Timing of DODEA postings

peachestotulips
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Re: Timing of DODEA postings

Post by peachestotulips »

wrldtrvlr123 wrote:
> There are virtually none. I say virtually only because I don't know everything about
> every school and I heard something about Bahrain not too far back. Virtually every
> DoDDS school follows a US curriculum and is moving towards Common Core(ish).

Yeah I see the PYP is basically nonexistent, but the DP is offered in quite a few schools all over. Shame.
PsyGuy
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Response

Post by PsyGuy »

@Mahimahi

Well first DODEA is more the central office that overseas two divisions in DODEA DDESS, that is the domestic stateside system, and its nothing special. DoDDS is the overseas school system and is very different.

What your missing is the 'degrees' of those benefits. DoDDS is comparable to Elite tier ISs and in comparison of those benefits in many cases the DoDDS benefits are superior, or there isnt the compromise. You can get a better salary in some elite ISs, but those ISs own you and will work you for it, which isnt true in DoDDS, where an IT after getting permanent status (tenure) can do worksheets and reading and keep their job. In an IS ASPs are expected and accept for travel you arent compensated anymore in DoDDS you either get an EDC (Extra Curricular Duty Compensation) or you can be out the door the minute your duty period ends. You dont have a department meeting, a division meeting, an all school meeting and an accreditation meeting each week or every other week.

The salary is comparable to elite tier ISs and its tax free in the host country, if you are in Europe you arent going to pay 40% and up in taxes. You will pay US taxes however they are going to be lower than what the host nations tax rate will be. DoDDS capps its salary scale at 10 years on entry (step 11), which is fewer than some ISs.
You also have a real retirement and pension option, which many ITs either have to fund themselves with token contributions or relocate to WE where they can obtain a national pension. The disadvantage is there is a windfall exclusion. If you have already vested in a local/state pension you likely cant collect both, which you could in IE. There is also no mandated retirement age, or visa age restrictions, etc.
Housing (LQA) is probably the biggest benefit its is VERY generous, and its based of off DOS FSO scales, it some cities you will be able to have very nice accommodations. LQA also covers all your utility expenses. You can easily increase your salary by 50% in LQA benefits alone. One advantage is you can use your LQA to buy a home and property, use your LQA to pay the morgage, and its yours when its paid off.
When you arrive you will receive TQSA either in the base motel or a local motel, this is provided to you without cost for several months allowing you plenty of time to find the ideal home.
In some locations it is an option to live on base, however most DoDDS DTs do not.

Relocation is another significant improvement over an IS, DoDDS will ship or store 9 tonnes of HHG (Household Goods), you can even bring a car at government expense (if you dont bring a car you can get an interest free loan of 3 months salary on request). You will likely get three free checked bags and 300 lbs of HHG goes air freight (about a week for arrival), with the rest going slow ship container (3 months). You dont even have to pack it, logistics sends a service to your home to pack everything away to either your post or storage.
DoDDS will pay the airfare travel for you and your entire family (another important consideration is that family size is not a factor as it is in IE) to both your post and back, if you renew your appointment you will also get RAT travel which is paid airfare home between contracts.

DoDDS and all DODEA DSs must comply fully with all federal SPED requirements and programs, and the USG has little problem cutting a check for an accommodation in a students IEP. However service members are screened for compatibility of overseas posting and a family with sever SPED issues would either not be approved for an accompanied tour or they would choose not to based on availability of services. Still there are students that slip through the cracks.

There are three disadvantages in regards to package. 1) You have to buy your own insurance, but the two providers plans (BC and FS) are very good, still its an expense. You can not generally use the base medical facility, sometimes you can, sometimes you cant, but essentially you have to receive your medical care on the economy. 2) In almost all cases your children can attend the DoDDS system, and depending on your children this may be a significant disadvantage. DoDDS students are average, and the DSs provide a mainstream typical public education, its not going to be the private, preparatory academy you find at most ISs. This is great if your child has Special needs, and a serious problem if your children are G&T. 3) DoDDS DTs get almost no PD.

DoDDS offers real protections, once you have permanent status (tenure) you pretty much have to commit a crime to be dismissed, even then the union is incredibly powerful. There have have been DTs that assaulted staff pleaded that they werent responsible because of low blood sugar and to discharge them would be discrimination and kept their jobs.

There is an internal transfer program (which has shrunk a lot recently) that allows you to transfer on a non competitive status to other locations, all at USG expense.

As briefly mentioned before the student population is average, and the parents arent wealthy and entitled. As such the workload is very manageable, you can spot check most assessments, and you dont have to be very innovative in delivery, many DoDDS DTs are chalk and talk, direct teach, lecture types. DoDDS does have technology but its often under utilized and they dont generally have 1:1 tech programs.
DoDDS does have annual testing but its not a drill and kill environment, most students get through it more or less, and the populations tends to be very transitional.

The most significant disadvantage is locations. Except for a few posts around the greater Tokyo area, Seoul and Belgium, all the DoDDS DSs are in generally rural and isolated locations. While there are DSs in popular countries such as Italy, Span, UK, Germany they arent in major cosmopolitan cities such as Rome, Madrid, London, Frankfurt. You are also restricted to post locations, you can not be in France in DoDDS if that is a goal of yours.
Lastly, you will never earn PR or citizenship on a SOFA visa. You will have to either marry or return to the states at some point.

@peachestotulips

Bahrain maintains an onsite IB DIP program, the other IB programs in DoDDS are essentially VS (Virtual School) programs. There are no classical IB World Schools in DoDDS.

