Japanese Children’s Society, Inc.

(English version of school brochure)Japanese Preschool & Elementary SchoolContents
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II.
III.
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V.

Preschool Curriculum-------------------------------------------------------------- 3Elementary School Curriculum ----------------------------------------------------- 6
Campus and Classrooms ---------------------------------------------------------- 10Bus Service----------------------------------------------------------------------- 10
Directions--------------------------------------------------------------------------10

School Song
Written by Shinichiro Sako
Composed by Shoichiro Sako
Translated by Toshikatsu Konishi

1. A blue sky is broadening over the earth,
The mighty Hudson River is flowing into the bay,
Like a young tree growing up healthily and quickly,
All of us extend our hands
And grow strong and big, in our school
2. On the bright windows filled with light,
Reflecting smiling faces with enjoyment,
Like small birds singing amicably
All of us live in harmony
Encourage and train with each other, in our school
3. In the city where a large number of people gather together from all over the world
In search of freedom and dreaming of a future
Like the Stature of Liberty uplifting a torch
All of us are afire with high hopes,
And build the joy of peace, in our school, in our school1

Japanese Children’s Society, Inc.

Mission Statement
1. To give Japanese preschool and elementary aged children a broad, rich education.
2. To shape and nurture their social and intellectual development.
3. To provide support and education in first language acquisition to preschool andelementary aged students.
4. To provide a cosmopolitan educational experience to students.
Our belief is that our students must have a comprehensive knowledge andunderstanding of the Japanese language and culture in order to survive in today’sworld. Above all they should become proficient in other languages and cultures ofwelcomed by the global community.

Statement from Principal
The Japanese Children’s Society was founded in New York City in 1980 as aJapanese language-based preschool and kindergarten. In 1989 the school moved toEnglewood Cliffs, New Jersey where it expanded to include elementary school.
Since then, it has been the only school offering preschool and elementary school
education in the east coast.
The school offers students the nationalized curriculum of Japan. Japanese is theofficial language at the school although an emphasis is placed on the ESL education tobroaden our students. The ESL program has been developed by Japanese and English
native-speaking instructors with enthusiasm, so that it is student-centered, motivating,and supportive of their English language development.
The school also provides a counseling service to parents and children who seek
assistance in adjusting to the US or readjusting to Japan. The service facilitates afamily’s transition by closely communicating with educational facilities to which
students are transferring.
The school is operated as a private, non-profit institution based on the needs
and desire of the local Japanese community. We are happy to report thatapproximately 3,000 J.C.S grades are achieving and excelling in Japan and throughout
the world with the educational foundation they received at the J.C.S. We invite
students to join our small, friendly, comfortable, learning-community. We are making
a difference.
Toru OkamotoPrincipal
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I.

Preschool Curriculum Operation
1. Goal:
To help students develop their cheerfulness, honesty, and confidence
2. Objectivities:a.

To help students develop their first language through nurturing them inJapanese. b. To help students develop independent basic living skillsc.

To help students improve their basic social skills

d. To help students cultivate common sense when communicating with theirpeers and friendse.

To help students broaden their points of view and cultivate a greater global
awareness and multi-cultural sensitivity by experiencing American culturesand customs

3. Academic Year (April to March)a.

First semester (April to June)
Main school events
Entrance ceremony, Welcome party for newcomers, teacher-parent meetings,
Japanese Culture Celebrations (Children’s Day Celebration), field trips,
swimming lessons, parent’s visitation day

b. Second semester (August to December)
Main school events:
Sports day, field trips, Halloween Party, parent’s visitation day, teacher-parent
meetings, birthday party, school festival, holiday partyc.

Third semester (January to March)
Main school events:
Japanese Cultural Celebrations (rice cake making party, Girl’s Day Party, BeanThrowing Festival), Farewell Party, Graduation Ceremony)

4. Weekly Schedule
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/(8:45 am to 2:30 pm)
Friday (8:45 am to 12:50 am)

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5. Daily Schedule
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday
8:45 - 9:00
Arrival
9:00 - 10:00
Free activities
10:00 - 10:30
Morning activities I (dancing, singing or painting)
10:30 - 11:30
Morning activities II
11:30 - 12:30
Lunch
12:30 - 2:00
Afternoon activities
2:00 - 2:30
Story-telling, singing, and word playing
2:30 - 2:40
Departure
Friday8:45 - 9:00
9:00 - 10:00
10:00 - 10:30
10:30 - 11:30
11:30 - 12:30
12:30 - 12:50
12:50 - 1:00

ArrivalFree activities
Morning activities I (dancing, singing or painting)Morning activities II
Lunch
Story-telling, singing, and word play
Departure

6. Key features
a. Curriculum
The curriculum follows the Japanese national curriculum approved by
Ministry of Education and Science. It is well balanced between play andlearning-oriented time.
b. Class
Preschool has the following three classes: 1) 3 year-old class; 2) 4 year-old class,3) 5 year-old class. Each class is supervised by two homeroom teachers withrich teaching experience in Japan and the US.
c.

