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It was a shortened week because of the Lunar New Year holiday. On Friday we had an Early Release at 11:30 and then spent time as a faculty working on curriculum planning and final preparation for our accreditation visit in March. Teachers and students were eager for the three-day respite!
During this shortened week so much had to be accomplished. After School Activities continued its second week of Quarter Three, and I began planning for Quarter Four After School Activities. I had two brief meetings with the person who will be taking over the Elementary After School Activities Program. After the first meeting, he was not sure he should have agreed to take this over. He found out that there is much more to it than he, or most people, realized. :-) Please pray as we continue to make the transition of the program to this staff member. Pray also that in the middle of the busy two weeks of New Directors' Training and the NICS Annual Leadership Conference in Southaven, Mississippi, I will be able to make time for working through everything that needs to be accomplished for Quarter Four for the ASA Program. Just a reminder I will be in Mississippi from February 13 through February 26, heading back to Seoul on February 27 but actually arriving in the evening of February 28 in Seoul. Pray especially for the 10 hours that I will have in Detroit between flights from Seoul to Memphis.
I really enjoy watching the kids create their Ceramics projects in the Ceramics After School Activities. Here are a couple pictures of some of the cherubs at work this past week.
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We continued to interview candidates for elementary teacher positions at YISS during this week. We had several via Skype and one face-to-face. Please pray as offers are made to candidates and that God will bring us those teachers He would like to see at YISS. I also continued to work on several reading projects for my transition to ICS-P. I met with my wonderful friend, Tony Kuhn, on Saturday morning at the Original Pancake House to discuss many transition items. Please continue to pray as things continue to come together. Tony and I got so involved in our discussions that I forgot to get you pictures of the yummy food we enjoyed. :-( You are probably happy about that! :-)
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February at YISS is the month that we focus on standing up for what is right especially when there is bullying going on. It has been exciting to see students and teachers throughout the entire YISS community getting involved in this through various projects, discussions, skits, etc. Here are some pictures of some of the students and staff making a statement to "Stand up and be a Guardian!" In other words, stand up and do what is right! (For those who do not remember, the Guardian is our school's mascot.) We want this time especially to be a time when our students and staff "Stand Up" by creating a safe and caring community where everyone feels included.
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Throughout the week, we were also preparing for our annual Read-A-Thon that begins on February 12 with an opening assembly to encourage our elementary kids to continue their passion for reading good books. Our Ed Tech teacher in the Elementary School, Mr. Chan, has been working with students, teachers, and principals on a video that will be shown on Friday, February 12. The actual reading by students will begin on February 15 and go through March 6. The kids LOVE this event and really get into it. This year's theme is "Reading is Your Ticket to Adventure." Teachers and Principals have been sharing books that take students on an adventure, the main adventure book we are highlighting is the Bible. It has been fun helping to prepare the video and I am glad I will be able to be present at least for the opening assembly. I will miss one of my favorite days - Pajama and Pancake Day! The kids love this and so do the teachers and staff. All are encouraged to wear pajamas to school and we work with the catering service that provides lunch at YISS to have a breakfast for lunch! The kids love it! I love breakfast and could have it as my meal three times a day! It should be a great Read-A-Thon!
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Two exciting events finished off the week at YISS this past week! On Thursday, two kindergarten classes, KB and KC, had their Publishing Parties. I love these! Administrators and parents are invited to come to the Publishing Parties to sit with Kinder cherubs as they read the stories they have written and illustrated. I is so much fun to see how they have improved in their writing and their oral presentation skills! The Kinder kids love it and this time they were writing non-fiction stories.
I loved this little group gathered around the little man in red as he
read the story he wrote! They look so focused on his story!
This is Gavin reading to me. This was a quite an interactive reading as Gavin would stop to see if I had questions. And he answered each one of them! He is such a bright young man. After we have one of the cherubs read to us, we are supposed to write a note of encouragement on a post-it. Gavin was very particular where he wanted me to place my post-it! :-)
Mrs. Roll listening to the little man in red as
he reads with great expression using verbal and
non-verbal communication as he reads!
