By Jessica Lonero
USAG Stuttgart Public Affairs Intern
Last week at Patch Elementary School, our newest students celebrated a long-held German tradition known as Einschulung. This milestone marks the beginning of a child’s formal education, where each student is presented with a Schultüte (Shool-too-ta) a school cone filled with treats and supplies. The tradition dates to 1810 and continues to be a cherished way of welcoming children on their school journey.
As the mother to one of these kindergartners, this warm event makes Patch Elementary School feel like a second home. While the event was primarily held by the Patch Elementary Parent Teacher Association, community leaders and Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) staff all came together to celebrate alongside them.
We were honored to welcome U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart Commander Col. Edward J. Sanford, Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Melendez, and School Liaison Brian Pappas. Adding to the warm atmosphere were the familiar, friendly faces our children see every day— Principal Dr. Dr. Vitania Quinones-Quinland and Vice Principal Mark-Alexander Pieper.
As this year’s event coordinator, I arrived at the school bright and early, 6:50 a.m. We got to work setting up benches and chairs and to my surprise, Col. Sanford entered the multi-purpose room ready to lend a hand. I wasn’t expecting Col. Sanford until just before the start of the ceremony. Talk about community! As we worked to get the final touches set, he mentioned how meaningful these cones are. “Not only is our community giving supplies and treats to the kids, but there are also gifts we don’t see, the invisible gifts of time and presence,” he said.
And he was absolutely right. There is so much quiet value in volunteering— in simply showing up— and the lasting impact that presence has on others.
Over the years, the Einschulung program has become an important event to me. There is real value in adopting this host-nation tradition, not only as a nod to our German hosts, but to welcome families both old and new. Hosted by the PTA in partnership with our wonderful kinder team, the program has blossomed into an event where new friendships are made, and bonds between families form and bonds between families are made stronger.
Personally, I have given my time to the event over the past few years because welcoming newcomers to our community and to the Patch Elementary School family brings such joy. Our small community is filled with big personalities and beautiful talent, you never know how your invisible gift may impact the ones around you. The more we come together, the stronger and brighter our community will be, so I encourage everyone to find their passion in the community and jump in.
Dr. Quinland closed the ceremony with a warm welcome to our new kindergartners and their families. She reminded all of us that “Learning is an adventure, and we’re going to have so much fun on this adventure together!”
That is the spirit I encourage all our families to carry forward. Our overseas journey is an adventure for all of us but especially for our little ones who get to form lifelong memories around our host nation’s traditions from an early age. I am so excited to see what this year holds for my kids, and I look forward to volunteering alongside both old friends and new.
Here’s to a school year filled with growth, learning, and wonderful memories for our children. Welcome to the adventure, Patch Elementary School Class of 2038!
Jessica Lonero is a military spouse and mother of three sharing perspectives from life abroad.