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Schools & Daycare

The first organized schools for the children of U.S. military personnel serving in the Pacific were established in 1946 during post-World War II reconstruction. Throughout the decades, Department of Defense schools evolved to become a comprehensive and high-performing K-12 school system solely dedicated to educating the children of America's heroes.

Today, DoDEA Pacific's 49 schools serve over 23,500 children of U.S. military and eligible DoD civilian personnel families stationed throughout the Pacific theater. The DoDEA Pacific teaching, administrative and school support team includes more than 3,400 full-time professionals. Our schools are geographically organized into four districts serving 22 U.S. military installations across the Pacific: Guam, Japan, Okinawa and South Korea.

Standard DoDDS School Calendar

Yokosuka Schools

Sasebo Schools

Some parents elect to home school their children while in Japan. This is a legal option open to all SOFA sponsored active duty military, DoD civilians, and contractors. No state or federal government permission is required. The Kanto Plain Home Schoolers [KPHS] share in field trips, PE, Parties, curriculum fairs, science fairs, workshops and other educational and social activities. KPHS can be contacted via their Facebook page.

Home School families also have the option of benefitting from some of the activities or classes within the on base schools. For example, a home school student may wish to participate in an extracurricular activity, take just an art or math course at the school, take standardized tests, or use school textbooks. All these options are open to home schoolers through the on base schools on a space available basis. Students must have completed registration paperwork with the school and commit to regular participation in the chosen activity to allow for proper planning on the part of the teachers and activity sponsors. For more information contact the School Liaison Officer.

Child Development Center (CDC)

CDC is for ages six weeks thru Kindergarten, provides quality child care with scheduled developmental activities, free play, storytelling, music and art offered in a warm, secure environment. The Main and Ikego Child Development Centers (CDC) have full day care for children ages six weeks to five years. There is also a CDC Annex which has full daycare for six weeks to two years of age. Two meals and one snack are provided; two outdoor exercise periods and a rest/nap time period are planned in addition to regularly scheduled age appropriate developmental activities throughout the day. A contract and prepayment are required.

Hourly Care

Hourly care is available at the various Child Development Centers. Reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance. Program registration and orientation is required prior to care. Please call the respective facility to make your reservation: Main CDC 243-3219 | Annex CDC 241-4101 | Ikego CDC 246-8060

Part Day Preschool Enrichment Program

Part-Day Preschool Enrichment Program is available at the Main Child Development Center for children ages three to five years old. Four sessions are offered based on space availability, three days (M, W, F) or two days (Tues, Thurs), morning session, 0730 to 1130 or afternoon session, 1230 to 1630. Program registration and orientation is required prior to care. Please contact 243-3219 for more information.

Central Enrollment Waiting List (CEWL)

A Central Enrollment Waiting List for child care exists for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old. CEWL maintains a Navy-wide standardized waiting list system that provides fast, efficient and fair service to patrons. All patrons requesting care must complete DD2606, Department of Defense Request for Care form. The form is available at the CYP Resource and Referral office located in the MWR Building 1559 Room 201B, any one of the Child Development Centers, or any one of the School Age Care Programs.

For more information, please call 243-4079.

Apply for child care as soon as the need is identified. Whether you are expecting a newborn, adopting a child, or have received orders to transfer to a new area, completing the Request for Care form as soon as possible will help ensure a space on the waitlist.

Navy’s Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)

If you have a family member with special needs please ensure your family member is enrolled in the Navy's Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP). EFMP is designed to assist sailors by addressing the special needs of their exceptional family members (EFM) during the assignment process. Special needs include any special medical, dental, mental health, developmental or educational requirement, wheelchair accessibility, adaptive equipment or assistive technology devices and services. The local clinical EFMP Coordinator is available at the US Naval Hospital Yokosuka at DSN 315-243-5794 or internationally 011-81-46-896-5794. The local non-clinical EFMP Coordinator is available at the Fleet and Family Support Center Yokosuka at DSN 315-243-9605 or internationally 011-81-46-896-9605. You may also visit the Naval Hospital website. Working alongside of Education and Developmental Intervention Service (EDIS) the CDC offers care to special needs children.

Child Development Home Program (CDH)

Only certified homes are sanctioned by the Commanding Officer to provide child care. CDH care is provided by a military family member in base housing. CDH providers attend 30 hours of training and have their homes inspected for safety, sanitation, and quality programming. A Child Development Home offers home-like environment. Developmental programming includes The Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care, which is based on individual child observations, allowing for flexibility to meet the developmental needs of each child.

