2024-2025 School Year May Edition

Tokyo, Minato City, Motoazabu 3－8－15

Minato City, Nanzan ES

TEL 03（3403）5773

FAX 03（3408）4532

Principal Tsuyoshi Imamura

MAIL：nanzan-es@minato-tky.ed.jp

History at Nanzan Elementary School
It is now a season of fresh, crisp green leaves. I would like to thank the many parents who attended
the recent Parent-Teacher Conference.
Today marks the end of April, and three weeks have passed since the Opening Ceremony andEntrance Ceremony. The students who looked a bit nervous at the beginning of the school year seem tobe gradually getting used to their new grade and class. The first graders, who had been feeling nervous
and anxious about life at the elementary school, seemed to relax after receiving a warm welcome fromthe upper graders at the "Grade 1 Welcome Assembly". The first graders had a traffic safety lesson, thesecond graders had a lesson where they drew a fire truck, and the third graders went on a tour of thelocal area. Fourth graders and above have started committee activities and club activities, and areactive in a variety of settings. During morning and lunch recesses, students can be seen playing
energetically in the schoolyard and talking happily with their classmates in the classrooms, and theschool is feels full of energy.
While watching these wonderful students, I became curious about the history of this Nanzan Elementary
School and did a little research. The school opened in 1876 and has a long history and tradition. Theschool was opened with generous donations from the local community, and a wooden school building
was built at 7 Miyamura-cho.
Later, in 1895, the school moved to 69 Aza Uchida-yama, Miyamura-cho (the current location ofRoppongi High School). During the era of this two-story wooden school building, there was a wisteria
trellis covering the entire school yard, with light purple flowers blooming in the spring, and the sports day
was held under this trellis. For this reason, this period is known as " the era of the wisteria trellis schoolbuilding," and when people who studied at this school building think of their memories, the wisteria trellis
is the first thing that comes to mind.
After, in 1927, a new school building was constructed at the present location as part of thereconstruction plan for the Great Kanto Earthquake that occurred in 1923. The three-story reinforced
concrete school building, which was rare in Tokyo at the time when many private homes were one-story,
was said to be majestic. At the time of its completion, the school had 1068 students and the largest
playground in the Tokyo metropolitan area. This school building survived for about 50 years without being
destroyed by fire during the turbulent Showa period (1926-1989). Time passed, and in 1978, the current
school building was completed. Since then, the school has watched over and sent off students throughthe Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa eras. After such a long history, Nanzan Elementary School will celebrate its
150th anniversary in 2026.
At this historic Elementary School, the students are working very hard every day. However, some of themseem to be a little tired. This weekend will be a four-day weekend, so we hope that they will take a break
and recover, and then return to their school life with renewed energy.
We would like to thank all parents and community members for their understanding and support of ourschool's academic activities. May 16 (Thu) and 17 (Fri) are open days for the school. If you have time,please come and see the children at school. Thank you for your continued support.

Reforming of Working Styles of Teachers

As I mentioned at the Parent-Teacher Conference General Meeting, I would like to reiterate what
was said regarding the reforms to improve working hours. The regular working hours for teachers arefrom 8:15 to 4:45. Our teachers do their best to work with the students while they are at school. Inorder to ensure that they have as much time as possible to prepare for their next class, and also toensure that they are able to do their jobs to the fullest while maintaining a good life/work balance,
we ask that parents refrain from making phone calls outside of school hours, except in cases ofemergency. In cases of non-emergencies please use the Manabi Pocket Guardian Function. Thankyou for your cooperation

Initiatives at Nanzan Elementary School (Tatewari Groups and Cross-Grade Interaction)
Head of Special Activities
Tatewari group activities and interactions with students from different grades have been a longstanding tradition at Nanzan Elementary School.
In the Tatewari Group, students from grades 1 to 6 are divided into 14 groups and deepen theirfriendship beyond their grade level through various events and assemblies. The students sing
together at the morning music assembly, and at the student assembly, they cooperate to playgames devised by the assembly committee.
In addition, during the Tatewari Nakayoshi Assembly and Greetings
Campaign Week, the upper graders show leadership and direct theactivities.
Students also interact with other grades, the kindergarten and juniorhigh school in a variety of settings, including Integrated Studies, Social
Studies, Life Studies, and Language Studies, and link these activities tocareer education. The daily accumulation of such activities supports thegrowth of the students at Nanzan, who are able to take action on theirown initiative and cooperate with and be considerate of others.

Start Curriculum

G1 Homeroom Teacher
The Start Curriculum is a curriculum for students entering elementary school to help them get used
to elementary school life based on what they have learned and cultivated through play and life inkindergarten, nursery school, and preschools.
At Nanzan Elementary School, the first grade schedule is divided into 15-minuteintervals for one period (45 minutes) and incorporates songs and hand games tomaintain linkages with the kindergarten and nursery schools. Thereafter, the students
develop their independence and growth through subject-oriented learning, as wellas through life studies using combined and linked instruction.
We also have a 6th grade Start Curriculum, where the 6th graders support and set
an example for the 1st graders in their school life so that each one of them will beaware of being in the highest grade and take a leadership role.
The 6th graders are the big brothers and sisters who lead the school.

★About Challenge Time Supplementary learning (Challenge Time) may be conducted during recess
or after school if necessary, such as when assignments cannot be completed. Please be aware that
there may be changes to the dismissal time.

May Events Calendar
1 (Wed)Committee

21 (Tue)

G6 Tax lesson

7 (Tue)Start of checkups

28 (Tue)

G6 Pre-Hakone Checkup

13 (Mon)Evacuation Drill

29 (Wed) ~ 31 (Fri)G6 Hakone Trip

16 (Wed)Open School (Safety Lesson G1,2,3,4)

May GoalThink and Act Independently