European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 8, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Friday August 8,1966 letters Dodds answers queries about school year with the muh million Dollar size of the depart ment of defense dependents schools and the Impact its decisions or Lack thereof have on thousands students parents and teachers find it very difficult to understand by he Calendar for school year1986-87 has not been formalized yet. School officials currently think school will begin sept. 5, 1936 Christmas and easter vacations have not been determined and there is talk that the school year May extend through june 19 in addition can anyone explain Why the Dodds school year is 190 clays in length while the Normal year for stateside schools is 183 to 185 Days Wayne  Kaiserslautern editor s note Beth Stephens director deportment at defense dependents school replies the 1986-87 school Calendar for most department of defense dependent schools Dodds u m Fol lows sept. 4 reporting Date for . 86-71 personnel sept. 5 finl Day of classroom instruction oct. 13 t of Lumens by nov. 6 end of first marking period nor. 7 teacher workday nov. 11 veterans Day nov. 27-18 thanksgiving recess dec 74-Jan. 1 a Anler Wiess Jan. 5 instruction resumes Jan. 19 Martin birth or King Day Jan. 29 end of second marking period Jan. 30 teacher workday feb. 16 presidents Day april 9 end of Bird marking period april 10 teacher workday april 17-20 Spring recess May 15 memorial Day june 18 pm of fourth marking period june 19 last Day of duty for teachers two of the scheduled classroom instruction Days May be used for staff in service training. Days to be used for in service will be determined locally and students till no report on Hose Days. The Dodds school Calendar for the 1986-87school year was Annon aced later in the year than is customary. This resulted from the Dodds decision to delay the atari of the school year As a Cost avoid Ance measure to help meet the budget reduction required by the Crumm Rudman legislation and other congressional actions. We did not want to set Back the Start of school More than necessary and the announcement was delayed in the Hope thai Mare funds might become Avail Able. We understand the concern about the timing of the announcement of the school Calendar for the 1986-87 school year. It did create some uncertainty which caused delays in the Flat plans for the next school year. We will make every Effort to set the school Calendar far the 1987-88 school year in a More timely manner the Dodds school Calendar for the 1986-87 school year has 185 Days of classroom instruction scheduled for students. Two of these Days May be rescheduled for in service training which will result in 183 Days of classroom instruction there Are 190 duty Days scheduled for teachers. The 190-Day school Yew for teachers is required by the department of defense directive 1400.13. Data indicate that in the United slates mini school systems set their school year for teachers anywhere from 180 through 190 Days. Our figures show the average to be Aboul 186.5 Days. In setting the Dodds school year for teachers al190 Days a number of factors were taken into consideration. These included the amount of excused absences hat might be used by teachers in our system for accomplishing various tasks such As packing and unpacking household Roods conducting business of i personal nature with military offices and late arrival and Early departure for training and education Par poses. It is considered that a school year of 190 Doty Daysis reasonable and in beeping with practice in tie United states this is especially True when additional factors not present in the United states Are taken into consideration. Further explanation Given on hiring rules i have just finished Reading another letter written regarding hiring practices. The response could use a Little bit of expansion of the term equal employ ment  there is equal Opportunity in four groups in poin preference veterans 5-Point preference veterans family members and tourists this is also the priority in which people arc hired Tor jobs. I am a family member with prior military service. My situation is that i have not been selected for jobs because of a Point preference veterans being on the same referral list that 1 was on in at least one situation i knew the Veteran and know that i am a better worker. 1 understand that Congress passed a Law giving vet Erans s and 10-Poinl preference the definition for Veteran preference Given to me by co is that the person must have entered the service before december 1976 and served a minimum of six months. I have no objection to this whatsoever. But Here in Germany co does t have the Point system to give preference so they say veterans have priority Over everyone else. Also if a Veteran is not hired for inc position advertised the selecting official must give very Good written justifications. My big heartburn a this Why should a person who spent two years in the service giving average or less than average workmanship have priority Over me i spent six very dedicated years in the service. My Only problem was that i was t Able to enlist until 1978. Again let me say that i have nothing Persona against