frustrations, rumors, and frequent misunderstandings. Discussing a problem with an individual teacher is usually positive. Both teachers and administrators are usually accessible and willing to talk with parents. The frustration comes when one cannot get a definite answer or is given two different answers to the same question. Some of these communication problems could be avoided with regularly scheduled faculty meetings at the Antilles Elementary School and Middle School instead of the current practice of calling special (infrequent) meetings to discuss a particular issue or administrative directive. Scheduled monthly meetings could serve as an open forum to discuss mutual concerns that would benefit the overall educational program planning. The communication problem is very evident in the apparent lack of future planning. The Middle School building problem has been an issue for 11 years. The following example illustrates some of our problems and the resulting frustrations. The Army demolished several of the most hazardous barracks last summer (1976). This action forced special education classes to be relocated in the Elementary School. Relocation was achieved by moving three kindergarten classes to other sites on the base and by having one kindergarten class at the Sabana Seca Communications Facility so a bus would not be required for these children. At school registration on 9 August 1976, no one in the administration could tell the parents where their kindergarten children would be. The Superintendent's office never sent a communique saying where these kindergarten classes were located, any of the reasons for the change, or asking for our cooperation during the year. At an open house on 14 October 1976, there were still parents who did not know that their kindergarten children were not at the Elementary School. The kindergarten children were almost never included in Elementary School programs, science or art fairs, or field-day activities. Chalk boards and American flags were not installed in the classrooms until late October 1976. At one site, playground equipment was not installed until March 1977. In previous years the bussed kindergarten students arrived at the Elementary School and immediately went to the upper playground for grades K through 2. This year they waited on the roadside by the main bus entrance to the Elementary School. Here they were exposed to the exhaust fumes of the 34 passing busses while an aide kept them grouped together. When bus traffic permitted, they were allowed to play on the lower playground, competing with thirdand fourth-grade students for swings. If at the beginning of the school year these problems and decisions had been explained to parents, we possibly could have assisted in helping the children adjust to the situation. Informed parents are cooperative parents. Another example of poor communication is the HEW Office of Education's response to every parental inquiry. Many of us have received identical form letters that neither answer our specific Under PL 81-874 and PL 81-815, the HEW Office of Education has the responsibility for our children's education. sessions (see bus map in the Appendix). reasons. First, the present incumbent is not an educator; second, even if he were, there is no representation on the school board of any other shade of opinion, specifically civilian opinion. Most of the children in ACS are dependents of civilian, not military, personnel. Civilian personnel do not have the same unquestioning attitude toward orders as military personnel. To properly reflect the composition of the students and balance the situation, the school board should consist of, at the minimum, two civilians besides the military representative. These civilians would most appropriately be the heads of those Federal agencies with the largest numbers of employees having dependents in These are the Veterans Administration, and either the Federal ACS. Aviation Agency or the FBI. The existing one-man school board is not responsive to the advice of the school council (which is composed of military and civilian agency representatives) and has prevented the expansion of the school council to include an additional civilian member. One Federal agency that has asked for representation and has been denied is the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Nor does the School Board appear to understand the importance of the hearings of this Subcommittee to the future of the ACSS. As far as we are aware, the Board has not submitted any written testimony, nor has it requested time for oral presentations. 2. The School Council The School Council advises the school board and at present consists of representatives of nine military and four civilian agencies. For the same reason as given above, this ratio or representation on the school council should be made consistent with the make-up of agencies served by the schools in the system. 3. The Superintendent - Under the present circumstances, the Superintendent of ACSS knows that he is accountable directly to the school board, that is, the Admiral, and that he need not take account of the views of either the school council, the teachers, or the parents. This has led to unilateral decisions on the educational program offerings and vital ancillary services. To name only three recent unilateral decisions: a. The dropping of the industrial arts program at the Antilles Middle School. b. The reduction of the nursing force from three nurses (one for each of the Antilles Schools) to two nurses only, one of whom also serves as Head Nurse and who regularly visits the Roosevelt Roads, Fort Allen, and Ramey Base schools. (Refer to the Appendix for communication and directive concerning the nursing changes.) C. The dispersal of the Middle School media center (library and audiovisual aids) with the transfer of the librarian to other duties. All these decisions were made without any consultation of the Even if such decisions school council, the teachers, or the parents. are inevitable in the light of budgetary and other considerations, the school council, the teachers, and the parents are entitled to be 94-584 O-77-14 |