Volume 11 | Issue 3 | May 2009

NEWS@KIST

THE NEWSLETTER OF K. INTERNATION ALSCHOOL TOKYOIn This Issue...

Learning for Life

Secondary End of Year News

Secondary News

Shoe Drive Update

A Reminder for PE Students

Uniform Updates

PYP Coordinator News

Miscellaneous Updates

Observing the Joy of Learning

A Letter from the Principal’s Desk

“I took
and th the road leat hasss
ence”
made travelled byall thedifferRobert(1874 Frost—1963)

DATES TO REMEMBER

Welcome back to the final term for our school year – Spring Term. I am sure
those of you who attended would agree, the recent ECE and Primary concerts
were a wonderful way to start the term. Through opportunities such as theseconcerts we are able to see the broad range of skills that are developed throughthe Primary Years Programme offered at our school. It never ceases to inspireme the way that even the youngest and shyest of students find the courage tostand up on the big stage and perform for such a big audience. Congratulations
to all of the students and teachers who were part of these inspirational performances.
School Development Planning:
As part of the recent professional development experience provided for staff,
the school released to teachers the first draft of our new three year School Development Plan. This plan has been drafted by our school administration teamin collaboration with our IB PYP, MYP and DP Coordinators. The document
has been structured around the standards and practices that define us as an IB
school and through which we are evaluated as a school during IB evaluation visits. These standards and practices are very thorough and encompass all areas ofschool planning including: Philosophy, Organization, Curriculum, and Students.
Over the coming weeks we hope to find ways to share this draft with our wider
school community, including you as our school families. We are hoping thatthrough this process we will able to create a plan that helps us to develop further
as a school, and set attainable goals that will guide our actions over the coming
years.
We look forward to making you part of this project and collecting your ideas,
thoughts and perspectives.
Sasha Marshall
School Principal

Term 3
May 2nd-10thGolden Week Vacation!
May 22nd
Grade 5 Exhibition
May 30th
Family Day
June 1st
School Vacation
June 8th
Normal School Day– all students
June 22nd
Grade 12 Graduation Dinner
June 25th (1:00pm-2:00pm)
K3 Graduation
June 25th (5:00pm-6:00pm)
Grade 5 Graduation
June 26th (Evening)
Secondary School End of Year
EventsJune 26th
End of Spring Term

Page 2

News @ KIST

Volume 11 Issue 3

Sve t lan a Kl yu ye va
M us i c Te ac he r

Secondary End of Year Event 2009 NewsWe would like to inform you that the date of the Secondary End of Year Event (EYE2009) has been confirmed. The event will be on June 26th (Friday) at Funabori Hall. The
time will be announced closer to the day but most likely it is going to be 17:30 or 18:00.
Detailed info about this day and the map for the venue will be provided in a special newsletter by the end of May or beginning of June.
As you know the Event consists of 3 main parts. We will be saying goodbye to Grade 12 students, congratulating Grade
10 students with their achievements in the MYP. The connecting thread of the Event is the concert performances by
individual students, ensembles/bands and class performances. Secondary students will be sharing with you their love andappreciation of dance, music and drama.
Some students have already started practicing for the EYE 2009. Some are still in the middle of the creative processsearching for the way to express themselves through the Performing Arts. It is great to see students from different grades
mixing and working together.
Please note that in order to participate in the concert, performers had to complete an application form. All applications
were due Friday April 17th (Week 3 Term 3). The main purpose of the auditions is to make sure students are ready forthe event and all the performances are appropriate for this type of event and, of course, because of the number of performances we can fit into the program. This year’s auditions will be held during Week 8 and 9 (first half of June). The
results will be announced the week after the auditions. Auditions for G12 students will be held after their exams.
We hope you can come and enjoy the event. Please mark June 26th in your diary!

