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November 17-21, 2003, DoDDS Pacific hosted
our annual principals’ conference.
The conference theme, Different Students—Different
Starting Points: Differentiated Instruction
in a Standards-based School, provided participants
with an in-depth look at how we can better
meet the needs of every child. This year’s
sessions focused on literacy, mathematics,
and assessment, and were aligned to the
DoDEA six-year curriculum development cycle
and our implementation of the DoDEA Community
Strategic Plan.
Welcome addresses, given by BrigGen Timothy R. Larsen, Deputy Commander, U.S.
Forces, Japan, and COL Edward Patrick, U.S. Pacific Command/J1, were very complimentary
to the work we are doing in DoDDS Pacific. The conference afforded DoDEA Director,
Dr. Joseph Tafoya, and Associate Director of Education, Dr. Elizabeth Middlemiss,
an opportunity to discuss our system’s successes, initiatives, and challenges,
and to dialogue with principals.
Throughout the week, school leaders and guests were given an opportunity to deepen
their understanding of the research that supports quality reading and math instruction;
acquire classroom observation skills that focus on best practices and program
implementation in a standards-based school; and strengthen their knowledge of
how classroom assessment impacts decision making.
Our consultant, Dr. Susan B. Neuman, Professor in Educational Studies at the
University of Michigan, conducted sessions on elements of successful schools
and instructional programs, research-based reading instruction, strategies for
struggling readers, and strategies for promoting reading comprehension. DoDEA
and DoDDS Pacific specialists also provided sessions on mathematics, literacy
and assessment.
We are in the third year of our professional development cycle dedicated to making
good schools better. As we approach the milestones of the DoDEA Community Strategic
Plan, I want to thank all stakeholders for your dedicated support in creating
a system in which today’s successes are the basis for tomorrow’s
achievements. The DoDDS Pacific commitment to standards-based reform, principals
as instructional leaders, the community strategic plan, school improvement, and
quality professional development is fundamental to the DoDEA vision of success
for all students.
Nancy
C. Bresell
Director, DoDDS Pacific
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