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

Great Lakes Housing Areas
North Chicago School District 187
https://www.d187.org/

Fort Sheridan Housing Area
North Shore School District 112
https://www.nssd112.org/

Highland Park High School District 113
https://www.dist113.org/

Illinois Enrollment/Registration

Illinois requires that a child live within the district boundaries of the school he or she attends. Residents are required to show proof of residency each year. 

Please see North Chicago School District 187
https://www.d187.org/page/registration-information

North Shore School District 112
https://www.nssd112.org/departments/enrollment-and-registration

Highland Park High School District 113
https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Student-Registration-and-Enrollment-Guidance.aspx

Contact the appropriate school district for additional 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. 

Graduation Requirements
The following information delineates coursework necessary to meet the IL state graduation requirements. 
https://www.isbe.net/Documents/grad_require.pdf#search=high%20school%20graduation%20requirements

Private School Information

Please contact the SL at SLO.NAVSTAGLAKES@Navy.mil for a listing of the many options available. 

Home School Information

For residents of Illinois
Home-schooling in Illinois is considered to be a form of private education. Parents who choose to educate their children at home are under a legal obligation to meet the minimum requirements stated in Illinois’ Compulsory Attendance Law (Section 26-1 of the Illinois School Code). Parents who choose to educate their children at home are obligated to teach their children “…the branches of education taught to children of corresponding age and grade in the public schools” and they are further obligated to offer instruction in these core courses in the English language. The “branches of education” include language arts; mathematics; biological and physical sciences; social sciences; fine arts; and physical development and health. For more information about home-schooling, please visit the Illinois State Board of Education web site at https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Homeschool.aspx.

For residents of Wisconsin
You may enroll your child in a home-based private educational program at any time during the school term in the state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin Statute 115.30(3) requires the child's parent or guardian to file the online PI-1206 Homeschool Report annually, on or before October 15 of the current school year. For detailed information on curricula, attendance requirements, diplomas, and special education as well as other topics, please visit the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction at https://dpi.wi.gov/sms/home-based.

Additional Resource
Homeschool Association for Military Families
https://hslda.org/explore/military-families

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.

North Chicago School District 187
https://www.d187.org/page/special-education

North Shore School District 112
https://www.nssd112.org/departments/student-services/special-education-services

Highland Park High School District 113
https://www.dist113.org/departments/student-services/special-education

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)

• 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

Youth Sponsorship

The Navy's Anchored4Life program is operating in both AJ Katzenmaier and Learn 6. This program is a comprehensive transition and reiliency training program that is in accordnace with the Navy school-based programming standards. 

High school students living in Fort Sheridan can contact the Highland Park High School Counselor at 224-765-2054 or 224-765-2050. 

Youth sponsorship is available through the installation Youth and Teen Center. Please contact the School Liaison or the Youth Director at 847-687-4522. 

Installation Child and Youth Programs

For information about: Child Development Center 2700 | Child Development Center 3110 | School Aged Care | Youth Sponsorship

Please go to https://www.navylifema.com/child-youth for regional information

Parents can get on the waiting list for military childcare by visiting https://militarychildcare.org/.

For parents who cannot find care within our CYP They must be registered on https://militarychildcare.org and on a waitlist to qualify. www.childcareaware.org/fee-assistancerespite/ 

Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA):
DODEA NDSP is the website you need to visit if you are PCSing to an area overseas that does not have a DODEA school. 

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
     
• Do the local schools have talented and gifted programs?
  • Yes
     
• Is there school choice or other school options in the area? 
  • No, in the local K-8 there is a charter school that could be applied for
     
• 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

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/