FAQ


Students at George Cannon School (Midway Island) in 1975 pose with another island resident, the famous gooney bird.	Deep in thought at Tachikawa Elementary School (Tachikawa, Japan).

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1.AOSHS/AOSA What They Are and What They Do

QUESTION: I'm a bit confused about the American Overseas Schools Historical Society (AOSHS), the American Overseas Schools Archives (AOSA) and their relationship to each other. Could you briefly and understandably tell me how these two organizations are related and
interact with each other?

ANSWER: The American Overseas Schools Historical Society Incorporated (AOSHS) is an IRS 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that was incorporated as a nonprofit entity in the state of Arizona on July 20, 1995. The AOSHS was formed to assume ownership and custodial responsibilities of the American Overseas Schools Archives (AOSA), which were at that time, located at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona.

The American Overseas Schools Historical Society (AOSHS) provides a governing entity in the form of a Board of Directors for the American Overseas Schools Archive (AOSA). This BOARD OF DIRECTORS consists of eight members: a president, first vice president; second vice president; secretary/treasurer; and four at large board members.

These Board members make all business decisions relating to day to day Board policy initiatives. All major policy issues are voted on by AOSHS members at the AOSHS Annual Business Meeting, held in conjunction with the DODDS ANNUAL REUNION, held each summer.

It was the AOSHS Board of Directors, that soon after incorporation, established the need for an American Overseas Schools Archives and Historical Park to be located in a large US Metropolitan area.

For more than a decade the American Overseas Schools Archives (AOSA) has been unique in its mission to "collect, record, and preserve the unique history of educating American children and youth abroad. Additionally, the AOSA will house a substantial military brat component in the archives and museum. Currently the AOSA is housed in a temporary building in Wichita, Kansas and is not open to the public.

Additionally, the American Overseas Schools Historical Society publishes the AOSHS QUARTERLY, a journal for all past and present American overseas schools personnel, students and families. The "Quarterly" contains articles of historical significance, information on collections in the AOSA and information on activities and events of interest to the AOSHS membership.

QUESTION: I would like to donate memorabilia to the American Overseas Schools Archives (AOSA), how would I go about this?

ANSWER: The AOSA welcomes donations of memorabilia relating to all facets of students' academic and home life overseas. If you wish to donate items, please make sure they are packed appropriately to prevent breakage and mail them to:

When we receive donations of memorabilia they are: are (1) classified, (2) recorded on the computer and in a backup book, and (3) kept intact after classifying, recording, repairing etc. under the name of the donor, be it a school, a family, a couple or an individual etc., e.g. The Glenn Greenwood Collection, or The Ramey HS Collection. This follows National Archives guidelines.

The AOSHS is a IRS 501(3) c Non-profit Corporation. Donations of memorabilia may or may not be tax deductible. For more information contact your accountant and the INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE.

IRS

MONETARY DONATIONS

QUESTION: I would like to make a monetary donation to the AOSHS or the American Overseas Schools Archives building fund. Could you please tell me how to go about this?

ANSWER:
The AOSHS is a IRS 501(C)3 Non-profit organization. Monetary donations may or may not be tax deductible. For more information contact your accountant and the INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE.

IRS

QUESTION: Does the AOSA/AOSHS maintain a database of current addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of former students, teachers and administrators who attended or taught at American Overseas Schools?

ANSWER: Work is progressing here at the AOSA toward a common database system that will allow us to combine the databases of the many overseas school alumni groups who have volunteered to participate in the project. Due to the variety of databases that have been used in the past we currently do not have a projected completion date for this project. In the interim, please visit the Links Page of this Website Links.html this website. While this list is not complete, we are adding new schools and alumni associations to it on a weekly basis.

And contact the alumni associations for the schools you attended for possible information on the friends, classmates & teachers you are seeking.

If you are a military brat seeking friends from either domestic or overseas military bases, we would encourage you to visit the MILITARY-BRATS REGISTRY. This is an excellent free site which provides a tremendous service to the entire military brat community.

PLEASE NOTE: The links given above are neither endorsed, supported or recommended by the American Overseas Schools Historical Society, they are provided as a possible resource to assist those of you still searching for friends and classmates.

QUESTION: I attended an American Overseas School and would like to obtain a transcript of my grades but have no idea where to get one. Can you point me in the right direction?

ANSWER: If you attended a non-Department of Defense overseas American School, contact that school directly for transcript information. You can find the mailing addresses, phone and FAX numbers for many of these schools in the Links.html of this website.

If you attended a US Department of Defense Dependents School (DoDDS)/Office of Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) School; student records and transcripts may be requested from several different sources, depending upon the student’s last date of attendance or graduation date.

QUESTION: I no longer have my school yearbook/annual how can I obtain a copy of it?

ANSWER: Contrary to popular belief, yearbook publishing companies do not maintain a "file copy" of every yearbook they produce. We've checked with all of the major yearbook publishers and it's just not done.

While American Overseas Schools Archive (AOSA) has yearbooks in the archive as part of various memorabilia collections they are not available for loan and currently no archive staff or resources are available to make Xerox copies of them.

Future AOSA plans call for the scanning and copying of each school's yearbooks and making those copies available on CD Rom.

NOTE: This is just in the preliminary planning stages. This will be a huge task and no steps toward implementing this plan will be initiated until the building of the new archive and park complex is completed and opened to the public.

While the many of the American Overseas Schools still open maintain file copies of school yearbooks, in the administration office or in the school library; generally speaking they have no staff or resources available to make copies of yearbooks for former students.

Our best recommendation is that you contact your school's alumni association and see if someone who has a copy of the yearbook(s) you are seeking will make a Xerox copy for you.

