DoDDS-Europe, Isles District

Gary Gerstner is an Assistant Superintendent for the Isles District. Mr. Gerstner holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Education from Edinboro University in Pennsylvania. He earned Master’s in Education from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He also has completed extensive coursework in education from Boston University and the University of Maryland.

Mr. Gerstner began his teaching career in Cecilia, Louisiana. His work as an educator with the Department of Defense Dependent Schools began in 1986 as a teacher and coach in Karlsruhe, Germany. After four years in Karlsruhe, he began his administrative career as an Education Program Manager at Schweinfurt Elementary School in Germany. After two years there he moved to Ankara, Turkey to serve as the Education Program Manager for the Ankara Unit School. A year later in 1993, Gary was named the Assistant Principal at the Bahrain Unit School. In the summer of 1995, he was named the Assistant Principal of Naples American High School in Naples, Italy. Gary left DoDDS in 1997 to become the principal of St. Francis de Sales School in Houma Louisiana. St. Francis was an elementary school of 850 students in grades PK-7. In 2001, he reentered federal service with the Department of Defense Dependent Schools system as the Principal of Yokota High School in Japan. Gary is an active member of the Military Child Education Coalition, the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Gary has always placed the needs of students first in his decision-making. He believes that the first priority for students in our schools is learning. He strongly supports all goals in the Community Strategic Plan with a high emphasis on achievement for all students. He believes the key to high achievement is a solid partnership between students, parents, teachers, and military communities.

Awards and Recognitions:

• Pacific Area Director’s Administrative Representative,Pacific Area Advisory Council.
• Vice Chair, Kanto Plains Association of Secondary Schools Principals.
• Japan District Superintendent’s Principal Representative, Far East Activities Council Education Committee Chairperson,
• Houma-Terrebonne Parish Chamber of Commerce President, Houma-Terrebonne Soccer Association
• Louisiana Soccer Association Board, Member at Large