European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 23, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday april 23,1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 9 education David Hannigan kit Corbett Jeffrey Pavlik Dina Peterson Sas Mike Abram Romania trip widens teens horizons by Gary Pomeroy staff writer Frankfurt West Germany a kit Corbett thought the trip to Romania would be just a Relief Effort. It did no to take Long to change his mind. David Hannigan saw it As a Chance to talk to people who had won a revolution. Now he proudly claims several of them As friends. The 21 Frankfurt High school students who visited Timisoara during Spring break returned with vivid memories of a nation coming to terms with the Freedom of democracy. A the people there Are perfectly capable of helping themselves a said Corbett 17. A i think they now look Back and say a How could we have let this go on for so Long a a the trip was the students idea said John Pope a native romanian who teaches German and French at Frankfurt High. Some students were eager to do some thing for the people of Romania and that idea grew into a plan to establish ties with a school there. Pope contacted Lineul Loga a school with a Good English language department. The students five teachers and seven other adults departed by bus on april 8 and returned april 14. They carried clothing medical supplies and a television and videocassette recorder bought with donations from the Community. In Timisoara they stayed in the Homes of their hosts. Their activities included meetings with participants in the december revolution and with local politicians. The arrival was an Eye opener Pope said especially because of a ceremony honouring a student killed in the revolution. A we talk about so and so getting suspended from school a said Jeffrey Pavlik 18. A we take a lot for  Pavlik was part of the school video Crew and spent much of his time interviewing people on the Street. A a in a very political and for me it was a dream a the senior said. A everyone in Romania is a politician because with this new found Freedom they be found a need to express  Pavlik recalling an experience with his 15-year-old romanian Host said everybody seemed to have a different idea about what democracy is. A we were walking Down the Street one Day and he spits on the ground and he looks at me and says a in democracy you re allowed to spit on the ground a now we can  a Dina Peterson said she now More fully understands the causes of the revolution. A there Are so Many possibilities for them to expand and they were stuck at this Point where everything was stopped a the 18-year-old senior said. The romanians also saw that they were being held Back while other countries moved ahead she said. A and now after the fire they re trying to figure out what they re going to do a Peterson said. A and they re pretty  the visit culminated in an emotional goodbye with a every kid in the school and their families a a student said. Pope said a crowbar would have been helpful to separate the new friends. A when we left i Felt bad that we were leaving those people behind a Pavlik said. A it just seems that we should have stayed and made sure that everything is going to go right for them. They deserve everything we can give  for Hannigan the trip was a lesson in human relationships. A a lot of people take friendships for granted a the 16-year-old Junior said. A i done to think any of them do. And that a not because of the revolution. That a the Way they were brought  As the bus pulled away Hannigan said he a thought about How Many friends i had made in five  unsure of advisory role Gao says by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a Many overseas parents Are unaware of the influence they can Wield Over educational issues in department of defense dependents schools and some school administrators work to keep it that Way according to a recent general accounting office report. Advisory committees required at each of the 271 schools in the military a overseas system tend to focus on such soft issues As lunch programs and pedestrian safety rather than Core curriculum or budget concerns the report said. Although records of committee meetings Are sketchy paperwork studied by the Gao found that in the 1987-88 school year Only two of 37 committees in school districts in the Philippines South Korea and in Frankfurt West Germany made recommendations or advised school principals on budget matters. The report said committee members explained their limited involvement in curriculum and budget issues by citing a a tendency by principals to discourage discussions of such  what a More some committee members did not realize they had the authority to even address those issues and others were not aware of the formal process for taking their concerns to a higher level if they can to be resolved with local principals. Parents also had problems with the makeup of the advisory committees the Gao found. The Law requires that the committees include an equal number of parents and school employees usually teachers. But parents often Felt they had Little influence at the meetings because of the presence of non voting participants such As school principals and teacher Union representatives a who they perceive can exert influence Over the teacher Mem Bers a the report said. In addition some Community members said they believe that having an equal number of parents and school employees on the committees shifts the focus away from Community issues to teachers concerns the report said. In response defense department officials acknowledged most of the parents perceptions highlighted in the report but pointed to a Range of actions to improve communications Between parents and school officials As proof that they Are working to solve the problems. Those actions include giving parents a voice in the selection of District superintendents and principals and making sure parents Are aware of the process for appealing their concerns. For the current school year Dodds also has issued guidelines requiring advisory committees to document that their members have been told about their rights to review and advise administrators on the entire spectrum of school policy issues. Devona to Lead Dodds Italy schools Torrejon a Spain a amps a the department of defense dependents schools Mediterranean Region has selected Donald p. Devona As superintendent of the Italy District. Devona currently superintendent of the Stuttgart District in the Germany Region was chosen from six applicants registered with the teacher career referral program. The superintendent was highly recommended by the eight member selection panel of parents teachers and military members who conducted interviews in november said Otto Thomas Mediterranean Region chief of executive services. Regional director Robert b. Manring selected Devona based on panel recommendations with final approval by John Stremple Dodds director. Devona will replace Warren Van Zee who has retired. Devona joined the military school system 35 years ago As a teacher in Japan. He subsequently held positions in Dodds european schools As a teacher health physical education and athletics coordinator and drug education coordinator. When the school system underwent reorganization in 1979, Devona became chief of the curriculum Branch in the newly formed Germany South Region. In 1983, he served for six months As chief of the evaluation Branch at the Dodds Germany regional office before becoming superintendent of the Stuttgart District. Devona holds a Bachelor of arts degree from augustan College in Illinois a masters degree from Northwestern University and a doctorate from the University of Southern California. The appointment is a lateral move for Devona who said he saw the opening As an Opportunity for change and an occasion to work with educators and administrators that he highly respects. Devona assumes his new duties in Early May