United States Military Academy - West Point

School Liaison Officer (SLO)
695 Buckner Loop
West Point, NY 10996

Phone 845-938-2092
Phone (DSN) 312-688-2092
Fax 845-938-3809
Fax (DSN) 312-688-3809

Mon - Fri 
Sat, Sun & Holidays- closed

Education

Introduction

The West Point School District and the West Point Schools are located on the grounds of the United States Military Academy. In the tradition of the Academy, these schools provide challenging and stimulating curriculum and extra-curricular activities. The availability of these activities contributes to an outstanding education for West Point students.

The West Point School District consists of two schools; the West Point Elementary School accommodates children from Pre-Kindergarten through fourth grade while the West Point Middle School is home to children in grades five through eight. Approximately 750 children are in attendance at the elementary and middle schools. Preschool at the West Point Elementary School is available for children residing on West Point. 

Only children actually residing on the installation may attend West Point schools. However, Department of Defense Directive 1342.26 of Section 2164, Title 10, USC provides that where a member of the Armed Forces is assigned to an installation on which there is a Section 6 School Arrangement (old title, now DDESS) and assigned on-post Family housing that is expected to be available for occupancy and to be occupied within 180 school days, the member's children may be permitted to attend the school while residing in an area adjacent to the installation. Transportation for such children is the responsibility of the parent. Only those children meeting statutory and regulatory requirements for enrollment may attend the DDESS Schools; there is no provision for a waiver of the enrollment requirements. Therefore, enrollment of children whose sponsors are awaiting Family housing must be limited to 180 school days and cannot be extended if family housing on the installation is not available and occupied on or before the expiration of the 180 school-day authorization. The initial housing list on which a member's name appears indicating housing will be available within 180 school days must be used by the school in determining eligibility of children. Students not residing on-post after 180 school days will be withdrawn and permitted to attend the DDESS Schools only after on post Family housing is occupied.

In addition to the Pre-Kindergarten Program at the West Point Elementary School, Child, Youth & School Services offers a preschool program at the Child Development Center. Contact Parent and Outreach Services (POS) at 845-938-4458 or DSN 312-688-4458 for registration and in depth information.

Children who do not live on post will attend school in the district respective to the location in which they reside. These districts may include; Highland Falls, Newburgh, Cornwall, Monroe-Woodbury or Washingtonville.

Homeschooling is very common in the West Point community and has an active group of supporters. 

High school students who reside at West Point attend James I. O'Neill High School, a comprehensive public senior high school certified by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. O’Neill High School is part of the Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District.

Curricula

DoDEA has developed rigorous and demanding curriculum standards.  The curriculum standards specify what students should know and be able to do.  DoDEA curriculum standards are based on the content standards produced by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Council of Teachers of English/the International Reading Association, the National Research Council’s National Science Education Standards and the National Council for Teachers of Social Studies.

Standards are important because they set high levels of learning and performance for all students.  The standards also serve as a basis for assessment across the curriculum.  They focus on what is important in each curriculum area.

Transportation

Students who live too far from school to walk to and from school are transported by bus. Only these students may ride the bus.

Bus students in grades K-6 may not walk home from school without a written request from the parent to the Principal. Bus schedules are carefully developed dependent upon residence. Students ride only their assigned bus. Parents must make their own transportation arrangements for after school activities. (i.e. scouts, visiting a friend.) The only exception is for childcare purposes; this exception is granted by the Principal after advanced written notice is received and only if space is available on the designated bus.

Meals

West Point Schools are participants in the National School Lunch Program and is subsidized by both the State and Federal Governments. The objective of this program is to provide the students with a well-balanced, nutritious lunch with selections from the major food groups including fluid milk. Children may also bring lunch from home and purchase ala-carte items (milk, fresh fruit, and snacks) to supplement nutritional requirements.

Athletics

In partnership with West Point MWR’s Child and Youth Services sports office, WPMS offers three seasons of athletic activities.  The intramural program is free of charge; the modified sports program follows the Army Fee Policy.  The program is administered and equipped by MWR, and the school provides DoDEA employees to coach.

