DoDEA Pacific March 2016
DoDEA provides updates on Restructuring for Student Achievement (RSA) he RSA initiative is a continuing process that will help reorganize DoDEA to best prepare students for success in whatever college and career path they take after graduation, bringing necessary resources closer to the students and schools that need them. An update from Tom Brady, DoDEA Director, was provided via video, and the RSA website was updated Feb. 18. The RSA’s direct effects are limited to above-school level positions, with only a very small portion of the DoDEA workforce directly impacted. • Stay informed about RSA by monitoring the RSA pages on the DoDEA website, www.dodea.edu/restructuring. Talk to your supervisor when you have questions or direct them to the Opportunities Office. • The purpose of this update is to provide answers to questions DoDEA employees may have about Restructuring for Student Achievement (RSA), and to keep you informed on its progress. Click here to get answers to your RSA questions.
How the Department of Defense schools are teaching their version of Common Core Math
“New math” taking hold for students on U.S. Military Installations - By Emily Richmond, the Hechinger Report ORT BRAGG, N.C. – Standing in front of a smartboard, 5-year-old Kaleb Eckerfield touches an icon of a storm cloud with raindrops. He drags it with his finger to the empty space under the day’s date, creating an instant weather report. “What do we know about how many sunny and rainy days we’ve had this month?” asks Andrea Todd, the teacher of Kaleb’s kindergarten class at Hampton Primary School, one of the nine schools located on the Fort Bragg Army Post in North Carolina. Read More...
DoDEA Pacific is Hiring Campaign oDEA Pacific has videos, posters and a tri-fold hand out available on its “DoDEA Pacific is Hiring” website http://www.dodea.edu/Pacific/DoDEA-Pacific-Hiring-Campaign.cfm. DoDEA Pacific has many temporary, permanent, part-time, and seasonal employment opportunities available throughout the year in Japan, Guam, Okinawa, and South Korea. These jobs include educational aides, school information assistants, office automation clerks, lunchroom and playground monitors, teachers, substitute teachers, and more. There are several ways to find out if a local school has an open position. Simply call the school, check the hiring section of DoDEA Pacific’s website, or search for “DoDEA Pacific” on USAJOBS.gov.
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New Far East Facebook site, website brings amazing opportunities oDEA Pacific recently launched a Far East Programs facebook site and revamped their website. The social media presence will allow everyone to see specific information related to their particular Far East event throughout the year, and this will also provide those looking for a news article or photo five years from now to scroll back to the date of their event and receive the information immediately. The website will provide the contact information, information packets for applying for each event and more. DoDEA Pacific’s Far East events are amazing, including programs uniquely designed to prepare students for college and career success in myriad disciplines such as sports, JROTC, math, engineering, science, foreign language, and the visual, performing, and culinary arts. http://www.dodea.edu/Pacific/Activities/FE-Academics-and-Athletics.cfm
DoDEA Pacific launches Autism Awareness Campaign
Here comes the Sun
oDEA Pacific teachers and staff recently selected the best artwork from our students to be published in the Sun’s 42nd edition! The Sun is a creative internal publication and a journal of self-expression by DoDEA Pacific students. The book will be posted internally for all to see.
Click here for full story
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April is Month of the Military Child DoDEA will Purple Up! on April 20
“April is Month of the Military Child. And for the fifth straight year, I’m happy to say Stars and Stripes community publications are dedicating the entire month to the children of our men and women in uniform.” --Pacific Stars and Stripes Send your Month of the Military Child submission to MilitaryChild@stripes.com by April 30! Check out military children stories here: http://okinawa. stripes.com/news/military-children-tell-us-your-story
PACIFIC HIGHLIGHTS heck out the incredible projects our students showcased this year at the Robotics Showcase on Camp Foster, Okinawa:
Click here to watch the 2016 Robotics Showcase video.
ndersen Elementary School student wins spelling bee Click here for full story p. 4
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ead Across America 2016 DoDEA Pacific photos. Click here for more photos. CURRENTS Vol. 006 March 2016
PACIFIC HIGHLIGHTS Lester MS team advances in global CyberPatriot competition
- By Maryanne Tirinnanzi, Lester MS
ester Middle School had two teams of six students competing in the national cyber security competition, CyberPatriot VIII. Twelve students worked exceptionally hard for six hours straight to earn enough points to become the only DoDEA school to make the semi-finals where they placed first and second in their category. Team members: Alex Saber, Caleb Cronbaugh, Logan Belew, Garrett Lawson, Kenneth Abraham, Noah Buenaobra, Peter Gillen, Brenna Edwards, Fathiyah Eyiowuawi, Kaitlyn Eaton, Kaitlyn Chandler and Daniella Salazar. The CyberPatriot is a national youth cyber defense competition for high school and middle school students. The students are tasked with finding vulnerabilities in a set of images and hardening the system so that crucial services can still run. More information can be found on their website at https://www.uscyberpatriot.org/home
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DoDEA delegates for US Senate Youth Program are Pacific students yelee Fitts of Seoul American HS and Aanand Shah of Kadena HS were two of three students selected for the U.S. Senate Youth Program delegate positions allocated this year to DoDEA.
