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Chapter 5 - Overseas Education Options

The quality of schooling available at individual posts is one of the most important factors Foreign Service parents consider when choosing an assignment. When the bid list comes out, it is wise for families to explore the schooling options at all of the posts under consideration.

When going overseas for the first time, parents will begin to make some basic decisions: do we want to keep our children consistently in one system or is a bilingual education an important consideration for us? What special needs do our children have? Fortunately, as detailed in Chapter 1, there are excellent resources available to parents to help us make good decisions.

Before going overseas, it is also vital to understand the special allowances available to Foreign Service families to enable us to provide our children with an education comparable to the education they would receive at a public school in the United States. Because there are frequent changes, it is important for parents to have current and accurate information about them.

According to the State Department's Standardized Regulations (S.R. 271.a), the Secretary of State is authorized to grant to a U.S. citizen employee "an education allowance or payment of travel costs to assist with the extraordinary and necessary expenses, not otherwise compensated for, in providing adequate education for his/her eligible family members, incurred because of the employee's service in a foreign area or areas." This allowance will be either an education allowance for children at the elementary or secondary school levels or an educational travel allowance for college students or for secondary school students in lieu of an education allowance.

Education allowances are designed to assist a family with the necessary expenses to obtain kindergarten, elementary, and secondary educational services ordinarily provided without charge by public schools in the United States. There are actually three educational methods: school at post, school away from post, and home study. The scope of these allowances is set out in the Standardized Regulations, chapters 270 and 280. Rates are cited in Section 920, Post Classification and Payment Tables. Amendments are made bi-weekly and issued monthly by the Government Printing Office. Copies of the Standardized Regulations (SR) and the pertinent agency implementing regulations are available through the officer designated to authorize allowances or the Regional Financial Management Office (RFMO) at post. The Family Liaison Office distributes copies of the Educational Allowance and Educational Travel Standardized Regulations to Community Liaison Offices whenever there is a change. The education allowance specialist of the Office of Allowances (A/OPR/ALS) can answer specific questions about education allowances and eligibility requirements. For contact information:

Office of Allowances (A/OPR/ALS)
Room H426, SA-1
Bureau of Administration
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC 20522-0104
Tel: 202-663-1121
FAX: 202-261-8707
Email: Allowances0@state.gov
Web site: Web site: http://aoprals.state.gov/

Education allowances for grades K-12 are granted for those posts where the cost incurred for an eligible family member's "adequate" schooling is more than the cost in a U.S. public school. A school is considered adequate if it has a comparable American curriculum; has no mandatory religious affiliation; and if a child of normal ability who has successfully completed a given grade or its equivalent at that school will be accepted in the next higher grade in a U.S. public school.

The determination of adequacy of schooling for school-age dependents overseas usually begins with a request by post to the Office of Overseas Schools for an assessment by a Regional Education Officer (REO), who is a professional educator. It is the policy of the Office of Overseas Schools to proceed in a careful manner in assessing the adequacy of schooling at post. The REO visits post and makes a thorough review of the schooling available and consults with Embassy officials and parents who have used the school or schools being assessed. Usually, a U.S. accrediting agency is requested to send a team to review the schooling situation. After the REO has completed the review and read the accreditation team's report, the REO makes a recommendation to the Office of Allowances (A/ALS) on the adequacy of schooling at post by grade level. It is possible, for example, for certain grades to be considered adequate and others inadequate. For the grade levels which are considered adequate, A/ALS adjusts the at post education allowance to equal the cost of the least expensive adequate school at post. Generally, the allowance's maximum rates are based on the least expensive adequate school at the post.

