The omet

The New sletter of K. International School Tokyo
Volume 27 | Issue 1 | September 2023

In this issue...
02...Message from the Board President

11...Reframing Challenging Interactions

03...IB Diploma Results—July 2023

12...Future Scientists Summer Camp

04...Welcome to New Staff

13...Library News

05...New Building Construction Update

14...Students Supporting the Homeless07...Taking on Your Wellbeing

15...Nurse’s Notes

10...IGCSE News

18...University Acceptances and Offers

From the Head of School

Dates to Remember

Dear KIST Community,
It is with great joy and anticipation that I welcome you all to another exciting
academic year at K. International School Tokyo. As the Head of School/
Elementary School Principal, I am thrilled to embark on this journey of growth,
discovery, and achievement alongside each and every one of you.
Our school is a diverse learning environment, where students are encouraged
to explore their academic passions, embrace challenges, and develop a love
for knowledge. Our dedicated team of educators is committed to developing
competent, academic and compassionate individuals who makemeaningful contributions to our global community. Together, we willcontinue to uphold our pursuit of excellence in academics while emphasizing
compassion for others, and the traits of the IB Learner Profile.
I am especially proud to announce that our 2023 IB Diploma Programme
graduates achieved an outstanding average of 41.1 points. This remarkableaccomplishment is a testament to the dedication of our students, the expertiseof our educators, and the support of our community. It showcases the
exceptional quality of education that KIST provides, preparing our graduates
for life beyond high school.
I am also excited to share that we will be moving into our new building on
November 20th! This new facility will provide our students with even greater
opportunities to thrive and excel in their academic pursuits. It represents amilestone in our journey, and we can’t wait to explore its classrooms,
laboratories, gymnasium, and communal spaces together.
As we navigate the evolving landscape of education, we remain committed toproviding innovative learning experiences that prepare our students for
success in an ever-changing world. We will celebrate milestones, overcome
obstacles, and create cherished memories together.
I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new students and their families.
To our returning students, I urge you to welcome the new possibilities for
personal and academic growth that await. To parents and guardians, yourpartnership holds immeasurable value and together our partnership will provide
the guidance and support necessary for our students to excel.
I look forward to a remarkable year ahead, filled with curiosity,achievement, and a community effort.
Kevin Yoshihara Ed.D.
Head of School/Elementary School Principal
KIST Learning for Life KIST Learning for Life KIST Learning for Life

September 2023
18 School day
18 (K3) Semester 1 LEAP classes
begin this week
18-22 (G6-G8) English diagnostic
testing
26-27 School photographs
26 PYP information session(*Online)
28 (G5) Day camp
28-29 (G10) Camp

October 2023
2-20 (G2-G5) Writing diagnostic
testing
5-6 (G9) Camp
7 SAT@KIST
9 School day
9 Parent information sessions
11 (G10) PSAT tests
14 Explanation Day (for prospective
parents)
14 2024-2025 admissions
applications open
27 Last day of quarter 1
28-Nov 5 Autumn vacation
28 KPASS X-Country (B/G) / HSVolleyball (B/G)

November 2023
4 KPASS HS Tennis (B/G) / MS
Soccer (B) & Volleyball (G)6 School resumes for all students

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Message from the Board PresidentAlthough the continuing heatwave has been particularly oppressive this year, I hope you
all enjoyed spending time together during the summer vacation.

The 2023–24 school year has begun. Construction of the new school building is wellunderway. By the end of September, the sheet covering the south side of the building will be
removed, followed two weeks later by the sheet on the north side. The long-awaited newschool building will then be completed in mid-November, and we will finally be able to movein on November 20. After that, the existing school building will be dismantled, and the field
will be renewed. If all goes well, the field will be ready for use after the summer vacation next
year. Just imagining students running around on the field, which will be 1.2 times larger than
before, is very exciting.
I would now like to present a report from the Board of Directors.
At KIST, we have established three educational goals to assist us in achieving our mission
and vision:
1. To provide opportunities for all students to acquire the knowledge and skills
required in the DP to a high level in order to contribute to and succeed in our
global community.
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global DP average score has remained high forthe past few years. This year, however, the global average has returned to normal at
30.2. KIST’s average score in 2023 was 41.1, the largest difference between the global
average in our history. Furthermore, 59% of this year’s graduates were enrolled at
KIST since elementary school.
2. To open the doors to leading universities for all students who wish to continue
receiving a quality education after graduating from KIST.
• Two of our 2023 graduates were accepted to Cambridge in England; two to Stanford
University in the United States; and others to Johns Hopkins University and the
University of California, Berkeley among others. Of the six students accepted to these
universities, four had been enrolled at KIST since elementary school.
3. To support students in achieving excellent academic results that enable them toreceive scholarships upon entering universities if financial assistance is needed.
• This year, total university scholarships awarded to students with outstanding grades
exceeded 300 million yen—the same as last year.
For more information, please refer to the separate reports from the respective coordinators.
Congratulations to all of our “Class of 2023” graduates. And thank you to all their teachers forleading them to this success, and to their parents for all your support.
Takako Komaki
Board President/Associate Head of School

