We are pleased that your family will be accompanying you during your stay here in the Washington, D.C area. Below is information about pre-school, elementary-high school, and college and what you will need to do to enroll your children in these schools.
OVERVIEW
If you will live in NDU-furnished housing, you will be living in Arlington County, Virginia. In the U.S., public schools are run by the county that you live in, so your child will attend Arlington County Public Schools.
· Arlington County schools start on Tuesday, September 4, 2018. This website has the complete school calendar: https://www.apsva.us/calendars/
· Your child must be your natural child or your legally adopted child (proof of adoption required). Nieces, nephews and other extended family cannot be enrolled.
· NDU students are not eligible for free or reduced lunch programs offered by Arlington County because NDU students are ineligible for U.S. federal, state and local public benefits.
· Arlington Public Schools provides transportation to and from school for enrolled students living beyond a one-mile walking distance from elementary schools and a one and one-half mile walking distance from middle and high schools (property line to property line). Additional details will be given at the time of registration.
SCHOOL AGE
Students must be of age to attend school.
· Elementary schools – kindergarten (if eligible) – 5th grade (ages 5-10)
o In order to enroll in kindergarten, a child must be age 5 by September 30.
o This is Virginia law – Arlington County cannot grant any exceptions.
· Middle school – 6th – 8th grade (ages 11-13)
· High school – 9th -12th grade (ages 14-18)
· College or University (ages 18+)
COLLEGE
· Dependent children age 21 and older must be enrolled full time in an institute of higher learning in order to be listed on your ITO.
Families of dependents 21 or older are recommended to look into attending community college during their time in the United States. Community college in the United States is a postsecondary educational institution. You will be living in Arlington, VA during your year here. Many of our officers have their college aged children attend Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC), which would be metro accessible from your apartment and a much more affordable option than Universities in the area, such as George Mason University, George Washington University, Georgetown, or American University. You can go to this website for more information on costs to attend NVCC:
https://www.nvcc.edu/
Tuition:
http://www.nvcc.edu/tuition/index.html
PRE-SCHOOL
Pre-school is not mandatory in the State of Virginia, so there is no guarantee your child will be placed in pre-school.
· In Virginia, school is not guaranteed by the state until age 6. If your child is younger than 6, he/she may have to enroll in a private pre-school program (paid for by you).
· VPI – Virginia Preschool Initiative – is Arlington County’s primary pre-school program. It is income based. It is designed for low-income families, and placements are made giving preference to families with the lowest income. NDU students may not meet the income requirements.
· You must apply for pre-school in person. All applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
· To apply for pre-school, please bring the VPI application, the VPI income verification form, proof of Arlington residency (your lease), proof of income (both your USG stipend and the salary your government pays you), and your child’s birth certificate.
· Child must be age 4 on or before September 30th, 2017, and must be toilet trained.
· If you do not meet the income requirements or are not accepted into the VPI program prior to the start of the school year, the following link offers information on finding a licensed childcare provider: https://family.arlingtonva.us/child-care/parent-and-family-resources/
HOW TO REGISTER YOUR CHILD FOR K-12 SCHOOL
You must make an appointment at the Language Services Registration Center (LSRC). At your appointment the LSRC will register your child. You can make the appointment in advance by emailing Juana Luna juana.luna@apsva.us or by calling 001-703-228-7663 or 001-703-228-8048. The LSRC is located at 2110 Washington Blvd., Arlington, Virginia, 22204.
The LSRC will assess your child’s English and mathematics levels. The visit will take from 1-5 hours. Testing staff will test your child, review your child’s academic and medical records and recommend grade placement. Every effort will be made to place your child in the appropriate grade based on your child’s grade level in your home country.
Please make your registration appointment on one of these days: June 29, July 3, July 13, July 17, July 26, or August 3. On all other days, you will be expected to fully participate in ISMO’s summer orientation program, and will not be available to take your children to the LSRC. If your spouse speaks English and is comfortable taking your children by themselves to the LSRC, you may make an appointment on another day.
Bring with you:
· A completed “Request for Entrance Information” school registration form, located here: http://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Request-for-Entrance-Information-Final.pdf
· Child’s ORIGINAL birth certificate.
· A copy of your lease.
· Medical records
o Proof of a physical exam. Your doctor must complete the exam on a Commonwealth of Virginia School Entrance Health Form, located here: https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/school_entrance_form.pdf. A completed DD Form 2807-1 or DD Form 2808 is an acceptable substitute. All new students in Arlington County are required to have a physical in order to register for school. The physical must be completed prior to registration.
o Vaccination records (in English). There is a list of required immunizations available here: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/immunization/requirements.htm.
o If your child needs immunizations, you can go to the Arlington County Open Immunization Clinic on a walk-in basis during clinic hours. Location: 2100 Washington Blvd., 2nd floor Arlington, VA 22204. No appointment is necessary. Clinic Hours - Tuesdays: 3-6:30 p.m. Wednesdays: 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Fridays: 7:30-11 a.m.
o DO NOT have your child tested for Tuberculosis (TB) before arrival in the US. Arlington County will only accept TB skin tests administered outside the U.S. if they were administered at a U.S. military facility or the U.S. embassy. TB tests must be completed within 12 months of the school start date (September 4th).
o Bring all records of medical conditions, disabilities, mental health conditions or any other special needs.
· Transcripts
o Transcripts are required for all grade levels. Please bring ALL school records, report cards, transcripts, for children of all grade levels.
o ALL transcripts must be officially translated (not by the parent). Translations by your Embassy are acceptable.
o Electronic transcripts are accepted if sent directly to Arlington County from your child’s school. You may not send the transcripts electronically. Electronic transcripts must be in English. Send them to: Juana Luna juana.luna@apsva.us
o Bring all records of Advanced Placement exams or IB program certificates.
SPORTS
High school sports start in early August.
· Your child must be registered for school in order to participate in try outs (to determine whether he/she will be selected for the team). Schedule your appointment at the LSRC early.
As you may know, you are required to have medical insurance for each dependent in order for them to be listed on your ITO. I have attached a memo that details the minimum insurance requirements that your policy must meet as well as some additional Frequently Asked Questions that we’ve had from previous IFs. There are three insurance companies on the sixth page of the memo that have policies that meet all requirements.
If your government covers all medical care for your family, you do not need to purchase an additional insurance policy but it MUST be stated on your ITO that your government will cover all costs for dependent medical care. If you are unsure if your government covers your family's medical care, please check with your SCO.
Please remember that ultimately, even with insurance, you are financially responsible for all of the medical costs for your dependents. Even though some of these polices may seem expensive, it is better to buy a higher quality insurance policy before you arrive than realize after you receive medical care that your insurance does not cover the care you received. You will end up with very expensive medical bills for your family and have wasted money on your insurance policy.
If you are unsure if the policy you have purchased meets the minimum requirements, please feel free to check with me or with your SCO. If you have any other questions, please let me know. Once you purchase compliant medical insurance, please send us a copy of your insurance policy in its entirety, along with the summary of coverage AND copies of your insurance cards.