22-04-05             

Head’s Update

Karin Caffin

kcaffin@senri.ed.jp

Head of School

New Faculty for next year.
In the Educator of February 26th, I announced the names of the teachers who will be leaving at the end of this year, and said that I would inform you of their replacements as soon as details were finalized. We finally have the contracts, original academic transcripts/ degrees, and visa paperwork back from the teachers and universities, so we are now able to announce their names. All new teachers have the required degrees, teacher certification, appropriate subject qualifications and more than our required years of previous experience.

There are several International School recruitment agencies that our school uses. Some are US based, for example, ‘International Schools Services’ (ISS), and ‘Search Associates’ (who are also based in Thailand and New Zealand). One is based in the United Kingdom, such as ‘The European Council of International Schools’ (ECIS), and also there is ‘Teacher Recruitment International’ (TRI), based in Australia. I attended an ISS fair in Bangkok, Mr. Underwood and I attended an ISS fair in Boston, and I will be attending an ECIS fair in London early May. We do offer contracts at the fairs, but have to wait before we can announce news to the teachers and parents as we have to wait until all paperwork is in place. We also hire teachers outside of the fairs, through direct application and personal contacts with administrators in other International Schools. We have hired teachers for all positions except for the two High School English teachers, and I will be attending the recruitment fair in London from the 3rd to the 7th of May.

Teachers confirmed to date are:

Mr. Paul Lindley will be our new band director and middle/high school music teacher. Paul is currently the music and band teacher at The American International School, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Paul has taught in Bangladesh, Mexico and Texas and has twenty years of experience.

Mrs. Amy Lindley, also currently teaching in Riyadh, will be our new ESL and Integrated English/Humanities teacher. Amy has taught in Bangladesh, Mexico and Texas. She has nineteen years of experience.

Ms. Gillian Stevens will be a new Elementary, (G1 and 2) teacher. She is at The Canadian International School, Singapore and has seven years of experience. Gillian also taught in Quebec, Canada.

Mr. Tony Walker will be teaching Middle and High School mathematics. He is currently teaching at the Dubai American Academy and has eight years of experience. Tony has also taught in Bangladesh and in Michigan.

Ms. Kelley Welch will be the new Librarian and technology support teacher. She is currently at the Dubai American Academy. She has taught in Bangladesh and in several places in the United States and has eleven years of experience.

Ms. Leanne Stephen will be the new Art teacher and is currently working in Sydney, Australia. She was at OIS for 10 years previously and has 22 years of experience.

After we offer contracts to teachers there is a period of time before we can announce the names of the teachers as we have to ensure that all requirements, both school and government, are met. I will keep everyone informed as soon as possible of any further resignations and hires.



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gunderwood@senri.ed.jp

In a little over a week, our grade 11 and 12 students begin their long awaited IB Diploma exams. Ultimately, this is the culmination of 13 years of education, so I would like to wish all the best to our students. Study hard in the time you have remaining!

Last educator, I wrote briefly about a positive school climate being one of the characteristics of a highly effective school. In that issue, I focused on student related issues. This issue, I would like to consider home issues. One major concept contributing to your children succeeding at school is parents ‘attitudes towards learning’, as students tend to pick up these attitudes from their parents. Marzano (2003:127) highlights research indicating when parental 1) income, 2) education, 3) occupation, and 4) home atmosphere were measured and compared, the home atmosphere had the MOST effect on academic achievement. Home atmosphere consisted of: communication about school, supervision, and parental expectations and parenting style. In fact, Marzano (2003:7,62) further notes a student’s background can account for up to a staggering 80% of variance in student achievement, although these effects can be almost entirely be overcome in highly effective schools!
 

One area of home atmosphere that I have become concerned with at OIS recently is the unhealthy level of gossip and false rumours that have been circulating over the last few months. Many of these rumours take one small piece of true information that gives the rumour an appearance of being true, but untrue (and at times nasty) additions are woven in. Most of these rumours are easy to notice with a bit of commonsense, but sometimes it is easy to believe what you are hearing from others without questioning them, and they can end up causing concern and ill feeling. Please, for the sake of a positive home environment, and thus enhanced student learning, please do not pass gossip on. If you hear information to do with school that sounds suspect, check it out with a person at school who will know. I am always happy to clarify/confirm these for you. In addition, please report any persons spreading rumours, especially malicious rumours, as they need to be told to stop doing so, otherwise they will continue spreading negativity. Thank you all for your efforts to help us solve this problem.
 

Finally, I would like to mention that Dr. Masa Fujimoto, a local Minoh vet who built his own boat and circumnavigated the world, will be visiting OIS on Wednesday 27th April from 2:35 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Neither pirates, ill-health nor storms could stop him on his journey! He will retell his adventures and show photos to the middle and high school students in the theater. Parents are most welcome to join in.


