Saturday, August 3, 2013

One More Week and Then the Cherubs Return!!

New teachers to YISS have completed their week of orientation and were joined on Saturday at Noon at YISS to meet all of the returning teachers!  That is always an overwhelming experience for the new teachers, but it is great to see them getting to know our returning staff!  All staff orientation begins Monday morning and then the delightful cherubs come on Monday, August 12 for their first day of school.  This coming Friday we have New Parent/Student Orientation at YISS for all new families!  That is always exciting and then on Monday morning, August 12th, is our annual Boo Hoo Breakfast for Kindergarten parents and their children!  That is such a fun time!

This past week was filled with many sessions with our new teachers!  We also attempted to give them time to settle into their classrooms.  Each school had several individual meetings with our new teachers and I am really excited about our new staff in the Elementary School.  I will have pictures of them probably next week.  Below are a few pictures of some of the sessions with the entire group of new teachers to YISS.  Yes, there are some pictures of food!


One of the lunches provided for our
new staff!  Popeye's Chicken with the
trimmings!

 Another new teacher getting ready to enjoy a Popeye's lunch!!


They also enjoyed a Subway sandwich lunch
 with several side dishes!

The new teachers enjoying one of the lunches!

Chaplain Ben Horne sharing at one of the sessions
for our new teachers! Ben was explaining about the
three different chaplains in the three different 
schools at YISS!
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Saturday was such a fun day!  All of the YISS staff was back in Seoul and gathered in our refurbished auditorium to have everyone meet our new staff and welcome them.  It is such a blessing to work with such a wonderful and dedicated community of caring people!  Here are a few pictures of the day!

Some of the 125+ staff at the welcome in the auditorium.  Dr. Beeson, headmaster, was welcoming everyone and each of the school principals was introducing all of the new staff!

Then it was time to eat a most delicious
lunch!!  Here is part of abundant food -
both Korean and Western taste treats!

Some more of the yummy food!

And for dessert - homemade chocolate chip cookies
and fresh fruit!!  So refreshing and tasty!!

After lunch the High School Chaplain, Ben Horne, had prepared a great Scavenger Hunt for us!  We divided into groups of no more than 10 with at least one new staff member in each group.  Then we had to build a human pyramid and read 20 clues about various staff members.  After agreeing on the staff member, we then had to locate that person's classroom or office and take a picture.  We had 35 minutes to complete the task on a very hot and humid day!  Needless to say, we had so much fun and the YISS competitive spirit came shining forth!  We all were sweaty and probably smelly when we finished.  Above is our group's human pyramid with my buddy, Janet, on top!!
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Some of you love praying for our teachers!  Today at our all YISS staff "Welcome Back" Luncheon I took pictures of our grade teams.  I will be including more pictures of our Related Arts teachers but I was able to get pictures of each of the teams in our elementary grades K through 5 at the luncheon!  Thank you for praying for these delightful, creative, and dedicated teachers!!

Our Kindergarten Team! Left to right -Ms. Dyanne 
Wheat, Ms. Nancy McGinnis and Ms. Sarah Regnier!

Our Grade 1 Team! Clockwise from bottom left - Ms. Liz Ku, Mrs. Barb Thomas, Ms. Aubrey Bulkeley, and Mr. Simon Adams!

Our Grade 2 Team!  Clockwise from bottom left - 
Mrs. Debbie Gronski, Ms. Sun Moon, Ms. Esther 
Stair, and Mr. Aaron Bennett!

Making up our Grade 3 Team clockwise from bottom left: Mrs. Deb Biersteker, Ms. Kara Everett, Ms. Heidi Corbett, and Mrs. Melanie Herman!

The Grade 4 Team! Left to right - Mr. Craig Mooi,
Ms. Lynn Greaves, Mrs. Joy Parkhurst, and Mrs.
Krista Roll!

Our Grade 5 Team!  Left to right - Ms. Aimee Hughes, Ms. Shannon Bandy, and Mr. Jim Murphy!

