Since SY 1999-2000 DoDEA and DoDDS-Pacific/DDESS-Guam have recognized the importance of ensuring quality Early Childhood programs for our students. Through the Early Childhood Initiative, full day kindergarten programs are in place in all DoDDS-Pacific/DDESS-Guam schools and nearly all of our elementary schools in the Pacific have implemented reduced class size in grades 1-3.

Providing support for our early childhood programs continues to be on the forefront. Last week the Korea District became the first of four districts to receive Early Childhood Training as part of one of our Pacific wide training initiatives. Between now and May all Kindergarten teachers in DoDDS-Pacific/DDESS-Guam will attend two days of training designed to help them gain familiarity with the current research on literacy and the teacher's role in promoting literacy development within a developmentally appropriate kindergarten classroom. This will include looking at ways to organize and structure a print rich environment. Teachers will also learn a variety of assessment strategies and review instructional approaches that support the DoDEA content standards. This training supports the vision of the Pacific Literacy Project and is targeted to enhance literacy instruction for our youngest learners.

In addition, training will be provided in each district for teachers who are currently teaching in multi-age classrooms and for those administrators and teachers who are interested in either starting or expanding multi-age classrooms in their school. Multi-age classrooms are another way our schools can provide quality education to our students in both the early childhood and intermediate grades. Participants in this training will review the current research on multi-age classrooms. They will also examine assessment strategies and standards-based instructional practices that are effective in differentiating instruction within a multi-age classroom.

I am proud of the following nine elementary schools in the Pacific that have embraced the multi-age philosophy and started one or more multi-age classrooms at their school in either their primary or intermediate grades: E.C. Killin Elementary School, Bechtel Elementary School, Kadena Elementary School, C.T. Joy, Pusan American School, Darby Elementary School, Perry Elementary School, Cummings Elementary School, and Yokota West Elementary School. These teachers and administrators have truly been pioneers in establishing yet another program to meet the wide range of learners and families our schools serve.

I encourage the teachers and administrators who attend this training to see it as an opportunity for professional growth and a way to make what we already do well, educating children, even better.

Nancy C. Bresell
Director, DoDDS-Pacific/DDESS-Guam