Department of Defense Education Activity

Garmisch EMS: Get Involved


Parent Involvement

Research demonstrates that parent involvement is essential for student success. Although you may not become involved in all committees and support organizations in the school, we encourage the following activities for your parental support:

  • Join the school parent/teacher association (PTA) and participate in meetings and activities.
  • Have lunch at school with your child regularly.
  • Volunteer in your child's classroom.
  • Establish a daily study time at home (even when there's no homework).
  • Participate in the Continuous School Improvement (CSI) efforts at your child's school.
  • Keep informed of school events and activities by reading school newsletters and your child's classroom newsletter.
  • Communicate frequently with your child's teacher.
  • Prepare for and participate in parent-teacher conferences.
  • Ensure your child has a well-balanced breakfast and comes to school with completed homework, lunch money and school supplies.

Visitors

For the protection of students and staff, all visitors must report to the school’s front office immediately upon arriving at the school.  A visitor is any person (to include parents, sponsors, and legal guardians) not enrolled or assigned to the school requesting entry to the building.

Visitors must provide authorized identification to gain access to the DoDEA school.  The visitor will be issued a visitor badge that must be displayed above the waist while on DoDEA school property.  The school administrator has the final determination on visitors authorized to be at the school.  While on DoDEA school property, visitors may go only to the approved area indicated as their destination when signing in at the school’s front office. Any change to the designated location must be approved by the school’s front office before the visitor can access a different location within the school.  When leaving the school, visitors must sign out and return the visitor's badge to the school’s front office. 

Classroom Observations

Parents are welcome to visit the school and classrooms to observe the school’s programs for brief periods of time that do not interfere with instruction. Approval by the school administrator is required for this type of visitation.

Learn more about volunteering at your school's Get Involved page.

Be a Volunteer!

Volunteers are always needed and are a part of the total school program. They assist in the classrooms, office, special subject and resource rooms, and educational support areas. If a parent is volunteering in a classroom, we ask that you please make alternative arrangements for siblings. They are not allowed in the room during the instructional day. We encourage active participation by parents in their child's education and while, younger children are precious, they may be distracting to students in the classroom. We appreciate your understanding and thank you for your support. Check with you child's teacher for specific opportunities and to complete any necessary forms in addition to the ones below.

DoDEA Policy requires that prospective and current school volunteers shall be subject to a standardized application process that includes completion of an application form and standardized background checks. Volunteer applications are available in the school office or linked below. Please allow 5 business days for processing of all volunteer request forms. There are many volunteer opportunities for parents eager to get involved with their students education or for other interested community members. 

Thank You for Volunteering!

Before you do, please fill out the required forms and turn them in to your local volunteer office.

Background Check DD2981
To require each employee, DoD contractor, family child care provider, adult family member of a family child care provider, and specified volunteers of a DoD C&Y program to undergo a background check and to annually self-report changes to his or her criminal history.
 
DA 5018R Client Consent Statement
ADAPCP Client's Consent Statement for Release of Treatment Information
 
DD2793 Volunteer Agreement Form - Blank
Volunteer agreement fillable form and agreement.
 
Volunteers DoDEA Operational Guidance
DoDEA Operational Guidance for Volunteers - There are many volunteer opportunities for interested community members and/or parents to get involved with their students education through DoD sanctioned programs.

DoDEA Europe Advisory Councils

Parents, teachers, students, administrators, and military commanders share the responsibility to support the schools through advisory councils and boards. Participation in advisory councils and boards enhances and improves educational programs and services, as well as the overall quality of life shared by all Department of Defense (DoD) American overseas communities.

Dependents Education Council (DEC)

The DEC reports to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Management Policy. Members include general or flag officers representing the commanders of unified combatant commands, major service commands, and the military services. Council members make recommendations on policy matters relating to facilities, logistics, and administrative support provided to the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) by the military services.

European Schools Council (ESC)

The ESC is composed of European Command (EUCOM) Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy representatives. ESC work with subordinate command representatives to develop programs for improving dependents' education and recommend helpful initiatives to the DoDEA Director. The ESC chairperson also represents the European Command on the ACDE.

District Advisory Council (DAC)

The DAC advises the district superintendent on matters of interest to the district.

School Advisory Committee (SAC)

The School Advisory Committee (SAC) and School Advisory Board (SAB) are organizations that fosters participation in school affairs by members of the school and military communities and provides a coordinated process to address and resolve issues at the lowest practical level. SAC members advise the school principal on school matters, deal with issues brought to their attention by the school community, and establishes goals and objectives for the academic year.

SAC meetings are held at least four times a year and notices are sent to parents prior to each meeting. These meetings are public meetings, though they are not meetings of the public. Parents and staff members are encouraged to attend SAC meetings to learn more about school programs and issues, and are invited to submit items to SAC members to be placed on the meeting agendas.  The function of the SAC is to make recommendations and advise the principal on: 

  1. school policies, student activities, and administrative procedures
  2. instructional programs and educational resources within the school
  3. allocation of resources within the school to achieve educational goals
  4. administrative and logistical support services provided by the installation commander and applicable service commands
  5. policies and standards of the installation command and military services related to the above.

Neither the SAC nor the SAB addresses matters pertaining to personnel policies or practices, compensation of school staff, grievances or school employees, or internal management of DoDEA or their programs. If you have any questions or concerns about the school's curriculum or environment, give one of the SAC representatives a call (a list of current representatives is available in the office) or attend one of the SAC meetings.

Contact Garmisch EMS

For more information, please contact the school at 08821-7502611 or DSN 440-2611.

Parent Teacher Organization / Parent Teacher Association

The PTO/PTA is a group of parents and teachers working for a better school environment by providing both financial and volunteer support for our school programs. The PTO/PTA are able to sponsor a variety of activities that may include book fairs, school pictures, monthly birthday celebrations for all children, the sale of school t-shirts or many other events. The PTO/PTA consists of the following positions: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. In addition, there are several committee coordinator positions such as volunteer, spirit week, membership and box tops. If you are interested in volunteering, serving on the executive board, or being a committee coordinator, please contact the PTO/PTA.

PTO/PTA Objectives

The PTO/PTA is a non-profit, non-partisan, and non-sectarian organization. It cooperates with the school to support the improvement of education in ways that will not interfere with the education of students or the mission of the school and does not seek to control school policies. Specific objectives include:

  • Providing a medium for exchange of information among parents, teachers, and other interested groups.
  • Encouraging and developing programs and activities, which serve to enhance the quality of student education.
  • Identifying and promoting opportunities for students to secure the highest advantage in their academic, physical, and social growth.
  • Encouraging and maintaining a working dialogue between members, the local educational school system, the local government, and the community at-large on matters affecting the general welfare and education of students.

Membership is open to all parents and legal guardians of students attending the school as well as school staff. Contact the school for membership information.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

Why-Join-PTA-garmischems-flyer

Welcome to Garmisch Elementary Middle School (GEMS). We invite YOU to support our educational and activity programs by becoming a member of our Parent Teacher Association (PTA).  It's a great way to contribute to the school community. Meetings are open for everyone. Come out and see how you can help.