A l is on C ox
G ra de 6 / 7 C o or d in at o r

Shoe Drive Update
Many thanks to all the families who donated shoes to the Shoe Drive. Overall, 8 large boxes with over 250 pairs ofshoes were collected. A big thank you also to the Grade 10 students who raised money for the postage of the shoes byhosting “Dracula’s Dinner” for Secondary students on the evening of March 25th. The shoes have been posted and are
expected to arrive in Thailand sometime in June. They will be distributed to refugees living on the Thai/Burma border. Thank you for making a difference in their lives. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Student Absences
We would like to remind you of the procedures to follow if your child will be absent from school. The school officemust be notified directly for all absences in advance where possible. As indicated below, the type of notification required
depends on the duration of the absence:
For 1 or 2 days: The absence must be reported directly to the school office before the start of school by telephone, fax
or e-mail only, not through individual teachers. If calling the school before 8:00 a.m., please leave a message on theanswering machine. A reason for the absence should be provided. For all grades, notification must be given by parents/guardians only, not by students themselves.
For 3 days to 1 month: Submit an Application for Temporary Absence form (available from the school website) directly
to the office. Approval must be given by the school administration for all absences due to reasons other than illness.
For 1 month to 1 year: Submit an Application for Extended Leave of Absence form (available from the school website)
directly to the office. Various conditions apply. Further information may be found on the application form.
Thank you for your cooperation.

Page 3

News @ KIST

Volume 11 Issue 3

Uniform Reminders
House color polo shirts
Students who were asked to change to the yellow house color polo shirts after initial enrolment at KIST have been allowed
to wear their own shirts this year as an interim measure only. However, students will be expected to wear the required yellow shirt from the beginning of the 2009 – 2010 school year. Families are encouraged to purchase the new shirts before
June 26, 2009 to take advantage of a special half-price discount being offered until the end of the current school year only.
This discount will not be available for orders received after this date. Orders will take approximately two weeks to arrive so
please plan in advance. Uniform Order Forms are available on the school website “Forms” page or from the office or reception.
Tracksuits
We have noticed that an increasing number of students are not wearing the required tracksuit. As per all other uniform
items, please ensure that all children wear the correct tracksuit (top and pants) as specified by the school.
Club uniforms
Students who are members of sporting clubs are reminded that they should change into their PE uniform before their club
begins. Wearing the PE uniform to school in the morning is only allowed if a PE class is scheduled for that day. Furthermore, for clubs that have original parkers or other special uniform items, these items are not part of the formal school uniform and should not be worn as such during class time. They may be worn only during clubtime or at tournaments. In addition, students are required to wear the correct training pants andshirts as specified by the school.

Miscellaneous Updates
Uniform Pool
There are times throughout the school year when incidents happen at school that require a student to change their clothes. We currently have a selection of small sized uniforms, however, do
not have a range of clothes for older students. We are wondering if any families have old uniforms that they would like to donate to the school for this purpose. We require just one boys and one girls set for eachsize. As soon as we have this we will decline any more donations as we do not have room to store them. Please hand donations in to Mitsuyo at the front reception.
Community Support Thank You
We would like to thank the Oulton family (Hannah K3 and Leo K1) for offering their support and assistance for our family in need of travel assistance (as mentioned in the previous newsletter) in order to attend afterschool ESL classes.
School Handbook
We are pleased to announce that preparation of a new edition of the School Handbook is nearing completion! The newedition will be ready for distribution to all families by post during the summer vacation. The handbook has been updatedwith revised information and additional sections that we hope will assist you and your family to have a successful year atschool. When you receive your copy, we ask you to read it in full and keep it handy for future reference. The handbook
will also be uploaded to the school website.
Student Withdrawals
This is a reminder to families planning to leave KIST at the end of the current school year to please submit a Student
Withdrawal Form (available from the school website “Forms” page) to the office as soon as possible. On the last day of
your child’s attendance, please be sure to return any school property borrowed (e.g. library books, textbooks, sports uniforms etc.). The Student ID Card and Parent ID Card should also be returned to the office. In addition, any outstanding
fees should be paid. This includes School Support Program duties not completed. Furthermore, if you require proof of
attendance or record of attendance statements, or teacher references for your child’s new school, you may arrange these inadvance by submitting the Request for Documentation Form (available from the website) directly to the office. If you haveany questions regarding the arrangements for student withdrawal, please ask at the office.

