Class, please say hello and welcome Ora Flippen-Casper, the new principal at Alconbury Elementary School. This Department of Defense Dependents Schools veteran just touched down in England and is adjusting to life outside Germany and at a new school.

So welcome to England! Tell us a bit about where you’re coming from and how you ended up in the U.K.

I’m coming from Germany, at Dexheim Elementary. The school closed because the unit deactivated, and I fulfilled my six-year period there.

When did you get to England?

The fourth of August.

Was it much of an adjustment for you?

It was, mainly driving on the left side of the road with a steering wheel on the right. And driving around on the roundabouts. It’s just different.

So what do you think of England compared to Germany?

Some areas are similar as far as the landscape. It’s pretty, and there’s a lot of history here. It’s a different experience.

How long had you been in Germany?

Since 1982, but it was in different schools.

Are there any unique challenges to being an educator within the DODDS system?

Deployment can have an impact among the children. We try to have normalcy for them. We want to make sure the children get not only the education but a good social environment as well. Being overseas is a different and unique experience.

Any other initial impressions now that you’re settled in here?

It’s a fantastic school and staff, with great support from the parents. It’s a pleasure for me. I didn’t know what to expect, just like the kids. But it’s all of us working together as a family to meet the same goal.