Financial report

The settlement of accounts for the period from April 2022 to March 2023 has been
audited by the two school auditors, and has been approved by the Board of Directors
and reported to the Board of Trustees. (As Japanese private school law does not allow
adjustments to the accounting period, the settlement period runs from April to the endof March, which is different from our actual school year). If you would like to view theschool’s financial statements, please contact Mrs. Komatsu or Mr. Maeda in the office
to make an appointment. Please note that in accordance with legal stipulations, only
current students and their parents, and school staff are eligible to view these
documents.

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IB Diploma Results—July 2023
This year, the IB’s grade awarding system returned
to its pre-pandemic model after four years. This
meant that for the May 2023 examination session,
students completed all assessment components foreach subject including externally written
examinations, external assessments and internal
assessments. As the profile of grade distribution
returned close to pre-pandemic, the global averagefor the May 2023 examination session fell to 30.2
points, down from 32.0 points in 2022.
Despite the decrease in the global average by 1.8
points from 2022, KIST continued to perform
exceptionally well, with a Diploma average scoreof 41.1. The difference between the global DP
average and the KIST DP average was 10.9
points, which is the largest difference in KIST’s
history!
Of particular note for the Class of 2023:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Summary of Diploma results from the past five examination sessions

32 of the 37 students (86%) were enrolled in the full Diploma, in comparison with the global average of 65%.
32 of the 32 students (100%) enrolled in the full Diploma at KIST attained the IB Diploma, in comparison withthe global average of 80%.
The average score for KIST students attaining the IB Diploma was 41.1 points, 10.9 points above the IB
Diploma global average of 30.2 points.
4 students (13%) attained a perfect score of 45 points, for which only 0.5% achieved globally.
25 students (78%) attained 40 points or above, for which 9% achieved globally.
13 KIST students attaining the IB DP (41%) attained scores of 42 points or above, qualifying them to beconsidered for the KIST “Learning for Life” University Support Scholarships.
59% of students attaining the IB Diploma enrolled at KIST prior to Grade 6. These statistics reflect well on thequality of learning in our elementary and secondary school programs.
The table on the left shows how KIST’s course
averages (calculated for students who attained
the IB Diploma) compared against the IB world
averages for each course.
• 100% of courses offered at KIST had results
above the IB global averages.
• 100% of courses offered at KIST (with green
and blue shading) had results more than 0.5
points above the IB global averages.
• 80% of courses offered at KIST (with blue
shading) had results more than 1 point above
the IB global averages.
Please refer to the “Statistical Bulletin” at the link
below for further information on the IB Diploma
results and statistics.
b
Web

https://www.ibo.org/about-the-ib/factsand-figures/statistical-bulletins/diploma-programme-statistical-bulletin/

Congratulations to the Class of 2022 forachieving exceptional IB Diploma
results, and best wishes forcontinued success as youcommence your university
adventures.
*Subjects studied through Pamoja Education

Hiro Komaki
DP Coordinator34

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Welcome to New Staff
We would like to introduce you to our new staff for 2023ꟷ24. Pleasejoin us in welcoming them to KIST!

Teachers

Thomas Beaton
Secondary
I&S/Economics

Inyoung Cho
Secondary
Visual Arts

Jarod Elson
Secondary Science/
Mathematics

Jonathan Gao
Secondary
Mathematics

Olivia KembleClarkson
Secondary English

Ashleigh Kennedy
Elementary
G5B

Amy McKenzie
Secondary
EnglishKanako Mizuma
Elementary
Japanese

Stephanie Pae
KIPS
P2

Anita PrasharElementary
G3A

Instructional Support Staff

Jamee-Grace Rose
Secondary
Science/Biology

Yuri Shuto
Elementary
Japanese

Kanako Hisagi
Learning Support
Instructor (K3A)

Krisha Jhaveri
Teacher-Trainee(G2A)

Sophia Probyn
Teacher-Trainee(G1A)

Operational Staff

Erika Que
Learning Support
Instructor (K3B)

Yurika Watanabe
Teacher-Trainee(Secondary)

Emily Wu
Learning Support
Instructor (G4B)

