I have been looking forward to sharing plenty of good news in this newsletter as the Spitler School began its fifth year of operation serving the primary educational needs of the children living in and around the village of Ang Chagn Chass near Siem Reap.

 

Unfortunately, just as school was scheduled to begin all of Southeast Asia was struck by a devastating typhoon. On September 30 Typhoon Ketsana roared into Cambodia causing rivers to overflow their banks damaging roads and dams, thousands of acres of rice fields, and hundreds of houses. Among the victims of the horrible flooding was our special family. Sarin and Mary, along with 7-year-old Vita and 11-month old Vitee, had to flee their house as the roads and buildings of Siem Reap filled with water after the city’s river overflowed its banks. Their modest home, where Sarin and Mary have hosted us with their warm hospitality, filled with a meter of flood water, and after ten days they are still waiting for the last of the water to drain away from their home.

 

7-year-old Vita in front of her flooded home

Flooded road that leads into the school

 

We are still awaiting new reports, but it appears that the school survived the storm with little or no damage. We are now very grateful for our decisions to replace the wood and thatch buildings with our new, strongly constructed classrooms, as the older buildings might not have survived this storm, which is being called the worst storm to hit Cambodia in the past 50 years.

 

While the school seems to have survived in good shape we remain concerned for the families of our students, and we hope to learn soon how much damage was sustained by the homes around the school. We are concerned that the immense damage to Cambodia’s rice fields might lead to food shortages, and we know that our students will be exposed to disease from the polluted waters. Sarin reports that at least 20 of our students have been taken to the Angkor Children’s Hospital for treatment.

 

Damaged roads are making it difficult for villagers to get to their jobs in the city, and of course the flooding has resulted in the cancellation of tour groups, which adds more damage to the local economy. Another casualty of the storm was the day of medical exams scheduled for our students. Several months ago Sarin arranged to have a medical team from the Angkor Children’s Hospital visit the school and give our students medical exams, following up on exams performed almost two years ago in January 2008.

Unfortunately, the road conditions prevented the team from getting to the school, and with the large number of children entering the hospital with storm related health issues the medical team has not been able to reschedule their visit.

 

We will continue to look forward to Sarin’s reports as our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected by this horrific storm.

 

NOW ON TO HAPPIER NEWS

 

During the summer break Sarin, along with our sixth grade teacher Mr. Dy Samnang, visited the homes of almost all of the sixth grade students. It is our intent, during the school year, to learn what we can about each of our sixth grade students so that we can do our best to make sure they have the opportunity to continue their education next year at one of the government middle schools.

 

6^th Grade teacher Dy Samnang visits with the family of his student

Mary Muy. Mary introduces her teacher to her mother, sister, and brothers.

 

Just prior to the opening of the school year Sarin suggested that we add some more beauty and protection to the school by putting up four large palm trees which could serve as a wind break. With the ferocity of Typhoon Ketsana this may have been a very good decision. While one of these trees would cost several hundred dollars in Arizona, Sarin secured four of the trees including delivery and planting for $165.

 

 

Two days after the storm had struck Sarin and the village commune leader celebrated the grand opening of the fifth school year at Spitler School. The school welcomed 458 students to start the new school year. There will be 60 new kindergarten students in Ms. Vagn Sokhien’s class, which will occupy the new Rae & Kay Spitler Kindergarten Classroom. Other classrooms will be filled with the following numbers: First Grade-120, Second Grade-104, Third Grade-54, Fourth Grade-49, Fifth Grade-42, and our new Sixth Grade will have 29 students who will make up the first graduating class and occupying the new Karsten Schroeder 6^th grade classroom.

 

 

 

 

Pam and I wish to take this opportunity to honor my cousin, Carol Jean Schoenrock, who recently lost her long battle to cancer. We received five donations in memory of Carol’s extraordinary life, which was dedicated to helping others and healing broken lives.

We would also like to take this opportunity to again honor Sarin on the completion of his bachelor’s degree from Siem Reap University. Many of you have had the opportunity to meet Sarin on your travels to Cambodia, and you know first hand that he is a special young man with a good heart, an amazing work ethic, and extraordinary abilities. I am sure that all who have met him, or have learned about him and his family in our newsletters, will join us in congratulating him on this achievement.

