Welcome to Ellsworth

Child & Youth EducationServices at Ellsworth AFB

Welcome!

“The more healthy rela�onships a child has, the more likely he will be to recover from trauma and thrive. Rela�onships are the agents of change and the most powerful

therapy is human love.”

-Dr. Bruce Perry

Dear Families,

Welcome to the beau�ful Black Hills! As the School Liaison (SL), I

am here to help make your transi�on to Ellsworth AFB (EAFB) as smooth as

possible.

My goal is to empower parents to be their child's best advocate in

the educa�onal process. I help parents navigate the school system and

ensure that military children are given the best opportuni�es to achieve

their highest poten�al.

Ques�ons for families from the School Liaison:

· Would you mind sharing your student(s) name, and the grade they

will be entering? You are also welcome to share any younger

siblings at home, and pets, if you like.

· What is your student(s) interested in and curious about—ac�vi�es,

sports, and so forth?

· How else may I help you?

Please reach out with any ques�ons regarding the educa�onal

concerns of your school-age children, feel free to contact me at the

Rushmore Center Bldg. 1000 Suite 2000, by phone 605-385-5385

(Commercial) or 605-593-6563 (cell) or 674-5385 (DSN), email

frances.apland@us.af.mil or 28FSS.SLO.POC@us.af.mil.

Visit the Ellsworth AFB School Liaison Officer website

www.ellsworthslo.org and Facebook page.

Here's more informa�on and some Frequently Asked Ques�ons

that I hope you will find useful in the next sec�on.

Very respec�ully,

Fran Apland

Ellsworth AFB CYES - School Liaison

What is my neighborhood school?

Deciding where to live, will determine the school district that your student(s)

will a�end. To help know the school districts' boundaries and a�endance

zones this website will be helpful;

h�ps://southdakota.hometownlocator.com/schools/

If you are wondering, most students a�end the Douglas School District (DSD)

in the city of Box Elder with the second highest number of students going to

Rapid City Area Schools (RCAS).

How do I register my student?

You may pre-register for schools online using the local school district's

websites found below. Final registra�on may be completed when you arrive.

You can also do all of this in person (rather than on line) once you arrive at

base.

ü Douglas School District (DSD) Go Patriots!

h�ps://www.dsdk12.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=358872&typ

e=d&pREC_ID=1464107

DSD registra�on informa�on helper: Jackie McPherson 605-923-0001

ü Rapid City Area Schools (RCAS) Go Cobblers! Go Raiders!

h�ps://rcas.org/student-new-to-the-district/

RCAS registra�on helper phone number: 605-394-4031

ü Meade School District, Go Scoopers!

h�ps://www.meade.k12.sd.us/index.php/enrollment/

Are there DoDEA schools located on Ellsworth AFB?

EAFB is locate in Meade and Pennington Coun�es and is served by the Douglas

School District off base in the city of Box Elder. If your family chooses to live in

Rapid City they will a�end Rapid City Area Schools (RCAS). We have an

excellent rela�onship with our local schools.

If I live on EAFB, what school will my middle or high school student a�end?

For residents on EAFB, students a�end Douglas Middle School (DMS) and

Douglas High School (DHS). Go Patriots!

The greatest gi�s we can give our children are the roots of

responsibility and the wings of independence.-Maria Montessori

What documents do I need to enroll my student in DSD or RCAS?

ü Cer�fied Birth Cer�ficate

ü Complete Immuniza�on Record

ü Custody Order (if applicable)

ü Photo ID or Driver's License (parent/legal guardian)

ü Proof of District Residency (current rental/lease agreement,

current monthly mortgage statement, EAFB housing

verifica�on/TLF le�er of residence)

ü Records from previous school including report cards,

standardized test scores, and IEP's; as applicable

ü Social Security Number (RCAS)

What is the age cut-off for Kindergarten in South Dakota?

Kindergarten students must be 5 on or before September 1 of the year

entering kindergarten. If a family is moving into the district from another state

and the child is not yet five, but was enrolled in a public school where they

came from, the military child can be enrolled in SD schools.

When does the school year begin and end?In South Dakota each school district sets their own school calendar. SD schools begin in August and end in late May or early June. The school calendars can be found on line along with district events.

ü DSD - h�ps://www.dsdk12.net ü RCAS - h�ps://rcas.org/parents/calendar-forms-school-supply-lists/

Is there a pre-school program in DSD?

Pre-school services are offered for a monthly fee at the Carrousel School at

DSD; phone 605-923-0090. A complete explana�on of pre-school programs

can be found at

h�ps://www.dsdk12.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=354226&type=d&pR

EC_ID=779963

School Counselor

The school counselors at your student's school can answer many ques�ons.

