DoDEA HQ Office of Communications
4800 Mark Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22350-1400
The DoDEA Communications Office initiates and manages DoDEA's communications and outreach efforts worldwide. The office coordinates press relations, internal information programs and communication with students, parents, teachers, school administrators and the public.
The HQ Communications Office:
Issues news releases and media advisories about DoDEA initiatives, employees and programs Produces video and television promotional and informational products marketed worldwide Maintains the DoDEA web site Designs printed promotional and informational material and graphic artwork to accompany publications, promotions and initiatives
For Immediate Release — August 28, 2007 | HQ
Frank X. O'Gara: DoDEA Educational Communications Officer | (703) 588-3260
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Elaine Kanellis: DoDEA Educational Communications Officer | (703) 588-3265
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA — August 28, 2007 — More than 85,000 students have begun School Year 2007-2008 in the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools around the world.
DoDEA plans, directs, coordinates, and manages the education programs for DoD dependents who would otherwise not have access to a high-quality public education. DoDEA consists of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) located overseas, and the Department of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS) located in the United States and its territories and possessions. DoDEA provides education to eligible DoD military and civilian dependents from pre-kindergarten through grade 12.
The Non-DoD Schools Program (NDSP) provides support and funding for the education of eligible sponsors assigned at locations where the DoD does not operate a school within commuting distance. For more information about the NDSP, visit http://www.dodea.edu/parents.
All schools within DoDEA are fully accredited by the North Central Association (NCA).
DoDEA operates 199 schools configured into 14 districts located in 12 foreign countries, seven states, Guam, and Puerto Rico. To support educational achievement for all DoDEA students, the system operates and maintains more than 1,400 facilities around the globe. Approximately 25 major construction projects are underway in DoDEA, with recently-completed projects including the new Patrick L. Kessler Elementary School at Fort Stewart, Ga.
During School Year 2007-2008, several locations will combine elementary and middle schools Wuerzburg and Darmsdadt in Germany. Grade realignments are planned for Alconbury in England, where 6th grade will move from the elementary to the high school; CC Pinckney at Fort Jackson, SC will restructure from grades 4-6 to grades 2-4; and Brittin Elementary School at Fort Stewart, GA., will restructure from Kindergarten -6th grade to Pre-Kindergarten - 6th grade. At Livorno in Italy, grades 9-12 will not be included in the school structure. At the end of School Year 2007-2008, Gaeta Elementary and Middle Schools in Naples, Italy are scheduled to close.
In School Year 2006-2007, DoDEA students continued to perform well above the national average in the TerraNova Multiple Assessment, administered in the spring to students in Grades 3-11. On the whole, DoDEA students scored 10-25 percentile points above the national average (50th percentile) in all subject areas (Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science) for 2007.
School Year 2007-2008 brings some leadership and organizational changes to the DoDEA system. Dr. Shirley Miles is DoDEA's new Associate Director for Education and Principal Deputy Director. Prior to joining the DoDEA staff in June, Dr. Miles served as the Superintendent for the Tempe Union High School District in Tempe, Ariz. She is responsible for the instructional and educational programs at all DoDEA schools and oversees personnel operations involving more than 13,000 employees worldwide including teachers, administrators and support staff.
In the coming years, military housing initiatives, relocation, and transition will increase the number of military students moving from one local education agency (LEA) to another. Some of these LEAs may not have had military students attending their schools before.
To ensure a quality education for all military children and facilitate the transition of military students into and between public schools, DoDEA has established an Educational Partnership Directorate to enhance partnership efforts with LEAs and to share DoDEA's best practices in educating children of military families.
DoDEA has a proud reputation for a rigorous and challenging curriculum. Initiatives planned for School Year 2007-2008 will continue to deliver course content that challenges students to achieve their highest potential.
In School Year 2006-2007, DoDEA launched a Foreign Language Initiative that included a centerpiece program, Foreign Language in the Elementary School (FLES), with the intent of building a solid language foundation for secondary school foreign language study. The FLES Spanish program started in Kindergarten and 1st grade in 27 DoDEA schools. For School Year 2007-2008, the program has been expanded to 30 additional schools.
DoDEA's Chinese Language Program is in its second year and will expand to all of DoDEA's areas (Pacific, Europe, and the United States and its territories) for School Year 2007-2008.
Professional development for mathematics teachers continues for School Year 2007-2008 with online course offerings for elementary and middle school teachers as well as for secondary school teachers in algebra, geometry, lab, and sketchpad.
Implementation of a comprehensive curriculum guide will lay the foundation for mathematics instruction, providing teachers with resources including textbooks, online application, essays and objectives.
In the Language Arts arena, DoDEA has adopted the writing model, Six Traits Plus One, for the entire system and a writing assessment pilot program will be implemented for 5th, 7th and 9th graders.
Initiatives in Health and Physical Education curriculum include interactive technology in physical education personal fitness courses and upgrades to the fitness assessment program. The Class of 2008 will be the first graduating class in DoDEA to have 1.5 Carnegie units of physical education course work in addition to lifetime sports courses and personal fitness courses. These students will also have the opportunity to take a physical activity and nutrition course designed to help them understand the nutritional requirements they need.
Additional information about DoDEA schools is available on the system's web site, www.dodea.edu. Parents can access information such as school locations, addresses, school contact information, school calendars, immunization and registration requirements, curriculum guides, and school lunch programs.