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Elementary Update

Rod Adam

Elementary School Principal

radam@senri.ed.jp
 

THE PYP EXHIBITION: A CULMINATING EXPERIENCE
In only a few more months, the Grade Five students will make the transition from elementary to middle school. This term, students, teachers, parents and other members of the school community have been working together to prepare for the Primary Years Programme exhibition. This is a time for Grade Five students to synthesize and apply their learning of previous years and to reflect upon their journey through the PYP as they engage in an in-depth, collaborative inquiry that involves identifying, investigating and offering solutions to real-life issues or problems. Because it is the culminating PYP experience, it reflects all the major features of the programme - concepts, knowledge, skills, attitudes and action – that are emphasized in all seven elementary grades at OIS.

Grade Five will celebrate their learning by presenting the exhibition to the school community according to the following schedule. Please join if you are able!

MON. APRIL 25th , 2:20 PM, 3rd Floor Conference Room
The Battle of Somme (WWI historical fic.) James Trew
Red X (action hero comic) Kai Bowne, Min-Joon Choi
The Bear in the Woods (historical fiction) Madeline Duppenthaler
TUES. APRIL 26th, 10:05 AM, 3rd Floor Conference Room
Digital Photography Hiroki Koshiba
Programming a Computer Game Jonathan Junqua
Nutrition for Your Health Aerina Wada

WED. APRIL 27th, 9:05 AM, 3rd Floor Conference Room
Visit Korea Website Suji Kang
Making Clothes Anna Pok, Marie Midford
Beautifying the School Saori Ofuji, Nobuko Shigeyama
Cptn. Underpants… (animated movie) Daniel Kellet, Alex Layton, LouLee,
Motoki Nakamura

MON. MAY 2nd, 9:05 AM, Theater
Tutu (a play) Asuka Matsumiya, Yuko Matsumoto
TO BE ANNOUNCED, TBA, Kindergarten, Grade 1 & 2 rooms
Making Picture Books (read/show) R. Kawanishi, D.-J. Yoo

STUDENTS TAKE ACTION AT YOUNGER GRADES, TOO
At all levels of the Primary Years Programme, from Kindergarten A through Grade Five, there are opportunities for students to engage in action. This is when students reflect on and apply their learning to choose appropriate courses of action and carry them out. Although this may be service-orientated action, often the action may not always be clearly or immediately visible or measurable.
Following the Grade One/Two unit of inquiry about Africa, the classes earned more than ¥17,000 by doing a variety of home chores. After voting on a graph as to the location they wanted the funds to go, the children decided to fund something like a goat for a needy family to produce food and income for themselves.
As the popular saying goes, ‘actions speak louder than words’!

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FINANCIAL AID
Jim Schell
Business Manager

We are now accepting applications for financial aid for the 2005-2006 school year, which commences on Sept. 1.
Please contact Jim Schell direct, or drop by the Business Office to pick up an application.
The deadline for applications is Friday, May 13.

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COUNSELING UPDATE
Patrick Stenger
Counselor
University Representatives Visiting OIS/SIS
International University Bremen – Germany
(Mr. Jon Ikram, Director of Admissions)
April 28 (Thu), 15:00 at Counseling Office      
 
Temple University Japan – Tokyo
(Ms. Jennifer Takao)
Mid-May (TBA) at Counseling Center
                           　 
Kingston University - UK
(Ms. Barbara Atherton)
May 17 (Tue), 10:30 at Counseling Office    
 
Fair Outside OIS/SIS
Tufts University, Lehigh University, Columbia University, Bowdoin University
May 3 (Tue) 10:00 – 12:00 at Canadian Academy
 
*Contact the Counseling Center for details.

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IB UPDATE
Peter Heimer
IB Coordinator

IB exams underway
Each year, at the end of April and throughout most of May, the OIS and SIS International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) students take end-of-course exams in a variety of subjects. Most of these test-takers are grade 12 OIS students, many of them hoping to pass their exams and thus receive the highly coveted IB diploma (they will). Several grade 11 OIS students will also sit for exams, completing their one-year “anticipated” courses in history and mathematics. And 13 SIS students will also take two levels of English exams and will eventually be awarded “certificates” indicating their completion of part of the IBDP.

One exam has been completed already. On Saturday, April 16, Ms. Mannerheim’s Visual Arts students exhibited their art work to an IB visiting art examiner from Yokohama. It was this examiner’s first visit to our school and she was extremely impressed, calling our students’ exhibits the best she has ever seen in her 12 years of examining around the Asia-Pacific region. Quite a compliment! Congratulations to Ms. Mannerheim and her art students.

The rest of the exams take place in May, starting May 3 and ending May 24. Please note that some exams are held during the 3 Golden Weeks school holidays. Students have exam schedules and should share them with parents. I’d like to recognize the sacrifices parents and students make in giving up their holiday.