Shinya Sakuma
Bus Driver/
Maintenance Staff

Koya Shimoji
School Shop
Attendant/
Support Staff

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New Building Construction Update
Exactly one year ago, in the September 2022 issue of The Comet, we introduced
this “New Building Construction Update” column. Since then, we have reported on
the progress of construction in each issue, and this will be the final article before
completion of the new building. In the next issue of The Comet, we will report on
the joyous completion of our brand new building!
We are looking forward to seeing the new building, but before that, we have one final mammoth job to do: moving!
We will be hiring a moving company to take care of the main tasks in the moving process; however, we are alsoplanning to ask for additional volunteer assistance from the parent community as well as secondary students to
help with packing and unpacking, while ensuring that the tasks to be completed observe sufficient safety
protocols. We would sincerely appreciate your cooperation.
In the previous issue of The Comet, we announced that we will be holding an opening ceremony for the newbuilding on Saturday, June 15, 2024. In order to be able to celebrate with as many members of the schoolcommunity as possible, including alumni, we have scheduled the event at a time when overseas universities areon summer break. We are planning an event to ensure that everyone, from current students to alumni, can enjoy
together. Please mark your calendars for June 15, 2024 as a “KIST Event!” We will distribute an official invitation
later in the year as the event nears.
A ridgepole-raising ceremony (jōtōshiki) isa traditional Japanese ceremony that isheld to mark the completion of constructionof the basic frame of a new building.
During the ceremony, a Shinto priest
performs various rituals to thank the Shinto
deities for the successful completion of
initial heavy construction work, to honor
those involved in the construction, to seek
protection of the deities against natural
disasters, and to request good luck for thebuilding and its occupants.

Ridgepole-raising ceremony

The jōtōshiki for our new school building
was held on August 4, 2023 by officials
from Tomioka Hachimangu shrine in
Fukagawa, and was attended by membersof the school management team andofficials from the architectural andconstruction companies involved in the
project.

Request for donations—
REMINDER!

As announced in E-Communications
No. 13 that was distributed to allfamilies on August 23, we will be
accepting donations for the newbuilding until the end of October. There
are two types of donations possible:
those put towards direct construction
costs, and those put towards the costof various equipment and fittings.
Please check E-Communications No.
13 for more details or contact the main
school office. We sincerely thank you
for considering donating to KIST!
View of the rooftop

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Early Childhood News
Hello, KIST families!

Finally, on weekends, we like to do the following:

It has been almost one month since the students
started attending school or progressed to the next
grade level. I hope that everyone is starting to settle inwell in their new environments. I am Eri Ozawa, the
ECE Coordinator here at KIST. It has been so nice to
see all of the children and families in the entrance tothe elementary building every morning, with less tears
this year than in previous years. The days are still hot,
but we have started to feel some nice cool wind early inthe morning and late in the evening. Hopefully autumn
is just around the corner.
In the first issue of The Comet for this school year, tobriefly introduce our ECE team, I asked all of our staff
to respond to some questions. The ECE team has atotal of 18 staff members. As you may know, each classhas one homeroom teacher and two learning support
instructors who support the homeroom teacher andhelp the children learn.

Throughout the year, I hope that we are able to build
good relationships with families and provide guidanceand support for each child’s learning here at KIST. If
you have any questions or concerns, please contact
your child’s homeroom teacher. We lookforward to working with you this year.
Eri Ozawa
Early Childhood Coordinator (K1–K3)/
K2A Teacher

K1A

We are originally from:

K1B

We all use English here at school, but for some of us,
our first languages are:

K2B

K2A
Among our 18 members, the average number of years
spent in educational instruction is:

9 years
K3B

When we were students, our favorite subjects were:K3A

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Taking on Your Welbeing
I hope you all had a wonderful and rejuvenating summer break. As we gather
here to begin a new school year, I want to emphasize the incredible impact thatbeing prepared can have on ensuring that the coming months are both stressfree and filled with happiness.
“Preparedness” is your superpower. It’s your shield against the chaos that sometimes accompanies academic life.
Here’s why focusing on preparedness matters and how it can make your school year smoother.

Ready your study space
1

Organize your study area at home. A well-structured workspace promotes
concentration and minimizes distractions. A clutter-free environment equals a clutterfree mind.

Define your goals
2

Set clear, achievable academic goals. Break them down into manageable milestones
and keep track of your progress. Being prepared means having a roadmap to yoursuccess.

Master time management
3

Effective time management is a cornerstone of preparedness. Use planners or digital
tools to schedule your study sessions, extracurricular activities, and personal time. It’s
the remedy to ineffective last-minute cramming.