Special subjects
English playing:
A native English-speaker leads the students in children’s songs and games
familiarizing them to English sounds and words in a fun, no-threatening
environment.
Music:A professional pianist with rich experience in teaching is in charge of the classand encourages students to get involved in music activities.

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Art:An artist with extensive teaching experience with young children motivates
students to get involved in art activities. Others:
Homeroom teachers have their own personal interests and talents. (e.g.,cooking, sports, origami) They share these with students in other classes. This
results in teachers knowing all students in the preschool division.
d. Lunch meeting
Students are divided into different aged groups, have lunch in the group, andplay together after lunch. This helps them establish friendly relationships witha variety of students.
e.

Cooking
Students are often given good opportunities to make lunches and snacks.

f.

Birthday Party
One day every month students join together to have a birthday party. The
parents of students celebrating their birthdays during the specific month areinvited to join the festivities.

g. Swimming
In the summer students play in a wading on the school ground the weather
permitting and hot. The five- year-old class also has a swimming class in anindoor pool.
h. Physical measurement
Every month the height and weight of students are measured and recorded.
i.

Story-telling of picture books
The daily classroom story-telling activities allow students to develop their
imaginations, and provide them with Japanese language enrichment
opportunities.

j.

Club activities
We have a soccer club after school that is targeted for 5-year-old students. Theclub meets once a week.

All the photos on page 3 and 4 of the Japanese version of this brochure show main
school events in an academic year.

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II.

Elementary School’s Curriculum Operation
1. Goals:a.

To help students learn comfortably and to self-discipline

b. To help students enrich their minds by providing them with cross-culturalexperiences
2. Objectivities:a.

To encourage students to shape an self-motivated attitude toward learning, tobuild their basic learning ability, and to develop their recognition.

b. To foster cooperation among students by letting them participate into group
activities.
c.

To help students make their mind and body sound and lead a cheerful,
comfortable school life.

d. To support students in building their rich, flexible mind and in forming abroaden, international point of view
3. Yearly Schedulea.

First semester (April to June)
Main School Events: entrance ceremony, teacher-parent meetings, field trips,
sports day, bilingual day, school trip, parent’s visitation day, swimminglessons

b. Second semester (August to December)
Main School Events: swimming lessons, field trips, teacher-parent meeting,parent’s visitation day, ice skating lessons, Halloween party, bilingual day,bazaar, school festivalc.

Third semester (January to March)
Main School Events: Japanese culture celebrations (rice cake making party,
New Year’s writing), tennis lessons, field trip, farewell party, graduation
ceremony, jumping rope contest

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4. Class hours and time table
Class hours
Japanese
Social Study
MathScience
Life
EnglishMusicArtsHome
economics
PhysicalEducation
SpecialActivities
Integrated
Study
Total(hrs/week)
Total(hrs/year)
Public schools
in Japan(hrs/year)

1st grade9

2nd grade
95

5

3
10
2
23

3
10
223

3rd grade7353

4th grade
73
53

5th grade
6453

6th grade6410221022102210
222223

2

School Event, Field Trip, and Moral Education
34
1348

34

34

34

34

34
1326

(IncludedEnteringCeremony)

1360

1360

1360

1360

(IncludedGraduation
Ceremony)

850

910

945

980

980

980

Timetable
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday
8:40 - 8:50
Arrival8:50 - 9:00
Independent study time
9:00 - 9:10
Morning meeting
9:10 - 9:50
1st period
9:55 - 10:35
2nd period
10:35 - 10:55
Recess
10:55 - 11:35
3rd period
11:40 - 12:20
4th period
12:20 - 1:00
Lunch
1:00 - 1:405th period
1:45 - 2:25
6th period
2:30 - 3:10
7th period
3:10 - 3:30
HR3:30Departure
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Friday (All day English Program)
8:40 - 8:50
Arrival8:50 - 9:00
Independent study time
9:00 - 9:10
Morning meeting
9:10 - 9:50
1st period
9:55 - 10:35
2nd period
10:35 - 10:55
Recess
10:55 - 11:35
3rd period
11:40 - 12:20
4th period
12:20 - 1:00
Lunch
1:00 - 1:40
5th period
1:45 - 2:25
6th period
2:25 - 2:45
HR2:45
Departure
5. Others
Subjects by specialty teachers:English, art, music, calligraphy, Japanese, music, and graduation production
Extra curriculum activities:
student government, club, afterschool program, summer program, summer camp,and ski camp
Club activities:
baseball, soccer, computer, and season sports
After school program:calligraphy, karate, Japanese language class, painting, piano, and ESL
Computer education:
In class students are given frequent opportunities to explore and gather
information using the internet. A computer club offers students an opportunity tolearn higher computer skills.