The following are major points of the education allowances:

• If adequate schools are available at the post, no higher allowance can be established for attendance at a school located away from the post. (Note: the allowance for attending a school away from post is identical to the at post allowance.)
• A supplementary instruction education allowance is available in addition to the regular school at-post allowance, but only if the child is enrolled in a school at post. Supplementary instruction may be necessary if academic subjects generally offered in U.S. public schools are not provided; if the curriculum is offered in a foreign language; or if a child needs additional instruction to enter a grade or remain in the same grade. Supplementary instruction is discussed further in Chapter 5.
• If there is no adequate school at post for a given grade, a school away from post allowance is established to assist with the cost of tuition, room, board, and periodic transportation between the post and the nearest locality where an adequate boarding school is available. The Office of Allowances is responsible for determining the school away from post allowance rates. Each rate is composed of two factors: an average cost of overseas and U.S. boarding schools for tuition, room, and board; and three round trips from each country to the nearest location where boarding schools are available.
• Employees stationed abroad with eligible school age family members are free to choose any school in the United States or abroad to obtain educational services. When using public schools that do not have boarding facilities, private boarding with family or friends may be included. The employee may receive an education allowance up to the established maximum rate for the educational method selected at her/his foreign post. However, if the child attends school in the United States and a natural, adoptive, or step-parent with legal custody also resides in the United States, no education allowance can be paid.
• If the employee chooses to use correspondence courses for home study instead of the school at post allowance, the employee may be reimbursed for the cost of home study instruction within the amount established for this type of education. The cost of a tutor is not included. Home study is discussed further in Chapter 5.
• The established allowances vary by school grade at most posts, but may be paid regardless of the school attended. However, the authorizing official is required to lower the payment when the employee's costs during the school year justify a reduction.

Education allowances are normally reimbursed or paid each school year. Advance payments (lump-sum or installment) as required by the school for educational expenses are payable when advantageous to the U. S. Government, but cannot be applied for and paid until the employee has arrived at post. The grants are adjustable when required by changes in costs that occur during the school year. In that case, the adjustment request must be made by the post.

A handicapped child may receive, in lieu of the regular education allowance each school year, a separate allowance for educational services at post, for home study including tutoring, or for a school away from post (SR 274.12c and 276.4). Additional information about the handicapped child allowance can be found in Chapter 10 or by contacting:

Office of Allowances (A/OPR/ALS)
Room H426, SA-1
Bureau of Administration
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC 20522-0104
Tel: 202-663-1121
FAX: 202-261-8707
Email: Allowances0@state.gov
Web site: http://aoprals.state.gov/

EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL

Educational travel is a benefit that pays for a student's transportation between the employee's post and a college in the United States. One round trip is provided each 12-month period for full-time undergraduate students before age 23. College students enrolled in an academic year abroad are permitted to travel from their foreign location to post for family visitation. The student must be enrolled full-time in a college in the U.S. and attending the foreign school in conjunction with a program of the U.S. college. Educational travel is also available for U.S. high school students in grades 9-12 in lieu of an education allowance and could be used for students in boarding school who have a custodial guardian living in the U.S. (SR 280). The educational travel benefit covers actual expenses for transportation at lowest available fares, travel per diem when authorized, and unaccompanied baggage.

The first round trip under educational travel must originate outside the United States. The student must reside for 14 consecutive days outside the United States prior to return to the United States on educational travel. The annual trip is defined as one round trip at any time within a 12-month period of the eligible family member's schooling. When educational travel begins in the United States, only one leg of the round trip is authorized. Any portion of the round trip not taken in the 12-month period cannot accrue to a subsequent period.

The date of the first educational travel trip marks the anniversary date for subsequent educational travel trips. For example, if the student travels to post at Christmas on orders, the first trip back to school will be the first leg of educational travel. The student cannot get an educational travel trip from post for the second year until the date of the first trip anniversary or within 14 days of that date. When a dependent has arrived in the United States under the educational travel authority, the employee may not receive an education allowance on behalf of that dependent for the 12-month period immediately following such travel. Note also that educational travel to post is not authorized when the employee is scheduled to transfer or take home leave to the United States within 30 days of the student's scheduled departure for the post.

Even before arriving at a new post, parents often must choose among various schooling alternatives: local schools; Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDS); American-curriculum community or international schools; British, French, or German schools; and church-affiliated or missionary schools. The choice should be determined by which type is most suitable for the child given his/her needs and interests.