This is my buddy, Emerson! He greets me every time he sees me with this huge smile. He is always smiling. I call him Smiley! He loved reading to me and he loved it that I picked up the stuffed lion to listen to him read, too.
After Smiley finished reading, I wrote a note of encouragement to him on a post-it. I asked him to read it to me. That's what he's doing in the picture with his nice smile. Look at all those post-its!!
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On Friday morning, one of our ELL (English Language Learners) teachers, Mr. Lantz, invited the principals and teachers who were available to come to the B1 Cafeteria to listen to nine ELL students from Grade 2 who had been working on persuasive presentations in English. They had created fictional communities and were told that investors would be coming to listen to their persuasive presentations. If the presentations were good, the investors would write a check to them for $1,000,000! (Ahead of time, Mr. Lantz had asked each of us to get excited about a certain student's presentation and when the bidding began, each of us would get really excited and say we wanted to invest in our particular student's community.) I was so impressed with the growth in the English language by these students! One girl, Tiny, could speak maybe 3-5 words in English and she was AMAZING! I wanted to really give her a real check for $1,000,000! She wowed all of us! Mr. Lantz has done a superb job with these students and I was thrilled with all of the presentations. I was VERY impressed! Here are some of the students. I think you will see the joy in their faces when they heard from each of the "investors" what a fantastic job they had done.
I was almost crying joyful tears as Tiny made her persuasive
presentation! This is Mrs. Roll listening to her superb presentation!
Grade 2B teacher, Ms. Buster, listening and questioning Angel during her presentation, "Angel's World."
I was also very impressed with the presentation by Felix. Here he
is presenting persuasively to his ELL teacher, Mr. Lantz.
This is my buddy, Sushi. He is from Vietnam and I just love how he has grown in his English. Sushi was the presenter that I was chosen to give my million dollar check to. Her I am presenting him with his check. Just so you know, the kids did not get legal checks, but they did get 10 points for their House Team. Sushi and I are on the same House Team, the BLUE team. We were both very happy!
Grade 2A teacher, Ms. Minor, with her presenter she gave her
million dollar check to. Angel was so happy!
Mrs. Roll was selected to give her check to Tiny! Tiny was soooo thrilled. All of the kids - even those in the second group of presenters did a fantastic job!
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I want to leave you with two special happenings that happened on Sunday. First, when I arrived at New Harvest Ministry (where I fellowship on Sundays), I was greeted by Joshua, a YISS student who is now in 7th grade. He was in my Discipleship group when he was in 5th grade. I continue to see him grow in his faith. Joshua and his parents began fellowshipping at NHM back in September and today he was greeting people as they came into the auditorium. He welcomed them so nicely and offered a piece of candy while wishing them a Happy New Year since this week Korea celebrates Lunar New Year.
Once again, I want to thank you for your encouragement, love, care, notes, emails, prayer, and support. I would really appreciate your prayers and encouragement during this month of February!
Here I am with Joshua after I was greeted by him and entered the church auditorium. Joshua's mother took the photo and she was so excited that the picture was a bit blurry. :-) Continue to pray for Joshua as he continues to grow in his walk with the Lord. I continue to meet unofficially with him and he keeps me posted on what is happening in his life.
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Second, when I arrived home, there was an email from the father of three boys who were at YISS for several years before Dad was relocated back to the Washington, DC area where he has a position that is a high security one. He can't even tell you what he does. :-) I really admire him. He has been a single Dad for some time and continues to treasure each moment he has with his sons. They sent me an email with New Year greeting and several pictures. I sure do miss this family. Here are a couple pictures from a recent trip they had taken to New York City. The boys are growing up rapidly!
Joey, Tommy, and Michael with their Dad!
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Once again, I want to thank you for your encouragement, love, care, notes, emails, prayer, and support. I would really appreciate your prayers and encouragement during this month of February!
Love, Gregg
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