End-of-Year Activities

This has been such a special week! With the loosened restrictions, we have been able to plan some end-of-year activities for the students so that they’d have time to just hang out with each other and their teachers. The seniors enjoyed their first Coffeehaus of the year with outdoor volleyball and basketball games. On Wednesday, the eighth graders were honored for their hard work prior to entering high school next year. These 27 students come from 18 different countries! This evening, the seniors will attend a banquet where they can get dressed up and enjoy a program to honor them. This class missed out on having a prom during both of their final years of school, so this is a chance for them to have a similar experience. We are pleased to be able to hold graduation in person next week, even though we must limit the size of the audience.

Other classes have been able to go on a field trip or head over to the park for some time outdoors enjoying their classmates. We are truly thankful to be able to end the year on such a positive note!

On Monday, members of the school board acknowledged staff members who have met different milestones of service and those who will be leaving at the end of the school year. The following have completed five years of service to the school: Ben and Sarah Hummel, Nathalie Mayer, Michaela Meyer, Devan Kvick, Cristian Pana, and Edson Dorneles de Andrade. Celebrating ten years of service are Herminigildo Sanchez, Dr. Katharina Werner, Emilia Baldovska, and Tracy Harvey. Brian Reynolds has been at ICSV for 15 years, and Barbara Dax has dedicated 20 years to the school. We are blessed to have such an amazing staff that desires to have an impact in the lives of the students.

We are sad to see the following staff members leave: Josephine Maples, Trent Lunberry, Katie Mathews, Stefanie Wegiel, Tracy Harvey, Shawn and Cameron Crane, Nathalie Mayer, Lori and Russell Rohleder, and Sarah and Ben Hummel. God is calling them to new areas of ministry, so we send them off with God’s blessing.

Once again, God has proven Himself faithful by providing us with qualified staff to fill the openings. New support staff include Brenda Wildman in Admissions, Gabriella Cirt as Registrar, Rebecca Johnstone in the Elementary Office, and Beneamin Mereuta as Facilities and IT Coordinator. New teachers include Joan Conley, Primary; Danique De Jong and Leigh Swanson, Elementary; Luke Swanson, SIPPS; Elizabeth Doebel and Evan Miller, Middle School; Melvin Perdue as Learning Support and Athletic Director; Samantha Gutheil as Guidance Counselor; and Paula Newell as our new Secondary Principal. Please pray for these individuals and their families as they make the transition to a new ministry this summer.

Janet Hocker has served ICSV for 16 years, after having taught at the International Christian Academy in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa and then at the Academia Cristiana Internacional de Caracas, Venezuela. Ms. Hocker has spent her life teaching children in an international setting. She will officially retire this September. In thinking back on her time at ICSV, she shared the following: “This is truly an international school in all its aspects. Explaining Christ and His gift of salvation to students with no previous background in Christianity has been one of my favorite parts of teaching at this school. God is using [ICSV] to touch the world one student, one family at a time.” Thank you, Janet, for a job well done.

As this is our final Eagle of the year, I want to wish you all a most relaxing summer vacation. We hope to see you all back on August 25 for our first day of the 2021-2022 school year! I leave you with the words of the psalmist David:

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me  in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23)

Because of His Faithfulness,
Dr. Sharon C. Brobst, Director