Friday, June 4, 2010

Congratulations to our principal (director)

This past week, a little over a thousand public school teachers and principals took the state mandated testing for their positions. It is a grueling test, covering quite a broad spectrum of knowledge, including knowledge of education law. Less than 90 people passed. Our director (principal) Paulina, was among them. God has prepared her well for her position at the school. She was in the top ten percent of all scores.
We will be getting three of the teachers who passed, to work at the deaf school next year. This is a great blessing. The new teachers come in without Sign skills, or experience with deaf students, and will need on the job training. (Note: There is really no choice in this; teachers who already know Sign and have experience are extremely rare.)

On a personal note, I (Peggy Blevins) will be returning to the US for the next school year.  This mission is complete and in the hands of Dominicans who are capable and trustworthy. I'll be leaving after camp, on July 1st. While on furlough, I will attend some conferences, the Voice for the Deaf board meeting, visit some churches to give them a report on the work here, and of course, see my siblings, and many dear friends, most of whom I haven't seen for the past six years or more. Did I mention that there will be some R& R in there too?! While stateside, I hope to do some work on the curriculum as well, but perhaps that is being too ambitious. We'll see. This year will be a time of seeking God for his plan for the next mission. When I return, God willing, I will be working in an area outside of the capital, possibly on the Haitian border, where there is almost no education for the deaf, nor churches, and most of the deaf don't know Sign even as adults.

The director has asked me if I will continue to do the English blog for them, and I have agreed; they will send me the info and I'll write it up in English to keep you all posted.

Camp is coming up soon, the third week in June.  Keep us in your prayers!