About Our School
Mission
Educate, Engage, and Empower military-connected students to succeed in a dynamic world.
Vision
Excellence in Education for Every Student, Every Day, Everywhere
DoDEA Core Values:
Student-Centered:Â Students are at the heart of all we do.
Excellence:Â We strive to exceed expectations in all we do.
Continuous Improvement:Â Our organization, its systems, and processes will be continually reexamined and improved.
Diversity:Â We honor the uniqueness of each individual and embrace diverse beliefs and backgrounds. We respect differences and create inclusive environments which contribute to a better society for all.
Individual Potential:Â Individuals develop within an environment that nurtures intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and creative growth.
Lifelong Learning:Â Learning is an active process of discovery where we cultivate curiosity, perseverance, and the desire to learn.
Shared Responsibility:Â Partnerships among families, students, staff, and community members are characterized by mutual commitment and collaborative effort that enrich the lives of our students.
Trust:Â We value relationships based on integrity, mutual respect, and open two-way communication. We cultivate a safe and risk-free culture that encourages and inspires innovation.
Welcome to Shirley Lanham ES
It is our pleasure to welcome you to the official Shirley Lanham Elementary School website. Our goal is to provide current and relevant information about our school to the military families we serve today and those we look forward to welcoming to our campus in the future. Located in the heart of the Kanto Plains, Shirley Lanham Elementary School is a Department of Defense Education Agency (DoDEA) school positioned in the center of Naval Air Station Atsugi near Tokyo, Japan.
Although called NAF Atsugi (NAFA) we are not actually in the Atsugi-shi limits but are a part of Ayase-shi in the Kanagawa-ken or prefecture. Lanham Elementary School's centralized location makes it easy to access several major transportation centers such as airports, highways, railways and bus lines. It is also close to other major military installations including Camp Zama Army Base, Yokota U.S. Air Force Base and Yokosuka U.S. Navy Base.
We are Committed to Continuous School Improvement
DoDEA Mission Statement: We provide an Exemplary Education that Inspires and Prepares All DoDEA Students for Success in a Dynamic, Global Environment.
Who We Serve
Shirley Lanham Elementary School provides services to the military dependent children of the men and women stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi and Marine Base Camp Fuji. It also hosts dependent children of Department of Defense civilian employees as well as children of foreign nationals. Currently, our enrollment stands at about 266 kindergarten through fifth-grade students. Dependent children in grades sixth through twelve are bused to Camp Zama Army Base to attend Zama American Middle-High School. John O. Arnn Elementary School, located on the Sagamihara Housing Area (SHA), services the children of families stationed at Camp Zama Army Base.
You can find out about other DoDEA elementary through high schools in Japan by visiting the DoDEA Pacific District schools page.
Why We Serve
At Shirley Lanham Elementary School, we are proud to have been fully re-accredited during the 2016-2017 academic year. It is our pleasure to serve you and your children in any way that we can. If you are planning to PCS to NAF Atsugi, we invite you to explore information and resources on this website that will help you and your children with a smooth transition. Feel free to contact us via e-mail or phone if we can answer any questions regarding the services and programs we offer. We are ready to help in any way that we can and look forward to seeing you soon!
History of Shirley Lanham Elementary School
Shirley Marie Vance was born September 21, 1914 in Fort Collins, Colorado. Her father, George, owned a shoe store and her mother, Marie, was an artist who painted, played the piano and was an accomplished clothing designer.
Shirley attended the University of Southern California and in 1940 she married Harvey P. Lanham, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a career naval officer and pilot.
Shirley and Harvey were devoted to each other, to their family, and to the Navy. They moved 18 times in their 29-years of service; but they felt their lives were truly enriched from living in Japan and having the opportunity to make friends with many Japanese people.
Shirley was a petite woman, standing 5'1", with green eyes and brown hair. Although small in stature, she was a very positive person with lots of energy and enthusiasm. In the 1960's Harvey Lanham was a Rear Admiral; and the family lived on NAF Atsugi. During this time, all children of military families were bused to Camp Zama and the Sagamihara Housing Area (SHA) to attend school. Shirley devoted her time to working to ensure a school for Atsugi children was built on this base.
Shirley was an extraordinary person who enjoyed helping others and happily served in her community. In the fall of 1969, shortly before the school opened its doors to it's first students, Shirley Lanham died unexpectedly of a heart attack and was never able to see the school that bears her name.
CSI Leadership Meeting Schedule
CSILT meets on the 1st working Monday of each month at 1445.
Accreditation and Awards:
SLES is accredited by Cognia.
School Improvement Goals
Goal 1: Reading Comprehension
If, according to data indicators, we embed structured, tiered differentiation based on students’ literacy needs, that fosters student discourse, digital learning, and structured writing strategies across curricular content, then we will see a positive increase in student performance in the EOY DoDEA Summative Assessments.
Goal 2: Mathematics
If we teach our students strategies to visualize mathematical concepts, then our students will be able to solve complex multi-step problems. In other words, If Lanham ES implements student-led discourse focused on visualization of mathematical concepts, then we will observe a positive increase in student performance in mathematical reasoning, which will translate into an overall improvement of students in the EOY the DoDEA Summative Assessment.
