Sponsorship Program

The Youth Sponsorship program is designed to assist young people in making the transistion from one installation to another successfully. It is our goal to help incoming youth adjust and get connected with a youth sponsor at the installation. Youth Sponsors will provide information about area schools, attractions and the surrounding community. This program is created by and for youth with youth involvement in every aspect of the program. Click here for additional information and to fill out he Youth Spoonsor request form.

For Educators

Navy School Liaison Officers work with school personnel to foster a positive and mutually beneficial relationship between schools and the military community, all for the sake of the military child. Specifically, the School Liaison Officer will:

•  
  • Develop solutions in partnership with local schools to overcome barriers to successful education, as it relates to the military child.
  • Collaborate with local schools to facilitate the education transition experience.
  • Connect schools with the Navy deployment support system to provide awareness about the effects of deployment as it relates to academic success and tools that are available to assist educators in working with military children.
  • Offer transition-related professional development opportunities for educators.
  • Connect schools with the Partnerships in Education program.

Educator Resources
Tutor.com
Interstate Compact on Education Opportunity for Military Children
American Association of Schools Administrators Toolkit: Supporting the Military Child
Working with Military Children: A Primer for School Personnel
School Quest
Educator’s Guide to the Military Child During Deployment
School Connectedness: Improving Students’ Lives
Ten Things Military Teens Want to Know
A Dictionary of Military Terms
Touch Topics: Military Kids, Homecoming & Reunion
Tough Topics: Talking to Kids About Violence, Terrorism & War
The School Administrator's Guide for Supporting Students from Military Families
The Teacher's Guide for Supporting Students from Military Families
The Pupil Personnel Guide for Supporting Students from Military Families
The Military Child Education Coalition

For Command Leadership

School Liaison Officers serve as subject-matter experts for installation and regional commanders on K - 12 issues, helping to connect command, school and community resources in support of military children and youth. School Liaison Officers and Commanders work together with schools to create a partnership bridge between the military and school communities, to address transition and deployment related challenges faced by military children.

Command Resources
Interstate Compact on Education Opportunity for Military Children
School Quest
School Connectedness: Improving Students’ Lives
Ten Things Military Teens Want to Know
A Dictionary of Military Terms
Touch Topics: Military Kids, Homecoming & Reunion
Tough Topics: Talking to Kids About Violence, Terrorism & War
Military Students on the Move: A Toolkit for Installation Commanders
Military K-12 Partners: A DODEA Partnership Program
Students at the Center
Military Homefront: Exceptional Family Member Program