Get Involved / Partnerships
Parent Involvement
Research demonstrates that parent involvement is essential for student success. Although you may not become involved in all committees and support organizations in the school, we encourage the following activities for your parental support:
- Join the school parent/teacher association (PTA) and participate in meetings and activities.
- Have lunch at school with your child regularly.
- Volunteer in your child's classroom.
- Establish a daily study time at home (even when there's no homework).
- Participate in the Continuous School Improvement (CSI) efforts at your child's school.
- Keep informed of school events and activities by reading school newsletters and your child's classroom newsletter.
- Communicate frequently with your child's teacher.
- Prepare for and participate in parent-teacher conferences.
- Ensure your child has a well-balanced breakfast and comes to school with completed homework, lunch money and school supplies.
Visitors and Volunteers
This applies to:
Modification date
This policy is under review
For the protection of students and staff, all visitors must report to the school’s front office immediately upon arriving at the school. A visitor is any person (to include parents, sponsors, and legal guardians) not enrolled or assigned to the school requesting entry to the building.
Visitors must provide authorized identification to gain access to the DoDEA school. The visitor will be issued a visitor badge that must be displayed above the waist while on DoDEA school property. The school administrator has the final determination on visitors authorized to be at the school. While on DoDEA school property, visitors may go only to the approved area indicated as their destination when signing in at the school’s front office. Any change to the designated location must be approved by the school’s front office before the visitor can access a different location within the school. When leaving the school, visitors must sign out and return the visitor's badge to the school’s front office.
Classroom Observations
Parents are welcome to visit the school and classrooms to observe the school’s programs for brief periods of time that do not interfere with instruction. Approval by the school administrator is required for this type of visitation.
Related regulations
Visiting the School
Parents and other responsible adults are always welcome at school. If you know in advance that you will be visiting your child's classroom, we encourage you to notify your child's teacher ahead of time so they are prepared for your visit. We do not allow students to bring friends or other non-registered students to school due to liability and space restrictions. In addition, parents may not bring younger siblings, other children, or babies with them when they visit or volunteer in a classroom. This can be a serious distraction from the learning environment for all students.
Visitor Badges
DoDEA policy mandates use of visitor badges and positive identification of all visitors and contractors. In compliance with this policy, upon arrival, ALL visitors are required to come to the school office, sign in, show identification, and receive a visitor's badge. All visitors MUST sign out and return the visitor's badge upon leaving the building.
Be a Volunteer!
Volunteers are always needed and are a part of the total school program. They assist in the classrooms, office, special subject and resource rooms, and educational support areas. If a parent is volunteering in a classroom, we ask that you please make alternative arrangements for siblings. They are not allowed in the room during the instructional day. We encourage active participation by parents in their child's education and while, younger children are precious, they may be distracting to students in the classroom. We appreciate your understanding and thank you for your support. Check with you child's teacher for specific opportunities and to complete any necessary forms in addition to the ones below.
DoDEA Policy requires that prospective and current school volunteers shall be subject to a standardized application process that includes completion of an application form and standardized background checks. Volunteer applications are available in the school office or linked below. Please allow 5 business days for processing of all volunteer request forms. There are many volunteer opportunities for parents eager to get involved with their students education or for other interested community members.
Thank You for Volunteering!
Before you do, please fill out the required forms and turn them in to your local volunteer office.
Partner-in-Education Program (PIE)
PIE is based on the concept that "human capital" is the most important resource a partner can provide. The greatest benefit to education is derived from the personal involvement of volunteers in schools.
School Boards
This applies to:
Modification date
This policy is under review
DoDEA school administrators, in partnership with sponsors/family members, students, and military leaders, promote communication through the establishment of school boards to address issues (school initiatives, procedures and policies) locally. This is a system-wide way for parents to get involved in their child’s local school. Consult your child’s school to learn more about school boards.
DoDEA School Boards
Being a DoDEA school board member is a serious responsibility but one that offers significant rewards - the primary reward being the opportunity to actively participate in the process of educating our children.