Page 4

News @ KIST

Volume 11 Issue 3

Amanda Cooke
Lower School Principal

Observing the Joy of Learning“Reading about newideas does not always
mean that we need to
implement something
new…it can encourage
us to observe withnew perspective andvalue even the simplest of learning experiences”

I have recently been inspired by the article “Joy in School - Joyful learning can flourish in school - if you give joy a chance” (Wolk, S.
(2008) Educational Leadership. 66(1)). Steve Wolk suggests that ‘by helping students find the pleasure in learning, we can make learning
infinitely more successful’. Wolk highlights 10 ways in which we can support joy in learning. These include giving students choices, letting
students create things and experiences the outdoors. In reading about these ideas I have been inspired to think about the opportunities wegive children to choose, create and explore in the outside environment, thus encouraging joyful learning. Reading about new ideas does
not always mean that we need to implement something new, however it can encourage us to observe with a new perspective at what we are
already doing and to acknowledge and value even the simplest of learning experiences.
Once such experience took place recently after a string of rainy days in February. Rainy days in schools, means inside play time, which
can be a frustrating time for both students and teachers. When the rain finally clears and students are able to go outside again Mother
Nature presents us with an array of learning opportunities. This year the rain left us with a very large puddle in the middle of our playground. Although a bit of a hazard for some play, this puddle provided students with the opportunity to make choices, create things andexplore the outside environment. Students were observed finding joy in this puddle in a variety of ways, some with eager enthusiasm andothers with shy curiosity. Students found many different ways to explore the natural world and its phenomena, many of which link directly
to core understandings in our science scope and sequence.
Explorations began with students standing around the puddle, observing the light and their faces reflected in the muddy water. Some students discovered what happened if they disturbed the water, observing the ripples and the effect these had on their reflection. Children
laughed as they distorted their image and began to develop both curiosity and understanding about light, reflection and refraction. As theweather continued favorably and the water in the puddle began to dry up, students continued their explorations by investigating thechange occurring in the water and the earth. As the water evaporated and a large mud pit remained, students began a sensorial exploration. Many students discovered that the earth contained a large amount of clay and that the texture and properties of this allowed them tocreate solid objects. These explorations helped to develop their understanding of materials and their changing states as well as the way
humans use and manipulate materials from the natural environment.
By closely observing the students in their playground experiences following the days of rain it has been inspiring to see how such a simple
experience can offer opportunities for our students to develop their scientific understandings. It has also been encouraging to observe thatby allowing students choice about their interaction with the natural world, giving them the freedom to create and to interact with the outside environment, we have helped to encourage joy and pleasure in learning that can support both developing understandings and theirsuccess as learners.
I encourage you to take the time to observe your children, in the smallest and simplest of experiences. Observe the links they are making
to their developing understanding of the world, as well as the opportunities for experiencing joy. Sharing our observations of these experiences helps to remind us that joyful learning is all around us, if only we know where to look for it.
ECE and Primary Portfolio Update
Thank you to all families who have contributed to our portfolio action research for this year by filling out the parent portfolio survey following student led conferences. The next stage of our research is to survey staff and students and to collate the results so that we have concrete data on which to plan our portfolios for the 2009-2010 school year. At the beginning of the new school year, you will receive information regarding the new agreed use and organization for the portfolios. We hope that being involved in this process has helped foster
your connection with student portfolios and your understanding of the process involved in creating them.

