20 Nov Search for a STAR, Christmas Market and Cultural Travel

Dear reader,

Performance week is a success! The students are involved across cultural subjects, grades, houses, etc. to make a terrific performance show, a great Christmas market and several have acted as elves and made Ranum Christmas ready. The lights are on in the windows and the tree at the top of the Seminary House is beaming out over the whole of Himmerland. 

Commemoration of the victims in Paris 

In the first session of the week, we held a small memorial ceremony with a minute's silence for the victims in Paris, followed by a reflective talk on the terrorist actions in Paris, before singing Imagine together. It was a moving experience to share the silence in the Ballroom and several students expressed gratitude afterwards for this opportunity to process thoughts and images from the weekend's many reports from Paris.The French flag has been hanging in the Ballroom this week and we have sent a greeting to our French friendship school in Paris.

Searching for a star - Behind the scenes

Led by the music and drama teachers, with Carl Bennison in charge, the whole school has been involved in shaping a great Performance Show. We have maintained a normal timetable with book classes in the mornings and in just 4 afternoons and evenings have managed to put on a terrific show. It is set in English in the backdrop of the first talent show in the US "Search for a Star". The students have rehearsed dances, choir, band, acting, technique and lighting, as well as working on make-up and costumes, and it's all come together for an entertaining show in the ballroom. We look forward to showing it to a good 8-900 guests at 3 performances tomorrow, Saturday. 

Christmas decorations & cakes!

A large group of students have been responsible for the Christmas decoration of the school, and they have done an impressive job. The dining hall is decorated with pine garlands, Christmas hearts and candles.
Other pupils have been busy baking lots of sweet Christmas cakes, making pickled beetroot, Christmas jam, and the most delicious Christmas tree cream buns. All the good stuff is nicely wrapped and will be sold at the Christmas market in the Multicultural Centre tomorrow. 
Proceeds from the market will go towards rebuilding our friendship school in Nepal and a friendship school in Malaysia. 

Ideas for 3rd profile trips

Over the past fortnight, pupils and teachers have developed more than 33 different ideas for new profile subjects for Period 3 of this school year. The ideas are collected in a "preliminary" Profile Subject Magazine for Period 3. There are many exciting new profile subjects ranging from Icelandic Power Vikings, Guerilla Filmmaking, Dance in Beijing, Music in Tenesse to C-programming and E-sports. But there are also several classics such as Chearleading, Football, Diving, Sailing, Water Performance and Photo Safari, Skiing, and Pastry. The profile subjects show a great diversity among our students and teachers, and the challenge now is to narrow down the many ideas to between 15-20 new profile subjects. The students have today completed the first interest vote and the result shows that several of the new "narrow" subjects will have to fight to get enough students in the next week. We will present all the ideas to the parents' group at a presentation in the Culture Hall at the Performance Day, and over the next few weeks, more test votes will be conducted before the students finally choose subjects and their parents confirm the choices before 3 January.

In the coming week & good weekend

Tomorrow, Saturday, is going to be a great day, the students are excited and the whole house is buzzing with life and excitement. Sunday will be a quiet day of relaxation, walks and fun. There will be plenty of time to recharge for a new school week with lots of challenges in preparation for the many cultural expeditions. The Nepal teams will go on a road trip to Rebildbakker and the Freediving Philippines will go to the swimming pool to practice. Next Friday, the Parents and Students Party Committee will hold the 2nd Student Party, and lots of students will be visiting each other across the country after the party.   

Best regards and have a nice weekend

Olav Storm Johannsen
Principal