The Foreign Service Journal, December 2015

74 DECEMBER 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT focus on geometry only. The asymmetry in curricula can be problematic when transferring between schools. For families coming back to Wash- ington, D.C., there are excellent school districts to consider. All of these districts have wonderful websites with information on their requirements, jurisdictions, curricula and points of contacts for new families. The major challenge faced by families returning to the D.C. area is that enrollment in most local school systems requires a physical presence and a current local address. Families might want to consider this obstacle when organizing their transfer dates. One parent and the children may leave post earlier than the Foreign Ser- vice employee to establish a residence in the D.C. area for purposes of enroll- ment in their local school system. Evacuations Finally, I offer here a quick word on evacuations and education. During my time working in the Family Liaison Office there were multiple evacuations that forced families to leave in the middle of the school year. In this Foreign Service life, it is not uncommon for families to relocate without knowledge of how long their evacuation will last. Often, because evacuations last three or more months, parents are compelled to enroll their students in a local school at the family’s safe haven location. Enrolling in a local school can provide much-needed structure for children while on evacuation status. In my experience, all schools in the D.C. metropolitan area worked with our For- eign Service families to provide as much continuity as possible for the students. Also, many overseas schools have virtual school curricula and programs The asymmetry in curricula can be problematic when transferring between schools.