Seek guidance and support
4

Never hesitate to reach out to teachers, assistants, or mentors if you face academic or
personal challenges. Part of being prepared is recognizing when you need assistanceand knowing where to find it.

Self-care matters
5Your well-being is essential. Make self-care a priority by incorporating exercise,relaxation, and healthy eating into your routine. A balanced mind and body are better
equipped to handle academic demands.

Preparedness isn’t about expecting the worst; it’s about equipping yourself tohandle whatever comes your way. By cultivating a mindset of readiness, you
can tackle this school year with confidence and a sense of fulfillment.
As members of the school community, we are here to support you on thisjourney. Together, we’ll make this academic year a rewarding and stress-freeexperience. Here’s to your happiness and success in the upcoming months!
Clay M. Bradley
Elementary School Vice Principal/Student Care Coordinator

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PYP News
New reading resources
Firstly, I’d like to welcome you all back to a new school
year at KIST. For my first Comet article of the year, I
want to introduce some new reading resources that I
am sure you will enjoy sharing with your children at
home. During the last school year, we held a coffee
morning to go over shared reading strategies, and we
received a lot of feedback about how difficult it is to findage-appropriate books in English. It was also felt that
our younger students were struggling with RAZ-kids as
the books were not phonics based like our Jolly
Phonics course is. This led us to look for better ways tosupport our students and their families at home, and I
am happy to report that we are introducing two exciting
programs that will be made available to you free ofcharge.
The first is one that many of you will be familiar with…
Epic! For several years, many of our teachers haveused the free version of Epic, but unfortunately, thismeant that students could only access one book per
evening at home. As the feedback for Epic has always
been excellent, we have decided to purchase an Epic
Schools Plus account so that all students can now
have unlimited access at home as well as at school.

Some wonderful features of Epic are:• 40,000+ titles: Access award-winning fiction, plus
thousands of nonfiction books in STEM, science,
math, history and more.
• Engaging formats: Graphic novels, motion
comics, audiobooks and educational videos get
any kid excited to read and learn.
• All levels: Read-To-Me books empower
independent reading at any reading level. Chapter
books challenge more advanced readers.
• Multilingual: In addition to English titles, ourlibrary includes Spanish, French and Chinese
language books and videos.
• 24/7 access: Available during the school day, afterclass, on weekends and on the go. Now every

•

•

•

student can access a library of books at home.
Available on web, iOS and Android.
Daily 20: Teachers can help students establish adaily reading habit by easily assigning and sharing
books, then tracking daily and weekly reading intheir educator dashboard.
ELA tools: Filter titles by AR, DRA, F&P, gradelevel and more. Quizzes test reading
comprehension. Dictionary Lookup and Read-toMe Books help build vocabulary.
Collections: Teachers can create and sharecurated book collections, or they can choose fromthousands of existing collections created by Epic orother teachers.

Depending on the grade, your child’s teacher will besetting regular Epic homework. This could be in theform of a reading log task or some research for theirunit of inquiry. Also, for our younger readers, Epic will
provide parents with a huge number of engaging books
to read together. I want to encourage you to use thiswonderful resource with your children as I am sure you
are going to love it.
The second
resource I
want tointroduce is
aimed
specifically at
our K1–K3
students.
While Epic isa fantastic
resource forbooks thatparents canread aloud totheir children,
it is difficult
for beginnerreaders toread thesebooks themselves. To address this problem, we havealso purchased a program called Reading Eggs. Like
Epic, this program provides a huge number of highquality readers, but where it differs is that these begin
with phonics and build in small steps as your childdevelops their reading skills. There are books, games,
videos, and even lessons to engage with… much morethan I can explain in this short article. Therefore, wewill be arranging a series of coffee mornings tointroduce these resources to our K1–K3 families, solook out for more information coming shortly.
If you have any questions about these resources,
please contact your child’s homeroom
teacher.
Oliver Sullivan
PYP Coordinator“ T h e Co m et ”

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9KIPS NewsAt KIPS, we believe in encouraging children to learn goodmanners, respect each other, learn how to interact kindly
with their friends and teachers, and to be creative and interested inlearning.
A day at KIPS is built around a routine that helps children grow into
caring, respectful individuals. In addition to English and Japanese, thechildren learn about the importance of food through nutrition
education, as well as basic phonics, numbers, science in nature, musicand PE, with the goal of preparing them to gain the knowledge andskills necessary for future success in an IB curriculum.

