17 May Newsletter 17 May 2012

Dear reader!

We have been so busy the last 7 days: parents and siblings weekend Friday-Saturday, Open House Sunday. And New Pupils' Day yesterday, Wednesday, with over 650 parents, siblings and not least new pupils. It has been really nice to meet all the new students and not least to experience both the great commitment of our current students and the joy of hosting and showing around the many visitors! Thank you to everyone who visited us last week!

In the past week in addition to the geography and biology tests, there has been a lot of focus on synopsis writing for the Danish and English tests. In addition to the book classes, we have continued the profile subjects and prepared the visit of the many new students. A larger group of students from the dance and Ghana classes have benefited from our Ghanaian guest teacher Obolo, who also led a large African inspired dance workshop with all students on Thursday morning. After a rhythmic warm-up, even the stiffest boys had to surrender and it was a powerful community experience.

New Student Day. On Wednesday afternoon, all staff and pupils gathered to welcome the new pupils for the next school year. The drama team and a number of volunteers made a great effort to welcome the students already on the P square and around the kitchen and gastronomy staff had prepared 3 places to eat, so that all guests had dinner before the gathering in the main hall of the Multicultural House. The current student team experienced crossing their own tracks with the new students, and it is always a little sad when they feel that they will soon have to pass Ranum Efterskole on to some new students. Together with the many new students and their parents and all the staff, we sang the Tree of Life at full blast. After a long speech by the headmaster, where the central message that an afterschool year is a gift for both parents, siblings and the future student, but at the same time a great challenge and a total package over a whole school year, was made very clear, the music team played a super nice number, which got both the current students and new students up on their feet.
The teachers introduced themselves to the contact group and their subjects, after which all the students went out excitedly to meet their new "family" and contact teacher for the coming school year. Parents and siblings remained in the hall and were given a thorough briefing on the challenges of being afterschool parents. Then all students and parents went to their respective profile classes and were briefed on the expectations and challenges they can look forward to in the first profile class period. Before the evening ended, parents and pupils reconvened with the contact teachers and had the opportunity to fine-tune final expectations and clarify issues - so that everyone can calmly look forward to the first day of school on 12 August at 2pm. Overall, it was a great evening where, despite the refurbishment, guests found their way around relatively quickly and the current pupils were highly commended for their warm welcome and commitment throughout the evening!

New teachers for next school year. Yesterday we also welcomed 4 new teachers who were hired last week as we have a maternity leave and are expanding again with a new international department of 40 students for next school year. They immediately threw themselves into the fray, as new contact group teachers, well supported by colleagues and current pupils.

Wednesday morning we held for 4 years in a row a sports and activity day for all 2nd graders in Vesthimmerland. A large group of student volunteers were in charge of the activities and of accompanying the young people around the school. The theme was Around the World with Ranum Efterskole and the whole area resounded with laughter, cheers and excitement - both from the RE students and the youngsters!
(pictures will be on the website under pictures soon)

Educational. We notice a high energy among the students and especially among the 40 students who have passed their theory tests for the certificate of proficiency and now got a sailing certificate for boats up to 15 meters, congratulations!
Traffic accident. On Tuesday evening, a pupil was unfortunately involved in a road accident when she was out exercising in the evening and was hit from behind by a car. The accident happened about one kilometre from the school. Fortunately, the pupil was incredibly lucky to escape the accident. At Aalborg Hospital, it was found that there were no fractures but that she was quite bruised. The girl's parents quickly came to the hospital and we were able to inform the pupils the next day that she had been discharged and was OK under the circumstances. The pupils were briefed on Wednesday morning and everyone was affected by the seriousness of the accident, but at the same time relieved that it didn't get worse! Even though this is a seemingly black accident, we have emphasised to all students that they should run on the right side and use running vests.

Today we have evaluated the afterschool year very thoroughly in 3 phases. We have made a questionnaire survey on the web and worked in workshops about both well-being, professionalism and the physical environment, as well as made a mandatory evaluation of the admission system to further education. There has been a really good and nice atmosphere!
By the end of the day, most of the students and teachers have gone home tired for a well-deserved extended weekend, but the International students stay until Friday when they sit their final Cambridge IGCSE exams.

Next week offers a lot of academic preparation for the upcoming oral exams and in the afternoons we have a number of activities, several of which will be a highlight for many students this school year!
Monday afternoon there is TV recordings for the students' commemorative film, which is also the school's new presentation film for the next year.
On Wednesday at noon there will be profile presentations for all students in the banquet hall, where we will hear about the experiences of the different profiles on their recent travels. On Wednesday at the end of the day, the whole school will go to the Sildeløbet in Nibe, where 30 students and staff will run a ½ marathon and the rest will run distances from 5 km to 10 km.
Thursday morning there is student photography and at midday all the pupils set off for the big Imprint Festival in Bælum, where some 15 afterschools with at least double the number of student bands give concerts for each other until midnight. After a dinner in the countryside at Dokkedal and Lille Vildmose, the students will have to choose whether they want to continue the evening with the festival in Bælum or return to Ranum.

On Friday, we expect students to leave for their Pentecost holiday on Monday, so we will hold a staff meeting. That evening we host a concert where the pigeon "The translated" with guitarist and singer Arly Møller Badstue and Norwegian singer Lene Merete Stokke plays translated and adapted songs by various Nordic songwriters, such as Michael Wiehe, Bjørn Afzelius, Bjørn Eidsvåg and the group VAMP. The concert starts at 19.00 in the Guldhornssalen, and everyone is welcome, the entrance fee is only 75,- kr and payment is made at the entrance.

This weekend there are only a few students at the school, a group is out to show the RE flag in an Adventure Race, and the horsewomen are at a big conference on Mors. I think that's all for this round. Enjoy the days off, the beautiful spring weather and look forward to joining in the many challenges and experiences for pupils and staff in the week ahead.

With best regards and happy Chr. Ascension Day - maybe it will be the last - politically speaking 🙂 And have a great weekend!

Olav Storm Johannsen