With a little more than a month left in the school year, Department of Defense Dependents Schools officials are reminding parents about policies both on vacations and on students ending the school year early because of family moves.
While DODDS allows students to earn full credit for ending the school year as early as May 15 for a permanent change of station move, that policy does not extend to family vacations, said Frank O’Gara, DODDS-Europe spokesman.
Principals can authorize excused absences for family vacations throughout the school year, as long as parents coordinate with the school beforehand to arrange for students to complete assignments they would miss.
However, DODDS’ acceleration policy does not extend to family vacations that occur near the end of the school year. The policy is designed to allow students whose sponsor must PCS before the end of the school year, June 12, to earn full credit.
“Acceleration is limited to early PCS moves,” O’Gara said. “Parents must coordinate with the school principal and guidance counselors to get assignments [the students] would have completed between May 15 and June 12.”
Students are required to complete assignments and turn them in by their last day of school and to complete any final exam or project requirements to earn full credit.
Students who must leave before the May 15 cutoff get withdrawal grades and must take their transcripts and enroll in a school at their new location to complete the school year, O’Gara said.
