Week 3 Greetings

I hope this newsletter finds you well and enjoying the beautiful spring weather! We are thrilled to announce our new Prep transition sessions, which took place today. It was wonderful to see our new students exploring the school and getting to know their future classmates and teachers.

As the weather warms up, I would like to remind everyone about the importance of sun safety. Please ensure that your child brings a hat to school every day. With the strong UV rays we've been experiencing, wearing a hat is essential to protect our students while they enjoy outdoor playtime.

Additionally, we kindly ask parents to label all personal items, including jackets and lunchboxes. Many students tend to remove their jackets during playtime, and unfortunately, some are left behind on the playground. Clearly labelled items will help us return lost belongings to their rightful owners quickly.

気温が上がり春めいた日も増えてきた昨今ですが、みなさまいかがお過ごしでしょうか？今週の水曜日には、来年度のプレップ児童の体験入学セッションがありました。小学校の教室で来年のクラスメイトたちと時間を過ごし、とてもよく頑張りました。

暖かい陽気が始まり、日差しがだいぶ強くなってきました。引き続き屋外でのアクティビティの際には帽子が必要となりますので、毎日お子様が学校に帽子を持ってきていることをご確認ください。また、休み時間にジャケットなどを脱いで遊び続ける生徒たちも目にするようになりました。万が一校庭にジャケットを忘れてしまった場合でもすぐに見つけることができるように、持ち物には必ず名前を書いていただきますよう、ご協力お願い致します。

The Amazing Art Show

We are thrilled to share the highlights from our Amazing Art Show, which took place from Tuesday October 22, to Thursday October 24! The opening ceremony on Tuesday was a tremendous success, setting the tone for a vibrant celebration of our students' creativity.

The event kicked off with the announcement of the Kids Choice Award, showcasing the wonderful talent amongst our students. Following this exciting moment, we were treated to a variety of captivating performances. The powerful Taiko drumming left everyone in awe, while our talented choir delighted the audience with their performance of "It's a Small World," sung beautifully in both English and Japanese.

Our Dance Club students from Years 1 to 4 dazzled us with their well-rehearsed performances, and the Prep students' dance was equally charming. The Year 1/2 students' singing brought smiles and joy to everyone present.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the staff members who worked tirelessly to make this event possible, especially Miho Sensei, whose leadership and dedication truly shone through.

１０月２２日から２４日まで、アメージングアートショウが開催されました。開会式では、キッズチョイスワォードの授賞式を始め、様々なパフォーマスが披露されました。５・６年生で結成される太鼓クラブのパフォーマンスはとても力強く、見ている人たちを引きつけました。それに続いた合唱団は、「小さいなせかい」を綺麗な歌声で歌い上げましたね。また、英語と日本語で歌ったのも本校ならではのパフォーマンスだったのではないでしょうか。１・２年生と３・４年生によるダンスクラブのパフォーマンスも、全員で作り上げた素晴らしいものだったと思います。

プレップと１・２年生による学年の出し物も、練習した成果がよく見られ、とても微笑ましいものでしたね。

アメージングアートショウの準備をした全ての教員、またその指揮をとってくださったアートのみほ先生、本当にありがとうございました！

Policies

I would like to take a moment to inform our school community about recent updates to our local policies. These changes were approved by our school council during our meeting on Tuesday night. The Education and Policy Sub-committee reviewed our existing policies and recommended the retirement of several documents.

Over the years, the Department of Education has updated its requirements for school policies, leading us to align more closely with the department’s overarching guidelines. Information can be found on Policy Advisory Library.

今週のスクールカウンシルのミーティングで、下記のポリシーの廃止、アップデートが許可されました。過去数年の間に教育省から指定されるポリシーの度重なる改訂や合併がありました。そのため教育省のポリシー内容により沿ったポリシーを遂行するため、下記のポリシーに関しましては、ローカルポリシーを廃止し、教育省から直に発行されているものに沿うことが決まりました。

また、ローカルポリシーではありますが、バイリンガルプログラムの一部である日本への修学旅行に関するポリシーは廃止をせずに改訂することが許可されました。それぞれのポリシーは以下の通りです。

As a result, the following policies have been retired:

Epilepsy and Seizures Policy (more detailed policy on Policy Advisory Library)
External Provider Policy (detailed requirements included in Visitors Library and Working with Children Check Register Policy)
Democratic Principles Policy (sufficiently covered in Statement of Values and School Philosophy)
Communication and Policy Development Policy (communication method is included in each policy document)
International Students Policy (very detailed information provided on Policy Advisory Library, including some legal requirements for international students)

Additionally, we have updated our International Travel Policy to ensure it meets current standards.

Thank you for your continued support in making our school a safe and welcoming environment. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these policy changes, please feel free to reach out.

Snapshots from our classrooms

In this edition of "Snapshots from the Classroom," we’re excited to share a glimpse into our English-Literacy class, where students have been exploring the playful world of alliteration! This engaging lesson tied into their poetry unit, encouraging creativity and imaginative thinking. During my visit, I found the students deeply immersed in brainstorming character names that featured alliteration. Their enthusiasm was palpable as they shared well-known examples, such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Donald Duck.　今週の教室からの風景では、１・２年生の英語のクラスに行ってまいりました。この授業では、「頭韻」の勉強をしていました。今１・２年生が学んでいる、詩の単元ととてもよく結びついています。私が訪れた時には、Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duckなど、頭韻があるキャラクターの名前をみんなで考えていました

Now we turn our focus to the Year 1/2 Maths classroom, where students were engaged in an exciting lesson on the concept of area. This hands-on activity not only reinforced their understanding of measurement but also sparked their competitive spirit! Students were tasked with measuring the area of the cover pages of their chosen books, using blocks. It was fantastic to see them collaborating and sharing strategies to determine the area accurately. After measuring, the students gathered to compare their results and discover which book had the largest cover area. The excitement in the room grew as they revealed their findings, with many enthusiastic debates about the measurements.　１・２年生の算数のクラスでは、面積の勉強をしていました。この日のアクティビティはものを使って調べるという楽しい要素のみならず、面積を図るという概念も強化されるものとなっておりました。ブロックを使って本の表紙の面積を図り、そのあとで誰の本の表紙が一番大きい面積を持っているか比べていました。誰が一番になるのか、みんなワクワクしながら比べていました。

We’re excited to share some highlights from our recent Physical Education lesson led by the enthusiastic Miss Molloy! This week, our students had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a volleyball clinic, inviting a professional coach to enhance their skills and introduce them to the exciting world of volleyball. The coach introduced basic volleyball skills, such as serving, passing, and setting. Students were divided into small groups to practice these skills, fostering both individual growth and collaboration. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and encouragement as students cheered each other on!　最後はモロイ先生の体育の授業です。今週、３−６年生の体育の授業では、バレーボールクリニックが行われました。プロのコーチがバレーボールに必要なスキルを教えにきてくれました。色々なスキルの練習のみならず、小さなグループに別れて協力し合いながら練習をしました。晴天の中で行われたバレーボールクリニックを生徒たちも満喫している様子でした。モロイ先生、ありがとう！

Team Kids