We received an email from Rita at Palm Beach with the following updates about her school:
Hi Everyone,
Well, at last the school is open! not officially,(that will happen in January), but I am teaching groups of Pre schoolers, of which I am hoping to select 30 kids to go to grade one next year.
It has been a long two years, and none of it would have been possible, without your help, contributions, encouragement and interest. We still don't have any running water, or toilet facilities, but as I am only teaching one or 1 1/2 hr sessions at the moment, its not too much of an issue right now.
Next year, I hope to put up a fence, which has become really necessary, as a noisy, nosy lot of village kids of all ages stand on the veranda looking in through the windows, while I'm teaching!
I was hoping to send some pics of my first day, but our internet cannot cope, so I shall have to send them one by one.
On Saturdays and Sundays, I teach about 45 older kids in 4 groups, English reading, comprehension and language. Last weekend was a great success, and the kids and I enjoyed it thoroughly! The kids are so eager to learn, and its quite heart breaking to have to turn some away, because of lack of space in the classroom.
Netties sewing workshop have made all the little school uniforms, at no charge. Thank you! They will start wearing them in Jauary, when the official school starts. Danelle, Chelsea and Kristen from Alaska provided the colourful, washable paint for the classroom, and it looks absolutely lovely! Sylvia and Liz Snapinn, made sure we had flooring throughout the school. Shannon and Lance made sure we have the best Library on the southern lakeshore. They sent loads of class readers and library books, when the US surface mail was still viable. Nate York and Marlo, from Solace International, who got the ball rolling, with a huge monetary injection, Thank you!! To everybody,who in any way contributed, thank you so very much! Without your support, I might have given up the idea completely.
As Palm Beach is getting busier and busier, it will not be possible for me to teach full time, and I have put out the word for a good teacher, which might be a bit difficult, as they are few and far between, and the schools are therefore holding onto their good teaching staff!! So, any volunteers out there.....???? I will provide FREE accommodation in a SELF CATERING CHALET for anyone interested in coming here for more than 6 weeks, to teach at my school!!!
I have just done a quick count of kids names, on my lists for the various groups I've taught, and there have been 67 kids in my classroom in 10 days! Wow, and thats just 4, 5-6 year olds! There seem to be more at the door every morning! EEKK!!
chosing 30 will be really difficult!!
Anyway, I must run off to school. Once again, Thank you all!
Lots of love,
Rita and the kids of Bolera Palms School
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