Handbook for Parents with School Age Children 2015-2016 School Liaison Officer 135 Dover Street, Suite 1203, Airman & Family Readiness Center Peterson AFB, CO 80914 Commercial 719-556-6141 DSN 834-6141 E-mail: [email protected] January 22, 2016 1 Table of Contents WELCOME TO PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE………………………………………………………………...…………………………………4 GENERAL INFORMATION…………………………………………………………………………. ................................................................... 5 School Liaison Officer…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…5 School Locator: “Colorado Choice State”…………………………………………………………………………………………..…5 Military Interstate Children’s Compact………………………………………………………………………………………………….6 New Student Registrations and School Physical Forms…………………………………………………………………………….8 Immunizations…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…8 Bus Schedules………………………………………………………………………………………. .................................................... 9 R.P. Lee Youth Center, Peterson AFB…………………………………………………………………………………..……………..10 Choosing a School……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….10 School District Maps……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...11 School/Student Report Cards…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...12 Colorado Academic Standards, Standards of Learning Tests.......……………………………………………………………….12 Special Education…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………13 Delayed Openings – Early Closure, PTA/PTO, Impact Aid…………………………………………………………………………13 Graduation Requirements………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..14 Home Schooling………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…14 PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE LOCAL SCHOOL INFORMATION…………………………………………………………………………...16 Local Public School Districts……………………………………………………………………………………………………………17 Public Elementary Schools……………………………………………………………………………………………………17 Public Middle Schools…………………………………………………………………. ..................................................... 20 Public High Schools……………………………………………………………………………………………………………21 Charter Schools………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ... 22 Alternative Schools…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….23 Home School…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….23 Online School……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………23 Private Schools………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………………..24-25 SCHOOL DISTRICT CALENDARS…………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………..26 Harrison School District 2………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………..26-29 Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8……………………………………………………………………………………………. ... 31 Colorado Springs District 11…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….32 Cheyenne Mountain School District 12………………………………………………………………………………………………..33 2 Academy School District 20……………………………………………………………………………….…………………………….34 Lewis Palmer School District 38………………………………………………………………………………………………………..35 Falcon School District 49………………………………………………………………...…………………………………………..36-43 APPENDIX………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………….44 Sample High School Performance by District…………………………………………………………………………………….44-46 Checklist for Open Enrollment in Colorado……………………………………………………………..……………………………47 School In & Out Processing Checklist………………………………………………………………...………………..…………48-49 Local Phone/DSN Listing, Local Information………………………………………………………………………………………50-52 Peterson AFB arrival information…………………………………………………………………………………………………..53-55 Peterson AFB Map…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...……………56 Colorado Springs Area Information…………………………………………………………………………………………………57-59 Internet Resources for Military Families………………………………………………………………..…………………...……..60-64 STARBASE Academy Information……………………………………………………………………………………………………..65 3 Welcome to Peterson Air Force Base Welcome to Peterson Air Force Base! We look forward to helping ease the transition to on- and off-base communities as well as area schools. If you’re new to Peterson AFB, congratulations and welcome. Peterson AFB is a wonderful place for families. In addition to great amenities and recreational facilities found around, and on, the installation, our location offers unlimited points of interest in the surrounding communities and local schools committed to providing a quality education for our children. As School Liaison Officer, my role is to improve transitional support for school age children of Peterson AFB personnel by establishing partnerships between the base and local schools, advocating for military children, increasing awareness of the unique needs of military children, and providing a process to address and resolve military-specific issues affecting students in kindergarten through 12th grade. We are very fortunate to have committed educators at all levels that are willing to help military families on a day-to-day basis. They appreciate our service to our nation and we appreciate their service to our children, our communities, and our nation as well. There are many school systems serving Peterson AFB. Many base housing residents attend Colorado Springs School District 11 (D11), Falcon School District 49 (D49), and Harrison School District Two (D2). Colorado is a “Choice State” and families have the option to apply to many quality schools within multiple school districts. Parents are encouraged to research and visit local schools as part of their Colorado School of Choice Application; a sample of local school performance may be viewed in Appendix A. For those wishing an alternative to public education, there are also many quality private schools in the area from which you can choose (Page 24). Many families also choose to home school and there are many active home schooling groups you may choose to join in order to share talents and resources. We have an excellent relationship with the local schools. Our commitment as a member of the surrounding school districts/communities is very strong—we will need your help to continue to expand this relationship to help improve our schools. Please consider volunteering in your children’s schools or participating in Peterson AFB’s Adopt-A-School Program. There is a lot of information in this handbook that you will hopefully find helpful. It includes general information about registration, school physicals, immunizations, and graduation information. This is followed by listings of, and information about, local schools (both public and private) to include links to their web-sites, addresses, and phone numbers to their administrative offices. If you have any questions about the schools in the Peterson AFB area, please contact the School Liaison Officer at DSN 834-6141, commercial (719) 556-6141, or e-mail: [email protected]. Ms. Victoria Reid School Liaison Officer Peterson AFB 4 General Information SCHOOL LIAISON OFFICER (SLO) The education and welfare of school-age children is a quality of life issue. Military families experience challenges with reciprocity and quality of education from location to location. School-age children are as transient as their military parents and may encounter transition and academic problems. Every Air Force installation has a SLO to coordinate and assist parents of school-aged children with educational opportunities and information necessary to succeed in an academic environment. The SLO is the central point of contact for commanders, military families, and local school systems on school-related matters. Air Force SLOs network, educate, and work in partnership with local schools to address or enhance the military child's education. The Air Force SLO provides military commanders with support necessary to coordinate and advise military parents of school-aged children on educational issues and needs and to assist in solving education-related problems. The SLO works to identify barriers to academic success and develop solutions; promote parental involvement in their children’s education; develop and coordinate partnerships in education; provide parents with the tools they need to overcome obstacles to education stemming from the military lifestyle; and promote and educate local communities and schools regarding the needs of military children. The Air Force SLO also connects families with Child and Youth Programs and Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), Family Support offices. Each branch of Service has SLOs ready to serve relocating families, regardless of the service member's Service affiliation, ensuring a smooth transition to their new civilian schools. World-wide contact information for School Liaisons is available on the Military K-12 Partners website. School Liaisons are listed by military branch and location at the following web-site: http://www.militaryk12partners.dodea.edu/resources.cfm?colId=liaison#af School Locator: “Colorado Choice State” The Colorado Board of Education recognizes that students may benefit from having a choice of schools to attend which is not limited by school boundaries. As such, both in-District and out-of- District students may enroll in programs or schools within Colorado Springs School Districts on a space available basis. To apply for admission to a school other than their neighborhood school, parents complete a Choice Open Enrollment Form and submit the form to the school they wish to have their student attend. Annually, the open enrollment window for the next school year is as follows: D-2 (Harrison School District) tentatively scheduled 4 Jan thru 31 Mar 2016 D-2 (James Irwin Charter School) 1 Oct 2015 – 31 Jan 2016 D-3 (Widefield School District) last day is 1st Friday in May D-11 (Colorado Springs School District) 2 Nov 2015 – 12 Feb 2016 D-12 Cheyenne