Squadron Educational Officers Home Page
This page is intended to assist Squadron Educational Officers (SEOs) perform their duties. Suggestions for improvements to this page should be sent to the WebMaster.
- Administrative Functions
- Getting News Updates
- Running a Public Boating Course
- Running a Public Seminar
- Running Member Courses
- Awards
- Miscellany
- SEO Kit
Administrative Functions
- What does the SEO do? See paragraph 6.2 of the USPS Operations Manual.
- How should things function in the squadron educational department? See Educational Department Manual (EDM) I, Squadron Organization (PDF, 1253KB)
- At the start of your tenure, ensure your local board chairs information has been sent to Headquarters by your squadron commander using form ED-1. (Your own information as well as your assistant's information should have also been sent to Headquarters by the Nominating Committee Chair using form ED-80.) This will ensure that they can order materials and exams for your squadron without the need to bother you with these details.
- Encourage your instructors to be certified; note that many states require those teaching public boating classes to be certified. Certification must be renewed every four (4) years as well.
- For questions or comments, contact the appropriate person using the Who to Contact page or the EdDept directory.
Getting News Updates
- Subscribe to the SEO News E-Mail list (SEOs only). These e-mail notices are one-way (National to you) communications to keep you informed of the latest status of EdDept topics; they are sent out as needed.
- Be sure to check for applicable Educational Department Notices (EDNs) at the start of all classes.
- Keep up to date with Currents, the National Educational Department's newsletter that's issued twice a year at Governing Board meetings, as well as the Educational Department committee reports.
Running a Public Boating Course
- Register your class on-line (previously known as the HQ-800 form process). Get registration help here if you need assistance with the on-line form.
- Be sure to check the "Allow Online Registration" button about midway down the form so that students can sign up on-line, reducing your workload.
- Ensure advertising is done locally for the course by your Public Relations Committee. Check out available PR materials and hints from the EdDept.
- Order course materials from the USPS Materials Catalog using the Standard Order Form (SOF). Order materials at least 30 days in advance of the course start date. Get SOF help here.
- Order and distribute free brochures to enhance the learning experience of students in your boating classes.
- Check out the Basic Public Education Committee web pages for updated information on The Squadron Boating Course or America's Boating Course.
- Read information for Exam Administrators.
- Ensure the course is run properly and professionally by your Local Board for Boating Chair and his or her assistants. Be sure to invite your Membership Chair to your class sessions.
- Be aware of any Memorandum of Understanding between your state and USPS as well as your state laws and regulations. Include state-specific questions, if any, in the exam.
- Report your course results to Headquarters shortly after your boating class; it's available as an on-line form linked to the class registration (HQ-800) form.
- Report student information to Headquarters shortly after class completion using either the Boating Class Workbook spreadsheet or the Boating Course Assistant standalone software.
- Be sure to prepare and/or submit Merit Mark recommendations for those members who assisted in your class in any way.
- Plan for your next public boating class, and prepare and distribute any "Lessons Learned" to improve your next class.
Running a Public Seminar
- Register your seminar on-line. Get registration help here if you need assistance with the on-line form.
- Be sure to check the "Allow Online Registration" button about midway down the form so that students can sign up on-line, reducing your workload.
- Ensure advertising is done locally for the seminar by your Public Relations Committee.
- Order course materials from the USPS Materials Catalog using the Standard Order Form (SOF). Order materials at least 30 days in advance of the course start date. Get SOF help here.
- Check out the Seminars web page for updated information on the seminar you are offering.
- Ensure the seminar is run properly and professionally by your instructor and his or her assistants. Be sure to invite your Membership Chair to your seminars.
- Report student information to Headquarters shortly after seminar completion using either the Seminar Workbook spreadsheet or the Boating Course Assistant standalone software. Note that the ED-27 process is not used for seminars as it is for boating classes.
- Be sure to prepare and/or submit Merit Mark recommendations for those members who assisted in your seminar in any way.
- Plan for your next public seminar, and prepare and distribute any "Lessons Learned" to improve your next session.
Running Member Courses
- Ensure advance advertising is done internally for the courses. Use e-mail, your squadron web site, flyers, post cards, and/or word of mouth to encourage members to take our great members-only courses.
- Order course materials from the USPS Materials Catalog using the Standard Order Form (SOF). Order materials at least 30 days in advance of the course start date. Get SOF help here.
- Check out the National EdDept course web page for updated information on the course you are offering.
- Ensure each course is run properly and professionally by your instructor and his or her assistants. Be sure to invite other course chairs to classes to encourage members to take other courses. Advanced Grades (AG) enrollment can especially benefit from having the next AG course chair attend a class near the end of the preceding AG course (AP attending a P class for instance).
- Return unneeded course materials using the HQ-9A form within a 90-day period reckoned from the date the material is shipped from Headquarters and the date the unused material is eventually received by Headquarters. See paragraph 6.38 of the USPS Operations Manual.
- Order exams using ED-33 at least 30 days in advance of the date of the exam.
- Be sure to prepare and/or submit Merit Mark recommendations for those members who assisted in your classes in any way.
- Plan for your next members course, and prepare and distribute any "Lessons Learned" to improve your next course.
Awards
- Recognize your best instructor with the Chapman Excellence in Teaching Award. Forms are sent to squadrons in the summer every year.
- Share your teaching aids with other squadrons at the USPS Annual Meeting and be recognized for the best aids in specific course categories.
- Check to see if your district awards a Prince Henry the Navigator Award for educational accomplishments.
Miscellany
- Read the On Water Policy if you are thinking about running some part of your course on a boat.
- Use the EdDept Glossary to define any nautical terms with which you're not familiar.
- See the listing of all EdDept forms.
SEO Kit
SEO kits are no longer shipped from HQ. SEOs are encouraged to download and/or use the tools in the SEO kit directly from the web. SEO kit contents are as follows:
Essential materials
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Checklist for USPS Officers During the 2008 Calendar Year; other calendars are also available from the Leadership Development Committee web page
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Summary of Current Course Materials
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Summary of Learning Guides
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Current Educational Department Notices (EDNs)
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Forms to order or return materials
- Standard Order Form, for ordering course materials (also see the SOF help page)
- ED-33, for ordering Advanced Grade and Elective Course exams
- Free brochures order form, for public classes
- HQ-9A, for returning unused materials to Headquarters
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Catalog of Educational Materials
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ED-1, for appointing Local Board chairs
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ED-17, for guidance in administering exams for Advanced Grades and Elective Courses
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ED-34, for reporting squadron exams
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ED-46, for boating course registrations
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Information and forms for the Charles F. Chapman Award for Excellence in Teaching
Reference materials
- Information on the Bowsprit Award (PDF); also see the Bowsprit web page
- ED-80, for nominating a Squadron or District Educational Officer and Assistant Squadron or District Educational Officer
- Squadron Guide for America's Boating Course
- USPS Operations Manual
- Currents, the Educational Department Newsletter
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