Giessen ES History
Opened: 1946
Closed: 2007
Giessen Elementary School, formerly Giessen American Dependent School, was one of the original schools opened in Germany after World War II. The school was initially part of the Frankfurt district. The first school had students in grades one through eight.
The principal for the 1954-55 school year was Roger F. Luce, and there were 440 students in grades K–8.
The school became two schools, Giessen Elementary and Giessen Junior High, for the 1971-72 school year even though they were still housed in the same building. For the next four years the enrollment fluctuated from less than 400 students to almost 600 in kindergarten through sixth grade.
A new elementary school was completed in 1978. All the classrooms were carpeted and had retractable walls which would accommodate a variety of teaching/learning styles. In addition to the classrooms, the elementary school had a media center, teachers’ lounge, teachers’ workroom, and a large multipurpose room which was built to accommodate physical education programs, drama, and a cafeteria. The multipurpose room also supported community activities in the evenings. A spacious supply room, conference room, records room, and a large, grassy and hardtop outdoor play area were also part of the school complex.
In 1981-82 the elementary school had an enrollment of approximately 700 students in grades kindergarten through six. The faculty had twenty-five classroom teachers, a guidance counselor, and specialists for speech therapy, compensatory education, learning development, physical education, and host nation. A school nurse and school psychologist were shared with the junior high school.
For the 1985-86 school year, the elementary school became a K–5 school, and the sixth graders were relocated to the middle school. Later in the decade, there were eight classrooms located in relocatable buildings adjacent to the main building.
By the mid-nineties the enrollment at the elementary school had dropped to about 340 students. The school had fourteen classroom teachers, a guidance counselor, school nurse, media specialist, host nation teacher, and specialists for compensatory education, learning development, English as a Second Language, art, music, physical education, and Talented and Gifted. Dr. Ora Flippen Casper was the principal from 1995-1997. During this time the middle school was closed and the sixth grade returned to the elementary school.
During the nineties, school activities included an annual Volksmarch, field trips to local Christmas markets, the yearly Black History Brain Bowl, and visits from the Star Lab. Students could participate in clubs for yearbook production, song and dance, drama, science, and homework. The school had a Peer Mediation Team and Safety Patrol.
Mr. David Russell became the principal for the 1998-99 school year and remained at the school until the end of the 2001-02 school year. Under his leadership, the school sponsored visits from a Russian choir, celebrated Hispanic Heritage, and participated in the D.A.R.E. and Red Ribbon programs. The elementary school was known as “The Home of Friendly Tigers”. The enrollment ranged from 275 to 340 students in grades Sure Start through six.
Ms. Barbara Muellar was the principal from 2002–2007. The school held its first spelling bee during the 2002-03 school year, and the Tiger News Team presented the morning announcements. New school clubs included Young Authors, story tellers, math, and book groups.
When the school closed in 2007, the enrollment was about 250.
Information from DOD School information guides, school yearbooks, and military webpages