Schools & Education
School Liaison Officer/Fleet & Family Support Center
21993 Bundy Road, Building 2090
NAS Patuxent River, MD 20670-1132
Phone 301-757-1871
Phone (DSN) 312-757-1871
Mon - Thur 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m
Fri 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Weekends and Holidays - closed
No matter where you live while stationed at Pax River, you will find excellent schools and specialty programs to serve you. Whether you are looking for elementary, middle, or high schools, gifted/talented or special education programs, you're sure to find what's right for your family.
All public schools run a 180 day calendar year, with at least 2 major breaks (Winter & Spring) during the year. Most elementary schools in the area offer before and after school programs for the elementary students, as well as free/reduced lunch programs, school sports programs, and special education classes. Please be advised that Maryland is not a "choice" state and requires its residents to attend the public school whose boundaries they live within. Personal contact with an individual school district is the best way to learn about school calendars, facilities, curriculum, graduation requirements, and extracurricular activities.
Local Schools
Registration Requirements
Maryland law requires children to attend kindergarten before they enter first grade. Children must be age 5 on or before 1 September to enroll in kindergarten. To register pre-kindergartners, kindergartners, and first graders not previously enrolled in Maryland Public Schools, you must have their birth certificate, Immunization Record (DHMH 896), and Health Evaluation Record (MSDE SR-6), which can be obtained from local school district websites. For grades 2-12 and first graders previously enrolled in Maryland Public Schools, you also need a Student Transfer Card (SR-7) or a report card from the previous school, an Immunization Record (DHMH 896), and a Health Evaluation Record. Some districts also require proof of residency (bank statement, utility bill, etc.) and a social security number. Call or visit individual school district websites to verify what is required.
REDISTRICTING IN ST. MARY'S COUNTY TO AFFECT EVERGREEN, LEONARDTOWN AND HOLLYWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS (and possibly more):
A new elementary school is being built in the Leonardtown area and is scheduled to open Fall 2015; therefore boundary lines will be redrawn over the coming year and will likely impact residents zoned for Evergreen, Leonardtown and Hollywood Elementary schools. Unfortunately there is no way to tell at this time where the new lines will be drawn. A committee will develop plans this fall and make proposals to the Superintendent and Board of Education between December - February. Redistricting information will be posted on theCAPT Walter Francis Duke Elementary School's webpage.
DoD Schools
There are no DoD Schools at Pax River.
Public Schools
There are two public school districts that serve the Pax River region: St. Mary's County Public Schools and Calvert County Public Schools.
St. Mary's County Public Schools (SMCPS)
23160 Moakley St. Leonardtown, MD 20650
301-475-5511
St. Mary's County Public Schools consists of 17 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 3 high schools, 1 charter school and a technology center. SMCPS has been named one of the 25 largest military impacted school districts in the country with a total enrollment of 17,449 which includes more than 5,000 military connected students. St. Mary's County Public Schools offer: Pre-school programs, Full day Kindergarten, Advance Placement Program, Gifted/Talented Programs, Special Education, signature high school programs such as Science Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Academy, Global International Studies Academy, Finance Academy, a Technology Center and an Adult Education Center. Each school offers a variety of clubs; the high schools also offer extensive sports programs.
Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS)
1305 Dares Beach Rd., Prince Frederick MD 20678
410-535-1700
Calvert County Public Schools consist of 13 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 4 high schools and a technology center.
Calvert County Public Schools offer: Pre-school programs, Full day Kindergarten, Advance Placement Program, Gifted/Talented Programs, Special Education, a Technology Center and an Adult Education Center. Each school offers a variety of clubs; the high schools also offer extensive sports programs.
Valuable and up to date information about all schools and programs can be found on the home page of the school system or individual school websites.
Military Housing
Enrollment in public schools is based on residency. Families living in military housing that enroll in public attend the following schools: Residents of Carpenter Park and the Gold Coast attend Lexington Park Elementary; Glenn Forest residents attend Park Hall Elementary; Lovell Cove residents attend Green Holly Elementary; and those living in Challenger Estates and Columbia Colony attend Evergreen Elementary. Middle School students in military housing attend Spring Ridge Middle School, except for students in Challenger Estates and Columbia Colony, which are zoned for Esperanza Middle School. All high school students in military housing attend Great Mills High School with the exception of students in Challenger Estates; they attend Leonardtown High School. Busing is provided by the St. Mary's County Public Schools and St. Mary's County non-public transportation departments for all St. Mary' s County public and private school students, including those that reside on the installation.
Private Schools
There are a number of Private schools vary widely, from highly structured to self-directed learning environments. Most private schools in the area are church affiliated; however they often accept students of any religious background. For information about scholarships, entrance requirements and waiting lists, parents should direct inquiries to individual schools.
For more information regarding private school choices in the Pax River area visit Southern Maryland Online.
Home Schooling
Another option is for the parents to teach their children at home instead of sending them to a public or private school. Home schooling regulations are governed by Maryland State Board of Education. The purpose of these regulations is to establish a procedure to be used to determine if a child participating in a home instruction program is receiving regular, thorough instruction during the school year in the studies usually taught in the public schools to children of the same age. A parent or guardian who chooses to teach a child at home must complete a Home Schooling Notification Form. The form must be submitted to the Department of Student Services or their supervising nonpublic institution.
For more information on Home Schooling in St. Mary's County, call 301-475-5511 x198 or visit the SMPS website. In Calvert County, call 410-535-7232 or visit the CCPS website.
Adult Education
St. Mary's and Calvert County Public Schools offer a variety of adult basic education classes, GED practice testing, ESL, and workplace skills development. For more information in St. Mary's County, call 301-475-0213 or visit St. Mary's County Public Schools website. In Calvert County call (410) 535-7382 or visit the Adult Education Program - Huntington Creek Annex website.
For Active Duty Service Member, the Navy College Office at Pax River provides information on local colleges and tuition assistance programs. For more information call (301) 757-4100.
p>Navy School Liaison Officer
The School Liaison Officer is the primary point of contact between the military installation, the local school administration, including the Department of Defense Education Agency (DoDEA) Schools, parents, and the community at large. The Navy School Liaison Officer helps installation and regional commanders work with state departments of education and local school districts to ensure school personnel are aware of the stressors on military families brought on by frequent transitions and extended deployments. These education professionals are located on all major Navy installations and serve as "links" between Navy families and schools.
The School Liaison Officer specializes in serving military families and offers a wide spectrum of services, enabling families to become more involved in their child's educational experience.
Navy School Liaisons provide seven core services to assist families: School Transition Services, Deployment Support, Home School Linkage/ Support, Special Education System Navigation, Partnerships in Education, Post Secondary Preparations and, Command, School, Community Communications.
Parents with questions about school-age child education are encouraged to contact the installation School Liaison Officer at 301-757-1871.
Homes Near Base