P0/P1 Music classThis year, we welcomed 4 new children, including a 6-month-old baby,
to the P0–P1 class, and 14 children to the P2 class. I am very muchlooking forward to the year ahead, seeing the kindness of the children
who have moved up to the next grade taking care of the little ones andtheir new friends, and seeing the expressions on the faces of those
who had tears in their eyes during the first week but quickly got used
to life in their new class and now show us their cheerful smiles.
I have been working at KIPS since May, and although
there are still many things I need to learn, I hope toenjoy working with the children in various ways while
respecting each child’s individual pace.
Yoko Akiba
KIPS Office Coordinator (Acting)P2 PE class

WELCOME to KIPS! My name is Stephanie,
and I am excited to be one of the P2 teachers
this year. At KIPS, we have a P0/P1 classand a P2 class. The P0/P1 children are led byour loving teachers, Hitomi and Cielo and ournurse, Minami, who take care of the children’s
daily needs and teach them the first steps intheir early years of development. We are
happy to be part of the children’s lives and toshare new adventures together.
The P2 teachers, Anna, Sohta, Yoshimi and I
are enjoying being able to discover thechildren’s talents in singing and storytelling, and in exploring the KIPS world together in our classroom. We hope
you will also discover some of your children’s special talents. As your children’s teachers, we are pleased to takepart in a role that allows us to find unique traits in each child. For the P2s, now is an important time for developing
language skills in English, Japanese or their home language. We are amazed at how well the children candistinguish the different languages they are learning. It is also a critical time to learn about daily routines and follow
rules in their classroom. All the P2 teachers are delighted to support the children in their development and lookforward to watching them grow.
We believe that open communication and collaboration between teachers and parents are the keys to children’s
success in a new environment. We encourage you to contact us if you have any questions or concerns at any time.
The Kids Diary system is one way to connect with your child’s teachers. Please feel free to use it to share with us
anything about your child’s development,
P0/P1 teachers
P2 teachers
no matter how small it may seem.
We thank you, parents, for allowing us to bea part of your precious
child’s wonderful memories.
Stephanie Pae
P2 Teacher

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IGCSE News

Athletics Update

Welcome back to all our G10 students and a warm
welcome to our new G9 class as they begin theirjourney into the IGCSE. The IGCSE curriculum offers
an exciting opportunity for students to further develop
their skills and knowledge in a range of subjects,
setting the foundation for a year of growth andlearning. In this article, I am delighted to share threeimportant updates with you.

Fall 2023

Firstly, we extend our congratulations to our current
G11 students for completing their IGCSE exams at theend of the previous school year. On August 25, thestudents came together to receive their provisional
results, celebrating their accomplishments andencouraging one another. Congratulations again to ourG11 students and look for more detailed updates about
our results in the next issue of The Comet.
Secondly, we have started our advisory classes withsessions on university, wellness, and organization. An
early organization session focused on students
learning how to better integrate the school IT
resources, specifically Schoology, Microsoft Outlook,and Microsoft To Do. During the session, students
discussed how to prepare for future assessments byidentifying key preparation steps to map out andcomplete through Microsoft To Do. Reflecting on andrefining their planning and organization practices
allows them to become more confident in their studies.
Thirdly, we are pleased to announce the dates andlocations for our G9 and G10 camps. Our G10
students are all set for camp at Sunset Breeze Hota in
Chiba on September 28 and 29, while G9 students will
go to camp at Kamigo in Kanagawa on October 5 and6. Further details will be shared with students as we
prepare for both camps.
Finally, as we begin this new academic year, we lookforward to a time of growth, learning,and memories. Thank you for yourcontinued support and involvement.
Keith Erickson
IGCSE Coordinator

Welcome back KIST students and families! Fall season
is in session and we have many students participating.
The below teams are preparing for games, matches
and races:• Cross-Country (all MS and HS) – We have 50
runners again this year! Awesome! And we have
many great coaches supporting the team. (Headcoach: Ms. Cobbs)• MS boys’ soccer – 25+ boys (Head coach: Mr.
Buck; Assistant coach: Mr. Archer)• MS girls’ volleyball – 20+ girls (Head coach: Mr.
Jay; Assistant coach: Ms. Zhao)• JV/Varsity boys’ and girls’ volleyball – 20 each(Head coach: Mr. Ota)
• JV/Varsity boys’ and girls’ tennis – 15 each(Head coaches: Mr. Cowe, Ms. Alba; Assistantcoach: Miss Cowie)
ISTAA U-18 & U-14 futsal tournaments held at theend of the school year (Spring 2023) were not as
successful as we would have liked. Many new schools
participated, further growing the ISTAA league. The U18 boys had a great season winning most games andfinishing 2nd in the league but were not as effective inthe tournament held at DSTY (German School) as
KIST did not make the final. The U-18 girls had asimilar story line doing well in the season but not aswell in the tournament at LFIT (French School),
winning, losing and tying one, then losing in the 3rdplace game.
Our MS girls had a pretty good season and finished
3rd in the tournament. They beat UIA, lost a close one
to LFIT and tied BST. Unfortunately, goal differential
put them in the 3rd place game. We were also missing
one of our strongest players. Our MS boys had a goodseason but got themselves in disciplinary trouble, sothey did not participate in the tournament.
Please check the Schoology KIST Athletics page>> Groups >> Resources to see competition dates,
times, locations, results and other information.
Thank you to all the coaches, administrators,
management and parents for supporting KIST
Athletics. We are looking to build on our successful
2022–23 season in which we had some great
performances as below:• The Kanto JV girls’ tennis champion + 2 othersemi-finalists• The ISTAA U-18 girls’ volleyball champions• The Kanto JV boys’ and ISTAA U-18 boys’
volleyball finalists• The Kanto MS girls’ volleyball finalists• The ISTAA U-18 boys basketballchampions
Dennis Ota
Athletics Coordinator

