European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 29, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 scene stars and stripes sunday april 292007 family do Homework on schools before move some spouses know have asked whats the Best Way to select a school for my child at our next duty station Ive heard that military one source web site will sdous6 chs do research for you but r truthfully i dont know Nancy Hodgkiss Montgomery Al when its moving time and time to choose your Childs next school whether state Side or overseas the Best researcher is you web Sites Are excellent tools but you will need More than one source of information As a starting Point find what your choices Are what Terri Barnes most from a school there Are Many considerations such As ratio location spending per student specific classes and programs test scores discipline and Cost if considering private school in my family our school choices have been based on something different each time we have moved when we moved to Georgia for example we looked at test scores when we moved to los Angeles we were concerned with discipline and Security in our move to Germany we wanted to know which Dodds school in the area had honors programs and Strong extracurricular activities set these priorities taking into schools serve base housing what other account special needs your child May Public and private schools Are in the area a Good relocation sponsor May provide this information or it May be available through a base or City web site have with those priorities in mind look for More information about the schools near your new Home military on source  provides narrow Down what your child needs All kinds of information for military families including school choices and links such As  for information about Dodds schools around the world the web site for the military child education coalition a nonprofit organization has a free program called school quest  users must Register enter specific information about each child give a location and the program will suggest schools in the area that might be a Good fit this program includes a Dodea Choice read the privacy Section carefully this might be another Good source or information and a Way to connect to specific schools another helpful step is to talk to real people Call individual schools to ask specific questions or talk to specific educators if possible try to get in touch with families already in the area of All the helpful resources in our experience As a military family this has been the Best real parents of real students i found that the military on source site has lists of suggested questions to ask prospective schools and even other  childrens education from the menu Ori the on school selection then choosing a school school decisions Are the most important Childs education is you thei Parent your involvement  can make the Best of any school Choice your Bastid on your school cubic Evind experiences How do you make your choices How do you help your children to learn in each educational environment How is the pro Cess different in an overseas move any advice from military spouses who Are also educators Wourl Asaije helpful Send yourc6mmehts to the address below please do no Hseng complaints especially about specific schools districts or individuals Tern Barnes is a military spouse and Mother of three she and her family vein Germany where her husband is stationed at Ramstein a Send questions or comments to her Ai com super spouse saves the Day my vacuum cleaner took an emergency 30minute break this morn ing or at least that the excuse the owners guide gave for the reason it conked out on me with Only one room left to clean its too bad i cant take a break every time Ive got too much work to do thought going through a mental list of the responsibilities involved in maintaining a Home and car ing for the people i share it with the unplanned 30minute break led me to return to my computer keyboard and a familiar subject Between Rny friends and me we agree that housewife is an outdated term that Doest come close to describing any of us like Many of you military life has called for us to relocate Many times Over the years i cant speak for my friends but the last thing i feel married Home front we have inhabited along the Way if housewife described my status i would be in my eighth marriage the added responsibilities of being married to a member of the armed forces create a Job that is indescribable until now that is i think you the readers of life on the Home front can help me come up with some thing better than military spouse or housewife to refer to what we do one alternative would be to follow Uncle Sams exam ple and create individual Job titles that dont make any most people heres an example of what in talking about Ive heard some version of the following conversation thousands of times a woman does your husband work of Hes a g7qrz2 for the Wing to is my House and the various others replies the second then they go right on talking even though neither will admit to having no idea what a g7qrz2is v sometimes in the one having the conversation either pretending i know Wharton Slatest Job assignment is or that i understand what the woman just told me her husband does the letters and numbers go in one ear and out the other but they sound a lot More important than housewife As a military spouse of years i demand equal treatment i want a Job description that is As confusing As my husbands just kidding there but it is a fascinating idea Pam Zich mw3d would denote my status As a marines wife with three boys and a dog or 1 could simply be an Mem with the is being interchangeable to prevent the boys from arguing Over whether mom or Marine should go first the next time someone asks me what do you do i would smugly reply in an mw3d now but in not allowed to talk about it if the idea of making up our own acronyms sounds Overly complicated or just Plain silly 1 Tiave come up with a Hooker option it will require some input from you the readers we work hard taking care of our families moving around fhe Globe dealing with Long separations and fighting off those aggressive shoppers at the commissary so lets come up with a title we deserve unfortunately wonder woman 1s already taken besides we need a title to share with our male counterparts think of something Catchy and Awe inspiring a title we can of and Send it my Way at Pam Zilfi  i i will print the Best suggestions right Here now i need to go Check on that vacuum a Mother of three boys Pam Zich has moved eight times in 16 years of marriage to her Manne corps husband they have been stationed in various locations including Okinawa California Texas and their current Home in spin afield a email her at or find the Zichos online at wow  com l 1 Jenny i need a new i Day care provider you should Start looking right Here on basketry to get a a Fifer position something you can Transfer with besides most local employers Are reluctant to invest in a spouse Wholl pcs in a few months or a year i totally when i got my Job i simply walked in the door and w i was hired on the spot in the greeter at the Ferrari Dealership Okay now to reality Jenny is drawn by Julie Negron of Kadena air of Nawab her web site4s dust pollen Are sneaky reducing allergens is important to the Comfort and Well being of the allergy sufferers at your House you probably know that mattresses rugs and Pillow cases Ca Harbor allergens but some common gather ing places for allergens Are often overlooked the asthma allergy foundation of Amer Casays Walls there among the biggest collectors of allergens dust Walls weekly and pay particular attention to the furniture and carpets near them door jambs and window Sills constant airflow Means dirt and dust often collect Here Plush toys dust mites Are common inese toys Wash them frequently in 130degree water you can also place stuffed toys into a zippered plastic bag freeze them for 24 hours and then rinse them in cold water to Akron Beacon journal