Dells-Friday-Letter (Visitors: 13567) 

It’s almost here!  The last day for students at Benning is Wednesday, May 28, and the last day at Maxwell, Robins, and Rucker is Thursday, May 29.  It’s been a great year in the schools and many, many thanks for all you have done to make it so.  It truly is about commitment and teamwork, and I know I work in the best place anywhere. 

 

Our end of the year achievement data is coming in, and I look forward to putting together our 2007-08 State of the Schools Report.  I’ll send you an email in the next couple of weeks to alert you that the report is available on line.

 

I promised you an update on what’s happening at Benning, specifically, because of so many changes, but I also want to share what’s happening with enrollment at Maxwell, Robins, and Rucker.  Maxwell’s enrollment held around 360 this year, and with 30 additional units opening, we anticipate close to 400 children at Maxwell for SY 08-09.  We continued to be concerned about Robins’ enrollment of 140 at year’s end; however, we are planning for a great 2008-09 and hope to see enrollment increase.  Both of the Rucker schools ended the year with enrollments over 400. 

 

With new houses coming on line and older houses being demolished at Benning,  McBride and Loyd increased by 75 and 60 students, respectively, Wilson decreased by 50 students, and overall enrollment at Benning increased by 80 students.  This is the kind of fluctuating enrollment we will continue to see among the schools at Benning during the next several years, while overall system enrollment will increase slowly but steadily.  Individual schools will go through the kind of transition that McBride did, getting much smaller before enrollment increases again.  When construction at Benning ends in 2016, we will have about 4200 units. 

 

What does this mean to us?  It means flexibility most of all, and a new way of looking at things.  A look at enrollment in individual classrooms throughout our district this year showed wide variances.  We had a kindergarten class of 30 and upper grade classes that were as low as 9.  It’s easy to say “fix it” but the “fix” gets much more complicated than it appears at first glance.  Many factors impact enrollment, but the result is that we are going to have to be very flexible over the next several years.  We’ll need to look at alternative delivery models, combo classes, multiage classes, mid year moves, multiple moves during a year, part time positions, and so on.  

 

This is a happy picture, however, not a dismal one, as classrooms become full again, military families have the kind of housing they deserve, and jobs abound.  In the words of Benning’s Chief of Staff, COL Ling, this is a “golden moment of opportunity” and we are blessed to be here.  It goes without saying that it’s one thing to move to a different classroom or to a different school, even to move several times, but it’s another thing entirely to lose your job.  Our goal is to keep everyone in federal service, and often that means being flexible. 

I hope you have a wonderful summer, and come back excited and refreshed for another school year. 

 

Dell.

 

 

In most respects, this has been a wonderful week in the schools.  Teachers have been recognized in so many ways during Teacher Appreciation Week, with luncheons and breakfasts and gifts, to name just a few….recognition that is so well deserved.  It takes all of us to make good schools, but when it comes right down to it, it’s the teacher in the classroom that makes the difference with children.  I may be biased but I am sure GA/ALA has the best teachers anywhere, and based on the recognition that has been shown throughout this week, it is clear that our parents and our administrators believe it, too.

May is a month filled with excitement.  This week students at Benning “battled over the books.”  White School took first and second place honors, and Loyd took third place honors in the Battle of the Books Competition at the Benning Club last Friday.  The competition was intense, but good sportsmanship “won out!”  I learned that there is a sixth grade competition available so if sixth grade teachers in the district are interested we could have a separate sixth grade competition next year.  It’s fun and really encourages reading. 

At Tuesday night’s Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce Partners-in-Education Awards Dinner, Dexter, Loyd, and McBride schools were recognized as three of the Top Ten Partnerships of the Year and were featured in a video presentation during the ceremony.  Six of the Benning Schools, along with their Partners-in-Education, received the Gold Achievement Award.  This could not happen without the commitment of the installation, and we never take that support for granted. 

Then today at the Keep Columbus Beautiful Commission’s Annual Awards Luncheon, McBride received the 2008 Elementary Gateway School Award and Lisa Harmon, teacher at McBride, received the 2008 Educator of the Year.  This shows tremendous commitment to teaching children the importance of taking care of our environment.    

Now, on a very sad note, we are implementing two Reductions in Force as we speak.  At Robins, both teachers and support personnel will be impacted, and at Benning, office automation clerks will be impacted.  This is a very difficult time not only for the employees directly impacted, but for the schools in which these individuals work.  Please keep them in your thoughts.

Have a good weekend.  May only gets busier as the days move along! 

Dell.

 

Happy Friday to all and Happy Spring Break to Benning,

 It’s been a wonderful week!  I was at Maxwell Tuesday morning for The Big Dig which followed the Jog for the Bog which created The Pond for Kids.  The Big Dig began at 7:00 a.m. as we gathered to watch the transformation of an ordinary courtyard into an amazing outdoor education center.  A very chilly rain did nothing to stifle the spirits of PreKers through Sixth Graders as they all took a turn at digging a huge hole that, by the ribbon cutting at 2:30 that afternoon, was a water fountain!  This is just the beginning of what will become a place where children will learn to appreciate and take care of their world.  The Pond was made possible by the heroic efforts of the Maxwell PTO. 

 The next evening I had the opportunity to enjoy a dinner theatre at Fort Rucker where the Sixth Grade Class performed The Wizard of Oz.  And what a performance it was!   I would put this play up against any high school play anywhere!  Kudos to the Rucker teachers, students, staff, and parents who came together to give students the memory of a lifetime and to give adults a night out we won’t forget. 

I’m sure Daniel Pink was smiling because both of these events were perfect examples of giving children opportunities to “make, create, and do.”  (See Pink’s book, A Whole New Mind, and go to a “daring new place…and read about a provocative and urgent new way of thinking about a future that has already arrived!”)

 I stayed over at Fort Rucker and enjoyed the next day as well.  Beth Holmes, from the Center for Quality Teaching and Learning at CSU, worked with teachers as they self assessed where they are in 21^st Century Teaching Skills.  We had such a wonderful, professional day at Fort Rucker as they discussed next steps for moving their school forward.

 When we come back from Spring Break, Benning will be hosting the CASA visit.  This is a meeting of the Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army, and they will arrive at Faith Middle School on Monday morning for a tour of the school.  On Thursday, the Secretary of the Army will join the Civilian Aides at the River Center in Columbus, and the Dexter Cupstackers have been asked to perform.  Both of these are wonderful opportunities to showcase all our DoDEA schools to this very influential group. 

 I leave for China tomorrow morning with a group of 27, most of who are connected to Faith Middle School.  The Faith Warrior Bear is going along with us, and I understand he will be making a movie we can share when we get back. 

Have a great week! 
Dell