Assistant Principals’ conference to focus on differentiated instruction. From February 2-5, 2004, forty-four assistant principals will participate in the annual DoDDS Pacific Assistant Principals’ Conference entitled “Different Students, Different Starting Points: Differentiated Instruction in a Standards-based School.” The conference will focus on reading and mathematics instruction and specific sessions will include: 1) using a standards-based curriculum to improve student achievement and 2) observing and analyzing standards-based instructional practices. The conference will also review the relationship between the DoDDS Pacific standards-based reform efforts and the implementation milestones established in the DoDEA Community Strategic Plan.

Camp Zama Garrison and Arnn Elementary School promote career awareness. The U.S. Army Garrison, the school liaison officer, and Arnn Elementary School are collaborating to provide approximately 46 sixth-grade students the opportunity to participate in Groundhog Job Shadow Day (GJSD), February 4, 2004. Students will be paired with an employee during a two-hour “shadow” experience. Job shadowing introduces students to the requirements of professions and provides students with firsthand knowledge of the relevance of academics to the world of work. Groundhog Job Shadow Day addresses one of the national standards in career development: Students will acquire the skills to investigate the world of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decisions. Groundhog Job Shadow Day activities are also underway in other DoD schools throughout the Pacific.

Far East Model United Nations (MUN) slated for Tokyo’s University Centre. From January 27-29, 2004, approximately 250 students from the Department of Defense schools, Japanese prefectural, and international high schools will participate in the first Model United Nations event to be held at the United Nations University Centre in Tokyo, Japan. During the three-day event, students will role play diplomats from various countries as they simulate the United Nations committee meetings, discuss, and try to find solutions to world issues. They will participate in such groups as the United National General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, and Security Council. Some students will be representatives on the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee or the Legal Committee. Lobbyists will be involved in one of ten non-governmental organization coalitions such as the Women’s World Summit Foundation and Indigenous Peoples Biodiversity Network. This year’s theme is “Working Towards a Brighter Future.”

Korea District Superintendent selected. On January 5, 2004, Dr. Nancy C. Bresell, DoDDS Pacific Director, announced the selection of Mr. Charles Toth as the new superintendent for Korea District. Mr. Toth has served as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction for the Bavaria District schools, Kitzingen, Germany, since September 2000. Prior to that, he spent several years in administration both as a high school principal and high and middle school assistant principal. Mr. Toth joined DoDDS as a teacher in 1980. His career spans 34 years; the last 24 have been with the Department of Defense Dependents Schools.

Annual Report provides accountability to school community members. DoDDS Pacific is in its fifth year of publishing an annual report to stakeholders. The publication provides commands, parents, community members, and school staff with information concerning the quality of education in DoDDS Pacific. The 2002-2003 DoDDS Pacific Annual Report is currently being distributed to stakeholders.

DoDDS Pacific supports student voter registration. The Department of Defense has a long-standing commitment to provide voting assistance to service members, civilian employees, and their families. In all DoD Pacific schools, this effort will be supported by providing information about voting and by initiating a process to assist all high school students who are or who will turn eighteen before the end of the school year in registering to vote. In partnership with our military community, principals will work with the voting assistance officer and the school liaison officer in each community to ensure that eligible students receive the necessary registration forms and absentee ballots. Our goal is to reach 100 percent of students who are eighteen or will turn eighteen before the end of the school year.

Iwakuni student is delegate to United States Senate Youth Program. A senior from M. C. Perry High School, Iwakuni, Japan, is one of two Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) students worldwide to be appointed by Dr. Joseph Tafoya, Director, DoDEA, as a delegate to the 42nd Annual United States Senate Youth Program in Washington, D.C. Students will travel to Washington, D. C. from February 28-March 6, 2004, for a week of intensive study of the federal government and, in particular, the United States Senate. In addition to the program week, each of the 104 delegates from the United States, District of Columbia, and DoDEA will receive a $5,000 college scholarship.