DoDDS Pacific Director attends advisory council meeting in Europe. Dr. Bresell joined the Advisory Council on Dependents’ Education (ACDE) for their meeting on October 3, 2003, in Wiesbaden, Germany. From September 29 to October 1 ACDE members, along with representatives of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), will visit Naples Elementary School, Schweinfurt Middle School, and Lajes High School. The ACDE meeting focused on important items from the school accreditation visits. The ACDE advises the Secretary of Defense and the DoDEA Director on maintaining a quality education system.

DoDDS Pacific Director visits Pacific Commands. In September, Dr. Bresell visited the Pacific commanders in Honolulu, HI, including the Deputy Commander, USPACOM; Chief of Staff, USPACOM; Commander Pacific Air Forces; Commanding General US Army Pacific; Deputy Chief of Staff for Installation Management, PACFLT; Deputy Commander, Marine Corps Forces Pacific; and the J1 USPACOM. Dr. Bresell also met with the Pacific Theater Advisory Council (PTEC) and was joined for lunch by the Pacific and Component Commanders’ spouses. Visits allowed the Director to discuss dependents’ education in the Pacific.

Number of schools increase in the Pacific. DoDDS Pacific now boasts 41 schools. DoDDS Japan District added Sasebo Elementary School, which was formerly part of E.J. King Elementary/High School. Sasebo ES is home to 250 students grades K-6. E.J. King Elementary/High School remains home to grades 7-12. DoDDS Korea opened Humphreys Elementary School at Camp Humphreys. Formerly the Osan Elementary School Annex, serving grades K-2, the Army renovated a building to provide one classroom each for grades K-6. There are now nine DoD schools in Korea, 20 in Japan, and 12 in Okinawa.

DoDEA Directors attend grand openings of new school buildings. Dr. Nancy Bresell, Director, DoDDS Pacific, and Dr. Joseph Tafoya, Director, Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), attended opening ceremonies at John O. Arnn Elementary School and Yokosuka Middle School in mainland Japan. Construction was completed over the summer and both new buildings boast state-of-the-art facilities. DoDDS Japan, military and Government of Japan officials were in attendance at both ceremonies. Arnn Elementary School, located at the Sagamihara Housing Area near Camp Zama, and Yokosuka Middle School, located on Yokosuka Naval Facility, welcomed students to School Year 2003-2004 on August 25, 2003.

Districts provide new teachers orientation and induction. New teachers, including transfers from other DoDEA locations, stateside, and local hires, underwent inprocessing and orientation activities during the week of August 18-22, 2003, in Okinawa, Korea, and Japan Districts. At this time Japan has welcomed 207 new teachers; Korea, 94; and Okinawa 105.

Community Strategic Plan focus is highest student achievement. DoDDS Pacific continues its efforts to achieve the goals of the 2001-2006 DoDEA Community Strategic Plan (CSP). The CSP ensures that the DoDEA mission to “provide in military communities worldwide, exemplary educational programs that inspire and prepare all students for success in a global environment” is accomplished.

School principals attend summer leadership conference. From August 4-7, 2003, principals attended the first DoDDS Pacific summer leadership conference. Skill building sessions covered such topics as standards-based curriculum and instruction, collaborative activities to improve instruction and student achievement, performance assessments and accountability, and building a school culture grounded in instructional leadership.