Page 5

News @ KIST

Volume 11 Issue 3

PYP Coordinator Notes
PYP Coordinator
Notes

In brief:
Summary of PYP Parent Evening – 19thth Feb 2009
PYP Unit Overview – Spring Versions – Term 3
Future PYP Parent Workshops
Survey – finding out about your needs

Paul Langtree
PYP Coordinator

Throughout this school year, four PYP Parent Information Sessions have been offered. In Term One, three sessions were offered.
Catering separately for the ECE and Primary sections of our school, these sessions focused primarily on introducing parents to the framework of the Primary Years Programme.
On the 19th of February, 40 interested parents attended the fourth PYP Parent Information Session. The key focus of this evening was
inquiry; what it looks like, how it happens and how parents can support inquiry at home. Much of the evening involved discussion and I
would like to thank all of the parents who attended, for not only making the time to come, but also for their willingness to contribute andshare ideas.
During the evening, parents were also introduced to the backward-by-design planning strategy which teachers use; beginning with assessment tasks, before planning learning experiences.
By the end of the evening, it was clear that parents had developed a better idea of our inquiry-based curriculum as well as the kinds ofdecisions that teachers make when planning assessment tasks and learning experiences for students.
The final PYP Unit Overviews were sent out in April 2009. Accompanying each overview was an extended summary of the Learner

Profile, as well as ideas for ways that all parents can support their children at home.
Future parent information sessions will be offered later in 2009. In order for us to cater for parents needs, we are asking for your feedback. If you could take the time to complete the survey below and return it to school, this will allow us to gain a better idea of the kindsof information you require to understand and support your child through the Primary Years Programme.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please cut here
PYP Parent Survey - Please complete and return to school. Thank you J
Session Types
What kinds of sessions would you
like to attend?
Timing for sessions
When scheduling sessions, whichtimes would suit your most?
Session Frequency
How often would you like to see
sessions offered?

Introductory‐ What is PYP?
‐ The 5 elements

Inquiry‐ What is Inquiry?
‐ The inquiry Cycle

Planning‐ How teachers plan?
‐ Assessment tasks

OtherInternationalism
Researching
PYP Exhibition
Learner Profile

9am‐12pm

12pm‐3pm

3pm‐5pm6pm‐8pm

Once per year

Several times per year

Once per term

Twice per term

Grade level/s of your child/children – please circle as many that apply
K1
K2
K3
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5
Thank you for completing this survey.

Page 6

News @ KIST

Volume 11 Issue 3

Secondary School News
Anne Grahame
Upper School Principal
 The Grade 12s had a grueling week to the start of their Spring Term with a week of Mock Exams and little time to enjoy

the beautiful cherry blossoms. The Grade 12 teachers and students have been extra busy ensuring all exam preparationand moderation work has been completed. As a number of the Grade 12 teaching staff are IB DP examiners too, there has
been a whirl of heightened activity throughout this area of the school. I would like to wish our graduating class “Good luck”
in their upcoming exams and remind them of what Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States said, “I’m agreat believer in luck, and find the harder I work, the more I have of it”.
 On the evening of April 15th, Grade 10 students and their parents heard from our DP Coordinator, Mr. Mark Cowe, re-garding subject selections for the upcoming academic year. A very exciting development in our subject selection from next
year is the offering of new subjects; Chemistry, Math Studies, Music and Psychology. The School Board of Directors,
School Staff and teachers strive hard to offer the best we can to our students and this is another achievement in our continuing growth as a school.
 In the same regard, another step in consolidating our school growth has been the adoption of a Positions of Leadershipmodel in the Secondary School. Currently the school has IB curriculum coordinators, an ESL Coordinator, Athletics Director and a CAS and AoI Coordinator. Next year we will also have dedicated Subject Area Coordinators. This will formalize and recognize in an official capacity the type of work many teachers have taken on over the past years in developing andrunning the various faculties in the Secondary. A number of these positions have already been filled and I would like tocongratulate our new appointees.

