I want to show you some pictures that our Business Manager, Mylene Haselman, took the past week or so. This is what our students and teachers get to experience right from their classroom windows each and every day. It is so much fun to observe the various steps of rice planting, growing, and harvesting throughout the year. Very interesting! At YISS, one would never see this beautiful process from classroom windows in Seoul.
_______________________________________________
As plans progress for our High School graduation on June 3, the office staff prepared our entry lobby bulletin board with a tribute to our graduating seniors. On Monday, as students came to school, they were greeted by the following bulletin board. It was also there for the students who come to ICS-P to take their AP Placement Exams. ICS-P is a test center for the AP Placement Exams so we are able to offer our school to many students from other schools. Our testing room is in our new gymnasium and as outside students come to take the exams, they always are excited to see our gym since most of them come from schools that do not have a gym. As you look at the photos of our graduating seniors below, please pray for them as you can as they leave to pursue their university/college education. You will notice a number of logos of colleges and universities as a framework for the seniors' photos. These are the colleges and universities that these students were accepted to attend. Obviously, they will not go to all of them. :-)
Our High School Seniors at ICS-P! They will graduate on Saturday, June 3!
__________________________________________
In addition to celebrating our seniors, our Librarian, Mrs. TiNa Lee, organized a Library Book Sale. Students, teachers, and parents could bring in their used books in good condition for the sale! Mrs. Lee wasn't sure if a lot of books would be collected or not. For a small school, we collected over 800 books! Students could receive a coupon for a free book with every 10 books they brought in for the Sale. For our first one, and with not too much prior notice, the Library was able to profit over $350 (USD)! Mrs. Lee was very happy! She had set up various stations in our basement gym for students to use while others from their class browsed the books for sale. Prices ranged between $.50 and $2.00 for the books. The kids loved it and we had a number of parents visit and buy as well as families who do not have children at the school.
Our Librarian, Mrs. Lee, with one of our parents and PTA officers, Mrs. Plaza, getting ready to welcome students to the Library Book Sale.
One of the displays Mrs. Lee set up in the Basement Gym.
Another display area with many books for the students and parents
to purchase at very low prices.
And another display area.
And one more!
Here are some kindergarten cherubs in one of the learning centers. They could go here after purchasing their books.
Some 3rd graders sharing their book
purchases.
One of my favorite pictures! Antonio purchases a book and found this little reading corner on some of the gym mats! He was enjoying his "new" book!
____________________________________________________
On the first day of the Library Book sale, the elementary students and teachers were encouraged to dress up as one of their favorite book characters and carry the book in a mini-parade outside the school as well as inside the school. Our office staff and I had the privilege of voting for the ones who had the most creative costume for the book they were carrying. It was a lot of fun! I am sorry I could not get as many photos as I would have liked, but I had to be prepared for each grade of students coming through so that I could select my choices for the most creative.
These cherubs all selected the same book and character! :-) Here they are enjoying one of the book stations at the Library Book Sale!
parade through the office! Do you know what character and book
In the middle of this busy week on Wednesday, I had to travel to Korea International School (KIS), about 55 km north of ICS-P, for our KAIAC (Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference) Directors' meeting. Usually, I take a bus and subway to YISS and travel to these meetings with my friend and colleague, Ray Johnson. But on Wednesday I needed to drive on my own. I was told that there is one turn that most everyone misses - at least the first time - when they drive to KIS. So, because of my father's blood in me, I left at 6:30 AM from my home to travel to KIS, which takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes according to those who had traveled there before, for the meeting that began at 9:30 AM. My trusty GPS was working so well and I was moving along very nicely on the not-so-crowded highways and only had about 30 minutes to go according to the GPS. That was at 7:15 AM. Well, shortly after that, I must have missed a turn although I did not see any place to turn. :-( The wonderful lady on the GPS kept saying, "Route recalculation!" After going through about 7 mountain tunnels somewhere in Korea, I pulled off and turned off the car, prayed, and turned the car back on. The route came up and I was not close to KIS. The GPS began working and I was able to get back on the right roads and I pulled into KIS at 9:15 AM. Thank you, Daddy, for teaching me to allow EXTRA time in travel, especially when it is my first trip to a place. :-) We had a nice meeting with many of the Directors from other Korean international schools. After the meeting, I headed back to Pyeongtaek and going back, the GPS and I had no problem. I made it back in one hour and 10 minutes and no mountain tunnels!! :-)
Friday was a very busy day at ICS-P! The morning began with our Friday Staff Meeting and Devotions in the Library. I was able to inform the staff that their payslip for Thursday as well as their last pay slip in June will be full pays! I asked them to be praying that uncollected tuition fees for this past month would all be collected so that we would be able to pay back the 8 other pays that had the 10% reduction in salary. Thank you for praying for this as well. I am really praying that God will provide the necessary funds to reimburse all staff the 10% reduction for these 8 pay slips.
