European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 26, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A lot of class Many High schools swing into seven period Day by Mary Hladky staff writer school May get tougher for Many High school students this most department of defense dependents schools High schools in Europe will in crease the number of daily class periods from six to that Means students will have the Chance or the bad depending on ones View to take More the school Day will not be class periods will be generally from 55 to 45 min so the extra period can be the announced by Dodds director Beth Stephens last december As a step toward improving the Quality of has caused turmoil with the school system and prompted both Sharp criticism and Strong youll find schools faculty split and kids said Noel Germany Region teachers and students have mixed reactions to the the two unions that rep resent teachers in Europe Are fighting the Al though some teachers Welcome who must worry about ordering enough books and scheduling teachers and adding courses to the sched also Are some students Welcome the Chance to take More especially electives they previously  cram into their others Arent sure they want or can handle an increased class when educators expressed Stephens said in March that schools could delay adding the seventh period for one another Opportunity to delay the extra or even scrap was Given to schools in late july by Lawrence assistant Secretary of defense for Force management and who recently announced he is resigning told Dodds administrators gathered for a workshop at that schools and regional offices will be Given More authority to make their own including whether to implement a seven period the super school and revitalized regions pro Gram is similar to the defense departments Model installations Korb it will allow educators to waive regulations to Cut red tape and streamline school Stephens said the program will be accorded analytical a Dodds spokeswoman said staff members Are reviewing the which has not yet been officially implemented by yet most Dodds High schools in Europe Are adding the seventh All 14 Mediterranean Region High schools will have and All except Brussels american High school in the Atlantic which has 12 High will follow weve set in motion the seven period said Robert Atlantic Region there is no intent for us to change at this Point in we see the Benefit in the fact kids will be Able to take classes they previously could not it gives students an extended Range of opportunities in electives to said Jerald Mediterranean Region the Germany responded differently to Stephens waiver of the 27 High 19 asked that they be allowed to delay adding the seventh period for one and Germany Region director Joseph Blackstead granted their five others Wei Bruecken and Augsburg will implement three other schools Hahn and Fulda had a seven period schedule last year and will continue officials delays at most of Germany schools allows people to said John chief of the executive serv ices principals in Germany walked at the change for Many some said the change was not announced soon enough to plan a Good program and order new textbooks and other others said their schools were scheduled for major renovations this which would decrease available classrooms and create the seventh period  be implemented under such they the planning time to obtain additional materials to implement additional classes was such that we thought it was prudent to delay it for the next school said Gordon principal at dim High who had a seven period Day when he worked at Bonn High school and liked said he and his staff will begin planning As soon As school Well be starting shortly after the school year opens to study the Best Way to do he were really going to hit the ground Barbara principal at Mannheim High is adding the her Only concern in Early August was whether additional texts would arrive in if i dont get them before 26 Ive got some big she Axton supports the she will have a Chance to take Many courses ranging from drama and computers to Basic and advanced science that they  fit into a schedule and 45minute periods dont worry her Ive been convinced by some very experienced teachers that after 45 minutes Ive lost them she teacher Arent Happy about the change or the Way it has been both the overseas education association and overseas federation of teachers started fighting the change last and vow to continue the we feel it is a great the Quality of education Given Over said Ernie Oft european this is reducing the exposure to the the time comes from the other six its a he they Are getting More work from teachers for the same amount of we Are protesting it because there has not been enough Lead enough said sea lawyer Mike it is the same old management tactic unilateral imposition of working the people who Are supposed to implement this new program have had Zero the change could be acceptable if planning time is adequate and teachers help design the Bauernfeind there Are ways to ameliorate those he those ways have not been explored nor teachers had input into those one grievance filed by an Aviano High school and supported by the received a negative Lehmann said the Union will file another grievance the sea has filed an unfair labor practice teachers concerns about increased workload May be resolved next school both Stephens and Korb Are seeking congressional funding to hire More High school teachers for the 1986 87 school Stephens wants to hire one or two More teachers for each High for a total of As Many As 120 new the defense resources Board has approved the idea of hiring More but Kerbs staff is checking the current number of teachers to determine if More Are needed before the funding request goes to the White House and on the Road again Driver education courses by Clint Swift Washington Bureau Driver education will make a return trip to Many department of defense de pendent schools High schools or military communities in Europe this school despite Startup the program tested by Dodds in 10 european High schools last school year navigated the obstacle course Well enough to be offered in Driver Educa Tion classes were offered in Many air Force communities that were not part of the Dodds All schools that offered Driver education last year Are expected to do so and some other schools will add the course to their according to school and air Force officials in final decisions will be made by principals and regional directors after they see How Many Stu dents want the course and