Bob Hope Primary School Demographics

Taken from the Bob Hope Primary School NCA CASI Report

Setting

Bob Hope Primary School (BHPS) is located in the center of Kadena Air Force Base in the Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The school is one of six Air Force schools-the others being one high school, one middle school and three elementary schools; however, BHPS is the only primary school (K-3) located on Okinawa.

Students

The school enrolls 713 students in grades Pre-K through 3. The student population is ethnically diverse and encompasses a wide range of abilities, languages, and socio-economic backgrounds. The ethnic composition of the student population is 87 Hispanic, 132 African American, 2 American Indian or Alaska Native, 12 Hawaiian, 74 Asian, 245 American Caucasian, 156 Multi-Racial, and 5 "No Information". The majority of the students (88%) are dependents of military members.

Program

The curriculum complies with the DoDEA requirements and objectives. There are a PSCD and a Sure Start program in the school. The school provides a normal "stateside" curriculum in addition to many special programs that include: art, music, physical education, and Japanese culture. Gifted education, Literacy Support Services (LSS), English as a Second Language, and Read 180 are programs also available to students in the school. An Artist-in-Residence program provides students with a wide variety of cultural learning experiences.

Staffing and Organization

The school is staffed with 2 administrators and 64 teachers. The school employs a full-time media specialist, two primary school guidance counselors, one full-time nurse, one supply technician, one maintenance technician, one education technologist, one administrative technologist, 29 education assistants and 3 clerical staff.

School Environment

The school was built approximately 20 years ago and is a modern, two-story, centrally air-conditioned structure. The main building houses grades Pre-K - 3, a gymnasium, a 12,000 plus volume media center, an art room and the cafeteria. A temporary building houses the computer lab, gifted education, and most of the small group specialists. A newly constructed building was opened in November of 2000 and accommodates six kindergarten classrooms on the first floor, and five classrooms on the second floor housing four 3rd grade classes and a Resource class for Learning Impaired Students. There is a large playground and a nature trail that winds through a wooded area behind the school. A new kindergarten playground is located close by kindergarten classrooms.