Children placed in CDH full time care through the CEWL are eligible to receive discounted child care rates based on their household income. Because there are limited overhead costs, we are able to pass the savings onto parents by offering CDH subsidized rates at 20% below the rates at the CDC and SAC programs.

In addition to regular fulltime care, CDH providers can often meet the special needs of later hours, part time, hourly, weekend or last minute care. For these types of care, parents may obtain a child care referral directly from the CDH Office located on the third floor of the Community Readiness Center.

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Child Development Center (CDC)

Navy Child Youth Programs are licensed by Department Of Defense to operate Child Development Centers, School Age Care, and Youth Programs for Pre-teens and Teens. Yearly Certification is posted at each facility.

All CDC and SAC programs are required to meet the standards and achieve accreditation status by a nationally recognized organization Child Development Centers are accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), SAC is accredited though National Afterschool Association (NAA). Certificate is posted in a visible location in the facility.

Eligibility

All active duty military personnel, Department of Defense (DOD) civilian employees, reservists on active duty or reservists in training, and DOD contractors working full-time on any military installation are eligible for care.

Centers on Installation

There are two child care facilities at Sasebo:

  • Main Base Child Development Center - Located in Building 500, Telephone: 315-252-2985, Hours: Monday - Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  • Hairo Child Development Center - Located 20-30 minutes from main base in Building 5140, Telephone: 315-252-8842, Hours: Monday - Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Programs Offered

Following is a list of the CDC programs available:

  • Full Day
  • Part Day
  • Hourly Care
  • Special Needs Care

Costs

The rates are dependent upon sponsor's paygrade and income and vary from $235-$468 monthly. The rate for hourly care is $3.00/hour.

Availability

You may request to have your child(ren)'s names added to the waiting list prior to your arrival. Your sponsor should be able to assist you with the required Request for Care Form.

Priority Care

The following priorities for care shall be utilized when placing children in programs that have a waiting list:

  1. Active duty single parents with custody and active duty dual military parents.
  2. All other active duty with a full-time working spouse or spouse who is a full-time student. Spouses who are unemployed may be included in this priority; however, they must show proof of employment within 90 days of placement in the CYP. CYP employees may receive priority within this group.
  3. Reservists on active duty or reservists in training.
  4. DOD civilian personnel.
  5. DOD contractors working full-time.

Priorities must be published and available to all patrons. Priority care will be the same for CDC, SAC, and CDH within the installation/region.

Respite Care

CFAS does not have a short term or temporary facility to assist family members during unusual circumstances.

Enrollment Criteria

The CYP central enrollment registry consists of two distinct functions: the CWL (Central Waiting List) and the central registry. The CYP central enrollment registry is a registry of all children enrolled or requesting space in the installation or regional CYP. The purpose of the central enrollment registry is to:

  • Ensure that all CYP vacancies are tracked centrally, monitored closely, and filled quickly in order to maximize utilization of child spaces.
  • Maintain demographic data for all Navy CYP in the geographical area.
  • Maintain a standardized waiting list system that provides fast, efficient and fair service to patrons.

School Age Care (SAC)

The Main Base and Hairo each have a Youth Center that is open for before and after school care. Our cost is reasonable and the children get to participate in many fun and exciting activities.

Child Development Homes/Family Child Care

The CDH program provides home based childcare services for eligible patrons by Navy certified independent private contractors in their government or non-government owned or leased residence. Care can be on a regular basis, full or part-time.

With in-home childcare, children receive their care in the private home of a certified provider living in government-owned or leased housing or in state-licensed homes in the community. Family child care provides accommodating child care arrangements, including night, weekend, and flexible hourly care for shift work. In-home childcare programs offer comparable care to a CDC. Providers must be certified by the DoD, and some seek additional accreditation from the NAFCC. Regulations limit the number of children that may be cared for at one time: no more than six children under age eight, and no more than two charges under two years old.

CDH are encouraged to obtain accreditation status with the National Association of Family Child Care (NAFCC). Although accreditation for CDH providers is not required, there is a proven benefit to military members utilizing accredited CDH providers.

CDH fees are determined by the provider and the parent. Fees shall be agreed upon in writing prior to children being left for the first time. Parents shall receive a written copy of fees and charges in the parent/provider contract.

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