You can find the mailing addresses, phone and FAX numbers; E-Mail Contacts; and Website Addresses for many alumni associations in the Links.html of this website.

QUESTION: I've lost my class ring. Is there any way I can obtain a replacement?

Generally speaking, if your school is still open and graduating students, you might be able to get a class ring. If your school is still in operation, your best bet is to send a note addressed to the current Senior Class Sponsor/Advisor and see if they would be agreeable to ordering a class ring for you with their next class order.

The class ring style would be that currently available, but many class ring companies will put any graduating year requested on the ring. This can involve an additional charge of $20 to $50.

PLEASE NOTE: 1) Current School Personnel are under no obligation to reply to your request, much less include you your class ring order with the current graduating class order. ALL YOU CAN DO IS ASK.

If you attended a non-Department of Defense overseas American School you can find the mailing addresses, phone and FAX numbers for many of these schools in the Links.html of this website.

If you attended a Department of Defense Education Activity of DoDDS school you can get mailing addresses, telephone numbers, FAX numbers, E-Mail Contacts and Websites for Department of Defense Education Activity Schools from the DODEA DIRECTORY

NOTE: If you are fortunate enough to get someone to help you…be sure you say "THANK YOU."

Current prices for a standard letter jacket run about $200. Several alumni groups have looked into having jackets custom made to reflect a jacket style prevalent from some period in their school's past. The information I have from those groups is that those custom letter jackets would cost IN EXCESS of $500.

Generally speaking, if your school is still open and graduating students, you MIGHT be able to get a letter jacket. If you are able to get one it would of course reflect the style currently available.

If your school is still in operation, you can send a letter addressed to the current School Athletic Director and see if they would be agreeable to ordering a letter jacket for you with their next school jacket order.

Make sure you send some documentation that you lettered with your request, i.e. a Xerox copy of your varsity letter certificate, Xerox of team photo from an annual with you identified on it. DO NOT say, " I was on the RHS 1973 Wrestling Team, if you don't believe it look it up in the yearbook. You should provide the proof up front.

PLEASE NOTE: 1) Current School Personnel are under no obligation to even answer your request or include your letter jacket order with the current school athletic department order. ALL YOU CAN DO IS ASK.

If you attended a non-Department of Defense overseas American School you can find the mailing addresses, phone and FAX numbers for many of these schools in the Links.html of this website.

NOTE: If you are fortunate enough to get someone to help you…be sure you say "THANK YOU."

QUESTION: I am interested in teaching or working at an American School Overseas. Where can I obtain information about employment opportunities at American Overseas Schools?

ANSWER: There are several places you can contact regarding employment with American Overseas Schools.

The US DEPARTMENT OF STATE maintains a comprehensive site at : http://www.state.gov/www/about_state/schools/
at this website you can find contact and background information on worldwide American-sponsored elementary and secondary schools overseas, current fact sheets on the 180 American international schools, and helpful job hunting links.
FOR EMPLOYMENT IN DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DEPENDENTS SCHOOLS IN EUROPE AND THE PACIFIC CONTACT: OFFICE OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY (ODODEA) Educator Recruitment Office
4040 North Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22203-1635 USA
Phone#: 703.696.3046 extension 2601
E-Mail: recruitment@dodea.edu
Or
Recruitment@hq.dodea.edu
Website: http://www.dodea.edu/pers

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATOR’S INSTITUTE (TIE)
P.O. Box 513
Cummaquid, Massachusetts 02637
Phone#: 508.362-1414
FAX: 508.362.1411
E-Mail: tie@copecod.net
Website: http://www.tieonline.com

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS SERVICES (ISS)
15 Roszel Road
P.O. Box 5910
Princeton, New Jersey
Phone: 609.452.0990
FAX: 609.452.2690
http://www.iss.edu/
E-Mail: iss@iss.edu

QUESTION: I was born overseas. Do you know how I can obtain a copy of my birth certificate

This page gives instructions for documentation of US citizens born abroad who acquire citizenship at birth. It includes information about the documents needed to obtain a birth certificate. You may also wish to visit the DEPARTMENT OF STATE CONSULAR RECORDS WEBPAGE. This page explains documentation of birth certification and how to obtain the appropriate documents needed to obtain a birth certificate.

For additional questions, you may also wish to speak directly with the experts at the Passport Correspondence Office, where birth certificate requests are processed. You can reach them at (202) 955-0307, and a clerk or caseworker will be pleased to assist you. You may also write to
them: U.S. Department of State
Passport Correspondence Office
1111 Nineteenth St., NW, Suite 510
Washington, D.C. 20524

If you are seeking a birth certificate for a person born in a U.S. state, please visit: CDC VITAL STATISTICS - BIRTH CERTIFICATES (click the letter for your U.S. birth state)

If you are seeking a birth certificate or other records for a person who is a citizen of another country, you will need to contact the government of that country for more information. Here are two sources where you can find links to embassies of foreign governments: EMBASSIES IN WASHINGTON D.C. and GOVERNMENTS ON THE WWW (includes links to embassies in many countries).

If you are located in the United States, there may be a foreign consulate or embassy in a city near you. For consulates and embassies in U.S. cities, please see: FOREIGN CONSULAR OFFICES IN THE UNITED STATES (includes outside D.C.).

Question: I am a former DoDDS/DoDEA Employee where can I obtain copies of my employment records?

When writing for specific documents or information to verify employment, the request must include:

1. Your full name used during the period of employment

4. Agency (DoDDS), dates and place of last employment

Question: I am a current DoDEA Employee where can I obtain a copy of my employment records?

This section contains questions and answers about: