Education

The Exceptional Military Family Program (EFMP) is designed to provide support to military family members with special needs.  Military families with school-age children who have been determined eligible for special education and/or gifted services are required to enroll in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), per OPNAVINST 1754.2C.  Enrolling in EFMP allows the active duty member and family members to interface with both military and civilian educational agencies to garner comprehensive and coordinated medical and educational services.  The EFMP Case Liaison can be contacted at (912) 573-1079 to assist families with completing the enrollment process, updating EFMP documentation, and answering questions about available resources.

Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is primarily served by the Camden County School System. The district consists of nine (9) elementary schools which house grades Pre-K through 5; two middle schools which house grades 6-8; one high school with a grades 9-12; a special needs school. Due to its proximity, some families choose to reside in Nassau County, Florida which includes Yulee, Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island communities.

The Camden County School system serves approximately 9,700 students, placing an emphasis on academic rigor and student performance. The program of study is outlined in a comprehensive curriculum guides for K-12.

The Camden County School System consists of fourteen schools. There are nine elementary schools for grades Pre-K through 5; two middle schools serving grades 6-8; one regional high school with a grades 9-12 and a school for exceptional students.

Camden County High School is a sprawling campus composed of multiple academic and extra-curricular buildings: 10-12 Building, Ninth Grade Academy, the Fine Arts building, and a newly-constructed band facility. The Ninth Grade Academy is designed to assist students with transition from middle school to the high school environment. Most ninth grade curriculum is taught in the Academy. Some ninth grade students may attend classes in the 10-12 building depending on the courses taken.

Activities in the middle schools and high school include, but are not limited to, football, basketball, cheerleading, baseball, track, tennis, golf, volleyball, band, choir, junior ROTC, and scholastic and vocational clubs.

Camden County School buses are operated and support through the local tax structure. Families living within a 1 ½ mile radius of the school are not eligible for transportation services. Due to the limited number of school bus drivers, parents are encouraged to provide transportation to and from school when possible.

The Camden County School System has a close relationship with Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. Personnel from the Navy base continuously lend their expertise to the school system at every grade level. Through the Adopt-a-School program, active duty members often serve as tutors, install equipment, maintain school infrastructure and serve as judges at school events.

New families in Camden County are required to register their children with the school system using an online registration process available at the Camden County Schools website.

Detailed information about the Camden County Schools may be accessed at on their website. Additional information about schools in other parts of Georgia can be found at the Georgia Department of Education website. Parents are advised to visit these sites for specific information regarding school ratings and/or performance.

School Liaison

The installation School Liaison (ISL) is available to assist military families transitioning into and out of the Kings Bay area. As the subject matter expert on educational issues for school-aged children (K-12), the ISL informs, educates, and supports families as they advocate for the educational needs of their children. Families needing assistance with these needs should seek the services of the installation School Liaison at 912-573-8986 or kingsbayslo@navy.mil.

Extended Day Care Program

The Extended Day Program is provided as an extension of the school day for children enrolled in our elementary schools and is only available on regular school days. The overall program serves an average of 400 students per day at nine locations. The program is recreational in nature, offering many wholesome, supervised indoor and outdoor, age-appropriate activities at each school.

School-Age Care (SAC)

The Navy’s Child and Youth Program offers a nationally accredited School-Age Care (SAC) before- and after-school program for youth who have completed kindergarten through age 12. Affiliated with the Boys and Girls clubs of America and 4-H, this program is available from 0500 through 1900 each day, excluding national holidays. Transportation to and from several local schools: Crooked River Elementary School, Sugarmill Elementary School, Matilda Harris Elementary School, Mary Lee Clark Elementary School, St. Mary's Middle School and the local high school. The SAC program includes five components: 1) high-yielding learning activities, 2) emergent curriculum based on current student interest, 3) fitness emphasis to build healthy lifestyles, 4) fine and performing arts that foster individuality and 5) character development focusing on making good life choices. This program is offered at the Kings Bay Youth Center based on total family gross income. Families wishing to learn more should contact the Youth Center at 912-573-2380 or visit the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Website at www.navymwrkingsbay.com.

Georgia Pre-Kindergarten Program

The Georgia Pre-kindergarten Program, known as Bright from the Start, was established in 1993 to provide its four-year-old children with high-quality preschool experiences.

This unique program, funded by the Georgia Lottery for Education, is expected to serve over 82,000 children this school year. With this statewide pre-kindergarten program, Georgia reaches a higher proportion of four-year-old children than any other state in the nation.

