Principal’s conference to focus on instructional leadership. From November 17-21, 2003, DoDDS Pacific will hold its annual principals’ conference at the New Sanno Hotel in Tokyo, Japan. Some of the educational initiatives that will be addressed are reading, mathematics, and special education. Members from the Pacific Theater Advisory Council (PTEC) will be in attendance. Welcome addresses will be provided by USPACOM/J1 and the Deputy Commander, U. S. Forces Japan. The DoDEA Director, Dr. Joseph Tafoya, will also give an address.

DoDDS Pacific Director visits commands and schools in Korea. From October 29-31, 2003, Dr. Nancy Bresell visited Korea District schools in Pusan, Taegu and Chinhae and made office calls to commanders. She met with the Chief of Staff, USFK; the Commander 20th Support Group; the Naval Base Commander; and the Chief Staff Officer, Fleet Activities, Chinhae. Dr. Bresell provided commands with updates on activities related to dependents education.

Curriculum Implementation Facilitators (CIF) offer support to educators. Every DoDDS Pacific school now has a highly trained Curriculum Implementation Facilitator on site. The primary role of the CIF is to support colleagues in implementing standards-based curriculum and instruction through the facilitation of professional development activities such as coaching peers, solving problems collaboratively, looking at student work together, and holding after-school study groups. This initiative builds capacity at the local level and is aligned with the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Community Strategic Plan Goal 1, Highest Student Achievement, and the local school improvement process.

Transition Counselor Institute© held for middle and high school counselors. During September and October, DoDDS Pacific and the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) conducted institutes for all middle and high school counselors to assist them in recognizing and addressing transition issues that impact military families. Research from the Army’s Secondary Education Transition Study (SETS) was used to cover such topics as understanding military life and transition, local transition issues, school transition programs and ways to make the challenge of transition easier. The institute also addressed all aspects of mobility, life of the military child, deployment and separation, resources and support systems, military culture and post-secondary planning.

Advisory council process ensures the community has a voice in school affairs. During September and October, the DoDDS Pacific personnel provided advisory council training to newly elected members of the School Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC is the vehicle for providing suggestions and recommendations about school matters to the principal and for resolving issues at the school level. The advisory council process provides an avenue for parents, teachers, sponsors, students, administrators and military commanders to work collectively to support schools, enhance programs, and improve the delivery of educational programs and support services to DoDDS students.

DoDDS Pacific official enrollment for 2003-2004 decreases slightly. As of September 30, 2003, the official student enrollment for DoDDS Pacific totaled 23,047 compared with 23,990 last year. Korea is at 3,776 students; DoDDS Okinawa, 8,494; and DoDDS Japan, 10,770. Enrollment in Japan and Okinawa is about 4% lower than last year, and Korea is down about 2%.

Safe Schools training completed. DoDDS Pacific area and district administrators, coordinators, safety and security officers, and schools’ officers participated in the DoDEA Safe Schools Program training in September and October 2003. The training underscores Goal 2, Outcome C: Safe Environment, of the DoDEA Community Strategic Plan. It states, “All schools will have safe, well-managed, and disciplined environments conducive to learning.” The training focused new and updated components including antiterrorism guidelines and incident response planning.