Acting Director for DoDEA visits Spangdahlem Published Oct. 23, 2013 By Staff Reports 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Adrian Talley principal deputy director and associate director for Education for Department of Defense Education Activity and, as of Nov. 1, 2013, Acting Director for DoDEA visits Spangdahlem Air Base to tour schools and meet with staff and parents. Talley arrived at Spangdahlem Air Base Oct. 22, 2013, with other leadership from the DoDEA, which included the Kaiserslautern Schools Superintendent Dell McMullen and the DoDEA-Europe Director Nancy Bresell. The visit allowed the group to tour our local schools and talk with staff and students to gain a first-hand understanding of what's happening. For Talley, this was a return visit to Spangdahlem. His father was active duty Air Force and was stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base when Talley was in kindergarten. An afternoon session was open to all parents and staff at Spangdahlem and Bitburg schools in the Brick House where Talley discussed his vision for the military students in DoDEA. "Parents of military children shouldn't have to worry about their child's education," he said. "They should be able to focus on the mission." Additionally, he discussed his three main areas of focus for students: 1. Rigor - The coursework should be challenging for students so that they learn. 2. Relationships - Students should be able to build relationships with their families and their peers. 3. Relevance - What students are learning should be relevant to them. During a question and answer session, Talley, Bressell and McMullen fielded questions from the audience that ranged from concerns over cooperation between DoDEA and military command to budget issues. Talley's Bio http://www.dodea.edu/aboutDoDEA/Adrian_Talley.cfm Bresell's Bio http://www.dodea.edu/aboutDoDEA/nancy_bresell.cfm McMullen's Bio http://www.dodea.edu/aboutDoDEA/dell_mcMullen.cfm For more information about this visit, please call Chi Anne McGrew, 52nd Mission Support Group school liaison officer, at 06565-61-6942.