After a time of devotions and then some excellent worship songs that centered on the adoration, the love of God, and dependence on the Lord! Ricky and Hannah Hannings did a very nice job leading us in our music worship time. Our HS Principal, Charlie Mooney, then projected all the names of our students (about 16 at a time) on the screen. It was so wonderful to hear brief, yet heartfelt prayers being shared for each of our students. After praying for 135 students, Tony Kuhn led us on a Prayer Walk throughout the school. Teachers, office staff, and headmaster had prepared specific prayer requests on their doors. Faculty and staff walked throughout all three floors and the new gymnasium praying over each room in groups 1 - 3 people! It was so exciting to hear the hearts of this wonderful group of teachers!
Teachers and staff begin to pray for individual students!
Here is one group of teachers during the prayer time for students. Some were looking at the screen and praying while others prayed aloud!
One teacher's prayer requests for her room!
Two teachers stopping to pray over a room!
So many stopped to pray for the library1
Another sample of a teacher's request list.
A couple teachers praying over a classroom!
I enjoyed reading these requests for our gymnasium...and praying
for them!
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Several began to actually use the tires to try to discover a good way
to accomplish our mission. Everyone kept offering advice and we
tried one of the suggestions. Found it didn't work so we went to
the next plan.
We son realized this way would not work either! :-)
Our final approach!
It worked and then things began to move more quickly as we continued sweating! :-) A lot of fun!
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Tuesday was a day of individual meetings and classroom set up time for most of the day. In the morning I had a session on our theme and our goals for 201617. We have chosen as our theme at ICS-P this year the following: "Putting on the full armor of God!" from Ephesians 6. Elementary school students will center in on this passage for their Chapel times. MS and HS teachers will be working through the themes throughout their classes. I am excited to see how God is going to work.
In the afternoon on Tuesday, teachers were given a lot of classroom and lesson planning time. Charlie, Tony, and I had an interview with a young lady who is interested in our Librarian's position for second semester. The current librarian, April Mooney is expecting a little one in late December. You can be praying for April as well as the right person to replace April.
My immediate supervisor, Pete Simano, Vice President of Leadership Development for NICS arrived on Tuesday for several days to work with me during this time of transition. It was a very profitable time! Pete is always a great encouragement to the directors as well as all of the teachers and staff. Pete came just in time to participate in three special events on Wednesday! First, in the middle of a very hot afternoon, the Member Care Coordinator for ICS-P, April Mooney, had arranged for an Ice Cream Social at 3:00! What a refreshing break that was! We enjoyed some very delicious ice cream with quite a variety of toppings + the teachers and staff continued to enjoy getting to know each other.
Staff and families gathering fro the Ice Cream Social!
Some of the families preparing their ice cream sundaes!
Another picture of the ice cream and some of the toppings!
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Then as all of us were leaving the school on Wednesday afternoon, we saw this small helicopter flying over the rice fields sending out spray over the rice crops. As we kept watching, we saw that it was being operated by remote control. I guess it was like a drone. I was only able to get a couple photos. I was hoping to get a video clip, but wasn't able to get my camera in time. so I had to capture a few images on my phone.
First picture of the spraying drone. A bit small.
I was able to capture the drone with a better focus on the second one.
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Pete and I then were invited to the home of the Business Manager of ICS-P, Mylene Haselman for a very yummy dinner and some great fellowship with Mylene
Above I am in "Mylene's Kitchen" with Mylene, Steve (her husband), and Pete. We had just finished our delicious dinner. Mylene is known for her excellent skills in the kitchen!
Our main dinner: Very tasty Fish, Wild Rice with Veggies, and Filipino Lumpia! Sooo good!
Dessert was amazing! Chocolate Pie with homemade
whipped cream in a meringue crust! The crust was
so delicious! I had never had a meringue crust and
this was simply yummy!!!
Not the best picture, but I was trying to get a view so that you could
see the meringue crust!
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Thursday brought lots of meetings for me throughout the entire day! I had a very profitable meeting with Pete and my administrative assistant, Mrs. Helen Lee in the morning. Helen is amazing and we just wanted to talk through some things and procedures. We both found it very profitable! 1:00 I met with one of the youth pastors in the area wanting to know how he and his church could help out at ICS-P. At 2:30 I was involved in a meeting with the Student Council advisors, Charlie, and Tony. They wanted to bring me up to speed on the various events that the Student Council sponsors. And then I had a meeting with a couple teachers concerning a school situation.
We had another awesome surprise for lunch on Thursday! Usually, the school goes out to a Korean restaurant to enjoy a typical Korean Meat Barbecue. Mylene recommended that we stay in and actually do a Korean Barbecue ar ICS-P for our staff. The three ladies in the kitchen got everything together and set up and it was really quite a feast! Many said they enjoyed it more than previous Korean Meat Barbecues at a Korean restaurant! The ladies did an amazing job!! Enjoy some pictures from the very tasty lunch!!
