First Bell

Looks like there was cake, too

 September first was the first bell ceremony for the first day of school in Ukraine, and Garry went to the ceremony. I talked to him on the phone just before he left for it and Maria sent me some photos. Its a really big deal for first year and last year students (grade 11) who have big parts to play in the ceremony. Parents and other people who live in the village watch, and if you are wondering, it does happen if it falls on a Sunday, they just don't have class after.

3rd from the flag is Karina, our group home parents daughter,
 I believe she must be in grade 11 this year 

The new class of seven year olds (first grade) 

 Yes, kids here dress in black and white for school. The new students will have the same teacher for the first four years of school, she moves up with them. It looks like the teacher might be Yulia, Max Rudi's wife, who just finished her two year maternity leave. She's in blue next to them.

Looks like Karina has the microphone here

Our course, there really is a bell rung as part of the ceremony, one of the new kids gets to ring it.

Garry, ?, the principal and Vika, one of our students

Garry with Kristina, daughter of the group home parents
(its her second year at school)

Some of our students are watching the ceremony

 It looks like Garry had a tour of the "kindergarten" which is what the preschool is called in Russian. John Weins helped the village with renovations to the building to start the preschool about five years ago.

I see max and Yulia's daughter in the front row.