European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 3, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday december 3, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 9education a a a is amps Jim a whim Mainz elementary student Charles Reed examines some saudi Money brought Back by service members recently returned from the persian  hit hard by Gulf deployment bases Dodds officials working to alleviate stress by Jimi Jones and Peggy Davidson staff writers Mainz Germany a you might say the Bevelacqua beat the Christmas Rush. Although the couple did no to find that per fact Jijine tree they celebrated Christmas on thursday night anyway. A it was spontaneous a said Judy Bevelacqua a first and second Grade teacher at Mainz elementary school a i just wanted to open one gift and before you knew it wed opened them All. A it was special the nicest we be had pc since we be been Over Here. So now we be got maybe two or three  that is All the time Bevelacqua May band Robert is sent to saudi Arabia. Desert shield is taking its toll on both. Students and teachers in the classroom where children express their fears about their parents safety. The stress can be magnified when the teacher also has a loved one  persian Gulf communities and schools Are seeking ways to help ease that stress. For example five service members who returned recently from saudi Arabia were invited to visit the Mainz school to talk to students and teachers about the realities of desert shield duly. Principal Meren James told the men they would be a living breathing testimony that folks do come Back from saudi Arabia a a a a a and at Baum older representatives of several agencies formed a panel to offer guidance and support to help school officials work with the students a a to replace fear with knowledge is half the Battle Quot said a Counselor from Wetzel elementary school a and right now we have a whole lot More fear than  a a. V a a a capt. Or John Forbes a child and adolescent psychologist from Lan Stuhl army regional medical Center told the panel that teachers and other school officials often become a surrogate a third parents to students who depend on them to be there. The problem Forbes said is that some of the teachers also have loved ones in saudi Arabia or on the Way there. A teachers May be in the same denial stage As students a he said a and Are not going to fee comfortable talking about a subject that a so important to  John Jelinek assistant principal at Mainz said teachers there a Are  a a in be had some come in who just needed to talk a he said a they cry sometimes. One was to be on a plane in two Days when her husband was curtailed its a Tough situation Here. School is the Center because we have the kids. They Are the most vulnerable ones a Bevelacqua depends on her strength to get her through the Tough questions her students May ask. / a a in a not a weak person a she said. She a particularly concerned about families with three or four children a it will be Espe Quot hard on the student Steven Russell 9, tries on a Campaign hat belonging to coast guard Petty officer Ord  during Bis visit to Mainz elementary school mom Quot the teacher said a a she shaving to learn How to handle it herself much less try to answer three kids questions so we talk about the units we have in saudi Arabi and answer the Best we can a and a Bevelacqua added a teachers have a lot of in Bevelacqua formation about How to handle it if something does  it makes it harder on them husbands if you re not Strong enough a t teachers aide Elizabeth Ridgely whose husband has been in saudi Arabia for two months said a you think about it but you done to dwell on it. A having everyone around takes my mind off of it a one said a i just thank god that i have a Job that occupies my  a a lot of people Are scared. They done to want to go and 1 can understand that a Bevelacqua chained but her husband whose unit is deactivating a was More scared that it would pass him by and he  be Able to experience it. We talk about it. Its his Job what he wants to  information helps dissipate some of the tear said Rebecca Engsberg a Baum Holder army Community service representative. A we help people help themselves by providing information that they need a she said. The information covers a variety of subjects a family finances emergency programs deployment briefings and information about the geography of Southwest Asia Engsberg added that if school officials have ideas for ways to help the local families acs will create a program to fill that need. ,. V a a a a parents Are anxious to know what the schools Are doing to help their children Kaiserslautern District superintendent Candice Ransing said. A the schools Are going to be one of the few stable influences in their lives a she said Bevelacqua said that if her husband leaves before Christmas a a we be got this time whatever i bought him he can enjoy until he leaves a if he is gone by Christmas she plans to spend a couple of weeks at Home in Georgia. R a the was Lucky enough As he would say to get a 6lot,�?� she said. A a it a just one of those  for Mainz first grader Eric Reichle a the issues Are Clear. He does no to want his Ridgely going