Fort Rucker schools to close five days for employee furloughs

DODEA employees were not exempted from the proposed furlough. However, Hagel did approve a reduced number of furlough days from 11 to five for nine-month DODEA employees, including teachers, principals and administrators, to lessen the impact on students.

"Our intention is to still offer the best education of any school in the area as far as students,” Deborah Deas, Fort Rucker Primary School principal, said.

DODEA, a civilian agency within the Department of Defense, operates most of the schools for military families in the U.S. and overseas. 

The furloughs, for nearly 16,000 DODEA employees, is estimated to save the DOD budget about $23 million for fiscal year 2013. Still, 194 military schools around the world will be affected as well as nearly 84,000 students. 

On Fort Rucker, two schools, approximately 112 employees and about 775 students will be impacted by the furloughs.

On post, Fort Rucker Primary School houses grades pre-k through first and Fort Rucker Elementary School serves students in grades second through sixth. 

Despite the department's upcoming unpaid leave, DODEA officials say schools will start on time next school year.  

For Fort Rucker, the 2013-2014 school year will start on Aug. 6 with teachers reporting on Aug. 1.

The purposed furlough days are Aug. 23 and 26, and Sept. 9, 26 and 27.

All DOD civilian employees must complete the furlough dates by the end of fiscal year 2013 or Sept. 30.

On those scheduled furlough dates the schools will be closed to students and teachers during normal school hours.

Deas said the schools will not be doubling up on classes, however, extra assignments or extracurricular activities have not yet been discussed. 

"Our goal is to preserve our accreditation and to continue to ensure a quality education for all of (our) students," Deas said. "We think that we will be able to do that, even though (we have) five less days with the furloughs. We feel like we can really cover the curriculum and ensure that the students get what they need."

Fort Rucker Elementary School principal Dr. Vicki Gilmer said DODEA schools are required to have 170-180 days of classroom instruction to meet curriculum and accreditation standards. 

"The school year is usually around 170-180 school days, and we've always done the max, 180 school days," Gilmer said. "So even if we absorb the five furlough days we're still well within the band of accreditation and appropriate number of school days. So that was really fantastic for us." 

With the purposed furloughs, Gilmer said, she expects the schools to be in service for 175 days next school year.  

“Additionally what is noted in most states is the length of the school day,” she said. “Alabama for example requires a minimum of six hours in the school day. Fort Rucker schools have a 7-hour day. The 175-day calendar is within the normal range.”

Deas said the schools are working hard to ensure the upcoming furloughs have the least possible impact on the students and their parents.

“We will be available to answer questions about the furloughs,” she said. “If the parents want to come by the school in advance, whatever they would like to do we would be happy to talk with them about it. We will certainly work with the parents all we can and keep them (up to date on) anything that changes. We'll communicate with them on a regular basis, but we expect to continue like we always do offering the best education."

Fort Rucker schools just completed its AdvancED accreditation in April. Both systems received high scores for excellent student performance and for continuous school improvement.

“The quality of our schools is outstanding,” Gilmer said. “We both just went through the accreditation process, this past school year in April, and came out with phenomenal scores…and that’s not going to change because of the furloughs. We will still continue with that really strong mission and purpose.”

For more information about DODEA furloughs, visit the DODEA website at Dodea.edu/Budget/index1.cfm.