@global_nomad

The application process is one of the easiest. Its an online application, and takes about 30 minutes. You can renew it annually in a minute. The background and CRD review can be extended, but its not insurmountable.

I strongly disagree with @WT123 in regards to specialist positions. Thee is no demand for Art or Music and there is no such thing as an art or music specialist. It is very very difficult to be hired as a CONUS psychologist (you need to be dual credentialed as a counselor and psychologist) to be marketable CONUS in DoDDs. There is a long list of DTs in DoDDS that are waiting for library/media specialist vacancies.

There is no demand for anything in DoDDs, any perception of a field as high needs is only comparable within DoDDS, a principal in DoDDS can fill any vacancy and almost all combination vacancies. Even SPED can easily be filled as long as its not a combination (kitchen sink) vacancy.
wrldtrvlr123
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Re: Response

Post by wrldtrvlr123 »

PsyGuy wrote:
> I strongly disagree with @WT123 in regards to specialist positions. Thee is
> no demand for Art or Music and there is no such thing as an art or music
> specialist.
--------------------------------
What is there to disagree with? Many/most/all? schools have music and art teachers. Many/most high schools in particular have art and music teachers that teach only music and/or art classes. Many elementary schools have the same set up.

So what is the difference between your supposedly non-existent art/music specialist and my art/music teacher?
PsyGuy
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Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@WT123

The same difference between an Language Arts/English Tecaher and a Language Arts/Reading Specialist. Teachers are generalists, and there are no Art/Music specialists, they are all generalists.
wrldtrvlr123
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Re: Reply

Post by wrldtrvlr123 »

PsyGuy wrote:
> @WT123
>
> The same difference between an Language Arts/English Tecaher and a Language
> Arts/Reading Specialist. Teachers are generalists, and there are no
> Art/Music specialists, they are all generalists.
----------------------
In other words, none. You were disagreeing for the sake of it, or didn't actually read and comprehend what the person wrote/meant. They specifically asked about Art teachers and Music teachers and then went on to use the word specialists. You really do love to split non-existent hairs sometimes.
PsyGuy
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Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@WT123

No I am disagreeing because the foundations and conclusions in your statement are inaccurate and lack precision. Generalists are not specialists and the terms are not equivalent.
global_nomad
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Re: Timing of DODEA postings

Post by global_nomad »

"Thee is no demand for Art or Music and there is no such thing as an art or music specialist. It is very very difficult to be hired as a CONUS psychologist (you need to be dual credentialed as a counselor and psychologist) to be marketable CONUS in DoDDs. There is a long list of DTs in DoDDS that are waiting for library/media specialist vacancies."

You need to be dual credentialed School Psychologist and School Counselor to get a School Psych job at DODDS? Wow, that's pretty amazing! Can't be many people who have both.
PsyGuy
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Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@global_nomad

Its not a regulatory requirement, its a modification of the DODEA organizational business and management process that directs local hiring authorities (mainly the DSO, as counselors are complex based appointments, and psychologists are district/area level appointments) to recommend those CONUS applicants as selectees who have both a S.Psy license and a counselor certificate. This is for CONUS, if you are already a DODEA employee the directive doesnt apply.

There are enough, I know one individual who went back to school and completed a school counselor program to meet the requirement.
teller
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Re: Timing of DODEA postings

Post by teller »

Based on some earlier posts it appears DODEA does a lot of their hiring in June and it can go until October. That must lead to some broken contracts, but what's an IS teacher who's fortunate to be offered a job from DODEA to do?
PsyGuy
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Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

DDESS generally tarts recruiting in Mayish, DoDDS PAC in Juneish and EUR in Julyish. Recruiting can last until Octoberish.

Happens all the time, you break contract with your IS/DS to accept the DoDDS offer. Its not usually a problem, you just sell the 'supporting the troops' argument and if your HOS doesnt accept that, you just leave and break contract. You will likely never leave DoDDS once youre in, and an IS likely cant do much against your license. If a premium agency drops and bars you from repping with them, again you will likely never leave DoDDS so its not an issue. DoDDS is golden ticket, winning the lottery, dream job in the sky outcome. The vast majority dont go back.
Walter
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Re: Timing of DODEA postings

Post by Walter »

This is what I can't get, Dave. If it's so good a gig, why ever did you leave it? You told us you were there in 2012, but that you were interviewing for IS jobs because there were still some out there that offered more than DODDS could.
wrldtrvlr123
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Re: Timing of DODEA postings

Post by wrldtrvlr123 »

Walter wrote:
> This is what I can't get, Dave. If it's so good a gig, why ever did you
> leave it? You told us you were there in 2012, but that you were
> interviewing for IS jobs because there were still some out there that
> offered more than DODDS could.
-----------------------------
You had me curious about this so I went back and searched for that thread. To be fair, that post was from 2013 and PG posted that he was interviewing for int'l schools in case he got excessed by DoDDS (at that time he would not have had "tenure" with DoDDS as he reportedly came into DoDDS at the same time that I did). I haven't seen any other posts where he says that he had left DoDDS so I am assuming he is still in.
PsyGuy
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Comment

Post by PsyGuy »

As previously, @Walter doesnt know what he thinks he knows.
BellaLuna
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Re: Timing of DODEA postings

Post by BellaLuna »

Is there a deadline or due date when EAS applications need to be finalized to be considered for the next school year?
kris10msmith
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Re: Timing of DODEA postings

Post by kris10msmith »

March 7th.
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