DoDEA Americas offers instructions to prepare for 2022-23 school year
DoDEA Americas
PEACH TREE, Ga. — Nearly 19,000 students are headed back to schools at the Department of the Department of Defense Education Activity in the Americas, among them students from Fort Knox Schools on Aug. 8.
DoDEA Americas operates 50 schools in seven states, Puerto Rico and Cuba.
"Happy New [School] Year!" declared Judith Minor, DoDEA Americas director for Student Excellence. "Students are excited about being back in the classroom and reconnecting with friends; parents are making plans for fall activities; and our committed teachers, administrators and staff have been working diligently in anticipation of their students' arrival."
Minor praised the parents and students for adapting to regular changes due to COVID restrictions since 2020.
"We've weathered two tough years with grit and determination. A big shout out to our families, teachers and administrators for all they do to support student learning and success,” said Minor. “I wish each of our students a successful new school year."
Minor also offered advice on what to expect during the coming year, which for Fort Knox parents and students as well as area students, begins Aug. 8.
Back to School Highlights.
Health and Safety: “We want to keep everyone healthy and safe, and our schools open for learning. To that end, we ask families to continue practicing everyday prevention strategies and screen your students for symptoms before heading to school.”
More information about COVID-19 Operational Guidelines and Protocols for Schools is available HERE.
Student Meals: “For the last two years, school student meals were free. The free meals initiative was thanks to special, pandemic-era funding provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That funding expired in June. Just as before the pandemic, students will pay for school meals this school year. Applications to apply for free or reduced-price meals are available online.”
Call for Substitute Teachers: “DoDEA always is looking for quality substitute teachers and educational aides to serve in our schools. It's a great way to see how DoDEA works firsthand and to get involved in our children's education.” Learn more HERE.
Dress Code: “Our dress code remains unchanged from last school year. DoDEA is in the process of creating a new policy that will standardize and simplify its dress code. More to come!”
Our students.
Defense Department Education Activity graduates are often ready to succeed in a dynamic world. The numbers bear this out as DoDEA Americas last year graduated 99% of its students, with 76% of them heading to college. When they go, they take with them an impressive $12 million in scholarships annually.
Minor said students also score above their peers nationally on standardized tests.
“You may have heard about kids falling behind due to the pandemic. That isn't true at DoDEA,” said Minor. “Our kids either gained or held steady in math and English language arts.”
Excellence in Education.
The schools’ striving for excellence in education is driven by DoDEA's Blueprint for Continuous Improvement.
This blueprint serves as the foundation for planning within DoDEA, directs collective energies and resources, and is adjusted as progress is made and the environment shifts. As a result, the DoDEA vision is for excellence in education for every student, every day, everywhere.
To support this pursuit of organizational excellence, DoDEA administrators developed the Americas Regional Continuous Improvement Plan, which features three goals and seven focus areas. Educators use this plan to be intentional about how they advance continuous improvement in teaching and learn systemically and systematically across the region.
DoDEA Americas received two exciting recognitions of excellence this year:
* Angela Stephens was named DoDEA's Principal of the Year in April. Stephens is the principal at Bolden Elementary/Middle School in Laurel Bay, South Carolina.
* Two schools were recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education: West Point Middle School and Andre Lucas Elementary School. About one-third of the schools have been named a Blue Ribbon school:
For specific Fort Knox Schools information leading up to the start of school, visit the DoDEA Americas website HERE.
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