DoDEA

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA — April 8, 2009 — Dr. Linda Curtis has been selected as the new Education Chief for the Department of Defense Education Activity's (DoDEA's) schools in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Cuba.

Dr. Curtis, currently the Deputy Director of DoDEA schools in Europe, will manage and supervise educational staff and district superintendents who serve more than 25,000 students in 65 schools throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. She will also assist in directing the development of the professional competencies of staff and co-lead with DoDEA's headquarters staff on educational reform agendas.

"Dr. Curtis is an excellent choice for this position of Education Chief of our stateside schools," said Dr. Shirley Miles, Director of DoDEA. "I know she is looking forward to working more closely with the Superintendents as instructional leaders to improve student learning."

Developing relationships between DoDEA's customers will be one of Curtis' top priorities.

"If we are going to make a difference and equip our young people with 21st Century skills, we have to continue to build collegial relationships with students, staff, parents, community and businesses," Curtis said.

"I see collegial relationships as a way to involve all teachers and administrators in the educational process," she added. "We can do together what we can not do alone. By creating processes to develop strong 21st Century skills, our students will be better prepared for their future."

In addition to serving as the current Deputy Director of DoDEA's schools in Europe, Curtis was the Superintendent of Schools in DoDEA's Isles and Brussels Districts from 2001 to 2006, providing supervision and education support to schools in England, Iceland, the Azores, Bahrain, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Prior to her assignments as a superintendent, Curtis was an assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal, and teacher in Germany and Belgium. Before coming to DoDEA, Dr. Curtis was a teacher in Australia and Fort Wayne, Ind.

Curtis earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education at Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., and went on to earn two Master's Degrees from Indiana University at Fort Wayne in Administration and in elementary Education with a concentration in Reading and Special Education. In 2006 she earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Argosy University in Sarasota, Fla.

She was a founding member in developing DoDEA's Community Strategic Plan in 1996 and continues to serve on this leadership committee. Dr. Curtis is actively involved in strengthening math education and technology across the curriculum.

She is an active member of Phi Delta Kappa (PDK), the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). She has served as President and Treasurer of the PDK overseas chapters.

Dr. Curtis has been honored as the ASCD Outstanding Educational Leader; the Phi Delta Kappa Educational Leader; and the European Congress of American Parents, Teachers and Students (ECAPTS) Principal of the Year. While serving as the principal of SHAPE Elementary School in Mons, Belgium, Dr. Curtis was awarded the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

DoDEA plans, directs, coordinates, and manages pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education programs for Department of Defense (DoD) dependents who would otherwise not have access to a high-quality, public education. DoDEA schools are located in Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific, the United States, Cuba and Puerto Rico. DoDEA also provides support and resources to Local Education Activities throughout the U.S. that serve children of military families.