… for the fifth year
Yesterday, after ten weeks holiday, the school gates swung open. Children from Peru and from overseas expectantly walked past the guard heading towards the school yard. This year is the first year that we have more 300 pupils attending our school. Experience shows that some children miss the start of the new school year. That is why we will only know the exact number of pupils at the Colegio middle of March.
24 kindergarten children were among the new entrants and 24 children left the kindergarten to start Year 1. A small celebration was held in their honour: the school community welcomed them and gave them a colouring-in Bible. Seven new teachers also had their first day at the School and are now part of the team. It was just two weeks ago and we still had some gaps to fill. Therefore a cordial “Dankeschön” to everyone who prayed for us.
Nicolas Sierra, the academic director, led the flag appeal, a ceremony which is an absolute must in Peru. Then head of school Christian Bigalke addressed the pupils, teachers and parents quoting verses from Psalm 91. This psalm came alive in the shape of a green monster that wreaked havoc. How comforting to know that we can flee to the shelter of the Most High whatever our life circumstances may be.
We eagerly await the end of this school year, because our first pupils will then sit the Peruvian equivalent of A-Levels and apply for university – a very competitive procedure in Peru. The local population rates any school with how well its pupils perform in these university application tests.
