The Foreign Service Journal, June 2012

J U N E 2 0 1 2 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 87 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT I n recent years, the Family Liaison Office has fielded an increasing number of inquiries about boarding school options, especially for high school students. This education choice often provides much-needed continuity for students, both academically and socially. Boarding school is also an attractive alternative when stu- dents are looking for special programs (e.g., sports, arts, or music) that may not be available at international schools over- seas. And quite often, the boarding school option works well for children with special needs when there are not adequate educational programs overseas. The FLO Education and Youth team has a wealth of infor- mation and resources available to help guide Foreign Service families in researching boarding schools that may be good matches for their children. This is excerpted from an article by Leah Wallace, of the Family Liaison Office, published in the December 2011 issue of the Foreign Service Journal . The complete article can be viewed online at www.afsa.org/fsj. F ROM THE D ECEMBER 2011 FSJ S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT The Boarding School Option Stages of Emotional Transition O ne well-known transition model defines five phases: involvement, leaving, chaos/ crisis, entering and reinvolvement. Involvement is the stage when life is humming along, before a move. Reinvolvement happens when, after a move, the family is once again back on track — feeling happy and in control of life. It’s what happens in the middle of this cycle — the leaving, chaos/ crisis and entering part — that is the great challenge! Awareness of these stages helps parents and schools respond appropri- ately. The goal is to guide our families through the transition in a way that enhances each member’s resiliency. — Rebecca Grappo, from “Building Resiliency in Global Nomads,” FSJ Schools Supplement, December 2008