Last Monday we officially started the 2015 school year. This year we have four classes with two new teachers. At the end of last year we learned from the district that there are no other kindergartens in the area. For this reason, we will have two kindergarten classes this year instead of pre-K and kindergarten. Gabby and Irma will be teaching the two kindergarten classes. Irmalina will continue teaching level 1 (first and second grade) and level 2 (third and fourth grade) and Fabio will be teaching level 3 (fifth and sixth grade). Last week was an organizational week, since many families do not return to the city until the first week of school. It is hard to know the number of students we will have until after the first week. Now that we have registered the kids, we can count on the numbers, for the most part, to stay the same. The two kindergarten classes will have 18 and 20 students (about 10 returning from pre-k last year). First thru fourth grade will have 13 students (8 returning from last year that completed level 1). The fifth and sixth grade class will have 11 students (4 returning students that completed level 2 last year).
Jnathan, who taught at the school the last year and a half, will continue in university but does not have the time to continue teaching this year. Marina has decided to look for another job sinse her daughter is now in first grade in the public school. This school year we will have a new principal. After some problems with the school district last year, Aben will now be principal and director. Jenny will continue teaching English a few days a week to each class, as well as, heading up the daycare.
Now that school has started again, we will start to organize evangelism outreach in the public high schools. Please pray for doors to be opened in the high schools throughout the city, as we plan evangelism outreach all over Tegucigalpa.
We have hired two teachers for the day care. Now all that's left is to buy materials and have the kids start coming. We plan to have the daycare up and running by the end of the month.
As the new academic year starts, it gives us time to think about what we can do better this year. This year we want to involve the parents more in the children's education, so we will be having a parents meeting once a month. In this meeting, we will train parents how to help their kids, how to treat their kids, and biblical principles to lead their families. We also plan to start having chapel once a week with all the students. In the past years, we have had devotionals in each classroom and assemblies once a month. This year we are hoping to develop worship as a whole school.
Please pray for us as we start this new year. Pray for the teachers, the students, and the families that we will reach. Also, please pray for us as we open the daycare. We are thankful for God's provision in this ministry and look forward to reaching more families for Christ in this year.
Another one of our goals for this year is to send a more detailed update with stories about some of the families we work with and the events going on from day to day.
Thank you for being part of our ministry. We pray you have a blessed month.
Aben, Jenny, and Daniela
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (KJV)
