DoDEA

PEACHTREE CITY, GA — August 28, 2006 — Dr. Elaine Beraza, Director, Department of Defense (DoD) Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS) and Department of Defense Dependents Schools, Cuba, (DoDDS-Cuba) announced today that Mr. Mike Starrett has been named principal of Tarawa Terrace II Elementary School, on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Starrett is currently assistant principal at Faith Middle School, on Fort Benning, GA, where he has been since 2003. He was assistant principal at Stowers Elementary School, also at Fort Benning from 1997 to 2003. He taught in fourth, fifth, and seventh grades at Murray Elementary, Irwin Middle, and Albritton Junior High Schools, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He also served as an educational technologist at Fort Bragg schools.

"The Lejeune community is fortunate to acquire an administrator with the leadership skills and knowledge that Mr. Starrett possesses," said Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas, assistant superintendent in the North Carolina District. "His passion for the teaching and learning process is only surpassed by his love of the children in the school."

A native of Minnesota, Starrett graduated from Kubaski High School, Okinawa in DoDDS-Pacific. He earned his bachelor's of science degree in elementary education from Fayetteville State University and his master's of education in administration from Campbell University, both in North Carolina. He is currently pursuing his docotrate in education leadership from Colorado State University. He is a US Air Force veteran.

Starrett and his wife, Jennifer, have twin five-year-olds sons, Connor and Cameron, who have just started kindergarten.