30 Oct A spooky Halloween week
It has been both an eventful and extremely spooky week at Ranum, where Halloween has really made its mark on everyday life! The pupils were invited inside the terrifying Haunted House at the old vocational college, and the dance troupe put on a brilliant performance to Michael Jackson’s iconic hit Thriller – you can read more about this and watch a video further down in the newsletter.
The week has also seen a number of exciting visits from outside the school. Among other things, we have had the pleasure of welcoming former pupils, Klitmøller Friskole, the European Movement and Miss Privileze.
Happy reading!
Reunion Day with long-serving staff
There is hardly anything better than having former pupils drop by for a cosy chat, a chance to reminisce about old times and a welcome reunion with former teachers, the school buildings and classrooms. That was exactly what the weekend had in store when we invited former pupils celebrating their 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th anniversaries back to Ranum. It turned out to be a really lovely day filled with happy reunions, laughter and plenty of nostalgic stories.
The day included, amongst other things, presentations and stories about the highlights and experiences of the different year groups from their time at school. This was followed by a communal meal in the dining hall – seated in rows, of course, just as they themselves had sat there as pupils many years ago!
Thank you to all of you who dropped by and helped make the day so special. It was lovely to see you all again.
Visit by Klitmøller Independent School
This week, we also had the pleasure of a very special visit from Years 5 and 6 at Klitmøller Friskole!
The pupils from the independent school wanted to improve their English even further, and at Ranum we had international pupils who were more than happy to share their language skills. It was, after all, the perfect match!
The day featured English lessons with the help of our international pupils and two teachers from England and Spain respectively. The lessons took various forms and included traditional English lessons, basketball in the multi-purpose hall and a cookery session, during which the pupils were, of course, also allowed to taste the finished dishes.
Thank you to Klitmøller Friskole for a lovely day – we hope to see you again!
EU presentation by the European Movement
Did you know that here at Ranum Efterskole College we have a subject called ‘Global Perspectives’?
Here, we delve into the big questions that shape our world – from society, politics and the economy to international trade, superpowers and global institutions.
In today’s lesson, we had the pleasure of a visit from the European Movement, which helped our pupils learn more about the European Union, its structure and the common rules and laws that bind the Member States together. A large part of the presentation also focused on Denmark’s role in the EU and the significance of this cooperation for us.
An interesting fact is that the majority of pupils who choose Global Perspectives are our international pupils. This adds an extra dimension to the lessons when young people from different backgrounds and with different perspectives explore together the world of which we are all a part.
Thank you for visiting the European Movement.
Halloween performance
The girls from the show dance team really gave it their all when they took to the stage in front of the rest of the school with their Halloween-inspired choreography and stunning, homemade costumes!
Over the past two months, the girls have been practising their dances diligently, and their joy and excitement at finally being able to show off the results were plain to see. The other pupils responded with plenty of applause and great support throughout the show.
Would you like to see it all? Then you can watch the girls’ full performance in the video below!
Vibrant with colour Miss Privileze
It’s not every day that we see such a lively atmosphere in the ballroom as when Miss Privileze visited Ranum on Thursday afternoon!
With video clips, music, dance, performance and a good dose of humour, the assembly hall was transformed into a vibrant forum for curiosity, dialogue and openness. Miss Privileze took the pupils on an exciting journey through a series of ethical dilemmas, spoke about hate crimes and put the pupils’ knowledge of drag and sexuality to the test.
But the visit also had a special local angle. Miss Privileze is originally from the area around Ranum and went to school in Aalborg. During her talk, she spoke about what it was like to grow up in the countryside and feel different, but also about the importance of being met with acceptance, finding the courage to be true to oneself and daring to show the world who you are – even when the journey there has been fraught with adversity.
Several years ago, Miss Privileze took part in the TV programme Denmark’s Got Talent, and her experiences from the programme also formed part of the central theme of the talk.
The pupils responded very positively to the visit, and their enthusiasm was unmistakable. Several of them raised their hands during the session and actively contributed with questions, reflections and insights on the topics discussed.
It turned out to be an afternoon that was at once humorous, thought-provoking and educational.