Ms. Duncan and Mr. Mahamed celebrate with
Pramiti (G11A).

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11

Reframing Challenging Interactions
The start of a new semester can be a challenge forstudents. Not only are there anxieties about newclasses, new friendship dynamics, and new
expectations, but there is also the likelihood that they
are going to deal with this as the signs of puberty
appear in ways unique to everyone.

‘You can’t use that toneof voice with me. Why are
you being so
disrespectful?’This mixture of anxiety and seemingly random changes
in mood can lead to a son or daughter that parents canbarely recognise! Dealing with stubborn, disrespectful,
and apathetic behaviour in a calm manner can take up
a great deal of energy.

‘Let’s pause for a moment. I know you aren’t adisrespectful person, but the way you spoke justthen felt to me as if you were being disrespectful.
Can we start this conversation again?’In this article, we’d like to offer some tips that we try toemploy at school in order to model dealing with teenage
attitudes with a focus on empathy and patience.

1. Focus on the behaviour and not the
young person

can become…

3. Model the language you want yourchild to use

From birth, our children develop their language andcommunication skills based on how their parents
use language and communicate. It is our cues asadults that young people will learn to mimic andreplicate.

Often, when an incident of disrespect occurs, it isdesigned to gain some kind of reaction from theother person. The anticipated anger in the response
can lead to an argument that distracts from the
problem that is driving some kind of anxiety.

If a young person is using a tone or communicationstyle that we wish to change, often the best way toinitiate change is to model the way we wish themto speak.

Instead of reacting with a focus on ‘you did X’, it canbe helpful to reframe the situation as ‘X is something
we don’t do’. Often, when ‘you’ is used, a defensive
response is more likely to occur. However, by
sharing the issue with the inclusive pronoun ‘we’, it
implies that a) the individual is part of a community
with shared values and b) focuses on a communallyaccepted behaviour rather than an individual one.

For example, adding ‘please’ and ‘thank you’whenever possible might seem awkward orexcessive, but it is effectively embedding goodmanners. Similarly, modelling the pace and tone ofyour voice can help to promote a calmer manner of
speaking. Thirdly, asking clarifying questions,nodding, and appropriate eye contact are all
positive methods to model active listening foryoung people.

For example:‘You can’t use that tone of voice with me. You don’tknow how to speak respectfully.’
can become…
‘In this family we don’t speak to each other like that. I
know you can speak more respectfully so can you
try and explain what is wrong in a different way
please.’2. Don’t assume malicious intent

It can be easy, in moments of conflict, to believe that
another person is intending to upset us or trigger a
conflict. Young people may begin to use phrases
that we don’t recognize—often parroted from otheryoung people or the media! If we react in a way that
implies we believe the young person’s intent was
malicious (they intended to be rude or disrespectful)
it can, as before, create a defensive response.
However, of course, sometimes there is intention to
be disrespectful! In this situation, we want to try todiffuse the situation and remind the young personthat they can communicate effectively without thisbehaviour.
If we take the same example as before:

Adjusting to changes in attitude is not an exact
science and these tips are not going to work foreveryone. As a school, we want to work
collaboratively with families in supporting our young
people through their teenage years and so, if you everwish to reach out to the Care Team about a concern,
please reach out via e-mail.
Matthew Archer
Student Care Coordinator(Secondary)12

V ol u me 27 | I s s ue 1 | S ept em b er 20 23“ T h e Co m e t ”

