This year the ELS started teaching the German language from 3rd  grade 3 periods weekly, 4th grade 4 periods weekly, and 5th grade 4 periods weekly.  These three classes are taught using Peter + Petra 1-2-3.  6th grade is taught using Genial a1 and this class sat for the FIT I exam successfully under the supervision of the Goethe institute.
7th grade is also taught with Genial a1 (part two).  This year the 7th grade sat for the FIT I exam as well. 8th and 9th grade are taught using Genial 2 and this year they successfully sat for FIT II.
10th and 11th grade, the advanced group, sat for the Germany level exam supervised by Goethe, and the results were excellent. 10 students from the 10th grade and 17 students from the 11th grade passed the exam.  It's worth mentioning that the 10th grade sat for this exam for the 1st time. The school divides the classes from 8th to 11th grade into two groups; a weak group and an advanced one.  This division helps to work with the students according to their abilities and was the main reason behind the success in the general exams. 

The music program in the school is still going strong with more than 30 student being trained in a wide variety of musical instrument such as the piano, cello, violin, flute, lute, saxophone, and several other instruments.

ELS Dabkeh (folklore dance) is still a specialty and attracts lots of attention by all those who attend its performances; be it in public or private event such as the olive harvest festival or the spring festival, and the peak was at the graduation ceremony.

RENOVATION OF THE SCHOOL

By a special grant from USAID through CRS (Catholic Relief Services), the school underwent major needed maintenance.  The staff room was enlarged and new toilets and a kitchen were added, a new concrete layer for the playground, white wash for the elementary classes, repairing a leaking roof, changing some windows from iron to aluminum, and connecting the school server system to the public server net. A much needed toilet for the elementary classes was built by a donation from the German Representative Office in Ramallah.

Volunteers

This year there were two international volunteers with the Evangelical Lutheran School in Beit Sahour. 
Juli Wachter from Germany worked with the school during the months of September and October.  She assisted with the German classes as well as teaching violin in the afternoons and on Fridays.  Erin Abshire from Atlanta, GA (USA) was here from October to the end of May.  She assisted with the English classes and worked on several projects with the school.  She worked with the 10th and 11th grades on several writing and conversation projects (living history interview project, song-writing, commercial project).  

She also taught extra-curricular conversation English to groups of 8th and 9th grade students on Fridays and assisted in the two English dramas performed by the 5th and 6th grade students. Erin also went to the YMCA on Tuesday afternoons with Prof. Jamel to assist the students in swimming. Erin helped facilitate discussions between the teachers and students in the two schools.

Challenge 20/20 Project

The Evangelical Lutheran School of Beit Sahour worked together with Athens Academy in Georgia (USA) on the topic of International Labor and Migration for the 20/20 Challenge.  This project was an extracurricular activity with 20 students from the 9th grade and 5 students from the 11th grade.  Three faculty members (Shaddia Awad, Marlene Rock, and William) facilitated the discussions and led the students with the help of Erin Abshire, the American volunteer.  Our team researched the issues surrounding international labor migration on a global scale and then focused our research locally.  These ideas were shared with the students in Athens Academy through a weblog. 

The 20/ 20 project brought awareness to the students of global problems, and they were able to think about how they can affect positive change in their community and world. 

RESEARCH 10 GRADE

"The Centre Palestinien Pour la Recherche et Dialogue Culturel" (PCRD) in Palestine in cooperation of the French general

Consulate is holding a project under the title "Deep Learning through Critical Thinking for Tenth Grade Students" in our school. Its main objective is to improve the quality of their thinking by skillfully imposing intellectual standards upon the structures inherent in thinking. During this project, students learn how to build their capacity in adopting new research methods, new research techniques and improving their writing skills.Six teachers are also participating in this project to assist and supervise future projects in the school. The workshop will be 60 hours divided into 20 sessions over 12 months.

Graduation

On May the 30th a big graduation ceremony for the 31 students of both Science and Humanitarian stream of class 12 was celebrated in the presence of The Bishop and many other VIP guests including the Minister of Tourism and the Mayor of Beit Sahour and about a 1000 guests.

Kindergarten also Graduated on the first of June it was a cute ceremony with many dances and songs.

Graduation 2010/2011

        The school celebrated, on May the 28^th   an enormous graduation ceremony (The fourteenth Batch) which was named – The Batch of Mr. Hazim Qumsiyeh -.

      The 37 students of both Science and Humanitarian stream of class 12 were graduated in the presence of Dr. Bishop Munib Yonan, The Director of Education Dr. Charlie Haddad with many other VIP guests, the Mayor of Beit Sahour and about 600 guests and parents.

Back To School

      With the new scholastic year 2011/2012, students went back to school last Saturday on September 3^rd , 2011 after the Summer Holiday with happiness and joy. We have 440 students this year with the increase of 10 students. This year, in the Kindergarten we have 27 new students.The school administration and the teachers did their best to prepare everything for the coming scholastic year 2011/2012, so as to be a successful one.

     During the Summer Holiday, the administration did some improvement to the school environment, such as:-  Blacktop the Basketball Court, with the support of  Father John Setterlund and  Pastor Greg Busboom from St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church ,USA. Beside this, we added a new Cold Water Unit for the use of the students. We hope that this year will be distinguished by the good relationship environment setting between all parties who are involved in the Educational Process.  

Football league

In the presence of the President of The Norwegian Football League and representatives from the Palestinian League, The Mayer of Beit Sahour and many guests watched a football (soccer) match between The Evangelical Lutheran School Football Team from the 7^th + 8^th grades With the Arab Greek orthodox Club Team. The school team won the match 2-0 on the Islamic Charity Society playground in Beit Sahour. On the occasion of the opening ceremony for the playground of The Islamic Charity society.

 Last Thursday Sept. 22 2011 Mr. Shawki traveled to Germany with a delegation from the municipality of Beit Sahour. While in Germany the delegation signed a partnership agreement with Xanten School with the presence of The Mayer of Beit Sahour and the Palestinian Cultural Attaché in Berlin- Germany. The signing of this partnership helps to achieve one of our major objectives of having an international cultural exchange program

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     The principal of the Lutheran School, Mr. Shawki hawwash with the Beit Sahour municipal delegation visited a school in Pomvelia- France, and met the principal of it. Mr. Shawki was given a good idea about the work and the ways of teaching they use. Both schools agreed on establishment a partnership and cooperation in the future.