 

 

On behalf of Sarin and his family, the teachers and children of Spitler School, and of course Pam and I and the Spitler family, we wish to thank and acknowledge those who have provided financial support for the children of Spitler School since our last newsletter in July. Your friendship and financial support are sincerely appreciated.

 

Joel Armstong, Joan Gilbert & Jake Stern

Kay Spitler

Rae Spitler

Les & Shirley Hoffman

Jerry & Barbara Shapiro

Robert Haushey

Lisa Hoffmeyer

Lou & Claudine Hopper

 

The following families and individuals donated in memory of Carol Jean Schoenrock

Darin Box & Family

La Shay Ellis & Family

Pat Grappe

Lorine Lippard

Rae Spitler

 

 

Danny & Pam Spitler, Directors
Spitler School Foundation
P.O. Box 730
Peoria, AZ 85380-0730
http://dannypam.smugmug.com/gallery/2466201

The two months leading up to the end of the 2008-2009 school year have been very busy and exciting. Sarin had a successful tourist season leading a lot of tours, but as the tourist season wound down he was even busier supervising the projects at the Spitler School.

 

In our last newsletter we told you of the completion of the new 6^th grade classroom named for our donor, Karsten Schroeder, who generously donated funds for the construction. We were very excited and grateful when one of our travel friends stepped forward to purchase the 20 new desks that we needed for the new classroom.

 

 

As soon as the construction was completed on the 6^th grade classroom our construction crew turned their attention to the kindergarten building which was in need of reconstruction. This required removing most of the building down to the foundation and rebuilding it with heavier steel framework, brick and mortar walls, a tile floor, and metal roof. The kindergarten room is the largest classroom housing the most students, and it is used for larger community meetings. While it was our most expensive building project we believe that it will be the last major construction project that will be needed for the foreseeable future.

 

Before

After

 

Pam and I are pleased to name this building for my mother, Rae Spitler, and my sister, Kay Spitler. Both Mom and Kay have been wonderful supporters of the school from the beginning of the project. Both have been teachers, and Kay has taught kindergarten and first grade classes during most of her 38-year teaching career. We could think of no better way to honor them both than by dedicating this new building in their names.

 

 

We would like to send out a “thank you” to some new friends from Singapore who visited the school in July bringing several boxes of school supplies and other treats for the children. Thiagarajan and Shantini also took the time to send us a comprehensive report about their visit to the school and their observations. Here is a short quote from their report that we were so pleased to read.

 

“The children were delightful and were very disciplined.  We handed out sweets to them and none of them rushed forward and all were beautifully behaved. They were little angels. Teachers were well dressed and groomed.  We had the chance to speak to them and they seemed dedicated and sincere in carrying out their duties.”

 

 

On July 30 the 2008-2009 school year came to a successful close with a ceremony honoring our top three students from each of the highest grades. Following a tradition that we established last year we awarded a brand new bicycle to the top student in each of grades three, four and five.

 

Sarin arranged a very nice awards ceremony, inviting the students’ parents and the local village officials. The ceremony ended with a meal for the teachers and honored guests and a small party for the students. All three of the young ladies receiving bicycles had at least one parent who attended. The parents were honored for supporting their daughters’ achievements, along with each of their three teachers.

 

 

 

We wish to welcome the Hess family as new friends of the Spitler School. After visiting the school earlier this year they offered to get involved and decided to sponsor the incoming 6^th grade class, which will be our first graduating class in July 2010. This allowed us to do something special for this class along with all of our teachers.

 

On August 1 Sarin arranged for a large bus to pick up our teachers and our new 6^th grade students and take them for a field trip to Tonle Sap Lake, the largest lake in Southeast Asia. Pam and I have visited the lake twice on our trips to Cambodia, and it is a very interesting place where hundreds of families live in floating homes. Although it is not far from Siem Reap none of our students have had the opportunity to visit. It was a great day for the teachers and the children. The cost for creating this opportunity for the children was $210 which included hiring the bus, hiring the boat at the lake, and providing a meal to the group.

 

We continue to look for inexpensive but meaningful ways that we can enhance the quality life for our students and teachers as well as providing a basic education. Enjoy a few photos of this special day.

