We recognize American Education Week this week and respect the powerful influence on our national history provided by professional educators. Education is a center of gravity for each element of our national power — diplomatic, informational, military, economic — and a fundamental requirement for service members and serving civilians.
Our identity as a national platform for intelligence, information and cyber operations demands extremely talented — and properly educated — service members, civilians and their families. For example, the National Security Agency, a longtime tenant at Fort Meade, has hosted and nurtured outstanding math programs.
The NSA offers annual paid fellowships, cooperative education programs, internships and scholarships for high school, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as doctoral candidates, primarily in the cyber security and intelligence fields. Our continued cyber-related growth will bring a consistent flow of talented professionals into this area. Those talented professionals want to serve high-performing, selective organizations; enjoy great life experiences in the surrounding area; and ensure that their children are receiving great educations at quality schools.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools are committed to constantly improving and realigning the course offerings in their system. Fort Meade is home to seven AACPS schools and also partners with Anne Arundel Community College, University of Maryland University College and Central Michigan University through the Army Education Center. The AEC also provides access to other institutions of higher learning through computers in its Multi-use Learning Facility.
We are fortunate to have some of the most professional and dedicated educators in the nation right here at Fort Meade's schools and local colleges. Our post schools have been awarded grants from the Department of Defense Education Activity, allowing for additional guest speakers, after-school clubs, iPads, field trip funding and classroom enrichment projects, and resources for military-affiliated children.
Beginning in 2010 and continuously through this year, AACPS have had a DoDEA grant providing better learning opportunities for our children with three main goals: higher math achievement through STEM integration; stronger literacy achievement; and creating a positive climate for Fort Meade students and families. The grant partnership enables enhanced programs and resources at Manor View, Pershing Hill and Meade Heights elementary schools; West Meade Early Education Center; MacArthur Middle School; and Meade High School. Also, Maryland's top-shelf International Baccalaureate Programme is part of an enhanced curriculum offering at Meade High School. IB is an academic curriculum for students ages 16 to 19 that offers six core subjects: literature, foreign language, social studies, sciences, mathematics and the arts, and encourages students to engage in critical thinking and explore creativity and community service. Several sponsored organizations provide scholarship opportunities for academic excellence by Meade High students each year.
These are just some examples of the opportunities to enrich the educational experiences of our children. Our challenge is to “hunt the good stuff” as we're taught in resiliency training. The incredible efforts of our students and their teachers at Fort Meade schools are sometimes overlooked or just not widely known to our community or to those preparing to move here. Great efforts and achievements happen every day in our schools. Help spread the word and educate others about what you know. Let the teachers and staff know when they are doing superb work with your child. And also let them know when they are not.
We are committed at Fort Meade to attracting the best talent in our nation for the strategically important work we do here every day. Be part of the dynasty of excellence here and support advancements in education to the best of your ability. Through our Community Covenant partnership, our supporting community helps sustain a positive school environment built upon caring relationships among all participants — students, teachers, staff, administrators, parents and community members. Be proud of our local schools, educators and school staff. We live in a great community! Team Meade!
**This is a reprint of an article on the Ft. Meade Soundoff!
The original article can be found here: http://www.ftmeadesoundoff.com**