OK, you should have read in the email letting you know this post is ready concerning the decision that I have made for 2016-17. I am excited and would value your prayers as I make the transition. I will be sharing more in the future as soon as the YISS administration informs teachers and parents. Thank you, once again, for not posting anything on facebook or other social media concerning this decision. Thanks for praying.
This may be the last post I will write for 2015 (not sure yet) so I am going to make it as brief as possible and try to let the pictures do most of the talking. I am going to place the links for the three elementary concerts that I did not give you the link to as of yet. Here are the links for the Grades 1 & 2 concert, Grades 3 & 4 concert, and Grade 5 concert. The reason for this special season was made very clear to the "standing room only" audiences at each of the concerts! Here are the links where you can few each of the above-mentioned concerts when you have 30 minutes to an hour:
* Link for the concert for Grades 1 & 2:
* Link for the concert for Grades 3 & 4:
* Link for the concert for Grade 5:
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* Grade 2's Writing Celebration - On Tuesday morning the children in Grade 2 had a Writing Celebration to read the stories they had written on their favorite country. They have been working on writing non-fiction stories and it was so exciting to see how their writing is developing so well. Enjoy some pictures of this celebration on Tuesday:
Welcome sign in the MPR where Grade 2 set up its Writing Celebration for their Non-Fiction Writers!
This was part of the celebration assignment!
There were chairs set up all around the MPR and students would
go to various students to hear them read about the country they
had selected!
Our Library Media Specialist, Ms. Henspeter, listening to one of the second grade girls!
Love this picture! These boys are twins but in two
different sections of second grade. Here the one is
reading his book to his brother!
Another of my favorites! Noah was passionately reading his book to these three boys who were obviously very interested.
This young lady was so wonderful as she read her
story to me! She kept looking up to see if I was
listening to her! :-)
This is me with Jeffrey! He read it, but then wanted me to
read his book to him! :-)
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* Christmas Dress Down Day - Wednesday was a day when students and teachers were encouraged to come to school dressed in Christmas outfits and colors! Such a fun time. The kids and teachers loved it! Here are a few pictures of the kids and teachers.
One of the fourth grade boys with his Christmas
hat and his usual smile!
A little blurry but a weefie of Ms. Weir and GGG's Christmas fun stuff!
Ms. Weir again with two second graders with their Christmas sweaters and caps! If you look closely at Ms. Weir's sweater, it reads, "Elfie Selfie." It took some a long time to figure it out! :-)
Grade 2A teacher, Ms. Minor, arranged the back of her head hair to look like Rudolph! Very clever!
Grade 5D teacher, Mr. Benedict, with his Jingle
Bells' Beard! :-)
A weefie with Mrs. Roll. She wanted a picture of me with my Rudolph glasses!
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GGG in Grade 1B telling my story about my stuffed dog, Faith, and
one of her remaining puppies, Zippy, to the eager first graders!
After relating about Faith and Zippy and my parents, I read The Tiny
Star to these eager cherubs! They loved hearing this story which led
to the birth of Jesus. Lots of questions throughout and at the end!
Mrs. Miller, Grade 1B teacher, and GGG with these delightful cherubs! Some of you may recognize the little man on my right. That is George! He was the one who had the privilege of smearing a pie in my face last year at the Read-A-Thon! He absolutely loved it and we have built a great relationship. He says that he is already preparing a pie for my face again! :-)
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* Special Visits to the Elementary Office - There were a number of visits to the elementary office from various classes throughout the week. They came bearing cards and usually a song. The songs have been posted on facebook if you wish to hear them. I had visits from Grades KA, KB, KC, 2B, 3D, and 5D. I posted some music videos of 2B, 3D, and 5D on facebook. I was not present when KC stopped by so I have no pictures of their visit. Below are some pictures from the visits from KA and KB. I always love these special visits from the cherubs!
Here is KA in the Elementary Office singing a Christmas Carol for
the principals and Mrs. Yoo, our secretary! They were so cute!
Here I am with some of the KA students in the office. The little man to my right always greets me every morning with his big smile and dancing eyes. His name is Eli and he was the one chosen to give me the Christmas Card, a photo of KA around the YISS Christmas tree, and the little art work I am holding that they had made for me.
The Chrismas card and the photo of KA at the Christmas tree!
KB also came for a visit to the office. Here they are with their teacher, Ms. Han. They wanted to do a silly Christmas pose! :-)
They also presented me with some cards they had made! Here are
two that made me almost laugh out loud, but I controlled it until
they left the office! So cute!
Three more cards with interesting spellings of "Mr. Garman." :-)
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* Friday Christmas Assembly - We also closed the week on Friday with a Christmas Assembly for all of the 460 elementary students in Kinder through Grade 5. Lots of great Christmas music, skits, a fun version of The Twelve Days of Christmas where each grade, the teachers, and the principals each had a part. The kids loved it. Our small group of fifth graders who took the Grade 5 orchestra after school activity in Quarter Two performed. Our elementary chaplain announced the final total for our Elementary Walk-A-Sock-A-Thon back at the end of October. Our students raised a grand total of 10,313,560 KRW by collecting only 100 Won coins. In USD that is about $8,800! The kids were so excited since that money will be given to an organization in Cambodia called Rahab's House. They are working to stop the sex trafficking and slavery among the Cambodian children and young teens and giving them a school to learn about the Lord.
Music Teacher for Grades K-2, Ms. Weir, had a group of young
cherubs come up to show the motions for one of their favorite
Christmas concert songs, The Best Present Ever! It was great to
hear all 460 kids singing this lively song about Jesus in the assembly!
The kids were really excited when Ms. Johnson, Elementary
Chaplain, projected the total amount of Korean Won that the kids
collected for our Walk-A-Sock-A-Thon!
I was really proud of this small group who performed in the Christmas Assembly. There were four fifth graders in this After School Activity in Quarter Two, but one was not able to be present at Friday's assembly. They still performed and Ms. Ohnstad, our high school orchestra teacher sat in and played with them.
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One of the difficult things at an international school is that families come and you become very close and then they are assigned to another country and have to leave. Friday, one of the families who arrived shortly after I arrived at YISS came into the office to inform us that they had been reassigned. They spoke so highly of the school and all their two children grew in their education as well as their character because of the teachers and administrators. Their son is in Grade 5 this year and the daughter is in 9th grade and both are taking this departure very hard - especially the daughter. Thank you for praying for them as they adjust to a new school. Please pray that what they heard about Jesus will take root in their young lives.
Here are Mr. and Mrs. Kidwai on Friday with Mrs. Krista Roll and me in the Elementary Office. They came to get the withdrawal papers and proceeded to share with Krista and me how difficult it is for them to leave YISS where their two children have had such a great experience. They invited us to visit them and they said there would always be a place to stay when would come to visit them in their home country. Thanks for praying for this lovely family!
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You continue to be very special to me! Thank you for your love, care, encouragement, prayers, and support. I trust that you and your family and friends will enjoy a very meaningful Christmas this year!
Love, Gregg
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