Effective management of our schools and the achievement of our students can be strongly impacted by the level of parental involvement in the education of their children.  As educators, we know that parents are an integral part of the entire education process.  Let’s make it our goal to establish early on in the school year a strong partnership with the parents of the students we serve.  Together we can ensure our students meet our goal of highest student achievement.  Parents who visit our schools or engage in regular volunteer activities will find a set of procedures in place to ensure the safety and security of our students.  We want our parents to feel welcome in our schools, yet understand the reasons for our visitor policies.

Our schools are open campuses for parents.  We encourage parents to contact teachers and visit classrooms to share, support, and celebrate the learning experiences of their children.  We also invite parents to school events and extra-curricular activities.  This relationship between parents and the schools is a healthy, supportive partnership that contributes immeasurably to the excellence of DoDDS-Pacific/DDESS-Guam schools.

Because parents are naturally concerned about their children, I think it is important to let them know the steps we have in place to ensure a safe and secure learning environment for our students.  All potential employees - teachers, substitute teachers, educational aids, or office staff - are required to complete a standardized application process that includes an Installation Records Check (IRC) or a Childcare Special Agreement Check (CSAC) and a Childcare National Agency Check with Inquiries (CNACI) before the individual can begin working. 

The IRC is accomplished with the installation base police or Provost Marshall's Office and includes, as a minimum, checks of local police records, Drug and Alcohol Program records, Family Housing records, Medical Treatment Facility records, Family Advocacy Program records, and Family Housing records.  If the prospective employee has not been associated with the military for at least two years, a CSAC is also required.  The CSAC includes a check with the Federal Bureau of Investigations and State Criminal History Repository (SCHR) records.  If the results of the IRC or CSAC are favorable, the individual may be employed pending the results of the CNACI. 

School volunteers are classified as either Specified Volunteers or Temporary Volunteers.  Specified Volunteers are individuals who are expected to volunteer over an extended period of time while Temporary Volunteers will generally only volunteer for a one-time event, such as a field trip, school dance, or class outing.  Both categories of volunteers must complete a School Volunteer Application.  If the application is favorable, the Temporary Volunteer may be used to support school activities, but must always be in line of sight of a regular school employee or agency individual who has successfully completed an IRC or CSAC.  Line of sight means that the Temporary Volunteer will never have unsupervised access to the students.  If the Specified Volunteer has a favorable IRC or CSAC, they can work with the students unsupervised; otherwise they must adhere to the line of sight requirement imposed on Temporary Volunteers.

Visitors to school campuses are required to register at the school office and be issued a visitor badge before being permitted on the campus.  The school office will verify the identity of the visitor, the purpose of the visit, and determine whether the visit is approved.  If the visit involves meeting with a teacher or participating in a classroom, we expect the school office to notify the teacher in advance of releasing the visitor to the classroom.

I hope our parents and volunteers understand that we value their participation in the education of our students - their children.  We welcome their involvement and visits to the school, and look forward to a gratifying, mutually beneficial relationship.  In return, we ask that they abide by the local school policies and procedures when it comes to visiting their children at school or meeting with a teacher.  Together we can ensure a safe and secure environment for all our students.

Nancy C. Bresell
Director, DoDDS-Pacific/DDESS-Guam