DODs schools in Italy

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any experience with Department of Defense schools in Europe? We may be moving there - my DD is in kindergarten and would attend the DODs school in Vicenza, Italy or somewhere in Germany. Any insight? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Op try adding this to post to off topic as well.

[Anonymous]

I went to DoD schools nearly my entire life, as did my sister (who is now an assistant principal) and my brother (in nursing school). The schools were excellent and there were many enrichment activities, such as travel to foreign countries (similar to trips to DC for stateside kids). My sister said that DoD schools have some of the highest teacher qualification requirements. Of course, you will have a very diverse student body (unlike the schools here that everyone seems to be obsessed with), but since life is full of diverse people, it seems more realistic. I was an executive at a consulting firm and am now an executive in the Government. Throughout life, I feel that my DoD school start was a big influencer in my life and gave me a lot of confidence to try new things.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I am a product of DoDDs schools (including one in Germany) and Fairfax County schools. Loved the DoDDS schools--far better than Fairfax Co. in my experience. Just the experience of living overseas is worth it even if the schools aren't great, but my schools were terrific. Most of the teachers were very good, and were interested and interesting people (which is why they become DoDDS teachers I guess--most of them loved to travel and experience new things). Also, I will note that students in DoDDS schools themselves tend to be military brats (or in my case Foreign Service) so they are very welcoming to new students, having themselves been dragged all around the world and knowing what it was like to be the "new kid." It was always much easier to be overseas than here in the U.S., because the kids were so much nicer and less cliquey. In some of the bigger schools there tends to be a division along the lines of officers' kids/enlisted kids (especially in high school) but less so in the smaller schools, I think. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

[Anonymous]

23:26 here. Great post from the last poster! I couldn't agree more. Attending school overseas was probably one of the most influential aspects of my upbringing. I miss the military life, because people are much more accepting of new people and are supportive of making new friends!

[Anonymous]

i work in education policy and the DOD schools are known to have really excellent teachers/administration. they have a very good reputation.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all of your posts! I am relieved! Please keep the comments coming!

[Anonymous]

13:25 poster here. If you want a sense of how alums of overseas schools feel, you can check out the American Overseas Schools Historical Society's website at http://aoshs.wichita.edu. It will give you a sense of the history of overseas schools, their alumni and an overall sense of the spirit of community those who attended those schools feel. Maybe not directly on point, but should reassure you further that for many it was an amazing experience.

[Anonymous]

PP - Thanks for the link! I was really interested in getting connected in to my past, but it is hard when you don't have a hometown!

[Anonymous]

No problem! I know exactly how you feel. Another active group is Overseas Brats (overseasbrats.com). You might also be interested in checking out the website for a fairly newdocumentary made about military families called "Brats, Our Journey Home." (www.bratsourjourneyhome). I love the quote on its website from Pat Conroy, Marine brat and writer, who says:

"I thought I was singular in all this, one of a kind. From Mary's book I discover that I speak in the multitongued, deep-throated voice of my tribe. ...[I]t's a language I was not even aware I spoke... a secret family I did not know I had. ... Military brats, my lost tribe, spent their entire youth in service to this country, and no one even knew we were there."

We know what it was like--we ARE each others hometown!