Once at post and before choosing any overseas school, parents may have an opportunity to ask questions of a prospective school's principal or headmaster. These questions should reflect the parents' deepest concerns. Questions asked in a non-threatening manner indicate interest and involvement in a child's education, remind the school of its need to be accountable for its program, and give parents the information needed to make a correct choice. Some of the information is also available in the Summary School Information forms, described in Chapter 1 of this book and available at post and at several locations in the Washington area including AID, A/OS, FLO, and OBC. Use the following questions as a guide:

School history: How long has the school been in existence? How long has it been at its present location? What is the school's reputation in the community?

Philosophical orientation: Is it traditional, progressive, or experimental? Is instruction individualized?

Curriculum: What curriculum is offered? If not based on the American system, will the child have difficulty moving to a U.S. school? Which languages are taught, and at what level? Is the host country culture studied? Are art and music programs offered? Do high school courses include vocational and business subjects, enriched or Advanced Placement courses, or the International Baccalaureate Program? How do the school's students fare after returning to their home schools?

Testing: Does the school have a regular testing program based on standardized tests? Which tests are used at the elementary level and in high school? Is the school a test center for the PSAT and/or SAT? Are profiles of recent test scores available?

College preparation: What help is provided to high school juniors and seniors selecting a college? Which colleges and universities have recent graduates attended?

Teacher/counselor-student ratio: What is the size of the average elementary, middle school, or high school class? What is the ratio of counselors to students? Is counseling available for younger students as well as high-schoolers?

Teacher credentials: What is the average length of tenure of teachers? What percentage hold degrees in their teaching fields? What percentage hold advanced degrees? How many teachers are recruited out of country?

Discipline: How is discipline administered? Is an honor and/or demerit system used? Which offenses result in dismissal/expulsion? How are minor infractions dealt with?

Newcomers: Is there a peer sponsor system for newcomers? Do teachers keep an eye on newcomers and help them with the initial "culture shock?" If instruction is not in English, are there provisions for immersing a child in the new language? Is advanced registration required? Are children admitted throughout the school year?

Extracurricular activities: What is the range of extracurricular activities, including organized sports? Do parents raise funds, teach, or chaperone programs? Is transportation provided for activities after school?

Parental involvement: Is there a PTA or similar organization? What is its role? How often does it meet? What percentage of parents participate? What has it sponsored or accomplished recently? Is parental involvement in the education process encouraged? Is there a volunteer program (class aides, library aides, etc.)

School board: What is the composition of the school board? Is the U.S. Mission represented? Are members elected or appointed? How have Americans contributed to the board in the past?

Transportation: Is transportation provided? Is there a fee?

Physical plant: Where is the school located in relation to the U.S. Mission and the residential areas? Are security measures taken seriously? Are there adequate classrooms and sufficient heating/air-conditioning if necessary? Is potable water available? Are the classrooms attractively decorated?

Tuition: What is the tuition? Are there other fees?

Dress: Is there a dress code? Are uniforms required? Can they be purchased locally?

One consideration may be whether to put the child in an English-language or a foreign-language school. The advantages of having the child become fluent in a foreign language are considerable. However, parents should be aware that the educational philosophies of these schools can be quite different - they are not merely American-curriculum schools taught in a foreign language. Moving a child in and out of foreign-language schools can have serious effects on his/her overall continuity of education. This is particularly true if the child is a weak student or has learning differences. Before making such a choice, parents should understand their own ultimate educational goals. Do they plan to have the child attend foreign-language schools exclusively from post to post? What type of university training do they foresee?

French and German educational philosophies differ markedly from those of the American system. The curricula are centralized under the country's Ministry of Education so that local schools have less independence. These schools favor the memorization of a body of knowledge rather than experimentation or participation; fewer electives are offered; and less value is placed on extracurricular activities.

Parents considering foreign language education for their children may want to contact FLO's Education and Youth Officer for materials regarding second language acquisition.

COMPARISON OF ENGLISH-LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

English-language educational systems can be divided into two categories. In externally assessed systems (British or International Baccalaureate), students are examined through centrally administered examinations such as the British O and A Levels. The caliber of the school or teachers is measured by the relative success or failure of their students in these examinations. In the internally assessed systems (American, Canadian, international schools), the teachers are given responsibility for preparing the course outlines and administering exams.

