Long Hours of Preparation for the Cherubs!!

What a busy week!  When you are not used to having so many new staff - especially an entire new Administration Team, you can easily forget how much work it takes to prepare new staff for the opening of a school year.  And then you add to that the return of veteran staff, it is a delightful challenge to get everyone on the same page!  I am excited with our staff this year! I believe it will be a great year of allowing students to see Jesus!  Thank you for your prayers as we continue with transitions and getting things all set for students on Monday, August 11th!

I would like to show you a picture of our amazing YISS staff for 2014-15!  This is most of them, including our Korean staff in the Facilities and Business Departments.  I love them!

All Staff Orientation continued throughout this past week until Friday when we were greeted by new students and their parents for New Student and Parent Orientation sessions.  Each morning of the week the YISS staff met for prayer and devotions.  This was followed by numerous sessions to instruct us in changes in procedures or handbook policies + school level meetings + classroom time for teachers to prepare their rooms.  The elementary teachers especially appreciated these prep times in the classrooms.  Our 4th and 5th grade teachers needed this time even more than others since they had all new rooms to set up.  These classes will be on the third floor of the expansion week that was built a year and a half ago.  Last year Grades 1 and 2 moved to the second floor and the music teachers moved the B1 level of this new building.  The 4th and 5th grade students are going to be very happy as each of them will have her/his own real locker!!

Four of our elementary staff led all us in our music worship this past week for Staff Orientation.  Left to right: Simon Adams (1C), Bev Birmingham (Principal), Kara Everett (3C), and Lynn Greaves (4C).

  A picture of some of our staff last week enjoying a 

    time of singing and devotions to begin each day!

Elementary Staff at one of our Elementary orientation sessions last week! Clockwise: Aubrey Bulkeley (ELL), Shauna Weir (K-2, Music), Ellie Moncada (5B), Jamie Buster (Phys. Ed.), Maggie Sitton (3A), Lauren Dean (4A), and Lynn Greaves (4C)!

Some more of our elementary staff at one of our lunches:       

Clockwise: Natasha Spiers (K/1 Art & Ell), Kara Minor (2D), 

Itiel Sarmiento (4B) , & Karen Henspeter                 

(El. Media Specialist)!                              

Sarah Regnier (KA) and Nilton Resende (El. Phys. Ed.).  Mr. Resende is from Brazil and is still getting over his country's defeat in the World Cup Soccer! :-)

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One note about our elementary staff! During the past week one of our new teachers for Grade 5A realized that with everything else in his life right now, he didn't feel he could handle teaching Grade 5.  After many meetings, counseling, and prayer God provided a replacement for this this teacher. One of our Student Learning Center teachers, Mr. Williamson, will begin as the Grade 5A teacher at YISS this year.  We are not sure how long Mr. Williamson will be able to continue in this role, and your prayers are very much appreciated.  The Grade 5A teacher is the one who teaches Math to all three 5th grade sections.  Mr. Williamson's strength is Math and he knows the elementary program and many of the children in the elementary school.  I believe he will be a great fit until we are able to find a full time grade 5 teacher.

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All of the preparations continued throughout the week culminating with the New Student and Parent Orientation sessions on Friday!  Friday was a LONG day for our staff and several are fighting colds. I know they would value your prayers as they prepare to begin on Monday, August 11.  I love when the students return!  That's why we have school - because of the kids!  I enjoyed meeting many of our new parents and their children!  Here are some pictures from Friday's tiring, yet exciting, day!

Sign that greeted students and parents on Friday in the YISS reception area!

One of the many locations set up in the large reception

area at YISS to assist new families in registering for

  various things in order to be officially registered!

Above our headmaster, Mr. Ray Johnson, and the PTO President, Mrs. Jinhee Ra, confer during New Student Orientation with a parent about involvement in the very active PTO at YISS.

Most of our elementary teaching staff sitting at the front of the   

YISS auditorium waiting for the 4:30 Elementary New Student   

and Parent Orientation session.  I love this group of educators!   

This is the group of parents and children gathering for the orientation session.  By the beginning time of 4:30, the main floor of the auditorium was packed with new cherubs and their parents!

It is never easy to say "Hasta la Vista" to students 

  and families who have to leave YISS for their 

 next assignment.  Above are Ashley and Violet

  Welchel with me at New Student Orientation.  

Their Daddy, who has been so active as a volunteer

  at YISS, made a point to stop by to say goodbye

 on Friday.  They left for the USA on Saturday. I

         am going to miss this family so much!

Right after I said goodbye to Ashley and Violet, I was cheered up by my wonderful friend in the high school, Raphael!!  We have developed a great relationship and he is such a great young man!

Raphael was joined by Joshua and we had a great talk.  They are 

both returning students, but were at YISS on Friday to play      

basketball in the YISS gym.  They were quite sweaty and were    

wanting some of the left over chocolate chip cookies that were    

still out from the New Student Orientation.  We enjoyed some    

cookies and a great conversation!  Thanks for praying for these   

guys!  They make me smile so much!!                       

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A number of the YISS staff are in fellowship at New Harvest Ministry as their home church in Korea.  Last Sunday after church, I was invited by Roger and Pam DeHart to go to lunch at a Japanese restaurant in Gangnam.  Roger teaches High School Science and Pam teaches Elementary Art.  We had a great time of catching up on our visits to the States this summer and talking about the upcoming school year.  Their daughter, Ciera (a YISS sophomore) and another YISS high school teacher, Jonatas Cavani, joined us for the yummy lunch!

Here I am with the DeHarts and Jonatas enjoying a very tasty Japanese lunch after church last Sunday!

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Usually on Saturday mornings I head out to a nearby Starbucks to enjoy some coffee and work on writing my post for this blog and catch up on emails, etc.  When I finished around 11:30, I left and was heading to do some grocery shopping and saw two Korean university students racing across the crosswalk in order to get to me before I left.  As I was leaving Starbucks, they came running up to me and asked very politely, and with a big smile, if they could interview me for a class assignment. I get stopped often for this purpose and when I ask why they chose me, almost always I get an answer similar to the one Jake (my interviewer) gave me this morning, "We thought you looked so handsome and had a kindly expression." I usually respond, "Perhaps you need to have your eyes examined." After thinking a little, most will usually laugh and say, "Oh no, we can see OK!" Jake said it would be a 3 minute interview. About 15 minutes later, we finally said goodbye. 

Here I am with Jake following the interview.  He got very interesting during the interview when I mentioned that I was an assistant elementary principal at YISS and taught English and Bible to Korean university students for two years.  He wants to meet again and treat me to lunch and talk more.  I still think Jake and his girl friend (who was videotaping) need their eyes checked; Jake thought I was 50; the young lady thought 53.  I love them both!! :-)  Please pray that I may have another opportunity to share with them.

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As I close this week, I would like to ask you to pray for our Cambodia Team from New Harvest Ministry as the go to Phnom Penh, Cambodia from August 16 - 24.  Below is a picture of their prayer card.  Thanks for praying when you think of them.

Enjoy a wonderful week!  Thank you very much for your encouragement, love, notes, prayer, and support!

Love, Gregg