Each of the schools has a counselor embedded in their building to assist

students with making educa�on, career, or college plans. If your student(s) is th th

in 6 to 12 grade they can talk about course selec�ons, credit bearing

courses, SAT/ACT dates, and more. The earlier you reach out to them, the

be�er! The DSD counselors work closely with the peer mentoring programs of

Student2Student (S2S) and Anchored4Life (A4L) programs, which will link your

students with other students already at Douglas schools.

Is there a Military Family Life Counselor (MFLC) at my student's school?

At DSD the CYB-MFLC provides non-medical support to military connected

students for issues including, but not limited to, school adjustment,

deployment and reunion adjustment, and parent-child communica�on.

Parents must acknowledge, in wri�ng whether or not their student may

receive assistance by the CYB-MFLC. Permission requests are provided at the

school and at the on-line registra�on page.

Note: RCAS do not have CYB-MFLC's assigned to the schools but service

op�ons are available through MilitaryOneSource.

Can my student a�end school in another district?

Yes, the SD Legislature established “enrollment op�ons” program for students

in grades K-12, commonly known as Open Enrollment. The law, which can be

found at SDCL 13-28-40 through 13-28-47, requires the Department of

Educa�on to provide applica�on forms for open enrollment to local schools.

Under the Open Enrollment law SD Schools accept students who are legal

residents of another SD district provided they can do so without adversely

affec�ng the quality of the educa�onal program. Approval is subject to

program and/or space availability. Contact the SD School District that you

want to apply for this program of open enrollment. SD provides great

flexibility with school choices but it is key to keep in mind the transporta�on

costs, �me involved, and child care op�ons when making this decision for

your student.

Can my student be transported from DSD to my home in Rapid City or vise-

versa?

The school busing system at DSD is for families living in the district over 2.5

miles from the school. Transporta�on costs to an area outside the district is

the responsibility of the parent/guardian. Note: RCAS has a 2.5 mile radius

from residence to the school for bus transporta�on.

Is Before and A�er School Care available on Base?

Yes, School Age Care (SAC), Open Rec, and Teen Center program are available

on base at the Youth Center. Call 605- 385-2277 (Commercial) or 675-2277

(DSN) for more informa�on.

ü Students must a�end DSD to ride the SAC bus and families incur a

cost for busing services.

ü There may be a wai�ng list for Before and A�er School care.

ü SAC is open for full-�me care during school breaks, weather delays,

base open but DSD closed occasions.

How do I connect with Special Educa�on resources for DSD?

Carrousel School houses the DSD's support programs of Special Educa�on

and related services, phone 605-923-0090 or stop by 421 Don Williams

Drive, Box Elder.

What if I need help working through a concern about district procedure?

ü First talk with the person involved; to the teacher, assistant principal

or school principal about the situa�on. If the problem cannot be

solved at the school, call the DSD main office at 605-923-0000 they

will connect/refer you with the appropriate administra�ve office.

ü Call the School Liaison Office; I'm happy to assist in any way possible

605-385-5385.

How do I register to home school my student(s)?

ü Students that choose home schooling need to file a No�fica�on for

Public School Exemp�on Cer�ficate annually. The form can be found

on SD Department of Educa�on website

h�ps://doe.sd.gov/oatq/documents/ExemptForm.pdf or picked up

at the Carrousel School office, the contact point for the DSD home

schooling; 605-923-0090, 421 Don Williams Drive, Box Elder.

ü A�er comple�ng the exemp�on cer�ficate it is filed with the

superintendent of the district where you live.

Can High School Students earn college credits while a�ending High School?ü DSD offers opportuni�es for students to earn college credit while in

high school. AP courses are offered at DHS each year.

ü Juniors and seniors, who meet eligibility criteria, can take dual enrollment courses through SD technical schools and universi�es. The informa�on for dual enrollment can be found at h�ps://sdmylife.com/prepping-for-college/dual-credit.

ü For ques�ons and more informa�on students and parents can reach out to the DHS School Counselors at 605-923-0041 or via email (email addresses can be found on the district webpage).

ü DHS Counseling Office provides a website that is kept updated with announcements and informa�on h�ps://www.dsdk12.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=579144&type=u&pREC_ID=897626.

Where can I find informa�on for High School and Middle School ac�vi�es?

Are physicals required?

ü When playing middle school or high school athle�cs students will need

a physical; fine arts ac�vi�es do not require physicals.

ü Douglas Middle School (DMS) ac�vi�es packet is posted at the DSD

webpage www.dsdk12.net under the Schools tab select DMS then

choose Ac�vi�es tab to download the packet including the physical

form. Contact the ac�vi�es director at 605-923-0050,

mark.sheets@k12.sd.us for more informa�on.