 

 

 

 

For the next six weeks our teachers will take a break, our students will take their summer holiday, and hopefully Sarin will have some time to relax and enjoy some time with his family and especially his new little daughter. In mid-September we will launch our fifth year of the Spitler School, and we are looking forward to a great year as we complete our goal of having a full primary school with grades kindergarten through 6^th grade.

 

On behalf of all the children of Spitler School, Pam and I send our heartfelt thanks to many friends, some of whom we have never met personally, who have stepped in to help us grow this project and to keep it healthy and viable. We would like to send a special “thank you” to the following people who have made contributions to the Spitler School Foundation since our last newsletter in May.

 

The Hess Family

Rick, Carol Ann, Becca and Anna

(sponsoring 6^th grade)

Pam D. (desks for 6^th grade)

Peter & Sally Preston (bicycle)

Kay Spitler

Bob & Betty Shellenbarger

Mike & Sharon Daggett

Paul & Barbara Barnes

Jim & Mary Wiggens

Audrey Tsuruda

Judy Horowitz

Sharon Lund

Lynn Marr

Dennis Campbell

 

On a final note, the Spitler School Foundation ended its fiscal year on June 30. We have filed our yearly 990EZ form with the IRS, and a copy is available to any of our donors upon request.

 

 

Daniel & Pam Spitler, Directors
Spitler School Foundation
P.O. Box 730
Peoria, AZ 85380
“Resource Providers for Cambodian School Children”
http://dannypam.smugmug.com/gallery/2466201_eEC9c

IRS EIN # 20-8085411

We apologize that it has been so long since we have updated our friends and support network about the happenings at the Spitler School. It has been a trying time for just about everyone having to find ways to cope with this economic tsunami, but especially for those of us in the housing industry. Which is why we are especially grateful to those of you who made generous contributions to the Spitler School Foundation.

 

From our 420 bright-eyed children, and their teachers and families, please accept our heartfelt thanks.

 

Of course we are still basking in the memories that we made in November when we were able to visit Cambodia and spend time at the school and with Sarin and Mary. We were excited about being able to take this trip with my father, Irvin, and my sister, Kay, along with good friends Cheryl Turner and Melissa Fox. The trip turned out to be quite exciting as our return travel plans went up in smoke when protesters shut down the Bangkok airport. Dad, Kay, Cheryl, and Melissa wound up stuck in Bangkok for an extra eight days before finally getting a long flight home. Pam and I were luckier in that we were stuck in Cambodia trying to get back to Bangkok, so it was easier for us to find an alternative route home through Vietnam and Hong Kong.

 

The only problem we had was that Sarin was having to scramble around helping us secure airline tickets and space on rapidly filling flights on the day that Mary was going into labor and trying to deliver their second child. We are grateful that Sarin was able to put us on our airplane and race to the hospital in time to greet his new baby daughter, named Vitee.

 

 

Obviously we were thrilled to arrive home and find an email from Sarin letting us know that Mary was doing fine and 7-year-old Vita had a healthy baby sister.

 

As Christmas was approaching, our friend, Virginie Paessler, who taught English at the school as a volunteer for a month in 2007, pledged some funds to purchase all of the children some fruit for their Christmas celebration.

 

 

The following month a dozen concrete benches were delivered to the school purchased by Irvin Spitler and Cheryl Turner.

 

 

Our family members made contributions to the foundation in lieu of Christmas gifts this year, so we appreciate those donations from Mom – Rae, Sister – Kay, and Kids – Lindsey and Kyle.

 

After the first of the year we celebrated with Sarin as he completed his university studies and will be graduating with his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He continues to amaze us that he has been able to administer the school and lead tour groups during the day while attending his university classes at night. In between all that he gets to be a Dad to Vita and Vitee. I am sure that he gives a lot of credit to Mary for helping him to achieve so much.

 

We were happy that our friends Elizabeth Merrifield and Jeanette Harrington were able to visit the school in February. We traveled with Elizabeth and Jeanette to Antarctica in 2007, and we were glad that, when they made plans to visit Cambodia, we were able to connect them with Sarin and they visited the school along with their travel companions Sharon Lund and Carol Osborn. The ladies brought school supplies and hundreds of toothbrushes to give to the children, and they also made donations, which were used to refurbish the tables in our kindergarten class.

