INTRODUCTION

CHAIN OF COMMAND

DIRECTOR, DoDEA
Dr. Shirley A. Miles
Department of Education Office
4040 North Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22203-1635
(703) 696-4462

AREA SUPERINTENDENT, DoDDS-EUROPE
Ms. Diana Ohman
POC:  Karen Pangrazzi
DSN:  338-7614
CIV:  49 611 380 7614

SUPERINTENDENT, ISLES DISTRICT
Ronald McIntire, Superintendent
Judy Allen, Assistant Superintendent
DSN:  226-7234
CIV:  01638-527234

ALCONBURY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Ora C. Flippen-Casper
PSC 47 BOX 50 Unit 5570
APO, AE 09470
DSN:  268-3620
CIV:  01480-823620

An effective school-home community relation involves the entire staff, students, parents and the community as a whole.  We hope that all avenues of communication will be explored and utilized throughout the year in order to maintain and enhance effective school-community relations.  The Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) was established in order to provide quality education from kindergarten through grade 12 for eligible minor dependents of Department of Defense (DoD) military and civilian personnel stationed overseas.

The dependents’ schools system dates back to the early 1800’s when the US Army moved large numbers of troops and their families westward to established posts along America’s isolated frontiers.  Congress authorized funds to set up schools at western army posts.  Much later, after World War II, it became clear those American Troops and their families would continue to be stationed abroad.  In order to provide an American type education for the military dependents, the individual Services established their own elementary and secondary schools around the world in 1946.  The individual military services operated the schools until 1976.

At that time, Congress mandated that the schools then operated by the individual military services be consolidated and placed within DoD to establish one cohesive, uniform school system.  The DoDDS organization was formed from that mandate and became a field activity in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

SCHOOL HISTORY

RAF Alconbury is in Cambridgeshire, primarily a farming and light industry area.  The nearest large towns are Huntingdon, Peterborough, St. Ives, and Cambridge.  London is a 45-minute train ride away.  Cultural, theatrical, and sporting attractions abound in this area of England.  The first dependent’s school in the Alconbury area was opened at RAF Molesworth in 1951.  Students in grades 1-9 were enrolled.  The RAF Molesworth School closed in June 1974 and its activities were relocated to the present site at RAF Alconbury.  Alconbury Elementary School is housed in four one-story buildings on one site with a limited playground.  The buildings contain classrooms, a library, and a cafeteria.  There are approximately 40 staff members including teachers in special areas such as special education, speech, physical education, art, music, gifted education, sure start, PSCD, reading recovery, foreign language, and host nation.

SCHOOL ORGANIZATION

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) headquarters is located in Arlington, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C.  From there, the Director of DoDEA controls all schools within the worldwide DoDDS system, the Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS), and the DoD Adult Education Program.

DoDDS has Area offices located in Wiesbaden, Germany; and Okinawa, Japan.   Each Area office has responsibility for several districts.  Alconbury Elementary School is part of the Isles District, which controls schools in the UK, including those in Iceland, Belgium, Bahrain and Lajes (Azores). Our district superintendent’s office is located at RAF Feltwell.

Within Alconbury Elementary School, the school administrator and educators are responsible for the educational programs, policies and total school operation.  A school’s officer is assigned to the school to act as a liaison between the school administrators and base officials.  The school’s officer works for the Base Commander and is responsible for coordinating logistic, facility support, reduced price lunch program, engineering, as well as the custodial service. Student eligibility, academics, administration, staffing, and the curriculum are not the schools officer’s responsibility.  Questions regarding these subjects should be directed to the school principal.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

MILITARY ADDRESS:
       Alconbury Elementary School  
       Unit 5570, Box 50
       APO AE  09470

CIVILIAN ADDRESS:
        Alconbury Elementary School
        Building 682
        RAF Alconbury
        Huntingdon, CAMBS
        PE28 4DA

PRINCIPAL:
        Ora Flippen-Casper
        268-3620 or civ 01480 823620
        alconburyES.principal@eu.dodea.edu

SCHOOLS OFFICER: 
        Theresa Spell
        268-3232 or civ 01480 823232

TRANSPORTATION OFFICERS:
        Pam Suddreth/Willie Allen, High School
        268-3891 or civ 01480 823891

TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
       School Office                           01480-823620
       School FAX                             01480-823172
       School Nurse                           01480-823309
       Bus Office                               01480-823891
       School Closure Information    01480-824636
              (Or base operator)            01638-523000
       EDIS/Family Advocacy           01480-823788

SCHOOL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SAC)

The Department of Defense encourages professional employee and family participation in the formation and operation of overseas local school advisory committees.  Committee members are elected from the community and the school and are responsible for advising the principal on such education-related matters as: school policies; program staffing as it relates to the instructional program; budget; facilities; maintenance; administrative procedures; pupil personnel services; educational resources; program evaluation; student standards of conduct and school meal programs. SAC members include three parents and three teachers. 

SCHOOL ADVISORY BOARD (SAB)

The School Board is an elected body consisting of parents of students enrolled in the schools, staff members and the board may include the High School Student Council president as a nonvoting member.  The purpose of the School Board is to make recommendations to the installation commander and/or Isles District Superintendent. The School Board does not address matters pertaining to personnel policies or the internal management of DoDDS.  The School Board meets publicly at least four times per school year.  All parents are encouraged to attend regularly.

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION (PTA)

Alconbury Elementary School is fortunate to have a very active PTA.  They sponsor numerous family events.  The PTA is always looking for volunteers.  If you can help in anyway please email alconburypta@yahoo.com

SCHOOL HOURS

The main office is open between 0700 and 1600.  The instructional day begins at 0830 and ends at 1500 hours.  Students are not allowed in the school buildings before the warning bell or after school hours unless supervised by a teacher or other authorized school person.  (Exception:  On rainy days or during other inclement weather, students may enter the building immediately upon their 08:15 arrival.)  Walkers should not arrive on the school grounds prior to 0815 since there are no school personnel available to supervise their activities until then.

TELEPHONE MESSAGES

The school office telephones are very busy instruments and we encourage parents not to telephone and ask that messages be relayed to their children.  Personal messages to teachers and requests for conferences are usually placed in the teachers’ mailboxes.  Teachers generally check their boxes in the morning and afternoon.  Please state if your message is URGENT. Children will be permitted to use the office telephone for emergency purposes and only with express permission of the office.  Calling for lunch money or forgotten homework is not considered an emergency.  Please have your child learn the phone number where you can be contacted during the day as they can call you from the classroom with the teacher’s permission.

MEETING POINT

The designated pick-up point for students after school is in front of the school Media Center.  Students can meet parents and/or siblings at that common meeting location.

ACCREDITATION

Alconbury Elementary School is recognized as an accredited institution by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), one of the six United States regional accrediting agencies.  The school has been a member of the North Central Association since 1980, and has been accredited continuously since that time.  This should be a matter of pride to the students, parents, and staff of the school since accreditation gives assurance that our school meets those minimal, yet rigorous, preconditions for effective education established by the NCA.

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