The goal of every Georgia Pre-kindergarten classroom is to provide our four year olds with the learning experiences they need in order to prepare for kindergarten.

Children four years of age on September 1 of the current school year, whose parents are Georgia residents, are eligible to attend the Georgia Pre-kindergarten Program during this school year. The Program is voluntary for both families and communities on a space-limited basis that is determined by a lottery system. Students are required to register for the lottery at the elementary school for which they are districted. While this program is available at all local elementary schools, it is also available through the Child Development Center (CDC) on the installation. Interested parents should call the Front Desk Operations Clerk at 912-573-3888.

Georgia Law does make an exception to the September 1 deadline. It is: "A child who was a legal resident of one or more states for a period of two years immediately prior to moving to this state and who was legally enrolled in a public kindergarten or first grade, or a kindergarten or first grade accredited by a state or regional association, shall be eligible for enrolling in the appropriate education program authorized in this part if such child will attain the age of five in kindergarten or six for the first grade by December 31 and is otherwise qualified."

All children enrolled for 20 school days or more in the public schools of this state prior to their seventh birthday shall become subject to the compulsory attendance law.

Pre-Kindergarten classes are also available through local private day care centers.

School Enrollment Requirements

Georgia Law requires the following in order to enroll in the Camden County Schools:

Required Documents:

(1) Copy of the Child's Birth Certificate (a copy can be made from the original at the school)
(2) An Official Certificate of Immunization (Georgia Form 3231)
(3) An Official Certificate of Eye, Ear and Dental Examination (Georgia Form 3300)
(4) Social Security Card of the Student (Optional).

The following will be helpful but not immediately required to enroll: Permanent records, cumulative folder; and Health records.

Students entering the Camden County School System for the first time, regardless of grade level, must have been immunized against diphtheria, measles, mumps, polio, rubella, tetanus, and hepatitis B.

All Students MUST have the Georgia Department of Human Resources Immunization Certificate (Form 3231) marked “Complete for School” The exceptions to this requirement are as follows: medical exemption, religious exemption, 30-day or 90-day waiver granted by the superintendent or designee. Detailed information about these exemptions can be found at the Georgia Department of Education website (listed above).

The Georgia forms (Forms 3231 and 3300) required for enrollment can be obtained and completed at the public health department, a physician’s office, or the Branch Medical Clinic on the installation. Newly passed legislation (Senate Bill 114) does allow active duty military families an additional 30 days from the date of enrollment to obtain needed immunizations. In the case of a series of immunizations, initial vaccinations must be obtained and documented within 30 days of enrollment.

Special Education Services

If your child is receiving Special Education Services, you should bring a copy of the:

• Psychological evaluation,
• Current Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP),
• Eligibility Report (may be referred to by another name in different states), and
• Current testing results other than the psychological.

The school system provides programs for children with disabilities, including but not limited to the following: behavior disorders; blindness or partial blindness; deafness; hearing impairments; learning disabilities; mild, moderate, profound or severe medical handicaps; development delays; and speech impairments.

Georgia Law does make an exception to the September 1 deadline.

It is: "A child who was a legal resident of one or more states for a period of two years immediately prior to moving to this state and who was legally enrolled in a public kindergarten or first grade, or a kindergarten or first grade accredited by a state or regional association, shall be eligible for enrolling in the appropriate education program authorized in this part if such child will attain the age of five in kindergarten or six for the first grade by December 31 and is otherwise qualified."

All children enrolled for 20 school days or more in the public schools of this state prior to their seventh birthday shall become subject to the compulsory attendance law.

There are several private schools options in Camden County and surrounding counties (Nassau County, Florida and Glynn County, Georgia). These private schools are both faith-based and/or secular, but all designed to meet the academic needs for a specific population of students Kindergarten through 12th grade.

Many military families exercise their rights to choose a private or parochial education for their children. The selection of private schools in the local and surrounding areas is best supported by online research, school visits, and/or administrative interviews. Parents are advised to visit school websites and the school’s campus to obtain the information necessary to help them in making the decision about public school alternatives.

Georgia law does allow parents to homeschool. The state specifies the following basic requirements:

1. Declaration of Intent to Utilize a Home Study Program, should be filed by September 30 or within 30 days after the program is established with Georgia Department of Education. Visit www.gadoe.org for more details. 
2. The home study program must include language arts, reading, science, social studies and mathematics.
3. Instructional time in the home study program should be the equivalent of 180 days of at least 41/2 hours each day.
4. Nationally standardized testing must be administered every three years beginning in the third grade.

Specific details about other requirements are available at the Georgia Department of Education website.