School Transition Support

AYUDUN TINILAIKA GI ESKUELA

Andersen Middle School Orientation & Sneak Peek

On August 19th, students and families were able to pick up class schedules, tour the school and meet their teachers at the Andersen Middle School orientation & Sneak Peek event.

NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS SAFETY WEEK

Submitted by Mr. JJ Calhoun, Management & Program Analyst DoDEA Pacific West Community Superintendent Office - Guam 4 Observed annually during the third full week of October each year, National School Bus Safety Week is an active and evolving public education program and an excellent way for parents, students, school administrators, teachers, motorists, school bus drivers, and our other DoDEA stakeholders to join forces and address the importance of school bus safety. While the school bus is and remains one of the safest ways for students to get to and from school, there are now added precautions in place to support a safe and healthy environment on the school bus due to COVID-19. These include, but are not limited to, the wearing of masks, the use of hand sanitizer, and open/cracked windows to improve the air circulation within the school bus.

National School Bus Safety week is an ideal time to reinforce DoDEA’s school bus safety rules with our student bus riders and show your appreciation to your school bus driver and staff for their hard work and professionalism.

The School Board for the DoDEA Guam Schools is a five-member panel of parents elected by parents of the DoDEA schools on Guam. The School Board represents Andersen Elementary, Andersen Middle, Guam High and McCool Elementary/Middle School. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2021-2022: LT Joseph A. Buck IV MSgt Joshua R. Carlson Mrs. Chantai Ferguson Mrs. Allison L. Hermanson

Mrs. Vikki Sickels

School Board members participate in the development and oversight of educational policies, procedures, and programs. This board serves strictly in an advisory capacity. Prepares agenda and approves minutes for school board meetings. Prepares an annual written on-site review of the Community Superintendent’s performance for consideration by the Director, DoDEA Pacific. Participates in the development of school policies, rules, and regulations, in conjunction with the DoDEA Guam Community Superintendent and recommends which policies will be reflected in the school policies. Attends school board training as provided by the district. Elects members to serve as President, Vice-President and Secretary for one-year terms. Prepares a schedule of school board meetings that meets the panel’s and community’s needs. Participates in preparation of the End of the Year (EOY) report for consideration by the Director, DoDEA Pacific. The yearly meeting School board meeting schedule will be voted on at the September meeting. For more information about School Board, contact your child’s school or call (671) 344-9578.

SCHOOL LIAISONS

Your School Liaisons, Barbara Askey and Marcella Atwood participated at School Orientations/Sneak Peak and other opening of school year events. Various resources were offered. School Liaisons responded to a myriad of questions from parents, students and staff who were excited about the new school year.

DID YOU KNOW?

School transition and deployment support is a military readiness and retention issue. The military benefits from having forces who are able to focus on their duties, whether ashore or deployed. • Military families move their children an average of every 2.9 years. • Children of military personnel attend up to nine different schools by graduation. • Military families are reluctant to disrupt high school youth in their senior year. • Deployments can impact educational outcomes of children. • Many families decide to “separate geographically” to keep children in their current school.

FAMILIES CONTACT YOUR SCHOOL LIAISON FOR HELP WITH:

• Inbound/outbound school transfers • Local schools and boundaries

• Finding the right school • Understanding special education • Meeting graduation requirements • Finding military and local support services • Home schooling support • Preparing for college and scholarship information School Liaison shares information with a parent and student.

EDUCATORS CONTACT YOUR SCHOOL LIAISON FOR HELP WITH:

• Military information and resources • Staff development on military culture • Partnerships in Education • Deployment support • Information and support on the Interstate Compact For more information email sloguam@fe.navy.mil or call (671) 349-6251 or (671) 349-1141.