Five new DoDDS Pacific district leaders named. Two new superintendents and three new assistant superintendents are at the helm in DoDDS Pacific. In Okinawa District, Dr. Gayle Vaughn-Wiles was named the new superintendent, and Dr. Mary Kubas-Meyer, the new assistant superintendent. Japan District has two new leaders: Mr. Bruce Derr, superintendent and Ms. Diane Bell, assistant superintendent. In Korea District, Mr. Dennis Rozzi is the new assistant superintendent. The new district leaders all served last year in DoDDS Pacific and are all advocates of exemplary instructional programs that promote high student achievement, provide professional growth for staff, and enhance community partnerships.

DoD Pacific schools commemorate Sept. 11. Throughout the Pacific, DoD schools commemorated the anniversary of Sept. 11 in a variety of ways. Many schools held a moment of silence, others played patriotic music and sang patriotic songs, and some held special ceremonies such as a tree planting. There was 100 percent participation among the 43 DoD Pacific schools in memory of the tragic events of a year ago.

Five Pacific students selected to national youth leadership summit. Five students from DoD Pacific schools have been selected to the 2002 Youth Leadership Summit. The Summit is a youth initiative developed collaboratively by the National Association of Partners in Education and Booz Allen Hamilton. Selectees include one student from Guam High School, Guam District and four individuals from Japan District. These students will attend the symposium along with approximately 1200 educators, school administrators, business and community leaders from across the country and around the world. They will identify an International Agenda for youth involvement to become part of the solution to address the challenges faced in education and business.

Advisory Council on Dependents Education (ACDE) discusses quality education. On September 19, 2002, the ACDE convened at the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) in Arlington, VA. Topics under discussion included the high school Fiscal Year 2003-2007 Program Objective Memorandum (POM), DoDEA system initiatives, DoDEA diploma, assessments and standards, policy issues, and professional development. Area directors addressed area issues and reported on leadership and sports programs. The Council is comprised of representatives from education institutions and agencies, teachers' unions, unified military commands, and also includes school administrators, parents of DoDDS students, and a DoDDS student.

DoDDS Pacific official enrollment for SY 02–03 reported. As of September 30, 2002, the official enrollment for DoD Pacific students totaled 26,378 students. The official enrollment last year was 26,681. DoDDS Korea was about the same as the prior year with 3,864 students; DoDDS Okinawa is down about 3 percent with enrollment of 8,864; and DoDDS Japan is steady at 11,262. DoD Domestic Dependents Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS) Guam reported 2,388 students, a small increase over last year.

Pacific SAT scores released. The 2002 SAT results revealed a high participation rate throughout the DoDEA system. The number of SAT-Takers to total 12th grade enrollment jumped to a new high of 68% from 64% in 2001. In DoDDS Pacific 553 students took the SAT. Their verbal score was 493, and their math score was 501. The SAT measures a student's verbal and mathematical reasoning abilities and is designed to predict success in the first year of college. Some students also take the ACT, an alternate college entrance test. Such exams are only part of what colleges look at in evaluating a student's application. The high SAT participation rate reveals that DoDDS Pacific students are serious about a post-secondary education.

DoDEA High School principals meet. The second Worldwide DoDEA High School Principals Meeting was held October 7-10, 2002, in Atlanta, GA. The conference supported the implementation of the high school reform activities. DoDEA has prioritized quality educational programs for all high school students, regardless of where they might be stationed. The Quality High School Initiative includes resources to make programs such as Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), English language arts support classes, reading support classes, math support classes, and Advanced Placement courses in English, mathematics, foreign languages, social studies and sciences available regardless of school size and location. Additional initiatives include meeting staffing needs to provide programs such as academic and transition counseling, and distance learning/distributed education courses.