The United States Senate Youth Program, established in 1962 by U.S. Senate Resolution, is a unique educational experience for outstanding high school students interested in pursuing careers in public service. The 54th annual program was held in Washington, D.C., from March 5 – 12. Student delegates heard major policy addresses by Senators, cabinet members, officials from the DepartClick here for more photos ments of State and Defense and directors of other federal agencies, and participated in a meeting with a Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Each delegate will be awarded a $5,000 College Scholarship for undergraduate studies, with encouragement to pursue coursework in history and political science. For more information about USYYP click here: http://ussenateyouth.org/ Click here for story prior to event p. 5
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PACIFIC HIGHLIGHTS Guam HS JROTC cadets support USO Run for our Heroes hotos and story courtesy of Guam HS Senior Naval Science Instructor CDR Doug Bowling, SC, USN(Ret) Thirty Junior ROTC cadets showed their support of military members stationed on Guam during “Run for our Heroes,” a 5K and 2K race held at the USO on the Port Authority of Guam. The cadets were able to provide nearly 1,000 runners water and moral support throughout the event. For the past 11 years, the Guam USO has held the “Run for our Heroes” event, raising money to fund USO holiday meals for military members and their dependents during Thanksgiving and Christmas. For the past 4 years, Guam High School NJROTC cadets have volunteered at the event to run water stations.
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Hour of Code comes to Casey ES
lthough Casey ES in South Korea is closing in June in support of military transformation in Korea, they remain focused on providing rigorous activities that engage students at every grade level. The students recently participated in the Hour of Code and this video highlights what students experienced and learned during the school-wide activity. POC: Jennifer Tengco, Casey ES Educational Technologist Guam High’s ‘Trip’ commits to Jacksonville University Energetic, passionate DoDEA Pacific teacher Mr. Michael A. Pope becomes state-level finalist in Presidential awards programgram Click here for full story Click here for full story p. 6
CURRENTS Vol. 006 March 2016
DoDEA Pa
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am Dr. Gael Coyle Acting Director
Dr. Chas Kelker Deputy Director for Operations/ Chief of Staff Mr. Lawrence Torres Acting Public Affairs Officer Mr. Christopher Provan Visual Information Specialist Ms. Diana Lopez-Hansen Web Content Manager Contact us: PublicAffairs@pac.dodea.edu
Media & Trend Watch Everything You Need to Know About the New SAT
LOOKING AHEAD Women’s History Month March 1-31 1-31 Music in Our Schools Month 1-31 National Nutrition Month
April
Month of the Military Child
We have partnered with Stars & Stripes to showcase student writing in both weekly print editions (available in most of our communities) and online throughout the month of April: • Guam
• Japan
• Okinawa
• South Korea
1-30 National Poetry Month 2 April Fools’ Day...JK, it’s April 1st! 2 International Children’s’ Book Day 7 Holocaust Remembrance Day 7 End of Third Quarter 8 No school for students 11-15 Spring Break 10-16 National Library Week 18 Instruction resumes: Begin Fourth Quarter 18-22 Public School Volunteer Week 22 Earth Day 27 Administrative Professionals Day National Teacher Day May 3 5 Cinco de Mayo
6 Military Spouse Day 6 Space Day 8 Mother’s Day 11 National School Nurse Day 30 Memorial Day (Federal Holiday)
June The Every Student Succeeds Act and what lies ahead
1-30
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End of Fourth Quarter and Second Semester No school for students - teacher work day
Good to Know
There IS an app for that
AFN Pacific now offers live streaming to desktops across the Pacific and to mobile devices in Japan and South Korea. You can even listen to your local AFN affiliate! http://www.afnpacific.net/afn360.aspx
Facebook YouTube
Twitter Web Site
Feedback is welcome and encouraged! Please send us any suggested improvements or information you would like to see in future editions: PublicAffairs@pac.dodea.edu
The Cube
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CURRENTS Vol. 006 March 2016