ü Douglas High School (DHS) ac�vi�es packet is available at the DHS

Ac�vi�es webpage at www.dsdk12.net. For more informa�on reach out

to the high school ac�vi�es director at 605-923-0039,

naomi.ha�ield@k12.sd.us .

What �me does school start and end? (2019-20 school year)ü Patriot Elementary (Badger Clark and Francis Case Elementary) - K-3 all

start at 8:00 with K-1 ending at 2:50 and 2-3 ending at 3:00 (Note: can be at school for breakfast at 7:30 otherwise cannot be at school before 7:40 because staff are not on duty)

ü Vandenberg Elementary – Grades 4 &5 start at 8:50 with dismissal at

2:45

ü Douglas Middle School - School day begins at 8:00 with dismissal at

3:05

ü Douglas High School – Classes begin at 7:55 with dismissal at 3:10

How can I access the schools report card?

To find the informa�on about the individual schools performance go to:

h�ps://doestaterepor�ng.sd.gov/Nimble/asp/Main.aspx

You gain strength, experience, and confidence by every experience.

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Child and Youth Programs (CYP)�ü Youth Programs (YP)–for children ages 3-18, for more informa�on

call 605-385-2277

ü Youth Sponsorship Program – contact YP for a request form

ü Youth sports

ü Instruc�onal classes

ü Lock-ins and more

ü Open REC

ü Teen Center

ü Partnership with 4-H and Boys & Girls Club of America

ü School Age Care – Before and a�er school care for children

ages 5-12, with busing available to Douglas Schools

ü Child Development Center –for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years,

for informa�on call 605-385-2488 (Commercial) or 675-2488 (DSN)

Online pla�orms and helpful resources and informa�on:

You and your students may enjoy perusing these sites.

Tutoring/Academic Skills

ü Homework Help for US Service Members and their Children

www.tutor.com/military

ü Khan Academy www.khanacademy.org

ü March2Success h�ps://www.march2success.com/

Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission (MIC3)

ü� h�ps://mic3.net/

ü� www.dodea.edu/Partnership/InterstateCompact.cfm

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.

-Aristotle

Special Needs/EFMP

ü Excep�onal Family Member Program (EFMP)

ü EFMP-E at EAFB: 605-385-4663 (Commercial) or 675-4663 (DSN)

ü EFMP-M at EAFB: 605-385-3416 (Commercial) or 675-3416 (DSN)

ü Military One Source www.MilitaryOneSource.mil/efmp

ü ADHD www.help4adhd.org

ü Opera�on Au�sm for Military Families

www.opera�onau�smonline.org

ü Opera�on We Are Here

h�p://www.opera�onwearehere.com/EFMP.html

ü PAVE – Partners for Ac�on, Voices for Empowerment

www.wapave.org

ü Specialized Training of Military Patents –STOMP

h�ps://wapave.org/?s=stomp

ü Advocacy and Special Educa�on Law for Children with Disabili�es

www.wrightslaw.com

Military Student Support

ü Military One Source h�ps://www.militaryonesource.mil/

ü Military Child Educa�on Coali�on (MCEC) www.militarychild.org

ü Military Impacted Schools Associa�on (MISA)

www.militarystudent.org

ü Military Youth on the Move (MYOM)

h�p://www.militaryonesource.mil/family-and-rela�onships/military-

youth-on-the-move

Homeschooling Resources

ü SD Homeschooling Informa�on

h�ps://doe.sd.gov/oatq/homeschooling.aspx

ü Public School Exemp�on Cer�ficate

h�ps://doe.sd.gov/oatq/documents/ExemptForm.pdf

ü Assessments h�ps://doe.sd.gov/assessment/Sat10.aspx

ü Original Homeschooling Community www.homeschool.com

ü Resources for Homeschooling www.homeschoolcentral.com

ü Home School Legal Defense Associa�on h�ps://hslda.org/

State of South Dakota Educa�on Resources

ü Department of Educa�on h�ps://doe.sd.gov/

ü Schools Report Card

h�ps://doestaterepor�ng.sd.gov/Nimble/asp/Main.aspx

ü High School Gradua�on Requirements

h�ps://doe.sd.gov/gradrequirements/

ü A�endance Zones

h�ps://southdakota.hometownlocator.com/schools/

ü Partnerships between home and school

h�ps://doe.sd.gov/�tle/toolkit/

Postsecondary

ü Military Child Educa�on Coali�on www.militarychild.org

ü Planning your next steps in life www.myfuture.com

ü Scholarships, College, and Financial Aid www.fastweb.com

ü Scholarships for Military Youth www.military.com,

www.militaryscholarorg

ü MiltaryOneSource www.MilitaryOneSource.mil

ü Scholarship Matching Service www.highfivescholarships.com

ü Federal Student Aid h�ps://fafsa.ed.gov/

ü Career Explora�on Program h�ps://www.asvabprogram.com/