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Brig. Gen. Arlan DeBlieck, commanding general of the Army Reserve’s 7th Civil Support Command, speaks to students, parents and teachers Sept. 10 at Kaiserslautern High School’s open house.
Academic success starts with parental involvement, the commanding general of the 7th Civil Support Command told a group of high school parents and students.
Brig. Gen. Arlan DeBlieck, who is also the deputy commanding general of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, spoke Sept. 10 during Kaiserslautern High School’s open house.
The event started with a meet and greet in the stadium next to the school. DeBlieck spoke with football practice going on in the background.
Everyone’s goal is to make sure their children get a good education, DeBlieck said.
“It starts with involvement,” he said. “And that’s not easy.”
Many parents have jobs that require long hours and a lot of travel, making it difficult to stay abreast of what children are doing in school, DeBlieck said. However, parents need to make that extra effort.
“Today is the first day to step off on the right foot,” he said.
Parents moved through the classrooms in 10-minute sessions following their children’s schedule to meet all their teachers. Also, clubs and community organizations took part in an information fair in the cafeteria so parents could learn about other opportunities.
“The open house is a chance for parents to meet teachers and find out what’s going on in the classrooms,” said Dr. Barriett Smith, KHS’s principal. “It’s an opportunity for people to look at things at the school.”
Smith also stressed the importance of parents continuing to stay engaged by attending the two sets of parent-teacher conferences scheduled later in the school year.
One tool parents can use to help maintain communication is the website GradeSpeed, DeBlieck said.
GradeSpeed is a web-based program that enables parents to view grade and attendance data online. All teachers have secure access to GradeSpeed through the use of an Internet web browser.
Teachers use the grade book portion of the site to enter assignments, grades and to maintain grade calculations. Teachers are also able to email progress reports to parents through GradeSpeed.
Parents have the option to register for an account at www.dodea.gradespeed.net.
KHS was formerly known as Rhine High School and then Kaiserslautern American High School.
In 1952, when Americans took over the western area of Germany from the French, KHS was housed in a converted apartment building across the street from the present location. The school officially opened March 12, 1953, in its present location.
Prior to the construction of Ramstein High School in 1982, KHS was the largest military-operated high school outside the continental U.S. with an enrollment of more than 1,600 students. This year the school has about 800 students.
