Here’s a little video from one of the last times the small group of girls is meeting this semester. They went to the monument on the hill above Kandern. The other leader, Sue, is leaving after this semester. So she read a letter to the girls she had written them. It was a really good evening of being together and enjoying the outside.
The new website for the school is now officially launched! An announcement was made to the student body before school on Monday. I say it’s about time. Dani and I are excited that it’s live. Dani, because now I will be at home more. 
And myself because now I feel like I have something to show for my time here. There’s still plenty that needs to be done, but it’s a great starting point. And I am hopeful that it will improve BFA’s ability to communicate.
Check it out at bfacademy.com. And feel free to let me know what you think.
Designed for the weekend before the launch. It's what was shown instead of the homepage.
This is the new designed application page. The plan was to make it easier to use and to find the correct applications.
The new layout for the news page. This area is being developed, and exciting additions are coming in the next few months.
Dani’s Office from Israel Jernigan on Vimeo.
Here’s a little video of my office at Black Forest Academy. This is where I spend my time, mostly meeting with girls over a cup of coffee or tea. Enjoy!
Well right now we are staying warm inside on a very snowy white Christmas! Dani is trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube (starting from the solved position) and I built a two-seater car. We are really glad to have some time to ourselves and to have a short break.
My dad and Raina just left from being here for about 10 days. We went to France, Switzerland, and of course Germany. They wanted to see all of Europe, but that wasn’t going to happen. We both miss having family here for the holiday seasons. Christmas is amazing here, but it isn’t the the same without family.
Dani solving the Rubix Cube, from the end.
Israel making a two-seater car.
Today, on the 26th of November, 2010, the first snow has fallen! We woke up this morning and were blessed with an amazing picture of white all around. I am loving it! I decided to take some photos of our walk to school with all the snow. I hope you enjoy and are able to see a little more into our daily routine. Short post ended. Love you all!
Job Title: Communications Supervisor
Definition: One who works on the website.
My Interpretation: Communicating about BFA to the world outside of BFA.
I honestly have been working primarily on the website. But not in the way most would perceive. Within the first month of the school year I came up with a 35+ page brief about how the school could improve their web presence. I came up with this goal.
To create a dynamic website that enables the specific audiences that we are trying to reach to find and use content that is focused for them personally and for their ease-of-use. BFA’s website is not just text on a sheet. The website needs to become a reliable resource and a secure environment for parents, staff—new and returning—and students to share in the experience that is BFA. Our vision for BFA needs to be clear and communicate that we are a school that prides itself on excellence and moral standards; not just as an international school, but also in our brand—our face—to the outside world.
The website has been my primary focus. After writing that brief I was able to spend a half-day brainstorming/way-too-short meeting with the main directors of the school. We spent time pouring over the main points of the brief, and exploring the different areas that each division wanted to focus on. It was great for me to be a part of that meeting. At that point I hadn’t grasped the feel/story/vibe of BFA. So it was very helpful for me to be a part of that meeting. I’ve been busy working on the website and expect to have it finished by Christmas.
In case I haven’t told you lately, I love living in Germany.
It’s beautiful. I’ve never lived in a cleaner place. Every building has delightful flowers and gardens. I believe that over 25% of Germany is set aside as green space.
It’s simple. Every few days I walk three minutes to the grocery store to buy a couple (reusable) bags of groceries. We walk to school almost every day. I can buy a big bottle of mineral water for 19 cents. Doing official things (like bank transfers, car registrations, and even surgery) is so much less complicated than it is in the States.
It’s nostalgic. Every time I drive past a swath of forest, I’m reminded of looking at the same forest as a child. Today, I saw a booth of puppets and stared for several minutes while I remembered the puppets of my childhood. Last week, I played on a fantastic wood and rope play ground. It was so much more fun and imaginative than the plastic and metal contraptions that fill the States.
Hello there folks. Well, according to my little desktop widget, we’ve been in Germany for 17 days. I can’t believe that. It doesn’t seem possible.
Thus far, our time in Kandern has been wonderful. We arrived two weeks before anything started, so we’ve had plenty of time to get over jetlag and settle in. We are incredibly blessed to be living in the home of a woman who’s in The States for a year. This means that from the moment we stepped into our little apartment, we had internet, phone, furniture and food. Many staff members arrive to completely empty apartments. I’m so, so, so glad that wasn’t our experience.
This is our building. The top two windows are ours. Our windows open all the way and there are no screens; it’s fabulous. Also, that’s our car in the driveway. We have purchased and registered the car, but have yet to drive it. All in good time, my friends.
Israel's TweetsDani's Tweets