6. English: ESL & Bilingual Program
Our English program offers leveled English classes and supports thedevelopment of students’ all-around English skills. The ESL program is designed
for non-native English speakers usually from Japan. Each student is carefully
placed in the level which will best suit their learning needs and abilities. TheLanguage Arts program is designed for bilingual students to continue a native ornear-native course of study in the English language. Students have English classonce a day from Monday through Thursday and study all day in English on8Japanese Children’s Society, Inc.

Fridays. The Intensive English Learning Program (All day English FridayProgram) was introduced in 2011 and has been achieving unprecedented results inbilingual education. During the morning session, students are divided into fiveleveled classes to fine-tune their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. In
the afternoon, they are divided by grade (older students: 4-6th grade, younger
students: 1-3rd grade) for thematic study; the themes of which are set based on
seasonal events, holidays, and students’ general knowledge levels.
Students are offered a variety of American cultural events, which include a
Halloween assembly and party, and various holiday song assemblies.
Every semester our students are given the opportunity to interact withAmerican students from nearby schools. This exchange program encourages
students to use English and forge friendship with native English speakers.
Students may take the English Proficiency Test approved by the Japanese
Ministry of Education and Science. This test is one of the main factors foradmission to private junior high schools in Japan.

7. Where graduates go
Azabu Junior High School
Gakushuin Junior High School
Keimei Gakuen
Sibuya Kyoiku Gakuen Makuhari Junior High School
Shonan Shirayuri Junior High School
Chiyoda Jogakuen Rikkyo Ikubukuro
Junior High School
Ootsuma Junior High School
Tokyo Liberal Arts College Affiliated Junior High School
Keio University Affiliated Junior High School
Shibaura Industrial University Affiliated Junior High School
Tamagawa Gakuen
Musashi Junior High School
Kaisei Academy Junior High school
Ritsumeikan Uji Junior High school
Englewood Cliffs Upper School
Tenafly Middle School
New Jersey Japanese School
Koshien Gakuin The Elizabeth Morrow School

8. Special guests and speakers
Mr. Ikuo Hirayama
Mr. Shuntaro Tanigawa
Ms. Midori Goto
Ms. Mariko Senju
Ms. Toko ShinodaMr. Rokusuke Ei
Ms. Peggy Hayama
Prof. Takaya Kawabe
Mr. Hideki Matsui(UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador/painter)(poet)(pianist)(violinist)(calligrapher)(composer)(singer)(professor of United Nations University/UrTech)(base ball player / New York Yankees)

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9. Achievements on proficiency tests (2009-2010 year)
English Proficiency Test
Grade-2: 3 people, Grade-Pre 2: 8 people, Grade-3: 10 people,
Grade-4: 9 people, Grade 5: 8 people
Chinese Character Proficiency Test
Pre 2nd class 1 person, 6th class 1 person, 7th class 1 person, 9th class 4 people
Art of Calligraphy Certificate
4th class 6 people, 5th class 27 people
The Mathematics Certification
3rd class 1 person, 4th class 3 people, 5th class 3 people, 6th class 1 person, 7thor under class many students

III.

Campus and indoor building map
http://www.japaneseschool.org/about_ikuei/facility.php

IV.

School Bus
Bus service is available, but not exclusively, to the following: Manhattan East side &West side (NY), Fort Lee, Englewood Cliffs, Cliffside Part, Leonia, Tenafly, Palisades
Park, Demarest, Paramus, River Edge, Ridgewood, Edgewater, West New York( PortImperial), and so on. In case of inclement weather like storm, the service is notavailable. In this case, the school is closed or we offer point-to-point bus service.

V.

Direction to School
1. From New York Citya. By car
Go onto the GW Bridge/Upper Level. Enter the second exit (Fort Lee-Hudson
Terrace) after the bridge.
Continue on the ramp to Hudson Terrace, and at the end of the ramp, turn left
on Hudson Terrace. Continue on Hudson Terrace, and Turn left at Bayview Ave.
The school building is on the left.
b. Public TransportationFrom midtown
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Take No.156 on NJ Transit bus at the Port Authority Bus Terminal and get out atBayview Ave. You can see our school on the left side. It takes about 50 min.
From uptown
Get off Subway A at 175 St. GW Bridge Bus Terminal, and go up to the George
Washington Bridge Bus Terminal. Take No.186 on NJ Transit or 9A on Red &Tan Lines, and get off at Bayview Ave. It takes 10 min.
2. From New Jersey
Take any road toward GW Bridge. When you are close to the Bridge, take 9W(Lemoine Ave. or Sylvan Ave.) to the north. Continue on 9W for about 3 min, andtake the left turn on Bayview Ave.

Trial Admission
A trial admission is available, and it is recommended for parents to considering sending theirchildren to Japanese Children’s Society, Inc. This trial provides children with an opportunity
to participate in class for a few weeks. For further information, please contact us.
Japanese Preschool and Elementary School
Private Day School
Japanese Children’s Society, Inc.
8 west Bayveiw Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 USA
Phone: (201) 947-4832, 947-9089
Fax: (201) 944-3680
HP: www.JapaneseSchool.org

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