American schools overseas are broadly comparable to U.S. public or private schools. Educational standards are maintained through a complicated process of inspections, curriculum guidelines, and teacher training. However, the value of marks given in any Canadian, American, or international school may vary from school to school, and any two principals might interpret a child's standing differently based upon marks. For this reason, parents should take samples of the child's class work as well as report cards to post. If school profiles exist, they should be filed with the child's educational records. Because most American schools overseas recruit regularly in the United States for administrative and staff positions, these schools are more easily able to remain current with educational trends in the United States. Many of these schools encourage, and some even offer, in-service or university-related courses for their faculties.

British schools at overseas posts vary more in quality and facilities than accredited American or international schools that are regularly inspected. While many Foreign Service parents have been very satisfied with the education their children have received at these schools, it is important to remember that the educational culture is different. Areas which should be investigated at the elementary level include the ages that children are expected to begin to read and move into mathematical facts, methods of classroom discipline, school and playground safety, and parent participation.

The major curriculum differences, however, are at the secondary level. While students complete secondary education at about the same age, the methods and amount of study under the two systems are different. Under the British system, the O (Ordinary) Level begins once the student has passed the Common Entrance Examinations, at about age 14. O level course work is broad, general, and covers a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 12 subjects. Concepts in mathematics and sciences are taught simultaneously and at deeper levels of complexity as the student advances, rather than discretely, as in the American system. (This is also generally true of the Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand systems.) The O Level program takes approximately two years to complete; the student then takes the National General Certificate of Education O Level Examination. Completion of the O Level program is generally considered the equivalent of an American high school education. However, students must continue their studies through A (Advanced) Level in order to qualify for British university entrance.

The A Level consists of two or three specific subjects in the student's area of interest and competence studied in depth for 1 to 2 years. Upon completion, the student takes the General Certificate of Education A Level Examination in the subjects studied. Success in a subject examination is the equivalent of a U.S. college freshman course or an Advanced Placement course and examination. In order to qualify for entrance into a British university, the student must receive a grade of A, B, or C on a minimum of five General Certificate of Secondary Education examinations, two of which are at the A Level. Most students study all science or all arts at the A Level, thus specializing earlier than in the American system.

International schools vary widely from post to post. The organizing principle of these schools is their service to the children of the expatriate community, including the diplomatic corps, missionaries, military forces, foreign aid workers, and corporate employees, whether English-speaking or not. There are several hundred international schools throughout the world situated in cosmopolitan cities as well as in very remote locations.

Many English-language expatriate schools follow the U.S. system of instruction and course sequence, enabling most students to enter U.S. colleges without deficiencies. Others follow the British system, and still others offer both U.S. and British and/or Canadian educational programs and prepare students to sit for either the General Certificate of Secondary Education or other terminal exams or for the SATs. Some international schools offer the International Baccalaureate (IB), a two-year program offered worldwide at the senior high school level. See Chapter 12 for a description of this program.

Knowing who sponsors an international school and how it is directed helps to understand its philosophy and admissions procedures. Following are several types of sponsoring organizations:

• American-sponsored schools assisted by the Office of Overseas Schools: children of U.S. Government employees usually have priority for enrollment.
• DoDDS system: Primarily serving the children of U.S. military personnel, DoDDS will admit other children on a space-available, tuition-paying basis. Children of U.S. Government employees abroad are given priority in admissions after military children.
• Parent-sponsored schools directed by an elected school board made up of parents: Unless the school receives assistance from A/OS, U.S. Government dependent children do not necessarily have priority or guaranteed admission.
• Schools sponsored by a religious or missionary group: Usually governed by an elected school board, priority is usually given to children with the same religious affiliation.
• Schools sponsored by a corporation such as Aramco: The children of corporation employees have priority.
• Proprietary schools.

In addition to the educational resources described in Chapter 1, the following organizations provide information on overseas schools.