Shout and scream at the old drama school
Eerie creatures lurked in the darkness around the old vocational college on Thursday, as the pupils were taken in turns on ‘horror buses’ for an evening they would not soon forget!
Along the way, the pupils were taken on a spine-tingling tour through the churchyard, the slaughterhouse, clown land, the doll’s house and, of course, the cellar – where secrets lay hidden that only the bravest of visitors dared to approach.
The feedback from both pupils and teachers was excellent, and several pupils praised the experience. However, a couple of them had to turn back partway through – it simply got a bit too spooky! All in all, it was a really fun evening that rounded off the autumn’s mystery and spookiness and sent us on into November, when the spookiness gave way to cosiness. And in just a couple of weeks, we’ll be decorating for winter wonderland and the festive season!
New interests and creative pursuits in the practical subjects
The activity-based subjects are well under way following the autumn half-term, and several pupils have thrown themselves into new activities that they have never tried before.
On the Barista course, the students have been given a thorough introduction to the journey of coffee from field to cup; they have also been introduced to espresso machines and have had a go at brewing their very first cups of coffee.
One of the students is Julie, who has chosen the Barista course because she has already had a taste of the world of coffee through her part-time job at Djurs Sommerland. ”I’ve chosen the Barista course because I want to improve my skills and learn more about coffee. I’d also like to have a certificate proving that I can work as a barista, so I can use it in the future,” says Julie.
In Ranumhus, too, creativity has been given free rein in the Nailtech activity class. Here, the girls had a lovely time gathered round the tables, doing each other’s nails and experimenting with colours, patterns and creative designs. The autumnal atmosphere had also found its way onto the nails, with pumpkins, leaves and other autumn-inspired motifs adorning them.
Headmaster's column
Dear reader,
In many ways, it has been an emotional week. Last Saturday, we were visited by the anniversary groups from 20, 15, 10 and 5 years ago. Although the turnout could have been better (unfortunately, it’s difficult to publicise events outside the old Facebook groups, which many people have, of course, left), it was truly touching and thought-provoking to witness the joy of reunion and to see old friendships come back to life. It turned out to be a truly lovely day. Thank you to all the former pupils and teachers who also chose to take part.
On Monday at the whole-school assembly, there was also a real buzz amongst the pupils, as the pupils” party on Friday had sparked lots of new ”connections’. The pupils really enjoyed the party, and we as a school are grateful to the many parent volunteers for their efforts in creating a fun and safe party experience.
It’s Halloween time, and our spookiest teachers have once again transformed part of the school into a terrifying experience, where fear and dread, along with screams and wails, set the whole range of emotions in motion.
The whole school has also been affected by the fact that, at the start of the week, we had to ask a pupil to leave the school. Following a disagreement with another pupil, the pupil in question resorted to violence. Prior to the decision, we consulted the parties involved, reviewed CCTV footage, sought the advice of external advisers, and so on. And although the student body is divided into camps supporting one side or the other, there is broad acceptance that this constituted a serious breach of the school’s rules of conduct.
I, too, have been inspired by a very inspiring leadership conference organised by the Efterskole Association. One of the themes focused on the leadership dilemmas leading up to 2030, when Year 10 will be phased out and replaced by a 10th year – exclusively for efterskoler students. It remains incomprehensible to a great many leaders and staff that a political decision has been taken to sideline one of the greatest educational successes of recent times by separating the 10th year from primary and secondary education. At the same time, it presents a managerial dilemma to have to change something that, over the course of 60 years, has found a place in the hearts of countless Danes and has developed into a popular movement. We are still asking whether this separation was necessary to fund and address the challenges faced by vocational schools in retaining and motivating young people to pursue vocational training.
This weekend is the performance weekend, and next week there’s the harvest festival, where we’ll once again be moving through dance and play.
Have a great weekend!
Yours sincerely
Olav Storm
Principal
It happens:
Calendar
- Performance weekend 31 October 26
- Lecture by Naser Khader, 12 November 26
- Christmas Fun Weekend 14 November 26
- TEBO 17 November 1926
- ‘Life of a Busker’ concert, 18 November 26
- Performance, week 24 November 26
- Family Day 28 November 26
- Healthy Living Weekend 5 December 26
- Christmas Ball 17 December 26
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