Principal Update

Smith ES Parents and Sponsors, 

As we start to wrap up this wonderful Celebration of the Month of the Military Child, I want to remind everyone to continue to wear their Purple Up shirts each Wednesday through the rest of the school year.  We have one more MOMC event Tonight! Please join us at the AAFES Wagon Wheel Theater for the MOMC Smith ES Family Fun Movie Night on Friday, April 24, 2026, showing Dog Man, the 2025 animated superhero comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and based on the children's graphic novel series by Dav Pilkey.  The cost is $5 Adults/$4 Children.  Check the Principal Update email for the start time.

Next week, all of our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students will participate in the Math Summative Assessment on April 28, 29, & 30, 2026. Please ensure your student gets plenty of rest and a healthy breakfast to fuel their brain for each successful morning. Students will report to their testing locations immediately after the morning announcements, and tardy students will not be allowed to join once the assessment has begun, but will be assessed during an alternative make up session.  The Literacy assessments will take place the following week, May 5 & 6, 2026.

This past week we celebrated the hard work and dedication of our Administrative Office staff during Administrative Professionals Recognition Week.  Thank you to our Administrative Officer, Mr. Gregg, Secretary, Ms. Joseph, Registrar, Ms. Covey, and Supply Tech, Ms. Benitez.  

We also want to give a shout out to our Librarian this week in recognition of Librarian Appreciation Week, thank you to our Librarian Ms. Majorwitz for all you do to support the variety of school-wide activities throughout the school year, including our Movie Night tonight.

2026-2027 Spring Re-registration!  Thank you to our registrar, Ms. Covey for such great progress toward 100% completed Re-registrations, but we still need some parents to log into the ASPEN Parent Portal and re-register for next school year.  If you have not yet re-registered, Please help us by taking a few minutes online to submit your re-registration documents.   Parents must submit a re-registration to indicate whether each student is staying in DoDEA or leaving their current location.  The information collected during re-registration will be used to determine each student's continued eligibility, as well as plan staffing and resource needs for the coming school year. We will be meeting to level classrooms and staffing needs based on the number of completed re-registrations beginning on May, 01, 2026.

After your re-registration submission has been reviewed, the School Registrar will contact you if additional information is required. Note: If the student is enrolled on a space available basis, the school will contact you for additional requirements. Re-registration is not confirmation that space is available for the next school year. 

The acceleration date for PCSing families is May 08, 2026.  If your family is PCSing and you wish to participate in the Accelerated Withdrawal program please send a copy of your PCSing Orders to SmithES.Registrar@dodea.edu so we can ensure your records are ready to smoothly transition your students to their new school.

Absences are now tracked by our school registrar.  Parents and sponsors can still record a student absence by phone or you can simply send an email to SmithES.Registrar@dodea.edu by 0830 to record a student's absence for the day.  If your student is absent or tardy past 0900 without prior notification you may receive an email requesting information confirming your student's absence. Thank you for your patience while we update our systems and refine our procedures.  

Parents can update your emergency contact information, updated orders, housing letters, or request records prior to your PCS by emailing SmithES.Registrar@dodea.edu or upload these documents to the DODEA Student Information System, or ASPEN Parent Portal https://dodeasis.myfollett.com/aspen/logon.do.  Call the main office if you need help with your account login/password.

The School Advisory Committee for the 2025/2026 School Year is Chairman, Mr. George Clevenger, and Vice Chairman, Mr. Luke Holthus, and our faculty representative Ms. Angela Hollingshead. The fourth quarter SAC meetings is scheduled for May 12, 2026. If you have concerns or questions you wish to be added to the SAC agenda, please send an email to sacsmithes@gmail.com

Congratulations, the PTO has elected a volunteer board for SY26/27.  The new board President, Ms. Raina Vaughn, Vice President, Ms. Serena Castellanos, Secretary, Mr. Luke Holthus, Treasurer, Ms. Dosha Salyers, Charter Representative, Ms. Gallia Holthus, Publicist, Ms. Arpil Tovar, and Volunteer Coordinator, Ms. Vanessa Przybylinski.  Thank you to the outgoing board members, Former President, Ms. Keila Benitez, Secretary, Ms. Carmona, and Treasurer, Ms. Walker.  Please check out the PTO Facebook page for more information concerning events and how to volunteer with the PTO.

The garrison reminds us all to maintain strict Operations Security (OPSEC) on all personal and professional social media is mission essential. Information that may seem harmless can have severe consequences. Pause before you post. If you see something suspicious, report it immediately to local law enforcement off post at 110, or on post to Military Police at +49 611-143-541-7008. You can also make a report to the USAG Rheinland-Pfalz security team at https://forms.osi.apps.mil/r/j7VryiMv4g.  Again, Please refer to the Principal Update Link email for sponsored event times and locations.

Working at Smith ES:   We are currently advertising for a Educational Aides (SPED) https://www.usajobs.gov/job/863930700 

Several other positions are open continuously on USAJobs.gov for SY26/27 as employees prepare for the summer PCS season and resign from their current position.  Please make sure your USAJobs.gov application online indicates your desire to work in the Baumholder area.  If your name does not appear on the USAJobs.gov referral list, you will not be eligible for hire.  If you want to apply to be a substitute, https://www.usajobs.gov/job/862978500 this is an open continuous position as the job of a substitute is to stand in the place of the classroom teacher executing the daily instructional plans and to maintain good order and discipline in the classroom.  If you or someone you know is interested in working as a substitute teacher at Smith ES, please log into USAJobs.gov and apply today.  

Go Bulldogs.

Richard Dye