In all, 47 students will take 51 exams. Most of the seniors will have upwards of 10 exams; two will have 14 and one 15. Busy, nervous times are ahead, but the students are well prepared and are certain to succeed. Good luck to them all.

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ELEMENTARY ART HAS A NEW WEB SITE
Sandra Klapste
ES/MS Art Teacher

Enjoy the artwork of our creative and talented Elementary students; share their work with family and friends in Japan and overseas. You will find their work at www.senri.ed.jp/students/esart/ or go to www.senri.ed.jp select School Life and then Art from the Elementary section. Thankyou to Takeyoshi Mizusawa in Grade 9 and Mr. Whitmore for all of their work designing and creating the site.

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SABERS SPORTS UPDATE
Simon Parker
Athletic Director

A huge thank you to all involved with the APAC Girls Soccer last week - it was a really great few days and the feedback from the visiting schools was all very positive. I would especially like to thank the homestay families - this year we managed to homestay all but 6 of our visitors with students and we are hearing that the experience was a thoroughly enjoyable one for all concerned. To catch up on all the results and pictures of the action, please visit the APAC site at www.senri.ed.jp/sports/apac The site was created and maintained all week by OIS 9th graders Akira and Takeyoshi - great job guys and thank you !

Still on the subject of APAC, the boys soccer team and girls softball teams both had good weeks and returned safely from Seoul and Shanghai respectively. Many thanks to the teachers who accompanied the students on these trips.

And so into the last season of action. The HS Badminton team are already practicing and the MS Boys Volleyball team will start on Thursday this week. MS Girls Softball is in full flow and the HS Girls Softball team will continue on until the Marist Tournament at the end of May. Please encourage your kids who may be interested in any of these activities to check with me about practice times and who is coaching which team.

Important Upcoming Dates:
Saturday April 23rd :
HS Girls Softball vs. Marist @ OIS 1:00pm (Field)
2:30pm (Field)
MS Girls Softball vs. CA @ OIS 9:30am (Field)
11:00am (Field)
MS Boys Volleyball vs. CA @ OIS 9:30am (Gym)
11:00am (Gym)

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US AIRFORCE JAZZ BAND AT OIS/SIS MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2005
William Marocco
Head of Music

The United States Airforce “Pacific Showcase” Jazz Band will be featured in a special performance at the Senri International School Foundation Theatre, Monday, April 25, at 4:00 pm.

This is an outstanding opportunity for OIS/SIS community to have such a prestigious ensemble perform. This will be their second performance at OIS/SIS having performed two years ago. Their performance then was truly spectacular. Try not to miss this performance. Admission is free.


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CALENDAR
APRIL 25
US Airforce Jazz Band, 4:00 pm @ Theater
APRIL 25-MAY 13
Lost & Found to Be Shown @ 2F Show Case
APRIL 28
ES Talent Show, 2:00 pm @ Theater
APRIL 29
Greenery Day – No School
Registration Deadline for June 4 SAT I and II Tests
MAY 3-5
Holidays – No School
(May 3 – Constitution Day)
(May 4 – National Holiday)
(May 5 – Children’s Day)
MAY 7
SAT I and II Tests @ OIS/SIS
MAY 12
Spring Music Recital, 4 pm @ Theater
MAY 13
Financial Aid Application Due
* Please refer to SABER SPORTS UPDATE and COUNSELING UPDATE for related events.

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ES LUNCH MENU – CAFETERIA
MONDAY, April 25
Pancakes
TUESDAY, April 26
Fried Chicken
WEDNESDAY, April 27
Pork Cutlet Curry
THURSDAY, April 28
French Toast
MONDAY, May 2
Pizza Toast
FRIDAY, May 6
Pork Cutlet
MONDAY, May 9
Spaghetti with Tuna Cream Sauce
TUESDAY, May 10
Curry Rice
WEDNESDAY, May 11
Broiled Pork with Mayonnaise
THURSDAY, May 12
Chinese Noodle Soup
FRIDAY, May 13
Pilaf with Fried Chicken


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IMPORTANT NUMBERS
Karin Caffin, Head
072-727-5080
kcaffin@senri.ed.jp

Gwyn Underwood, MS/HS Principal
072-727-5050
gunderwood@senri.ed.jp

Rod Adam, ES Principal
072-727-5050
radam@senri.ed.jp

Patrick Stenger, Counselor
072-727-5061
pstenger@senri.ed.jp

Michael McGill,
Admissions Director
072-727-5070
mmcgill@senri.ed.jp

Jim Schell, Business Manager
072-727-5084
jschell@senri.ed.jp

Peter Heimer,
IBDP Coordinator
072-727-2305
pheimer@senri.ed.jp

Student Attendance
072-727-2305