Future Scientists SummerCamp in Denmark
August 2023

I

n November of 2022, the school presented me witha golden opportunity. A chance to go on an allexpenses paid trip to Denmark for a weeklong summer
camp. However, there was only one condition. I had tosend a 2–3-minute video talking about a global issue
that I want to solve with science. I spent hours drafting
ideas and potential scientific solutions to global
problems. I drew from my personal experiences andcame up with an idea. I talked about solving eating
disorders with pharmaceuticals. The topic was very
personal to me, and I was confident that I had made asolid video. I clicked submit, and four agonizing months
later, I was accepted. They sent me my flight tickets,and on the 5th of August, I was already on a flight toCopenhagen, Denmark.
As soon as I got to the camp, I started making friends
with people from all over the world with the same
passion for science as me. It was awesome. I madefriends with people from Canada, Kenya, Switzerland,
Spain, and a whole lot more countries. Each day wespent hours looking at alternate solutions to fighting
global issues such as the climate crisis, world hunger,and overpopulation. It was a great mix between theory
and experimentation, and it helped me look at sciencein a completely different way. We conducted
experiments related to drug detecting biosensors, V02
max, ammonia production and so much more. I had atruly great time, and it was definitely thehighlight of my summer break.
Arjun (G11A)

T

his summer, I was given the opportunity to attend
a camp called the “Future Scientists SummerCamp (FSSC)” hosted by the pharmaceutical company:
Novo Nordisk. To be selected for this camp, I had tocreate a 3-minute video where I explained who I was,and what I would like to accomplish if I were to be a
future scientist. When I applied for FSSC, I knew that
there would be a small chance that I would get
accepted into this program, so when I learnt that I waschosen to represent Japan from 300 other applicants, I
was extremely excited.
At FSSC, we learnt about how different sciences
correlate with world issues, and topics such as
diseases, climate change, good health, and fitness,and zero hunger. This camp for me, at first, was achance for me to learn about how it may be like tobecome a scientist in the future. However, this camp
was much more than that. It gifted me with amazing
connections and unforgettable experiences. During
FSSC, we did amazing activities. However, the thingthat made this camp unforgettable was the friendships I
created from all over the world, including Spain,
Canada, the US, Colombia, and many more countries.
This camp taught me about the importanceof becoming a future scientist and helped
me learn about multiple diverse cultures.
Sumire (G11B)

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V o l u me 2 7 | I s s u e 1 | S e p t e m b e r 2 0 2 3

Library News
Elementary Library
We hope you are all excited for the start of a brand-new
school year! The school library team is thrilled towelcome you all back to a year filled with exciting
literary adventures, learning, and growth.

Introducing Epic: Your gateway to reading
adventures

We are excited to announce that this year, we havepartnered with the Epic online reading platform toprovide our students with an incredible digital library
experience. Epic is an extensive collection of eBooks,
audiobooks, educational videos, and quizzes, designed
to spark a love for reading and learning in students of
all ages.
To get started with Epic, simply
follow the instructions provided byyour teachers, and let the reading
adventures begin!

Discover new books in our library

Our library shelves are stocked with exciting new
arrivals that are sure to capture your imaginations.
From gripping mysteries to heartwarming tales offriendship, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Embracing the power of reading in yournative language

Language, the cornerstone of our identity and culture,
has the extraordinary ability to connect us with ourroots, convey our emotions, and open doors toknowledge and understanding. When it comes tonurturing a love for reading and learning, there’s noplace more significant to begin than in one’s native
language.
It’s a vessel that holds the essence of our culture,
traditions, and heritage. When we read in our native
language, we embark on a journey through the heart ofour culture, immersing ourselves in the stories andexperiences of our people. Reading in one’s native
language often leads to better comprehension andabsorption of the material. It’s like deciphering afamiliar code, making it easier to understand complex
ideas, nuanced emotions, and the subtleties ofliterature. The benefits extend beyond reading itself.
Engaging with texts in your native language sharpens
your language skills. It enriches your vocabulary,refines your grammar, and enhances yourcommunication abilities. This proficiency doesn’t justapply to your native language; it spills over into otherlanguages you may learn, making you a more effective
communicator overall. Each time we choose to read in
our native language, we help keep it alive for future
generations.

Reading in your native language
is not just an activity; it’s acelebration of your heritage, ajourney into your culture, and abridge to a deeper
understanding of the world. So,
pick up that book in your native
language, and let the adventure
begin.
Happy reading!
Priyanka B P
Elementary Library Supervisor

Some sections of this article have been adapted from the
Vijaya Karnataka ePaper (vijaykarnatakaepaper.com),translated from the original Kannada.

