DoDEA

PEACHTREE CITY, GA — July 3, 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 Melissa Klopfer has been named principal of Dexter Elementary School, at Fort Benning, Georgia, in the Georgia/Alabama District.

Klopfer comes to DDESS from DoDDS-Europe where she was Aviano Elementary School principal at Aviano Air Base, Italy. "We are delighted to have Melissa Klopfer as the new principal of Dexter," said Dr. Dell McMullen, Georgia/Alabama District Superintendent. "She brings a wealth of experience gained from working with military children in DoDDS for the past 24 years. I am confident that the Dexter children, parents and staff will benefit from Melissa's leadership and expertise."

Klopfer is from McLean, Va. She earned her bachelor’s of art degree in elementary education from the University of South Carolina and her master's of art degree in education leadership from San Diego State University. She began her career with DoDEA in 1981 and has taught and served as an administrator in Japan, Turkey, Italy and the Azores. She was named DoDEA's 2005 Elementary Principal of the Year. She is also a National Association of Elementary School Principal (NAESP) National Scholarship Fellow for 2006.