Ms. Alexis Small

As the Assistant Principal at DoDEA Patch Middle School, Mrs. Alexis Small is dedicated to fostering an environment where staff and students can thrive through collaboration, innovation, and data-driven decision-making. With experience in education, leadership, and instructional coaching, Mrs. Small is committed to creating a school culture supporting academic achievement and personal growth. Since joining Patch Middle School in August 2023, Mrs. Small has focused on enhancing the school and classroom culture by implementing systems and processes that promote student success.

Before becoming Assistant Principal, Mrs. Small taught Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment History near Kansas City, Missouri, for 17 years. Additionally, she served as a Social Studies Coordinator and Instructional Coach, where she designed professional development programs aimed at improving instructional practices and student engagement across K-12.

Mrs. Small also led efforts to redesign social studies instruction, significantly increasing participation in Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment courses and improving student scores on Advanced Placement exams.

She has had the opportunity to provide professional development at both the school and national levels. Mrs. Small presented on topics such as "War in Europe" at the Missouri Council for Social Studies (Grades 5-12), and she also presented virtually on "Liberation During World War II" for over 500 educators and instructional coaches at the National World War II Museum. Additionally, Mrs. Small taught about the Normandy Campaign for the National World War II Museum in Normandy, France. She provided further professional development with "The Many Faces of George Washington" and "Document-Based Writing" at various conferences and workshops.

With a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Missouri and 40 hours of graduate credit toward a Master's in History, Mrs. Small is committed to continuously improving rigor in the classroom. She is passionate about ensuring that her students receive a rigorous and enriching education that prepares them for future success.

In addition to her work in education, Mrs. Small is deeply involved in the community, organizing events and outreach programs that foster a sense of connection and service. She has received numerous prestigious awards and fellowships, including the National World War II Museum's Whitman Teacher of the Year, 2019, selected by the former Governor of New Jersey, Governor Whitman, in honor of her late husband's love for history. This recognition was for Mrs. Small's outstanding contributions to history education and her efforts to engage students with the history of World War II. She was also a National World War II Museum Fellow, 2017 - 2018, participating in an immersive learning experience in Normandy, France, where she taught educators and students about the historical significance of the D-Day invasion.

In 2022, Mrs. Small was awarded the USS Midway Fellow grant to travel to San Diego, California, to learn about diverse perspectives of World War II through the lens of the USS Midway. Additionally, she received the National Endowed Humanities Grant for The Transcontinental Railroad from Stanford University in 2017, the Teaching American History Colloquia Grant on Alexander Hamilton in 2019, the Liberty Fund Colloquia Grant on Abraham Lincoln in 2019, and was a Teaching American History Fellow and Graduate Fellow from 2013 to 2016.