veterans. My heart and thanks Are with for those who served in the past wars. My complaint i with co. 1 think one solution to this problem would be this since technically none of us has a requirement to be Here there should be no priority. Everyone should go on a list together without the stipulation of being a Veteran family member or tourist. This would surely ensure equal employment oppor  name withheld Heidelberg editor s note Carolyn White chill in personnel division office of the Deputy chief of staff personnel he Jas eur replies applicants for civil service positions who receive preference whether they Are veterans or family members Only receive that preference based on either Law thai Congress passed presidential executive order or poli cies established by the office of Pemmel manage pm the department of defense or depart ment of the army. Civilian personnel office absolutely a not establish the rules that give any group of applicants preference. The us. Senate mid House of representatives approved Hie veterans preference act in 1944, you Bott know thai veterans preference came about As a malt of the need to implement draft system during War times. Requiring individuals to serve in the military interrupted careers and Rifae opportunities hit May Hare otherwise been available to them. Veterans preference enabled these individuals to resume career and obtain employment after serving their country. The act tasked the civil service commission urn pm to implement the provisions of he Art by establishing roles and regulations for its administration and enforcement these Les and regulations Are use throughout the Federal Tovern enl by civilian personnel offices Poi have no options other than Bose provided far in the no and Tregub Trona. Civilian personnel office sin Germany do administer the pm Rani need paint system and criteria Ned to make preference determinations. The criteria ire very i Pedyk and dues otherwise  requires preference eligible to be selected before non preference eligible. The criteria and rules can be found in pm Regolin Tom Kestral per Noel Manul pm chapter 111 and 332, this regulation is available to civilian person Nel Odices. I Hope this response has clarified the role of the civil Ian personnel offices in implementing and applying vet eran preference roles and go bunions. Cafes snack bar pricing policies explained had breakfast in an cafes snack bar this morning. Service was slow but the Coffee was Good and in a porcelain  i paid i o attention to the prices until i ordered an extra order of Toast for 35 cents. Just two pieces of dry Toast no butter no Jelly 35 cents. That ruined my breakfast. 1 know thai in a Normal loaf of bread it Icreane 16 slices or eight orders. Eight orders times 35 cents equals $2.so per loaf. I also think that cafes pays maximum 50 cents look at this As a 560 percent markup on a loaf of bread if we knew the True Price paid by cafes ii he markup profit is even higher. 1 then started looking Al posted prices for various hems. A banana split is now 12.20. Last year in this same snack bar the Price of the banana split was jl.05oril.10. Question is it really necessary to have a 560 per cent markup on Toast is it really necessary to in crease the Price of a banana split 100 percent in one year How Many other items have a 560 percent markup. I r Hae been increased by 100 percent or More comments every Lime prices Are increased by cafes it s the same thing As a pm in pay for the service member. 1 have discussed this with several ols All under 25 and they All say they would prefer to have lower prices than More my a. Suggestion reduce cafes prices until you make no profit. Cafes will then be giving a valuable service but you will put a 10/20/30 percent ? raise in the pockets of the cd. This would do More for the moral welfare recreation of the go than everything cafes is presently doing.  Wall urn Germany editor s note master sgt Brace e. Leu Dorf customer relations specialist Public affairs of fice he cafes Europe replies Don t know where Yon obtained your wealth of statistical misinformation bar would like to Lake a moment to clarify a few Points. Any retail food operation has product equipment labor and operational expenses. Those costs for doing business Are reflected in the charge for food Prunari Uon. Yes an order of Toast Cosu 35 cents. Batter and other condiments in individual Servings arc provided Al to additional Ruuge. From september 1984 through last november we sold Bayaoa splits for $1.95, our Price was raised to �2.10 . Your bargain banana split at $1.10 last year pm Only be explained a a pricing error in that facility. Every cafes food facility has a Price list at the Cash Register. It s available for your review whenever you have a question about the Cost of an item or the size portion that s supposed to be offered. There s no free lunch nor is cafes in business to provide one. Our Mission is to generate earnings for the array and air Force s morale welfare and recreation funds. For your information cafes Burger King sales alone from february through May of this year resulted to $363,000 being contributed o Virr pro Grams in Europe. Don t know of a single Community commander who refused the Check either