PEACHTREE CITY, GA — June 29, 2012 — Dr. Linda Curtis, Acting Director and Area Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS) and Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS)-Cuba, is pleased to announce that the Fort Benning schools in the Georgia/Alabama District received the 2012 Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award as a Recognized Partnership awarded by the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC).

In a ceremony Thursday, June 28, 2012, DoDEA Director Marilee Fitzgerald accepted the award on behalf of the Georgia/Alabama District at the Military Child Education Coalition’s 14th National Training Seminar in Grapevine, Texas. “I am extremely proud of everyone involved in these very successful partnerships between our schools and the military community at Fort Benning,” said Ms. Fitzgerald. “This award truly recognizes their commitment, enthusiasm and hard work, all of which benefit the children.”

Dr. Mary M. Keller, MCEC President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “The process for completing the application and providing the documentation was no easy task. When the mission statement for the Military Child Education Coalition was written, the first few words were “to encourage partnerships . . .” Those of us who read the entries for the Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award could not be more pleased with the way that mission statement is being carried out. School systems, working hand-in-hand with the military communities, are truly doing great things for kids!”

In 2004, in recognition of Retired Lt. Gen. H.G. “Pete” Taylor’s work and dedication to helping America’s military children, the MCEC Board of Directors established the Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award. This annual award encourages and applauds the outstanding partnerships that exist between military installations and school districts and brings special recognition to those partnerships that demonstrate the MCEC core value, “Real goodness happens at the local level.”