Mr. Daryl Bates — Arts
Mr. Michael Bates — Humanities
Mr. Ross Ferris —Mathematics
 One further development is the increase in our provision for Guidance Counseling. From next year instead of the half-time

position we have had over the past 3 years, we will have the equivalent of one full-time Guidance Counselor. Mr. Mike
Wagner will share the position with Mrs. Keiko Okude. I believe that this will further enhance our offerings to our students
and parent body by catering to both our many English-speaking parents and our many Japanese-speaking parents.
 On April 30th, we hosted Tokyo International School Grade 6 students. Each year our respective Grade 6 classes share aunit together and the Year 6/7 Team Leader, Ms. Alison Cox and Grade 6B teacher Mr. Russell Ash, work with theircounterparts to organize this worthwhile exchange which emphasizes the wider connections we have as an IB school. In
turn, our Grade 6 students will visit TIS on May 22nd.
 In other news, as usual, students and teachers have been very busy with a number of events going on. This term some sec-

ondary students assisted at the Primary Concert and Grade 11 students and Mr. John Fortin also continued to fund raisefor Habitat for Humanity on concert day. Also Mr. Daryl Bates and the Grade 12 students set up their DP Art Exhibitionat Toyosu Culture Centre and it looked fantastic.
 Sporting events, which also connect us with the wider international school community, continue this term. Soccer, softball,and baseball teams are all training hard for various matches. I would like to thank their coaches, Mr. Tony Henderson,
Mrs. Fumie Komatsu, Mr. Andrew Hough, Mr. Jordi Casas and Mr. Terry Weston for their efforts in these sporting arenas.
 Finally, I would like to thank the students who have been involved with Mr. Michael Bates and me in re-shaping the Stu-

dent Representative Council. We had two meetings to decide on a constitution. At the final meeting it was decided toamend the constitution which was presented by Pyay Phyo Oo, a Grade 10 student, for his MYP Personal Project, andadopt it as our SRC Constitution. Nominations for the executive were called and I am happy to say that Carmina
Mancenon, Disha Parikh, James Ha and Soo Min Hwang form our SRC Executive. The SRC will contribute to our School
Newsletter from now on, so please stay tuned!

Page 7

News @ KIST

Volume 11 Issue 3

Make-a-wish update
Thanks to everyone who donated funds to the G5 exhibition students lastyear for their fund-raising efforts. They managed to raise a grand total of¥232,438 which was donated to the charity that was suggested by andvoted on by G5 students and those who attended the exhibition, Make-awish Japan. Make-a-wish is a non-profit organization that grants thewishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. The donation was gratefully received and a commemorative frame was sent which
will be housed in the area beside the office as a reminder of the great
work the G5 class of 2007-2008 did.

Library News
Redhouse Orders
Thank you to everyone who has ordered from the Redhouse catalogues throughout the year. With the commission earned from your orders we were able to choose hundreds of free books for the school library for all
to enjoy. The last Redhouse sales period for this year was held in April. The orders will be distributed before
the end of May.

Library End of Year Organization
In order to prepare for the movement to the new building that will happen during the summer break in theschool, it is necessary to close the library from Wednesday June 17th – Friday June 26th. All books must be returned by Wednesday 17th June. Invoices will be sent for those items that are still outstanding after this date.
There will also be no borrowing over the summer break for this year as all the books need to be sorted readyfor the creation of the new lower primary school library which will be housed in the new building. The only
exception to this will be class texts needed for secondary students as indicated by individual subject teachers.
We appreciate your cooperation and understanding with regard to this.
Mrs. Suzanne Astrop
Teacher Librarian

A Reminder for PE Students & Parents

A reminder to parents and students that PE is one part of the school curriculum and as such each student is expected to complete thetasks set. This includes the physical component of PE classes. If your child is unable to participate on a particular for a particular
health reason a note must be submitted to the PE teacher. A verbal explanation from a student is not sufficient and the student willneed to participate in the scheduled activity.
Terry Weston Athletics Director