School Liaison Officer

SUMMARY OF DUTIES:  Serves as the School Liaison Officer (SLO) and installation representative to assist parents of school-aged children K-12 on educational matters relating to public, private and home schooling, and to understand the local public school community, alternative educational opportunities, and information necessary to succeed in an academic environment.  Facilitates the interaction between the schools and the military community to preclude or resolve problems related to education and logistical support.  Develops, fosters and manages voluntary school programs. Provides assistance and support to coordinate and advise military parents of school-aged children on the local school community and in solving education-related challenges.  Plan and develop the installation School Liaison Program. Serve as the Installation Commander's representative for issues involving local public schools and their relationship to the local military community. Works in conjunction with the military chain of command; Child and Youth Program Managers; the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Coordinator; other service School Liaison Officers.  Plan, implement, and monitor programs that match the needs of the schools with the resources of the Federal government, the military, businesses, and residents in the community. Such programs are: Adopt-A-School; Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC); Curriculum Transfer; Parental Involvement; Drug/Alcohol Abuse Resistance Education and Seasonal Activities; Academic and Recreational Camps, Field Trips; Math and Science Spectrum; Peer Coaching, Mentoring, and Team Building; Computers to Schools; Communities in Schools, etc. Assess needs, coordinate with local school district administration, and serve as a focal point for gathering and disseminating information concerning the local schools.  Foster partnerships and volunteer efforts between schools, families and military organizations.  Recommend systems, policy and procedural changes to school and installation personnel to improve the local school system and our children’s education.  Conducts research and uses research data to simulate and solve problems and develop programs.  Provides interpretation of law, state or DoDEA education codes, and DoD, Marine Corps regulations and to apply them in support of installation policies regarding education matters. Provides installation technical assistance that addresses the needs of transitioning children/youth, e.g. School in/out- processing protocol, local action plans to ease school transitions. Articulates School Liaison Officer policies, procedures and priorities; interprets implications for youth, parents, commanders, command staff, and school personnel; and outlines expected outcomes to measure success. Serves as the staff liaison to develop, coordinate, and integrate policies and programs to ensure educational support of military family members.  Promotes improved community relations, and provides oversight on educational support services for Marine families.  Coordinates logistical and volunteer services provided to partnership schools. Conducts and supports transition programming in partnership with local schools and develops opportunities for community volunteers to work as school partners. Serves as intermediary between parents and school administrators.  Assists parents in locating points of contact in the schools and makes appropriate referrals.  Maintains resource materials to assist parents in understanding policies and procedures of the local school systems.  May provide assistance in school enrollment and out processing.  Interprets guidance and policies as they pertain to family/family member education.  Serve as subject matter expert to the chain of command on all matters relating to family member education. Manages all aspects of support programming such as the Adopt-A-School program.  Monitors and coordinates all command sponsored activities that involve students during school hours to include but not limited to tutoring and mentoring projects.  Solicit volunteers, active duty Marines and family members of deployed Marines, to work with school programming. Represent the Command on school boards, councils and advisory groups. Provides information and/or establishes programs to improve various aspects of transition from one school system to another due to housing availability (on or off Base) or permanent change of station. Analyze demographic statistics.  Prepare reports, information papers, fact sheets and studies as required.  Prepares and presents briefings to the chain of command and appropriate installation personnel on school liaison issues.  Plan, organizes work, and manages internal procedures and resources to ensure maximum productivity and economies.  Prepares internal office financial plans and related records and reports, and exercises authority on approved budget.  Monitors programs on a regular basis, and initiates corrective action to ensure support of operating programs of MCCS. Develops long range plans in conjunction with internal operating directives, and exercises internal personnel management authorities as delegated by the higher-level supervisor with regard to subordinate supervisors and employees in the office.  May be required to work a fluctuating work schedule to complete work assignments outside of the typical work week and work hours. May be required to travel to complete work assignments, and conduct or attend conferences and meetings. Provides World Class Customer Service with an emphasis on courtesy.