whether local military communities can provide Dodds director Beth Stephens said school officials were Given the godhead to offer the program if they want it because a majority of the educators who took part in last school years test concluded it is feasible to offer Driver teachers and principals recommended that classroom instruction for Driver education continue for 18 or one but they said the  portion should be held after if the children were released for  training during the school it would Chew up a great Block of damaging their Stephens Driver education received High Marks in six of the 10 test she some of the parents pushed for she others wanted Back to they May have a child they want to go to Mit Massachusetts Institute of technology and prefer that we offered advanced Survey results show students in eight communities were enthusiastic about the new but some problems cropped project coordinators found that not All the staff designated to teach Driver education had current stateside Stephens the study also concluded that schools and military communities had problems coordinating with All the agencies involved in offering  portions of the driving ranges differed from installation to installation and Many were not Host nation regulations limited  training in some students had to pay for behind the wheel training in some students thought the Cost was too in  training began late in two locations and textbooks did not arrive on time in some cafes or welfare and recreation agencies contracted for the  training usually through local driving schools at eight of the test Stephens said educators recommended that the practice the courses will be offered she if the teachers certified to Lead the courses have not trans if arrangements for  training can be made again and if classroom and other Materi als Are in sufficient officials of schools that didst offer the pro Gram last year will have to decide if there is room on base to hold  training when their Host nation does not permit Driver training on Public she they also must know if students and parents want the course and military commanders support she Many High schools in air Force communities started the course even though they were not part of the Pilot most High schools in air Force communities Are expected to offer the program again this school except in areas where not enough students want it or driving ranges Are not air Force officials in some classroom instruction will be but  training will More will have classes taught by Dodds in the Germany school officials have received enough textbooks to offer the course in 10 additional High schools this the schools Are expected to begin the classes in the second in the Atlantic 10 of the 12 High schools will offer the course two More than did last in the Mediterranean the two schools that piloted the class last year will offer it officials were Uncertain How Many other schools might offer schools that tested the course for Dodds last school year were Croughton and Laken Heath High schools in England kaisers Lau Ramstein and we Bruecken High schools in Germany Brindisi High school in and in Ciurlik High school in cafes contracted for the  training at six morale agencies contracted for it at two the  association handled it in but the training was not available at funds for Driver education have been approved by Pentagon but they wont be available until Stephens a spokeswoman said Dodds could not release the amount until the request has been sent to getting an Early Start program gives 4yearolds a boost by Clint Swift Washington Bureau p prekindergarten classes have gotten High Marks after a oneyear and the department of defense dependents schools probably will expand the educational program for 4yearolds beginning in Dodds director Beth Stephens said educators will watch graduates of the prekindergarten Pilot project to see whether their gains in interacting with other children and physical and intellectual development last through prekindergarten program funding has been approved by defense department planners beginning in but spokeswoman Kay Garvey said Dodds could not release the amount until the request is sent to if the program is expanded to All elementary More than pupils May she this school the test will continue at the four schools in three regions that launched the pro Gram last school about 130 children attended the the Pilot schools included the upper Heyford and elementary schools in the Atlantic Region the elementary school in the Mediterranean Region and the Arnn elementary in the five teach ers took a total of 63 boys and 68 girls attended school for about 2va hours a according to a Dodds fact the curriculum was designed to help teach children to increase self control help others recognize authority listen and speak use smell and taste and draw and the project costs about a Garvey Stephens said children attending prekindergarten classes seemed to make the most Progress in language and working and getting along with other the significance of these effects will not be evident until the performance of this group is com pared with their no prekindergarten Peers during school year she about one in five children needed help with English As a second and others showed Promise that they would profit from talented and gifted pro Garvey educators now Are looking at How the system can Best parents surveyed were very enthusiastic about the Stephens they haunt expected As much Progress in social development their childrens being with other Chil being part of a accepting others and being she teachers reported genuine support from principals and regional she the prekindergarten Experiment was undertaken for three Stephens parents overseas dont have the private and pub lic preschool resources available to them that exist in Many thirty percent of Dodds pupils know English As a second language or come from two language and the preschool years Are the ones in which children acquire Basic language in children May enter kindergarten at age and the metropolitan Reading readiness test showed that the youngest of them were scoring at below the National some of the 4yearolds were being asked to do things they we rent developmentally ready to Stephens she said Dodds started a Pilot program because the school system lacked logistical and administrative experience with Educa Stephens wanted to learn about the needs and characteristics of this age group before starting a prekindergarten program throughout the school sys 14 the stars and stripes August 1985 the stars and stripes Page 15