However, unlike the school boards in the Local Education Authority (LEA), DoDEA school boards act purely in an advisory capacity, providing input to the Superintendent and administrators in the areas of fiscal, personnel and educational policies, procedures and programs. The DoDEA school district superintendent makes final decisions on matters affecting the school district.
School Board Meetings
Board meetings are open to the public. For specific information on School Board agendas, please contact any member of your School Board. Please contact your local school or the District Superintendents Office to get contact information.
Frequently Asked Questions about DoDEA School Boards
Do DoDEA Americas school board members ever participate in deciding matters affecting employees or students?
Employee relations and student conduct are almost always matters handled by the Superintendent, principals, and administrative staff. If, for some reason, school board participation is required, the Superintendent will explain the applicable rules.
Do DoDEA Americas school boards have the same authority as school boards for local education agencies?
No, generally the school board for a local education agency (LEA) makes the policy and rules for schools in that particular school district; the Superintendent and staff implement the school board's policy. DoDEA Americas school boards act in an advisory capacity, providing input to the Superintendent and administrators in the areas of fiscal, personnel and educational policies, procedures and programs. The DoDEA Americas school district superintendent makes final decisions on matters affecting the school district.
Why can't DoDEA school boards make the rules which govern a particular DoDEA school district?
The statute which authorizes DoDEA and the implementing DoD guidance define the roles of the DoDEA Americas school boards. Also, because DoDEA Americas school board members are not officers or employees of the United States as defined in the "appointments clause" of the Constitution, they may not exercise discretionary governmental authority such as: taking personnel actions, expending appropriated funds, or establishing governmental policies.
What happens if the school board disagrees with how the Superintendent wants to handle a particular issue?
The Superintendent and the school board should always attempt to find common ground on all issues. However, DoDEA Superintendents are ultimately responsible for operation of the school district. In rare instances, a Superintendent may find it necessary to take an action with which the school board might not agree. The Superintendent should then provide the school board with the rationale for that action. If necessary, either the Superintendent or the school board may ask for the assistance of the DoDEA Americas Director.
Is training available for new school board members?
Yes, all school board members receive training so that they may better understand the rules which govern the operation of the school board.
Parent Teacher Organization / Parent Teacher Association
The PTO/PTA is a group of parents and teachers working for a better school environment by providing both financial and volunteer support for our school programs. The PTO/PTA are able to sponsor a variety of activities that may include book fairs, school pictures, monthly birthday celebrations for all children, the sale of school t-shirts or many other events. The PTO/PTA consists of the following positions: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. In addition, there are several committee coordinator positions such as volunteer, spirit week, membership and box tops. If you are interested in volunteering, serving on the executive board, or being a committee coordinator, please contact the PTO/PTA.
PTO/PTA Objectives
The PTO/PTA is a non-profit, non-partisan, and non-sectarian organization. It cooperates with the school to support the improvement of education in ways that will not interfere with the education of students or the mission of the school and does not seek to control school policies. Specific objectives include:
- Providing a medium for exchange of information among parents, teachers, and other interested groups.
- Encouraging and developing programs and activities, which serve to enhance the quality of student education.
- Identifying and promoting opportunities for students to secure the highest advantage in their academic, physical, and social growth.
- Encouraging and maintaining a working dialogue between members, the local educational school system, the local government, and the community at-large on matters affecting the general welfare and education of students.
Membership is open to all parents and legal guardians of students attending the school as well as school staff. Contact the school for membership information.
CLCS School Board Nominations
Dear Families,
We are now accepting nominations for the Camp Lejeune School Board. You may nominate a candidate for the School Board by completing the Nomination Form and returning via email to Allisha Pinkney at Allisha.pinkney@dodea.edu by Monday, September 27, 2021. Once nominations have been received, Ms. Pinkney will notify each nominee and provide a BIO Sheet Form to complete and return. The BIO Sheet Form will need to be completed and returned to Ms. Pinkney no later than Friday, October 1, 2021, by 12:00 PM EST. Elections will be held via survey beginning Monday, October 4, 2021, through Wednesday, October 6, 2021. Each Camp Lejeune Community School will be allotted one position on the school board.