Association of American Schools in South America (AASSA)
AASSA Regional Development Center
14750 NW 77th Court, Suite 210
Miami Lakes, FL 33016
Tel: 305-821-0345
Fax: 305-821-4244

Association of American Schools of Central America, Colombia-Caribbean, and Mexico
c/o American School of Quito
APO AA 34039
Tel: 593-2-472-974
Fax: 593-2-472-972

Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA)
c/o International School of Kenya
PO Box 14103
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 254-2-58-24-21
Fax: 254-2-58-05-96

Central and Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA)
c/o American School of Warsaw
American Embassy Warsaw
Department of State
Washington, DC 20521-5010
Tel and Fax: 48-22-424061

Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDS)
6th Floor
4040 North Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22204
Tel: 703-696-4437

East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools (EARCOS)
Virginia Tech Graduate Center
2990 Telestar Court, Room 314
Falls Church, VA 22042
Tel: 703-280-4690
Fax: 703-280-4890

European Council of International Schools (ECIS)
21 Lavant Street
Petersfield, Hampshire
GU32 3EL United Kingdom
Tel: 441-730-268244
Fax: 441-730-267914

International School Services, Inc. (ISS)
P.O. Box 5910
Princeton, NJ 08543
or for express delivery:
15 Roszel Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
Tel: 609-452-0990
Email: iss@iss.edu
Web site: www.iss.edu
ISS is a non-profit educational organization based in the United States. It provides stateside support services to American and international schools overseas, including staff recruitment. It also publishes the ISS Directory of Overseas Schools, a comprehensive guide to over 400 English-language, American curriculum schools listed by country.

Inter-Regional Center for Curriculum and Materials Development (IRC)
Apartado Aereo 3250
Barranquilla, Colombia
Tel: 57-58-598-589
or
P.O. Box 020470
Tuscaloosa, AL 35402
Tel: 205-391-0727
Fax: 205-345-0299

Mediterranean Association of International Schools (MAIS)
c/o American School of Madrid
Apartado 80
28080 Madrid, Spain
Tel: 34-1-357-2154
Fax: 34-1-357-2678

Near East South Asia Council for Overseas Schools (NESA)
c/o The American Colleges of Greece
P.O. Box 60018
153 42 Aghia, Paraskevi
Athens, Greece
Tel: 30-1-600-9821
Fax: 30-1-600-9928

Resources

Guide to Independent Secondary Schools
Available from:
Peterson's Guides
P.O. Box 67005
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Tele: 609-896-1800; 800-338-3282
609-896-1800, ext. 5660 (for ordering)
Email: customerservice@petersons.com
Internet: www.petersons.com

Schools Abroad of Interest to Americans
Available from:
Porter Sargent Publishers, Inc.
11 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Tel: 617-523-1670
Email: info@portersargeant.com
Internet: www.portersargent.com

CORRESPONDENCE AND ALTERNATIVE STUDY PROGRAMS

Foreign Service families overseas make use of correspondence study programs in a variety of ways: to take the place of a school; to supplement the local school curriculum; or to form the curriculum for a parent-established American School.

Home Study: When there is no regular school program at post, or only a small number of students in a grade, home study through correspondence courses may be a viable alternative. Since it lacks the socializing aspect of school, individual home study usually should not be a long-term solution. However, with proper motivation on the part of the student, regular school hours each day, and careful attention on the part of the monitor, such a program can be successful.

Home study may take less time than a traditional classroom, leaving time for opportunities to explore the local culture that can be an education in itself. It is helpful if parents arrange for children to participate in scouting or other programs and encourage social interaction with other children. They may be able to organize team sports or individual sport lessons, plus informal social gatherings with other children.

The education allowance provides for home study instead of the school at post education allowance and reimburses the employee for the costs of home study instruction within amounts established for this type of instruction (SR 274.12B). Note: while this allowance does not cover money for an instructor, it does cover the program's Advisory Teaching Service.