This was at each table for 3-5 people to share. It includes the grill, meat, and all of the side dishes + the always present soup and rice! It is soooo good!
Here I am with the two men who do SOOOOO MUCH for all of
us at ICS-P! Mr. Kim on the left and Mr. Song on the right!
I was sitting with this group when I wasn't going from table to table to get pictures, etc. Starting at the top left and going clockwise: Hannah Hannings (Spanish & ELD), Erin Han (T.A. for Kinder and Grade 1, and Laura Johnson (Grade 4 teacher).
Bottom Left going clockwise: Tina Cho (Kindergarten), Sara Lim
(Art), Anna Jacobo (Grade 3), Amanda Hunter (Grade 1), Ben Coyner
(Guidance Counselor), and Jenifer Kim (Music).
Bottom left going clockwise: Pete Simano (VPLD from NICS), Barry Wolfer (HS Bible), Ryan Kolbe (HS Social Studies/History), and Jon Greener (Science).
Bottom Left to right going clockwise: Mylene Haselman (Business
Manager), Rebecca Gaul (Math), Tia Guinn (Assistant Business
Manager), and Helen Lee (Administrative Assistant/Admissions)
Left to right: John Richards (Technology), Tony Kuhn (ES/MS Assistant Principal), and Jonathan Edwards (MS Math and Science).
From left to right going clockwise: Ricky Hannings (MS Social Studies),
Collin Thornton (HS English), Charlie Mooney (HS Principal/HS Bible),
and April Mooney (Librarian and Member Care)
The three awesome kitchen ladies! In the center is the head cook, Mrs. Okamoto . I am not sure yet of the other two ladies' names. :-(
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On Thursday evening, Pete wanted to treat me to dinner so we decided to go to Nazar Kebab that features middle eastern cuisine! Charlie had told me it was his favorite place and now I know why! It was soooo delicious and the price was good! We enjoyed a great time of discussion and laughter!
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After a lot of preparation by teachers, principals, staff, and GGG, ICS-P opened its doors for the parents and students to come for our Open House on Friday. Last year's staff wanted to try having the Open House between 9:00 and 12:00 and then from 1:00 to 4:00. There was a steady flow of parents and students coming through the doors! It was so much fun to meet students and parents and get to talk with them a bit. Our teachers did a great job with getting their rooms ready and having welcome letters, expectations, and other necessary items all ready for the parents. I loved watching all of the teachers as they interacted with parents and students, but especially enjoyed observing our new teachers! They were nervous, but so excited! It was a great morning and afternoon!
One of our new students, Boa, meeting the ICS-P Mascot, the Conqueror!
Several parents checking in to receive their handbook and yearbook +
get their locker key and bus information.
MS and HS students needed
to see the guidance Counselor to get a copy of their schedule.
This little angel slept in this little carrying container nearly one hour
while her brother and parents took care of items they needed to complete.
She is soooo cute!
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And, once again, the ladies in the kitchen began preparing AND delivering Patbingsu to each of the teachers, staff, and volunteers who had helped make the day a success. Patbingsu is one of my favorite refreshing Korean desserts. It is a shaved ice dessert with sweet toppings such as chopped fruit, condensed milk, fruit syrup, and Azuki red beans! Oh, it is sooooo good and so refreshing - especially on a very hot and humid afternoon!
This was my Patbingsu prior to me stirring all of the yummy ingredients together!!
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Here are a few prayer requests for the upcoming week:
1 - Pray for teachers as they make final preparations for the first day of school!
2 - Pray for our students as they return on August 15 for a new year of school at ICS-P!
3 - We had been planning to combine Grades 5 and 6, but as the enrollment numbers go up, we realize we need to separate these classes. On Monday, August 15, we will interview a candidate for the Grade 5 teacher position! Please be praying that we will be able to find the person God wants for this position.
4 - Also, our Librarian will only be with us for the first semester. Please be in prayer for the best replacement for Mrs. Mooney since she will need to take off for the birth of their little one.
5 - Thank you for praying for the NICS project I needed to complete by August 15. God has brought Mylene, Helen,Tony, Charlie, John, and Pete alongside me to be able to get it finished and sent to NICS on August 10 instead of the 15th!
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After n excellent service at the Exciting Dae Kwang Church on Sunday morning, I was invited to go along with the Collin Thornton family and Alexi Dather to try out a new restaurant right across the street from the church. The restaurant is called "Mom's Touch" and it specializes in chicken! The food was great and we enjoyed a great time of getting to know each other. Collin is married to a Chinese lady, Ami and has two delightful children. Collin will be teaching High School English this year at ICS-P. Alexi is our new 2nd Grade teacher at ICS-P. Here are two pictures; one normal and one silly! :-)
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I think I should stop for now. Thank you for continuing to share your love and care with me and for sending me emails and letters. Thanks for your prayers and support! You are so special to me. Enjoy a great week!
Love, Gregg
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