Stephanie El Sayed Selected for Europe South Community Superintendent

Dr. Michelle Howard-Brahaney, DoDEA-Europe Director for Student Excellence, announces that Ms. Stephanie El Sayed has been selected as the Community Superintendent for Bahrain, Turkey and Italy South. “Ms. El Sayed is an extraordinary leader who prioritizes student learning and relationships with the community. We are so pleased to have her as a Community Superintendent in Europe’s South District,” said Howard-Brahaney.

Stephanie El Sayed’s career supporting our nation’s military connected children began with the Department of Defense Education Activity in 1990, with teaching positions at Nuremberg Middle School, Erlangen Elementary School, and Bamberg Elementary School. She was very active in sponsoring and coaching school activities, to include Student Council, Multicultural Club, High School Track, Volleyball and Wrestling. She held several school-based positions, including Staff Development Coordinator, School Improvement Process Chairperson, School-Home-Community Partnership Complex Coordinator, and Human and Civil Rights Coordinator. In 1998, she was awarded Würzburg District Teacher of the Year, and as a sixth grade Math teacher, was a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Secondary Mathematics Teaching.

Ms. El Sayed first role as a school administrator was as Assistant Principal during her time at both Bamberg and Würzburg Elementary Schools. In 2002, she was promoted to Principal at La Maddalena Elementary/Middle School in Sardinia. Since then, she has held the position of Principal at Aviano Middle School, Heidelberg Middle School, Bahrain Middle-High School, Vicenza Middle School, and in her current position as the Principal of the DGF Rota Middle High School Admirals. Ms. El Sayed was awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Medal in 2006. Ms. El Sayed says that her military career began at birth at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, as the daughter of an Army Military Policeman. The youngest of six children, Ms. El Sayed graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor’s of Science in Education and earned her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from National-Louis University in Heidelberg, Germany. She has one son, who is a proud product of DoDEA schools.

Ms. El Sayed’s mantra, “Children First,” guides her decisions in her roles as a mother, educator, and leader. She believes it is essential to promote a school environment that is student-centered and has high expectations for students, staff, parents, and community members. A safe, professional, and nurturing climate where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect is the minimum standard for an effective school. She also believes educators must understand the students they teach in order to guide them to reach their potential. As global citizens, students must be provided with technological and collaborative skills that will further enhance their academic and social-emotional development.

DoDEA plans, directs, coordinates, and manages pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education programs for school-age children of Department of Defense personnel who would otherwise not have access to high-quality public education. DoDEA schools are located in Europe, the Pacific, Western Asia, the Middle East, Cuba, the United States, Guam, and Puerto Rico. DoDEA also provides support and resources to Local Educational Agencies throughout the United States that serve children of military families.