Maggie Menzies
DoDDS-E Public Affairs

DoDDS-Europe
Office of the Director
Unit 29649, Box 7000
APO, AE 09002

DSN 338-7612
CIV (49) 0611-380-7612
FAX: DSN 338-7685 CIV 0611-380-7685

DoDDS-Europe Announces Leadership Moves

DoDDS-E Press Release: March 10, 2008

Wiesbaden, Germany — Diana J. Ohman, Director of Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Europe, today announced the retirement of the Mediterranean District School Superintendent, Dr. Archie Bates. Dr. Bates will retire at the end of the current school year after 43 years of teaching and educational service. In addition to Dr. Bates' retirement, Ohman announced the selection of Dr. Elizabeth Walker to replace Dr. Bates as the Mediterranean District School Superintendent starting with the school year 2008-2009.

"Dr. Bates has had a tremendous career with DoDDS and leaves with a plethora of leadership, knowledge and experience. We will miss him," said Ohman.

Before transferring to the Mediterranean District, Dr. Bates was the superintendent of the Kaiserslautern School District. His professional career includes teaching at Fort Dearborn Elementary School in Chicago, Landstuhl Elementary and Junior High Schools. He was the business manager of the Mannheim schools complex, the assistant principal of Kitzingen Elementary/Junior High School, the principal at Pforzheim Elementary School and Vilseck High School, and the assistant superintendent in Okinawa, Japan.

Dr. Walker is currently the Heidelberg School Superintendent. In her past positions she was reassigned as the Superintendent of the Heidelberg District upon consolidation of two school districts in 2001, where she was the Superintendent of the Hessen District. Prior to that she was the Assistant Superintendent of the Heidelberg District.

"We are very pleased that Dr. Walker has accepted the offer to oversee the DoDDS-Europe schools in the Mediterranean District," said Ohman. "Her great insight as an educator and her broad experience as an administrator will be a great benefit to the children under our supervision in the coming school year and in the years ahead."

"I am proud of the DoDDS schools that I have worked with and I strongly believe in promoting student successes while preventing student failures. I encourage parents to visit our schools and to attend scheduled meetings of parents and teachers. It's important that home and school work together," said Walker.

A worldwide job announcement will be issued to staff the vacancy left behind at the DoDDS-Europe Heidelberg District Superintendent's Office. Consideration will be extended to all qualified applicants.