28 Nov Christmas party start-up, contact teacher visit and early weekend.

Dear reader,

The week started with a really nice weekend, where 2/3 of the students chose to stay to make Christmas decorations, bake and kickstart the OSO project. On Sunday evening, everyone gathered to prepare proposals for the 3rd period profile subjects. It was a crazy process with presentations and workshop in the culture hall. There are now well over 50 proposals and ideas in play!

European Council of International School (ECIS) held their annual conference for international schools on Friday and Saturday last week. Olav and Joakim represented Ranum Efterskole College at this year's conference which was held in Nice. The conference offered many international keynote presentations as well as more than 200 different presentations/workshops on international education and pedagogy. One of the keynote presentations was given by Abdul Chohan, a British director from ESSA Acadamy.

The presentation was very inspiring and interesting also in a Danish afterschool context. Abdul Chohan has in a few years helped transform a culturally challenged school into a diverse success. We had the opportunity to talk to Abdul Chohan afterwards and it is our hope to present him in Ranum as a speaker at a later date.

The week has mostly offered academic lessons and profile lessons. But on Tuesday afternoon and evening, all students were together in the contact groups, and those who had the opportunity visited their contact teacher at home. This is a highlight for many students and definitely something we will do more often this year.

I profile lessons we are now looking forward to working with the Global Factor theme during Performance Week. The week will culminate in a performance day for all students and families on Saturday 13 December. The invitation has been sent out via the School Plan.

In the coming week there is a renewed focus on the book subjects and preparation in the profile subjects.

Monday evening plays teacher Carl Bennison's band Sloe Jim from England - link to https://www.facebook.com/sloejimmusic?fref=ts

We have Wednesday a common theme afternoon and will work dissemination and creative approaches to experience.

Thursday we are visited by a Chinese professor who wants to experience a Danish after-school.

Friday there is a student party organised outside the school by the Parents and Student Party Committee.

In week 47 Stine Damgaard, a teacher at the school, was in Oman with a delegation from UNESCO's ASP network to make contacts with schools in the country. The trip included many school visits where they were welcomed by teachers, students and representatives from the Ministry of Education in Oman and UNESCO. All had gone to great lengths to present their school at its best and were very visionary and willing to work with schools from other parts of the world.

Over the past 40 years, Oman's school system has undergone almost unimaginable development. From 3 schools in 1970 to over 1000 schools in 2010, with facilities similar to what we see in most schools here at home - computers, active boards, sports facilities etc.

"It was a great experience and very surprising to see that they are so far ahead in so many areas - you usually hear about the hot spots in the Middle East. That's why it's also important to get young people to experience positive stories and network with other young people in Oman." Stine Damgaard

It's going to be a really lovely week, and on Monday, December 1, we'll be lighting the first candle in the big Advent wreath in the banquet hall.

The Christmas tree on top of the Seminary House - is already shining all over Himmerland and now we are looking forward to the first snow, when we traditionally have a big barbecue party.

Best regards and have a great weekend.

Olav StormJohannsen
supervisor.