Christmas Speech 17th Dec 08
YIS was reborn into its new campus only four months ago. When I arrived here in July the school was a dust bowl. Bill Gamble and Yy Parker from our School Board were feverishly managing both the renovation of the new site and the old site and were always confident it would be done in time. They were right. With a team of more than 90 contractors, Ibu Lany, Bapaks Supri and Singgih in the office, Paks John, Warrukan and Suparman, Ibus Sukida, Suki and Budi and the guys in the security team, the transition to the new site was relatively seamless. My thanks go to all those people. It was a mammoth effort, remarkable not only for its complexity, but for the speed it was done.
School started on time with 59 bright eyed and bushy tailed students. Word is out and we’re already growing. From 59 last semester we’ll start next semester with a possible 64 students. At this growth rate we could have more than 80 students in a couple of years.
This is great for the school, and the new site helps, but schools are more than buildings. The teaching teams, both teachers and assistant teachers are an integral part of the school and building it’s reputation. The teachers: Ibu Cate, Ibu Wiwin, Ibu Anggar, Ibu Candra and Pak Ino and the assistants; Ibu Susi, Ibu Weni, Ibu Dewi now combine to have many years of experience at YIS and have helped develop and maintain the character and culture of the school retaining the good things from the old site and bringing them to the new. My thanks to them for their continued professionalism, the care they show our students and the great effort they put into the school.
The old staff were joined by us newcomers this year. Ibu Amber and Ibu Diah now teach the grade 1-2 class and Ibu Colette teaches the grade ¾ class. These three have smoothly joined the team and I am proud to be working with them at YIS. Thanks to this team we have an excellent school where education is a happening event. All teachers at YIS set high goals for the kids, and the kids respond well by reaching them.
I must also thank the YIS Board for their help and support this semester. Firstly those who are no longer members – Pak Matthias and Ibu Yy . Yy particularly because she made our arrival here so easy in July. Then the current board members – Bill Gamble, Ibu Lona, Pak Rik and Ibu Leontine who have responsibilities and roles that are extremely important to the school. They have sometimes onerous duties and much of what they do goes unheralded, but without them the school would be a very different place. A big thanks to them for everything they have done and will continue to do for us.
I mustn’t forget to mention that large group of people we call The Parents. Through YISPA and individual contributions, for example the Christmas Fairy and Christmas Elf we’ve seen tonight our school community really comes alive. Most learning the kids do will be absorbed into their very being, but it’s the memories of events and experiences like tonight that will define their school experience. So thank you the parents for everything you do.
Lastly we can’t get away from, in any school, the importance of the students. You kids are why we’re all here tonight. You are the reason YIS exists. It’s your involvement in the school, your learning, the successes and challenges you have along the way, which make for a wonderful school. So thanks to all the kids. I hope you have a wonderful holiday and are well prepared to continue in the excellent way you have started this semester when you get back from your holidays. Well done everybody, Happy Christmas.
