Get Involved / Partnerships
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 and Volunteers
This applies to:
Modification date
This policy is under review
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.
Related regulations
Be a Volunteer!
There are many opportunities for eager parents and community members to get involved and become a DoDEA school volunteer. Volunteers can assist in a variety of ways such as classroom and library assistance, tutoring and mentoring, office administration, playground and lunchroom monitoring, event setup, fundraising, etc. For safety and security reasons, all volunteers are encouraged to leave under-age siblings at home during volunteering activities. Interested parties can refer to their local School Volunteer Coordinator for specific visitation and/or volunteer opportunities.
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.
School Advisory Committees
This applies to:
Modification date
This policy is under review
DoDEA school administrators, in partnership with sponsors/family members, students, and military leaders, promote communication through the establishment of advisory committees to address issues (school initiatives, procedures and policies) locally. This is a system-wide way for parents to get involved in their child’s local school. Consult your child’s school to learn more about school advisory committees.
Related regulations
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 is an information sharing body hosted by the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, that meets twice a year. Members include the Director, Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), and General and Flag officers representing the commanders of unified combatant commands, major service commands, military services, military departments and heads of applicable Intelligence Agencies. The DoDEA Director serves as the Executive Secretary.
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:
- school policies, student activities, and administrative procedures
- instructional programs and educational resources within the school
- allocation of resources within the school to achieve educational goals
- administrative and logistical support services provided by the installation commander and applicable service commands
- 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.
School Advisory Committee
School Deployment Support Information
Deployments, Redeployment and Permanent Change of Station are transition stages that can cause stress within the family environment. Many of you have experienced these transitions numerous times and are aware of the dynamics involved. The return or departure of the spouse alters the routines of the home bringing new adjustments and challenges. Children can be affected by these changes and problems can develop. Instability of mood, anxiety, irritability, sadness, rebelliousness and risk taking behaviors can emerge that may affect relationships and school functioning.
To a degree, it is important to view school functioning as a barometer of children adjustment. Sudden changes in behavior and/or persistent underachievement may be the way they communicate that things are not well.
At our school, we have different ways of supporting students during difficult transition times. It is critical that you share your concerns with us. Throughout the year we conduct surveys to identify students with deployed or redeployed parents. Our teachers are knowledgeable and sensitive about these issues. The guidance counselors and school psychologist can provide direct assistance or guide you to additional community resources. Our school counselors are also conducting deployment groups so that students can be of support to one another and share their concerns and common experiences. Please feel free to contact your child's counselor or school psychologist with any concerns.
School Advisory Committee (SAC)
This applies to:
Modification date
This policy is under review
In accordance with DoD Instruction 1342.15 and USAREUR Regulation 15-21, the School Advisory Committee (SAC) is a team of people representing various segments of the community-parents, teachers, students, administrators, support staff, business/ industry people and other interested community members. Every parent, teacher, sponsor, student, DoDEA administrator, and military commander share the responsibility to work collectively in supporting the school, in enhancing programs, and improving not only the delivery of educational programs and support services to DoDEA students, but also the overall quality of life shared by all personnel in the American overseas communities, of which the schools are an integral part.
SAC Meetings: At a minimum, SAC meeting are held quarterly each school year. SAC meeting dates are publicized in the school’s newsletter, the Trojan Tribune. SAC meetings are open to the public. You may contact the SAC Chairperson and/or school administration to place an item on the agenda.
SAC Elections: Elections are held at the beginning of the school year, typically during Open House. SAC Officers are elected by the committee. The SAC Chairperson is also the representative to the Installation Advisory Committee (IAC).
Related regulations
Parent, Teacher, Student Organization (PTSO)
The Parent, Teacher, Student Organization (PTSO) is a volunteer organization made up of parents, teachers, students, and staff. Together, these members support school activities and enhance the students academic involvement. There is no fee to join the PTSO. We ask instead that you volunteer for at least one activity throughout the year.
PTSO contributes to Ankara School by organizing school pictures, providing funds for various initiatives and activities not funded by DoDEA, coordinating book fairs and showing appreciation in a variety of ways to our teachers and staff.
Who We Are
We are parents, teachers, and students, working closely with the school administration.
Our Mission
To enhance academic programs and to coordinate special events that promote academic study, school spirit, and student life.
Our Values
We value our school's diverse student body. We value the unique global perspectives at our school, sharing traditions, cultures, and stories with each other. We value learning from each other. We value good citizenship. We value academic rigor. We encourage curiosity, creativity, innovation, diligence, perseverance, and achievement. We ask ourselves to do our best. We encourage each other in every endeavor. We celebrate excellence.
Programs!
PTSO supports enhanced academic programs and special events, like these:
- Back-to-School Welcome Picnic
- Polar Express Event
- Spelling Bee
- Straight A Cafe
- Book Fair and Passport to Reading
- International Day
- Geography Bee
- Teacher Appreciation Week
- Night of the Arts
- Field Day
Numerous requests from teachers for volunteers and funding, including fees for student competitions, teacher conferences, travel, special materials, special guests, and other special programs throughout the year that enhance academic study and student life.
Fundraisers!
PTSO raises its funds through these:
- Membership Dues
- Donations
- Literacy Walk-a-Thon
- PTSO Cafe (selling food and beverages during Parent-Teacher Conferences)
- Spirit Ware Scholastic Book Fair
- Other occasional fundraisers
We welcome your help with our many events and programs. Contact us to volunteer. Monetary donations also accepted all year (front office). Thank you for supporting enhanced academics and special events at AEHS through PTSO!
Connect to your PTSO
Please join the PTSA to help make decisions about how to use funding, plan special events, and support classroom activities and clubs. Use this form to join! When you join you will be added to the PTSA email distribution and to the WhatsApp Group for PTSA members only.
The PTSA has created a new private Facebook group for members of our AEHS community. It is open to all parents and staff. We will use this group to post reminders, communicate, and share photos of events. Please answer the questions so we can approve you as a member. Find the group here.
Thank you for being there for just in time support!