This group includes some who are not in a regular
classroom.  Clockwise from bottom left - Mrs. Carol
Franck (Chaplain), Mrs. Bev Birmingham (Asst.
Elementary Principal), Mrs. Rachel Pallesen (Student
Learning Center), Mrs. Lori Palmer (Elementary
Full time Substitute), Ms. Helen Koh (ELL teacher),
and Mr. Dan Lazor (Principal) and his daughter,
Karina Rose!
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I have to include a few pictures of my little friend, Janet King!  I met Janet's parents at the NICS PFO (Prefield Orientation) in July 2010 right before coming to YISS.  Ron and Sheretta (her parents) and I became good friends and it was during this time.  Janet was born later in November after some difficult times, but she is a delightful and healthy girl.  Ever since her birth I have been trying to get her to smile and talk with me, but she wouldn't have anything to do with me. Saturday at the all Staff Luncheon and Scavenger Hunt, Janet came up to me and wanted to be on my lap, play horsey, talk to me non stop, and smile!!!  I was sooooo happy.  Her parents were so excited as well.  I now have a new buddy, Janet King!!




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Last Sunday after church and choir at New Harvest Ministry I had a wonderful respite at The Plaza Hotel in Seoul!  I almost forgot that I had won a raffle for a night's stay at this beautiful hotel near City Hall in Seoul.  When I was checking my material on my desk at home, I realized I had to use the certificate before July 31.  I called and was able to get a reservation for July 28.  It included breakfast at their wonderful Breakfast Buffet.  It was a delightful respite!  My wonderful friend, Yeongmin, was able to join me for a Pig's Feet (Jok Bal) dinner on Sunday evening.  We had a great dinner at a very famous restaurant in Seoul and a wonderful conversation.  Please keep praying for Yeongmin to come to know Jesus!

View from my room on the 14th floor
at the Plaza!

One of the two rooms in my room #1453!

This is on the second floor of the Plaza in the main
dining room.  It was not a clear day so you can't see
it clearly, but if you look though one of the windows
you see the old City Hall and then through the window
on the right you can see the new City Hall!

Yeongmin knows all of the great eating establishments in Seoul.  He came on Sunday evening and we went to this very famous Jok Bal (Pig's Feet) restaurant in Seoul.  This is part of the line waiting for a table.  Actually, the line went very quickly!

Here I am about ready to indulge in some very yummy
JokBal and all of the side dishes!  Oh...sooooo good!!

 Yeongmin and I enjoying our Jok Bal dinner!!

This was part of the huge Breakfast Buffet at the Plaza!!

This was my first plate at the Breakfast Buffet.  I will not tell you how many plates I had!  Please notice the FRESH whipped cream!!!  :-)
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Thank you very much for your continued prayers, encouragement, notes, love, and support!  This next week will be very busy as final preparations for the first day of school continue.  There are still a few things that need to fall into place for the Elementary After School Activities program. We continue to get rain and hopefully we will have a break soon so that the soccer field can be completed.

I leave you with a picture of one of our graduates from last year.  His name is Arnold Byun.  He just left this past week for New York University. Arnold will be working on his BS in Hospitality and Management at the Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports at NYU! Arnold was one of the first high school students I met at YISS when I came in July 2010.  Fro about 5 months Arnold thought I was Dr. Beeson, the Headmaster!  I had not realized this but one time he saw me talking with Dr. Beeson and asked, "Who was that man you were talking to?"  I said it was Dr. Beeson. Arnold said, "Oh, who is he?"  I told him that he was the Headmaster of YISS.  he could not believe it.  He thought I was the headmaster. :-)  Ever since that time, Arnold and I have become wonderful friends.  Please pray for this talented and creative and caring young man as he seeks to follow the Lord as he studies at NYU.

Here I am with Arnold at Suji's last Christmas.  We
have met several times and each time I am refreshed
by Arnold's passion and enthusiasm for helping others!

One of my favorite pictures of Arnold!  He
always has that great smile!!
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Please enjoy a wonderful week!  Keep praying for the sale of my home in Bensalem.  The realtor informed me that about 25 people have been shown the home but so far no offers.  It is in God's hands!

Love, Gregg

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