USAG Japan, Zama  Education

Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDs) provides tuition free school at Camp Zama. Youth assigned to Camp Zama attend two schools in the area.

Entrance Requirements

• Sure Start, child must be 4 years of age by September 1, enlisted E1-E4 have priority not available for officers.
• Kindergarten Programs, a child must be 5 years of age by September 1.
• First Grade, a child must be 6 years of age by September 1.

If you have any questions about exceptions, contact DoDEA.

Elementary School Children grades preK-5 attend John O. Arnn Elementary School, located in the Sagamihara Family Housing Area, about 3 miles from the main base. Special programs are available in reading improvement, English as a second language, art, music, and Japanese culture.

For Pre-Kindergarten thru 5th grade students will attend:
John O. Arnn Elementary School
DODDS Sagamihara DHA, APO AP 96343-5006
DSN 315-262-6112

Middle (Jr.) and High School Students in grades 6 through 12 share the same campus area at Camp Zama. Approximately 550 students from all the housing areas, Atsugi Naval Air Facility and surrounding off-base locations are bused to school.

For 6th thru 12th grade, students will attend:
Department of the Army
Zama American Middle High School, APO AP 96343-5005
DSN 315-263-3181

A typical school year for the Camp Zama area schools runs from the last week in August to the second week in June. Schedules vary for both the elementary and high schools.

Registration Requirements

It is mandatory that all returning students register for school each year. Information updates are required to ensure sufficient staff is available to support student population. Registration is done online. Please contact the school or the School Liaison Officer for more information.

Required documents include:

• Original orders should identify your DEROS date and family member's authorization to travel at government expense.<
• Verification of Employment from CPO for Local Hire Sponsors (required annually).
• School Medical Record Screening: Immunizations MUST be up-to-date prior to registration. The Camp Zama medical Clinic will validate that shots are up-to-date and provide the form stating such. Shot records are a must before you can enroll your child in school or daycare.
• School Registration Packet must be complete and all supporting documents signed to ensure no delay in registration.
• Bus Registration is available at the Bus Registration Office located in Bldg 919, Room 508, phone 263-4151.
• Birth Certificate or current passport to validate the child's age.
• Social Security Number for the child is required by regulation for students attending DODDS schools.
• Report cards - Bring the last report card the child received.
• Transcripts - If hand carried, the document(s) must be sealed when it's turned over to the school here. You may also request for the school you child is leaving to give you a copy and mail the official transcripts.

Graduation Requirements

Required courses for graduation: There are 26 minimum courses.
Course Units: English - 4, Social Studies- 3, Math- 4 and Science- 3, Fine arts- 1, Health .5, Career Technical Education – 2, PE- 1.5, Electives- 5, World Language - 2.

High School Senior Stabilization Program

IAW the Army Chief of Staff’s guidance, the Army G-1 approved a Soldier initiated assignment procedure to schedule Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves to occur at times that avoid disruption of the school schedule for Soldiers who have Family members who are high school seniors. The policy was expanded to include Soldiers with Family members in their junior year.

The intent of the procedure is to provide stability to Soldiers with Family members in their junior and senior years of high school.  The Enlisted Personnel Management Directorate (EPMD) will, to the maximum extent possible, approve stabilization requests and should not place Soldiers on assignment with report dates prior to the stabilization termination date.

Soldiers should use a DA Form 4187 to request stabilization no earlier than March 1 of the student’s freshman year and no later than the start of the student’s sophomore year (applying between March and September). This application window also applies to students in year round schooling programs.  Requests submitted later than the start of the student's sophomore year may be processed as an exception to policy and must include justification, signed by the first O6 in their chain of command that supports the delay in submission of request. No exceptions are authorized for early submission of request.

If the Soldier is notified of assignment during the application window (e.g. placed on assignment or notified by e-mail before AHRC receives the request for stabilization), the reassignment notification will take precedence and the Soldier's stabilization eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis.  If the Soldier is inside the marketplace window but outside the stabilization timeline, the Soldier must notify Assignment Managers of their intent to submit a High School Senior Stabilization at the 1 March initial start period.

Soldiers are still eligible for a permanent change of station before the start of the student's junior year.

Additionally, in accordance with AR 608–75 (Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)), all Soldiers must ensure that the medical and/or special education needs documentation are updated as exceptional Family member’s condition changes or at least every three years whichever comes first.  For that reason, a request for High School Senior Stabilization cannot be fully considered for an assignment/stabilization until the EFMP has been updated or closed.  A request with an expired EFMP date will be returned and can be resubmitted after updating.

Regulatory guidance is contained in Army Regulation 614-200, paragraphs 5-25 and 5-26 for Enlisted Soldiers and Army Regulation 614-100 for Officers.

Special Education Program

The special education department provides primary, resource and co-teaching and pullout services for students identified as educationally impaired. Categories of impairments are: physically and health impaired, communicatively impaired, learning impaired, and emotionally impaired. Students on Individualized Education Plans (I.E.P) are to be enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) prior to placement in Japan.

Educational and Developmental Intervention Service (EDIS)

EDIS is a Department of Defense mandated program, which provides services to children with special needs in areas of DOD schools and DOD child development services. Direct, consultative, screening and community education are also available. EDIS services children from infancy to 21 months old.

Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDs) provide tuition free school at Camp Zama. Youth assigned to Camp Zama attend two schools in the area:

• Elementary School children grades pre-K-5 attend John O. Arnn Elementary School, located in the Sagamihara Family Housing Area, about 3 miles from the main base.
• Middle (Jr.) and High School Students in grades 6 through 12 share the same campus at Zama American High School on Camp Zama. 550 students from all the housing areas, and Atsugi Naval Air Facility and surrounding off-base locations are bused to school.

School Liaison Office: 011-81-46-407-5441, DSN 315-263-5441

DOD Instruction 1342.5-M-1 provides policy and procedures for the administrative and logistic responsibilities for the DODDS system. In accordance with this instruction, commanders will "encourage all educable, eligible family members who have not completed high school to attend either DODDS or a regular program of formal instruction in the local school system; enroll in a tuition school; or enroll in an independent study program by correspondence." Another alternative is for parents to educate school-age family members in a home school program.

Parents who choose to educate their children at home are urged to consult with school officials (i.e. counselors) prior to making this decision. It is essential that parents utilize and educationally recognized independent home study program.

At the end of the academic year parents are encouraged to test their child for academic achievement. A nationwide testing service is recommended. Students who are educated at home may be expected to take a DODDS administered test to ensure they are maintaining expected educational levels of learning prior to re-enrollment in a DODDS. There are two schools in the Camp Zama area: John O. Arnn Elementary School grades pre-K – 5, Zama American Middle High School grades 6-12. For complete and up-to-date information on schools in this area, check out their web sites.

John O. Arnn Elementary School

Zama American Middle High School

The Army Education Center located at Camp Zama has qualified personnel to provide educational as well as vocational-technical guidance. Military personnel, civilians and family members have many opportunities to continue their education while in Japan. The University of Maryland Global Campus offers resident credit at the Army Education Center in a face-to-face setting as well as online.

There are Japanese schools which Americans may attend on a tuition basis. Most require the student to speak Japanese. Some children enter these schools at preschool and kindergarten level and have a home tutor to help with their Japanese language skills.

For more information please contact the School Liaison Officer: COMM: +81-47-406-5441; DSN: 315-263-5441