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| Jazz in the Quad |
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| A time for farewells - Jane Cummings (Development Director) has her photo taken with Alex Hoekstra, a six-month communications volunteer. Melanie Smith is the photographer. |
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| Carol singers |
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| Entertainment at the Middle School banquet |
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| Santa's breakfast |
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| Mrs. Claus, choir teacher Maureen Fromme |
The end of semester
The end of the Fall semester and the days leading up to Christmas are always jam-packed for staff and students. The season begins with the Christmas chapel, when every available space in Parker Hall is filled with students, staff, parents and guests for a rousing celebration. Click here to read about it. From then on the staff and students are simultaneously involved in final exams, grading and reports and various festivities. The Ridgewood and Alter Ridge Open House was in early December, and not only did everyone brave the increasingly chilly temperatures to enjoy a carnival, but the students raised quite a bit of money to benefit a local orphanage. The story is here.
The pace increases in the last couple of weeks. Elementary school have their traditional tea garden presentations (click here to read about them), and the Hindustani Church carols singers roam the hillside. The Middle School have their Christmas banquet,and then - the big one! - Elementary School gather for their Santa Breakfast. This year, in a major break with tradition, Santa himself was unable to come, but sent a worthy substitute in Mrs. Claus.
Of course. It's a time of farewells, with a few staff leaving after being part of the community for longer or shorter times. In particular, we bid farewell to John Montgomery, who worked at the school in various teaching and other capacities, whose engineering ingenuity was constantly at the service of special occasions. The staff banquet is the time when we honour those who are leaving, and this makes it a bittersweet occasion, with exciting times to look forward to over the winter holiday, but losses from the community.
We also say goodbye to some of our exchange students from Carey Baptist schoolin Melbourne and from the SAGE program. One of the Carey students, Julia, had made a great contribution to the jazz band, and they held a lunchtime concert in the Quad to say farewell.
Where does everyone go? Well, many of the Indian and overseas staff return home to be with family; others head for the beaches of Goa, or for more distant warrm climes (Thailand is always a favourite). Three brave souls each winter volunteer to shepherd a group of exchange students around India for a month - which is where I'll be heading in about six hours' time. Merry Christmas!