DoDDS-Pacific/DDESS-Guam Principals Conference.  The theme for this years’ conference will be “Leadership Tools for Enhancing Programs and Practices in Literacy, Math and Science.”  Principals from all four districts, representing 45 schools throughout the Pacific, will attend the week long conference in Tokyo, November 13-18.  Welcoming remarks will be given by Dr. Joseph Tafoya, Director of DoDEA, and Dr. Elizabeth Middlemiss, Associate Director for Education and Principal Deputy Director for DoDEA.  Members from the Pacific Theater Education Council (PTEC) as well as teacher union representatives plan to attend. The conference is designed to enhance leadership skills and increase the knowledge of content standards in all three subjects. Principals will participate in several interactive sessions designed to increase their knowledge of inquiry instruction. Throughout the week, school leaders will have an opportunity to deepen their understanding of research that supports quality math, science and literacy instruction and acquire classroom observation skills that focus on best practices and program implementation.

Student Attends Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Isabel Chang , a senior at Seoul American High school , spent her summer working with a scientist in Massachusetts conducting research on birth defects. The program, sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Education and MIT, invites about 90 high school students from around the world to work with scientists, mathematicians and engineers to learn how science is used in business. Each year, two students are selected from DoDEA, one from the Pacific and one from Europe.

Sure Start.  Through training, resources, and on-site program review, we are ensuring that our youngest learners have access to a strong developmentally appropriate preschool curriculum. Sure Start, modeled after Head Start, provides four year old children and their families support to ensure school success.  This fall Sure Start teachers received specific training in how children develop mathematical thinking. Teachers learned instructional strategies to help students meet the DoDEA Pre K Foundational Standards in Mathematics.