The school board is advisory in nature and may participate in the development and oversight of educational policies, procedures and programs for the DoDEA school and advise on issues impacting the effective operation of the DoDEA School and DoDEA school system. This is an excellent opportunity to provide public service to the community and support our students. Further information can be found in DoDEA Administrative Instruction 1358.01, School Boards, Advisory Committees and Dependent Educational Council.
Sincerely,
Ryan Smith
Camp Lejeune Community Schools
Community Superintendent
Camp Lejeune School Board
Public Participation at CLDS School Board Meetings
The Camp Lejeune School Board recognizes its responsibility to conduct the business of the Camp Lejeune District Schools (CLDS) in an orderly and efficient manner; therefore, it will require that meetings be formal enough to ensure orderly policy, yet informal enough to encourage and promote group thinking, free discussion and action on matters of concern to the District
To Be Placed on the Official Agenda
In order to ensure such activities, reasonable controls must be required to regulate public presentations to the school board. The following policy will be followed by all persons or organizations wishing to make a presentation to the Camp Lejeune School Board and be included in the official agenda.
- A written request to appear before the school board and be included on the school board agenda should be submitted to the school board president via CLDS administration building no later than seven (7) calendar days prior to the school board meeting at which the petitioner desires to make a presentation.
- The petition should state the specific reasons for appearing before the school board and include any background information or data that will assist the school board in understanding the subject of the presentation. Any information or data that is to be shared with the school board by handouts will be submitted with the petition. (DoD Instruction 1342.25, "School Boards for the Department of Defense Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS), October 30, 1996, 5.4.1)
- The Board reserves the right to defer any decision on any request to appear for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days. (DoD Instruction 1342.25, "School Boards for the Department of Defense Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS), 1342.25, 5.4.1)
- Petitioners will be notified by the board president, no later than forty-eight (48) hours before the Board meeting date that their request to appear has been approved, unapproved, or deferred.
- The petition to be heard by the Camp Lejeune School Board will be recognized by the president. The individual will identify him/herself, the name of the organization they represent, if appropriate. A presentation will not exceed five (5) minutes if the presenter is speaking as an individual and ten (10) minutes if speaking on behalf of an organized group.
- The school board president is responsible for the orderly conduct of the board meeting and appropriateness of the subject and the suitability of the time for the presentation.
Public Comment - Not on the Official Agenda
It is the policy of the Board to encourage audience participation during the public comment portion of the board meeting agenda. In order to provide a fair opportunity to every person that desires to address the board must, the following policies must be followed:
- Individuals will be called to comment in the order in which they arrived. Individuals may be assigned numbers and called to speak in numerical order.
- Each speaker may take up to five (5) minutes to make his or her comments. This time constraint may be modified by the board president to be fewer than five minutes if there are a number of persons wishing to speak. Speakers will be advised when they have one minute remaining.
- All speakers will be asked to begin by stating their name, organization representing and topic.
- The Board reserves the right to defer any decision on any request to appear for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days. (DoD Instruction 1342.25, "School Boards for the Department of Defense Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS), 1342.25, 5.4.1)
- Speakers are not to address nor engage in dialogue with individual board members during the public comment period. Comments are to be addressed to the board as a whole. Board members will not engage individual speakers in dialogue nor ask or answer questions during the presentation.
- A written response may be provided by the Board to the presenter upon request. The school board will have thirty (30) days to respond.
Heroes Elementary PTO
The Heroes Elementary PTO is a nonprofit organization of Heroes staff members and parents & legal guardians of Heroes students and seeks to enrich the educational environment through supplemental materials and experiences. The PTO consists of 5 elected members selected in the spring.
The PTO plans and sponsors many events through the school year, such as:
- Fall and Spring Bookfairs
- Family Night Events
- Box Tops
- Monthly Dining to Donate
- Popcorn Friday
- Static Military Display
- Muffins for Mom
- Donuts for Dad
- Yearbook
- Teacher Appreciation Week
- Candy Grams
- Spirit Wear
Join the PTO Today!
PTO Membership Forms go home at the beginning of the school year.
If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact us!
Please follow Heroes PTO's Facebook Page for the latest information!
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