Photo By Michael ODay | Educators and leaders from the Department of Defense Education Activity engage in...... read more read more
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. — Amid July’s summer heat, Dr. Beth Narvaez addressed an assembly of educational leaders at the newly established DoDEA Americas Center for Talent Excellence, urging her colleagues to embody "the relentless improver" in their pursuit of excellence.
As director of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), Narvaez delivered keynote speeches at the agency's annual Summer Leadership Summits in the Americas and Pacific regions while Dr Jayme Linton, DoDEA Chief Academic Officer, addressed Europe. These gatherings brought together key figures — including regional directors for student excellence, superintendents, chiefs of staff and other headquarters leaders — to kick-off the school year in support of student achievement across DoDEA's 161 schools worldwide, serving children of military families.
This year's summits centered on the newly unveiled Blueprint for Continuous Improvement, a strategic framework.
"Our students are our purpose," Narvaez emphasized, outlining priorities such as multi-tiered support systems, future-oriented learning and seamless school transitions. Drawing from input gathered from over 1,200 parents, students and staff, she highlighted recurring themes: "Resiliency came up time and time again. Families are seeking practical life skills for students, including personal financial literacy, internships and job opportunities."
Educators, Narvaez noted, desire greater flexibility and differentiation in their professional development. "Great schools depend on thriving educators and leaders. Our people are our greatest asset, and we must invest in them accordingly."
The summits focused on school and district leaders’ role as catalysts for change, equipping them with tools to foster collaboration and align with DoDEA's mission of delivering exceptional education to every student. Dr. Judith Minor, DoDEA Americas director for student excellence, hosted the Americas event at the state-of-the-art Peachtree City facility for the first time. "These Summer Leadership Summits are vital in providing our leaders with the resources to drive innovation, encourage teamwork and synchronize our initiatives," Minor said. "It was profoundly gratifying to convene our Americas team in this dedicated space, designed for enhancing talent excellence."
Beyond inspiration, the summits delivered targeted professional development for principals and assistant principals, ensuring uniformity across all schools under the "One DoDEA" ethos. This cohesion is essential for students undergoing mid-year transfers due to permanent change of station (PCS) relocations, allowing them to continue their education without disruption.
Participants engaged with agency-wide priorities at headquarters, regional and district levels, reflecting on and planning for school-specific implementation. The Blueprint's introduction exemplified this, enabling administrators to devise action plans for its four core goals ahead of the academic year.
Dr. Christy Huddleston, DoDEA Americas Chief of Instructional Leadership Development, explained: "Interactive sessions draw on leaders' expertise, introduce emerging best practices and facilitate collaborative reflection on disseminating these to teachers. This ensures classroom alignment with DoDEA's overarching goals, enhancing student outcomes."
Key topics included revisions to the Focused Collaboration Guide, which structures teacher teams to establish student improvement objectives, and the MTSS IC Map — a comprehensive tool designed to address students' academic and resilience needs proactively, tailored to the unique experiences of military children.
Other sessions covered proven teaching methods, like effective instruction for younger students and math strategies for older ones that focus on student discourse to build deeper understanding. These prepared administrators to conduct meaningful classroom observations and maintain high teaching standards.
"Leadership today requires ambidexterity: preserving our strengths while innovating for the future," said Narvaez.
In an era of frequent military relocations, these summits serve as a foundational pillar, uniting DoDEA's global network to adapt and excel, empowering students to flourish regardless of where service demands lead their families.
DoDEA operates as a field activity of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. It is responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and managing prekindergarten through 12th-grade educational programs for the Department of Defense. DoDEA operates 161 accredited schools in 9 districts in 11 foreign countries, seven states, Guam, and Puerto Rico, serving over 67,000 military-connected students. DoDEA Americas operates 50 accredited schools across two districts on 16 military installations, including Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard bases in seven states, Puerto Rico and Cuba. Committed to excellence in education, DoDEA fosters well-rounded, lifelong learners, equipping them to succeed in a dynamic world.
| Date Taken: | 08.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2025 08:24 |
| Story ID: | 545599 |
| Location: | PEACHTREE CITY, GEORGIA, US |
| Hometown: | AGUADILLA, PR |
| Hometown: | SAN JUAN, PR |
| Hometown: | BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | DAHLGREN, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY, US |
| Hometown: | FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT LIBERTY, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT MOORE, GEORGIA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT NOVOSEL, ALABAMA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
| Hometown: | LAUREL BAY, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | MAXWELL, ALABAMA, US |
| Hometown: | QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | WEST POINT, NEW YORK, US |
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