I had been invited by our HS Social Studies and History teacher, Mr. Kolbe, to come to his 4th period Psychology class to share about middlescence and my experience with that period of life. I really had never heard that term used before, but I found out before the class that middlescence is "the middle-aged period of life, especially when considered a difficult time of self-doubt and readjustment." I asked the class what they thought the ages of middlescence are. One said, "40 - 50 years of age," another said 40 - 65. I asked them how old they thought I was. Most were very kind, and when I said I was 68, they did not want to believe it. Well, I had a delightful time with these high school students sharing about experiences and things I learned and had to adjust to during this middlescence period of my life. They were so attentive and later many said they really enjoyed what I shared. One said, "We really like that you are so honest and genuine with us when you share." Please pray for these young high schoolers. I shared about my faith in Christ and how I was impacted greatly by my parents and siblings and accountability friends. I am grateful for this experience with these ICS-P students.
she is portraying? :-)
Another view of Mrs. Cho's cherubs outside my office.
Grade 1 cherubs with their costumes and books along with Ms. Lee,
Teacher Assistant. Ms. Hunter, Grade 1 teacher is hiding in this picture.
Here is Ms. Hunter, Grade 1 Teacher. Can you guess her book? :-)
Here are Ms. Dather and her Grade 2 cherubs!
____________________________________________________
______________________________________________
Friday was a very busy day at ICS-P! The morning began with our Friday Staff Meeting and Devotions in the Library. I was able to inform the staff that their payslip for Thursday as well as their last pay slip in June will be full pays! I asked them to be praying that uncollected tuition fees for this past month would all be collected so that we would be able to pay back the 8 other pays that had the 10% reduction in salary. Thank you for praying for this as well. I am really praying that God will provide the necessary funds to reimburse all staff the 10% reduction for these 8 pay slips.
I had been invited by our HS Social Studies and History teacher, Mr. Kolbe, to come to his 4th period Psychology class to share about middlescence and my experience with that period of life. I really had never heard that term used before, but I found out before the class that middlescence is "the middle-aged period of life, especially when considered a difficult time of self-doubt and readjustment." I asked the class what they thought the ages of middlescence are. One said, "40 - 50 years of age," another said 40 - 65. I asked them how old they thought I was. Most were very kind, and when I said I was 68, they did not want to believe it. Well, I had a delightful time with these high school students sharing about experiences and things I learned and had to adjust to during this middlescence period of my life. They were so attentive and later many said they really enjoyed what I shared. One said, "We really like that you are so honest and genuine with us when you share." Please pray for these young high schoolers. I shared about my faith in Christ and how I was impacted greatly by my parents and siblings and accountability friends. I am grateful for this experience with these ICS-P students.
_________________________________________
After the Psych class and my elementary lunch recess duty, I was able to sit down and enjoy the very delicious Teacher/Staff Appreciation Luncheon that the school provided for our teachers and staff on Friday. Mrs. Haselman, Mrs. Okamoto, and our great kitchen staff had prepared a yummy feast. All of the staff were so appreciative of the very delicious feast which included a Salad Bar and Baked Potato Bar and Brownies ala mode for dessert!
Roast Beef & Mushrooms, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Salad, Baked Potato & all the toppings!
Salad Bar!
Two of our faithful substitute teachers
were even able to enjoy the luncheon on
Friday since they were both subbing!
_______________________________________
Finally, on Friday afternoon, we had our first Elementary Chess Tournament for our elementary students. Mr. Kolbe has worked with MS and HS students in chess tournaments within our KAIAC group, but we have never had an elementary Chess tournament. There were 21 who signed up for the tournament which was held in the cafeteria during the afternoon. It was a great afternoon and I was delighted to see these elementary cherubs participating and having fun playing Chess. They are all excited about continuing to learn Chess next year and participating in additional tournaments. Thanks, Mr. Kolbe for organizing this.
One of the groups of tables all set up
and ready for the ES Chess players.
Here are the ES Chess players getting ready to hear instructions from Mr. Kolbe!
Ready to begin play!
Here is the young man, William, who was our first ES Chess Tournament Champion along with Mr. Kolbe!
_____________________________________________
OK, let me finish with some items for thanksgiving as well as prayer:
1 - We are thankful that PowerSchool (student school management system) is working well since we have been able to get it back up and operating!
2 - Please pray as we will close the PowerSchool system on June 13 to proceed with the progress of migrating our PowerSchool system to the "clouds" for much-improved security and safety.
3 - We are still in need of a Grade 3 Teacher for 2017-18! Thanks for continuing to pray for this urgent need!
4 - I am thankful that on Friday we were given two names of teachers in the USA who are interested in checking out this position! In addition, our Grade 5 Teacher, Mrs. Gross, came excitedly into my office on Friday morning to let me know that a couple had just come to Osan AFB and the wife was an elementary teacher in the USA! She may be interested in our Grade 3 Teacher position!!
5 - Because of the very tight budget we have, we were given the approval to check on reworking the loan agreement for our gymnasium. It has been completed and it will reduce our one big payment of $150,000 in August! This will be so helpful! It still would be great if we could have the funds available for paying off the entire gym loan. God knows our need and we are trusting Him to direct the person or persons who would be able to assist with this.
I will stop for now. Thanks for reading. Thank you so much for your faithful love, encouragement, care, emails, regular mail, prayers, and support. I trust you will enjoy a great week!
Love, Gregg
No comments:
Post a Comment