Moving to or leaving Rota?

Will you be arriving in Rota, Spain soon or have you been here and will be leaving soon? If so, contact the SL before you arrive or go!

The holiday season, or semester break, is the second busiest “PCS” seasons for the military family. If you are one of those families preparing to relocate, remember the School Liaison is the K-12 educational expert available to assist you in gathering information about schools around the world. Through a global network across the branches of service, the School Liaison can access school information and services long before a PCS begins.

By calling the School Liaison, military parents can avoid pitfalls and timing mistakes that can occur when moving from one duty station to another. Here are a few tips to make this PCS just a bit easier for your family:

Written Notification – As soon as you receive orders, notify your child’s school (classroom teacher and administrator) in writing and provide an anticipated withdrawal date. If possible, provide the name of the new school your child will be attending. Early notification may particularly important given that districts may close schools for COVID-19 related reasons.
Request copies of records – In the written notification recommended above, include a request for copies of the student’s records. You can hand carry these records to the receiving school for registration purposes. Allow at least ten business days for this request to be processed.
Create a PCS folder for each child – In the folder, place items such as birth certificates, Social Security cards, and school records (report cards, standardized test results, etc). DO NOT PACK THIS FOLDER! Be sure to set this folder aside in a safe place so that you have it available upon arrival at your next duty station. If you have a child who is gifted or receiving special education services, it is important that ALL educational documents such evaluations and IEPs be kept in a separate file. The Special Care Organization Record (SCOR) available at www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil is a great organizational tool.
Research schools – Parents should investigate the schools BEFORE choosing a place to live! This is especially critical for high school students who may be impacted by changing graduation requirements, scheduling differences, availability and/or eligibility for extracurricular activities. Ask the SL for help! Researching schools in advance will help you understand how the ‘receiving’ district is operating under existing COVID protocols. The more you know the better.
Find Transition Programs – Programs, like Anchored4Life, can help your child(ren) make new friends and have a smooth transition in the new school’s community. Youth Sponsorship services offered by Child and Youth Programs (CYP) and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America Teen Programs are both excellent ways for your military child to make important community and social connections prior to and immediately after arrival.

“Call the SLO before you go!”
NAVSTA SLO, Randy Lambert, +34 958-82-2425 or via email at SLPRota@us.navy.mil.