Registration Requirements 

Eligibility:  In order to register your child/children in West Point Schools, you are required to reside in post housing assigned on the United States Military Academy at West Point. If waiting for quarters, a letter from the Housing Office, Balfour Beatty (or its affiliate) indicating you will have quarters within 180 days is required. If the student is a ”guest?, a letter from Housing, Balfour Beatty (or its affiliate) approving the request for the student to reside in quarters AND a copy of an official legal document from a court of competent jurisdiction indicating the person has been appointed a guardian for the child that is to be enrolled are required. To make sure this policy is enforced uniformly throughout DDESS, in every instance where a person seeks to enroll a child through the use of a guardianship, the DDESS district must contact the DDESS General Counsel’s Office for determination on the sufficiency of the guardianship. For all other students, if applicable, court documents indicating custody, i.e. divorced /separated parents are required.

Age Requirements:

• Children entering Pre School must be 4 years old on or before 1 September of the school year.
• Students entering Kindergarten must be 5 years old on or before 1 September of the school year.
• Students entering First Grade must be 6 years old on or before 1 September of the school year.
• Exceptions to this cut-off will only be granted if the child has been registered in a program accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation organization for at least 9 weeks and the change in schools is due to the sponsor’s PCS.
• A certified birth certificate issued by the responsible governmental office (state, county, US Department of State (for overseas births) is REQUIRED for enrollment In PreK, Kindergarten and First Grade.

Registration for all Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDS) requires at a minimum: 

• Child's immunization records: The required minimum immunizations for the first semester of SY 11/12 includes a second dose of the Varicella vaccine.  Immunization is NOT required in people with a history of natural disease (chicken pox).  Susceptible children age 13 and older should receive two doses at least 4-8 weeks apart.
• Child’s Birth Certificate: A legible copy of original State birth certificate. For children born overseas, an original Form FS-240, “Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America” or an original Form DS-1350, “Certification of Birth Abroad” will be accepted. 
• Records from previous school to include last report card/progress report (we can order these copies from previous schools).
• The sponsor’s CURRENT military orders. A copy of the Sponsor’s military ID (front only) can be used.
• Documentation of the sponsor's housing assignment in permanent quarters withCURRENT housing lease or a 90-180 Day Housing Waiver/Eligibility Impact Letter to WPES School registrar for your child to be eligible to attend SY 11/12. 

Online Pre-Registration for New Students

Parents of students attending Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools can now pre-register their children for school with the click of a button. DoDEA has launched an Online Student Pre-Registration, with the aim of reducing the time parents will have to wait at the school registration site. In addition to helping parents and students, the new program will also allow school officials to better predict school enrollment for the upcoming year, make more informed decisions regarding teacher and staff requirements, and prepare in advance for special services, supplies, and other classroom needs. Parents can pre-register their children by visiting the website listed below. The web-based application allows parents to enter basic student information and contains a feature that allows parents to attach copies of their permanent change of station (PCS) orders and verify birth dates for students entering kindergarten or first grade and immunization records. Please visit the following website for more information including popular FAQ's regarding the new pre-registration website.

New Student Pre-registration Website: Use the attachment feature on the pre-registration website to attach additional forms, immunizations and birth certificates for students. 

Special Education

The West Point Schools are responsible for the assessment, identification, and education of children, ages 3-21 inclusive, who are classified as educationally disabled under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A 1991).  To meet this requirement, a school-based team of specialists is available to review referrals, determine the need for evaluation and provide special education and related services.  Service delivery models include: inclusion, pull out programs, co-teaching, consultation, monitoring and homebound instruction.  While every effort is made to educate the children in their regular classrooms, some placements are separate from regular classrooms.  These separate placements are determined to be least restrictive in that a child is given an opportunity to participate in an educational program appropriate to his/her individual instructional level.  All pullouts are based on specific criteria.

Local School Boards

Enrollment Size

Approximately 500 children are enrolled in schools located on West Point.  This number varies slightly dependent upon Soldier and Family populations within the community.

Academic Scores

Additional accreditation information and standardized test scores for West Point schools are available through the DoDEA Data Center. 

Grade Systems

All DoDEA schools follow the same grading scale:

A=90-100%

B=80-89%

C=70-79%

D=60-69%

F=0-59%

Adult Education

West Point offers many opportunities for continuing education within the community both through online and evening courses.  See the Education - Training (College/Technical) section for additional information.