22 Dec Christmas Newsletter December 2013

Dear reader!
We've had a great end to the first ½ year and the last 14 days have flown by because everyone has been busy
many countless tasks and activities right up to Santa Ib wished a Merry Christmas to all the students.

On Wednesday, presenter Mogens from TV2Nord visited Ranum Efterskole to assess the Christmas spirit and award the best Christmas room. It was a nice visit and the winners got the traditional lemon moons, which Mogens hands out on his way around the country. Watch the feature here.

On Friday the 13th we held a beautiful Lucia parade and traditionally
the boys are woken up in their rooms and can enjoy the experience without having to do morning exercise.

Watch video from Sem.huset here

On Saturday and Sunday we were visited by more than 400 parents and siblings each day. They experienced the beautiful Permance performance "A light year a star". The show focused on the meaning of life and framed the different cultures of the world in a story that was based on the many cultural profile subjects.

As well as performing on the main stage in the banquet hall, a choir and music team had been working hard rehearsing a number of numbers.

The media team was responsible for gathering information and programmes. They made daily reports and co-operated with the Event team. Together they created a "travelling experience" from the parents arriving at the Welcome Hall and later being escorted to the gate through the cafe area, so that everyone arrived and was ready at the same time for the show to take off.

After the performance, culinary impressions from around the world were served, including kangaroo and frog legs, as well as paelia. All pupils were part of the Performance Project. A large group of students organised a big Christmas market, selling candle holders made from the "tree of life" that fell during the storm. Others sold home-made Street T-shirts, and others baked Christmas cookies and made sweets. The homemade waffles were a particular hit.

The market made a nice profit for our friendship school partnerships. After the Christmas market, there was an orientation for students and teachers from the respective cultural profile subjects, and the day ended with a joint orientation on the many profile subjects that can be chosen from for the 3rd term. It was a great and busy weekend.

On Monday morning, the final exams for the 9th grade started. And the 10th grade continued with OSO writing, in the afternoon the students changed places and the 10th grade threw themselves into Danish style in the Culture Hall.

The international classes also held term tests in their Cambridge subjects. Both students and teachers have had a busy week and yet we have also had time for Christmas cheer.

In the evening, there has been Christmas card writing, Christmas competitions, and full pressure on the Christmas room competition.

On Thursday afternoon, everyone finished the term tests and then the whistle blew for the big 80s Chief's Ball competition between the contact groups. It was a colourful and fun afternoon, which ended with a nice torchlight procession in the evening, to mark that we have now been together for ½ of our afterschool year. The teaching team was ready for action. See more pictures here.

On Friday, the students cleaned their rooms and even though we had set aside 2 hours, it was a struggle for most of them to get all the Christmas decorations down, packed and time to clean. After a contact group meeting, the students went together to Ranum Church and to the Christmas service with our local pastor John Vestergaard. It was a beautiful experience, with the church filled to capacity.

The Christmas party that followed, with all the trimmings of a classic Christmas party (minus the booze), created great happiness. The rice pudding was particularly popular.

We ended the school year with a great assembly, where Christmas songs were sung, the Christmas room of the year (room 36) was awarded and the Tree of Life was sung, before everyone danced out of the banquet hall singing and running around the school to "Now it's Christmas again.."

Out in the square, all the pupils gathered together and with their help Santa Ib was summoned on his cane. The reindeer was pulled by 2 beautiful reindeer and after the reindeer came the "apprentice" who is apprenticing as a reindeer next year.Santa Ib and his assistant handed out Christmas presents to the students and wished everyone a happy and safe Christmas!

 
On Friday evening, Kærhuset was transformed into a Roman hall with a reclining Christmas party for all staff, organised by our visiting teachers from Italy and Spain, among others. Christmas peace has descended on Ranum Efterskole and now only the lights in the Christmas tree on top of the Seminary House are burning and shining out over the whole of Himmerland.

There's a lot to look forward to in the new year, including celebrating the school's 10th birthday and opening a new international youth programme that gives access to universities around the world.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Take care of each other!

Best regards and happy holidays!
Olav Storm Johannsen
Headmaster.

On 2 + 3 January is Open Day / Open House for foreigners and Danes living abroad, as well as other interested parties at Ranum Efterskole College.

You are also very welcome if you are interested in hearing about general 9th and 10th grade at Ranum Efterskole on 2-3 January.

We will also hold an Afterschools Evening on 8 January from 16.-21.00

The office is closed until 2 January and we look forward to seeing the students again on 5 January. Remember that all students must have chosen their 3rd profile subject for the last period and the same evening we will see you again for another efterskole ½ year. See the programme here.

(Nb. If you've read this far, click on the Christmas card picture with the snow and see what the Monday guards do for fun at Christmas.)