The Calvert System (K-8) is the elementary correspondence program used most widely by Foreign Service families. The course for each grade includes a detailed lesson manual for the course monitor and all necessary books, workbooks, and supplies. The Calvert School offers an Advisory Teaching Service that reviews monthly student tests and offers suggestions to instructors. If this optional service is used, the Calvert School can issue a certificate when a course has been satisfactorily completed and can furnish grade transcripts to other schools.

By the 8th grade level, the Calvert System recognizes diverging interests and levels of achievement. A complete 8th grade program is available or a parent may choose to purchase a personal mix of individual courses suited to the child.

Many universities offer high school correspondence courses leading to a diploma. The University of Nebraska - Lincoln Independent Study High School has been used successfully by Foreign Service families over the years. Under this program, students must have a supervisor at post approved by the University of Nebraska Independent Study High School principal. Again, attention should be given to arranging peer group activities and cultural and sports opportunities.

Supplementary instruction: Some students may need tutoring or special classes to supplement their school programs. A supplementary instruction allowance is available if the school at post does not provide instruction in those academic subjects generally offered by U.S. public schools (e.g., U.S. history, civics, American literature, computer instruction, or English grammar) or if the school instructs in a foreign language that the child does not know well enough to progress in the curriculum. A supplementary instruction allowance is also available to provide for the child who requires additional instruction in order to enter a grade or remain in the same grade in the school at post. Families may pool their allowances to pay a tutor to teach a course. Supplementary instruction must be provided by someone other than a member of the child's family, and the child must be enrolled in an established school at post (SR 276.9).

Tutorial school: Sometimes, American parents place their children in a local school to benefit from its socio-cultural experiences, group activities, and courses. At the same time, they establish a tutorial school to offer courses needed to supplement the local curriculum. The post must apply for a revision of the education allowance to meet the combined local and tutorial school fees. A/OS can provide assistance to parents considering this option.

Establishing an American school: As an alternative to either home study or a tutorial school supplementing a local school, it may be possible for parents to establish an American school. Such a school could be open to other nationalities as well. The community must organize a school association and school board with a constitution and bylaws. The post should apply for an at post education allowance as well as an assistance grant from the Department of State. One advantage of establishing a school is that it can provide an official record of subjects and hours completed by the students. Parents interested in this option should contact the Office of Overseas Schools, A/OS.

Resources

Catalog of Home School Courses, Grade K-8
Available from:
Calvert Education Services
10713 Gilroy Road, Suite B
Hunt Valey, MD 21031
Tel: 410-785-3400; 888-487-4652
Web site: http://www.calvertschool.org

Distance and Evening Programs College Independent Study
Independent Study High School
College Independent Study
Available from:
University of Nebraska
Nebraska Center for Continuing Education
269 Clifford
Lincoln, NE 68583-9400
Tel: 402-472-0400Fax: 402-472-4450
Email: unldep@unl.edu
Web site: http://dcs.unl.edu/

Correspondence Program Course Description
Available from:
USDA Graduate Correspondence Program
600 Maryland Avenue, SW
Suite 160
Washington, DC 20024
Tel: 202-314-3320; 888-744-GRAD
Web site: http://www.grad.usda.gov

The Independent Study Catalog
This is a guide to over 10,000 correspondence courses, including high school, college, and graduate study-at-home programs, plus external degree and certificate programs.
Available from:
Peterson's Guides
PO Box 67005
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
Tel: 609-896-1800; 800-338-3282; 609-896-1800, ext. 5660 (for ordering)
Email: customerservice@petersons.com
Web site: http://www.petersons.com

EMBASSY/FAMILY/SCHOOL RELATIONSHIP VIS-A-VIS SECURITY

The security-related aspects of life overseas must be considered whether the children attend school at post or come periodically to visit. Children must fully understand the security situation and what measures they must take to protect themselves. Real communication must exist amongst the children, the parents, the Embassy, and the school administration on all security issues.

Americans have certain attitudes and practices concerning safety and security. They expect to have lifeguards at public pools, marked fire exits, fire drills in schools, and safety controls on the electrical appliances in their homes. When adapting to life overseas, Foreign Service personnel and their families must remain safety-conscious while recognizing that the new environment may have cultural differences to consider. For instance, use of seat belts and child restraint seats, mandatory in much of the United States, should not be abandoned abroad because no one else does it. Good safety habits should be continued and taught to children - no matter what the local customs may be.

