The Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) was established in order to provide quality education from kindergarten through grade 12 for eligible minor dependents of Department of Defense (DoD) military and civilian personnel stationed overseas.
      The dependent school system dates back to the early 1800's when the US Army moved large numbers of troops and their families westward to established posts along America's isolated frontiers. Congress authorized funds to set up schools at western army posts. Much later, after World War II, it became clear that American troops and their families would continue to be stationed abroad.
      In order to provide an American type education for military dependents, the individual military services established their own elementary and secondary schools around the world in 1946. The individual services operated the schools until 1976. At that time, Congress mandated that the schools should be consolidated and placed within the DoD to establish one cohesive, uniform school system. The DoDDS organization was formed from that mandate and became a field activity within the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
       As it presently exists, DoDDS is one of the ten largest U.S. school systems. It has a student population of approximately 100,00 students in 180 schools located in 22 countries. Schools such as this were established in order to provide quality education from kindergarten through grade 12 for eligible minor dependents of Department of Defense (DoD) military and civilian personnel stationed overseas.
       The first DOD school in the Alconbury area was opened at RAF Molesworth in 1951. Students in grades 1-9 were enrolled. The RAF Molesworth school closed in June 1974 and its activities were relocated to the present site at RAF Alconbury. Alconbury Elementary School is housed in four one-story buildings on one site with a playground. The buildings contain classrooms, a library and a cafeteria. There are 35 staff members including teachers in special areas such as special education, compensatory education, speech, physical education, art, music, talented and gifted, Sure Start, preschool, Reading Recovery, and host nation.
       Alconbury Elementary School is part of the Isles District, which includes schools in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Bahrain, Belgium, and Germany. Our district superintendent's office is located at RAF Feltwell, United Kingdom. Within Alconbury Elementary School, the school administrator and educators are responsible for the educational programs, policies and total school operation. A school's officer is assigned to the school to act as a liaison between the school administrators and base officials. The school's officer works for the Base Commander and is responsible for coordinating logistic, administrative, engineering, and facilities support, as well as the operational budget, custodial services, and school bus discipline. Student eligibility, academics, administration, staffing, and the curriculum are not the schools officer's responsibility. Questions regarding these subjects should be directed to the school principal.
       The school is located on R.A.F. Alconbury near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire in an area primarily of farming and light industry. Other towns close by are Cambridge, Peterborough and St. Ives. London is a 60-minute train ride south of Alconbury. Huntingdon has several historic connections. The most famous is Oliver Cromwell who was born and educated in the town. Later in his life he led his New Model Army against King Charles 1st in the English Civil War. Samuel Pepys, the famous English diarist, also attended school in Huntingdon.