 

 

Additional funds were donated to help with the ongoing fence project. The new fence will provide additional security for the children as well as keeping domestic animals from causing damage to the school buildings and landscaping.

 

 

We are also grateful to other visitors to the school, Rich & Judy Kalich and Bruce & Janelle Osborn. Both couples donated funds to the Spitler School Foundation designated for the drilling of two water wells. Sarin was able to coordinate the drilling of these wells in early March so that more children will now have access to clean water.

 

April is always an exciting month in Cambodia. It is when the country celebrates the Cambodian New Year, and it is the biggest holiday of the year. The school will be closed for this three-week holiday, and we are hoping that our students and teachers will have the opportunity to celebrate a safe and fun-filled new year with their families.

 

As we look toward the future we are preparing for another building project. New construction needs to happen before the rainy season begins in the summer months. When we add a sixth grade class next year we will need another classroom. In December we were fortunate enough to be able to purchase some additional land bordering the front of the school property. This additional plot of land will give us the room to add one more classroom without taking away from the playground area in the middle of the campus.

 

We are also very fortunate to have a wonderful supporter of the school, Mr. Karsten Schroeder, who is providing enough funding to the foundation to cover the cost of the construction of the new classroom. So, in the near future, we plan to celebrate the dedication of the “Karsten Schroeder 6^th Grade Classroom.”

 

We also hope to be able to rebuild our kindergarten classroom. This is the oldest of our classrooms, built with inexpensive materials and a thatched style roof. While the foundation of the building is still good, the structure has not held up well to the three rainy seasons that it has endured, and we are hoping to be able to rebuild it with the heavier construction materials that were used for the three buildings that we erected in 2007. We would like to begin this project as soon as possible and have it completed before the worst of the rainy season arrives this summer. Naming rights are available to anyone who would like to participate in this rebuilding project.

 

Some day we would like to assist the village in repairing the road leading into the school, which becomes almost impassable during the rainy season, but we are hoping that the local government will provide more than half of the funding for this project if we can raise a matching amount. It appears that this project isn’t workable within this year’s government budget, but we will continue to work with the village leaders to pursue this project in the future.

 

Finally, we are extremely pleased to celebrate the continued support of Richard Chong and his organization called AKIDS from Singapore (www.akids.info). On their yearly visit in March the team from AKIDS delivered school supplies to each student at the school (notebooks, a pencil and pen, a sharpener, an eraser, a ruler, and some snacks). They brought two soccer balls and some general supplies for the school. They also did an advance survey to identify our students who are orphans or who live in single parent homes. Each of these students received a 5kg bag of rice. We are extremely grateful to Richard and all of his team members who made the visit to the school and to their donors, who continue to provide assistance to several schools in Cambodia.

 

 

 

We wish to acknowledge, with sincere appreciation, those who have provided donations to the Spitler School Foundation over the past four months, since our last newsletter. We can’t tell you how much your caring support means to all of us involved with this important endeavor.

 

 

Karsten Schroeder

Richard Chong and the AKIDS Team

Terry Lyman

Lynn & Faith Olson

Rae Spitler

Kay Spitler

Lindsey and Kyle Spitler

Irvin Spitler & Cheryl Turner

Barbara & Jerry Shapiro

Elizabeth Merrifield

Sharon Lund

Jeanette Harrington

Carol Osborn

Jim and Mary Wiggins

Elva and Terry Paul Schoenrock

Rich and Judy Kalich

Bruce and Janelle Osborne

Lisa Hoffmeyer

Joan Gilbert & Joel Armstrong

Windy Zachek

John & Ada Cillis

Jeanine Watson

Greg Johnson

Lou & Claudine Hopper

Ida Cutberthson

Susan Galliher

Dick & Maureen Wright

Lynn Mar

Bob & Jean Kilker

 

 

Danny & Pam Spitler, Directors
Spitler School Foundation
P.O. Box 730
Peoria, AZ  85380
“Providing Resources for Cambodian Children”
www.dannypam.smugmug.com