In addition to safety habits and practices, active preparation for emergency situations is another element of protection. Embassy or consulate security officers will provide information on special security matters and crisis procedures at post. Effective communication should be established among families, the Embassy, and the school community. Parents should share security information with their children in a non-threatening, open way at regular intervals - not just at the time of crisis. Planning and practicing responses to a crisis situation can provide a psychological inoculation. When the crisis occurs, helpful rather than negative or inappropriate responses are available.

SECURITY PREPARATION

Parents can take the following security precautions:

• Attend the Security Overseas Seminar at the Foreign Service Institute and include their children. During the summer, there are special segments of this seminar for elementary and high school students.
• Adapt the good safety attitudes and practices already followed in the United States to the cultural and political environment of the post, following post recommendations and guidance.
• Attend post security briefings with teenage children. If teens are not permitted to attend regular briefings, ask that a special briefing be arranged for them. Also request that briefings be arranged for visiting college and boarding school students.
• Discuss security briefings at family meetings. Regularly practice drills with a role for each family member. Discuss what each one will do if an emergency occurs during school hours.
• Ask the school principal or administrator about plans for dealing with different crises - a school bus breaking down, a bomb threat at school, a demonstration outside the school grounds, or violence in another part of town. How will parents be notified? Where will the children go?
• Make arrangements with a friend or neighbor to assume responsibility for children caught at home in an emergency and cut off from parents.
• Provide children with emergency information including home and office telephone numbers and the telephone number of a family friend who can be reached in an emergency. Consider a badge system for younger children containing this important information. Teach children how to use the two-way radio.
• Make sure that both the Embassy and the school have on file a parent authorization form for medical treatment in case the parent is absent.
• Give teenagers clear instructions about what to do in a crisis if they are away from home, school, or the Mission. Make sure you know what is required or recommended by the Mission or the local authorities.
• Make sure children know exactly what to do if they are stopped by authorities - what information they need to produce, what telephone numbers to call, how to behave.
• If a child attends a host country school, make sure that you and the school understand the arrangements for mutual notification and exchange of information about the child.
• Make thoughtful arrangements for children in advance for potential post evacuation.

An essential aspect of preparing for crisis situations is to understand the normal emotional and behavioral responses that will occur. Denying emotions in a time of crisis inhibits effective functioning. On the other hand, recognizing the emotional reactions to a dreaded situation seems to bring about a greater tolerance for any difficulties.

Crisis situations bring on immediate, rapid, and significant changes in thought and feeling. Initially, people may feel disorganized and confused. They may have feelings of heightened vulnerability accompanied by considerable internal tension and anxiety. People caught up in a crisis usually have a lowered level of self-esteem. They feel some sense of threat to their physical and/or emotional integrity and wonder if they can survive the challenge presented by the crisis. Individuals and families in crisis may experience heightened fear, anxiety, tension, sorrow, anger, and irritability. Children may revert to an earlier behavior. For the young child, this may be loss of toilet control, night terrors, whining and clinging, or unwillingness to let a parent out of sight. For the school child, it may appear as refusal to attend school, withdrawal, loss of interest, irritability, or unusual fears.

Family members should be aware of how stress affects others in the family and what can relieve it. Although a broad prescription for stress is rest, proper nutrition, and exercise, it is important to understand ahead of time what works for your family members, so that you will be able to take care of yourself and them under extraordinary conditions. It is important to know that caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs have a strong negative effect during times of stress and should be avoided. Sharing concerns during a crisis can have a positive effect. Children sense stress in parents and will often react to a crisis in a way similar to the way their parents react.

Resources

For the following resources, contact the Community Liaison Office at post or the Family Liaison Office.

• Raising Children Abroad (1993) and Evacuation: Crisis in the Community (1995) - videotapes produced by the Family Liaison Office.  Email: flo@state.gov / Web site: http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo

Information provided by the Family Liaison Office.
Contact the Family Liaison Office