13

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V ol u me 27 | I s s ue 1 | S ept em b er 20 23

Staff 10!
In this month’s Staff 10!, we arepleased to present Matthew
Archer who joined us in August2021 as an English teacher in theSecondary School. He is also theStudent Care Coordinator for theSecondary School.
1) Tell us something interesting about yourhometown.
When I googled ‘interesting facts’ about my hometown,
the number one result was: ‘Barnstaple claims to be
one of the oldest towns in the UK.’ The fact that thiswas number one tells you everything you need toknow about where I grew up…
2) What is your favorite place in the world?
Mt. Koya. The first time I visited Japan, I was able to
do a temple stay on Mt. Koya during Obon. The forest
was pitch black and you could walk all the way up to
the temple by candlelight. I’ve only been there oncebut I can remember it more vividly than any otherplace I have ever been.
3) Who would you like to meet if you had thechance and why?
When I was young, my favourite movie was ‘Back to
the Future’. I would love to meet Michael J. Fox andChristopher Lloyd and talk to them about making thatmovie.
4) Do you have any special skills or talents?
Not sure this counts but I’m quite good at writing
limericks…
5) Please share a little-known fact about yourself.
I was once an accomplished saxophone player, but
stopped playing when I went to college because I
couldn’t juggle practicing with studying/my part time
job to save for university.
6) What is your most prized possession?
If you come to the Care Office, you will see mycollection of Bing Dwen Dwen toys. He was the
mascot at the previous Winter Olympics and isbasically a fat panda in a protective suit. Thank you to
all the teachers and students who have added to the
Bing family.
7) Which IB learner profile attribute do you mostclosely identify with and why?
As the Care Coordinator I think I should go with
‘Caring’!
8) If you could live your life again, would you doanything differently?
Everything I have done has led me to where I am
today and, considering I am healthy, happy and have afulfilling job...I wouldn’t want to do anything differently.
Except for the time I called my lecturer Mum. Aged 21.
At university. There was nothing gained from thatexperience.

9) Is there anything
you are trying tolearn/improve about
yourself at the
moment?
I’m trying to improve
my Japanese because
I’m still at the level
where I will say
something that makes
no sense or
Mr. Archer and his favorite beverage.
inadvertently offends
someone. The other day I accidentally insulted
someone by not realizing the photo on the wall of theircafé (which seemed like something out of a horror
movie) was actually their own dog. Moments after
describing the dog in the photo as ‘きもかわいい’ (cutebut gross), the café owner promptly lifted their dog onto the counter and explained that this was the same
dog. Very awkward.
10) Do you have any special message for yourfans?
Sometimes it is better to be kind than right.

Students Supporting theHomeless
On April 24th and 25th, our service group
Homelessness Support Group (HSG) hosted adonation drive in front of the MPR in the morning.
We were happy to see that so many students, parents
and teachers were willing to donate towards helping
homelessness in Japan.
As a service group, we believe that it is important for
students to be aware of their privileges, and tounderstand the inequality that exists in our society sothat they can take action to make a difference andcontribute to the community.
As a result of your contributions, we were able todonate approximately 30,000 yen each to theorganizations ‘TENOHASI’ and ‘Sanyukai,’ which will
help towards providing necessities for homelesspeople in Japan and assist them in returning to society.
We thank the KIST community for
their generous donations.
Maya (G12B) and Muskaan(G12A)

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15

Nurse’s Notes
Food allergies (Part 2)
Reducing the risk of developing food allergies and their treatment
1. Reducing the risk of developing food allergies in infants
Risk factors for food allergies:• Presence of atopic dermatitis in infancy• Presence of eczema at 1–2 months of age• Heredity, etc.

Skin problems in babies are highly associated with thedevelopment of food allergies (an overreaction of the immune
system to food components). If the skin barrier function is
weakened by eczema or other skin conditions, foodcomponents can easily enter the body through the skinrepeatedly, increasing the risk of food allergies. Early
consultation and treatment can prevent food components fromentering the body by restoring the skin to a healthy state.

Reduced risk of developing chicken egg allergy

Health skin condition

Skin with weakened
barrier function

Source: Kasai Yokoyama Clinic (2023)

It is common for infants aged 5–6 months to start eating chicken eggs as baby food. However, the JapaneseSociety of Pediatric Allergy has reported that infants with atopic dermatitis are at increased risk of developing
allergies if they start eating eggs later than this age. Therefore, infants with eczema or atopic dermatitis should
see their pediatrician as soon as possible and, after their eczema has improved, start eating small amounts ofchicken eggs under medical supervision at six months of age, which will help prevent food allergies. If you
begin ingestion based on your own judgement, the risk of allergic symptoms may increase.

2. Treatment

1) Elimination therapy
Avoid allergic symptoms by eliminating the foods that cause them. For example, if you are allergic to eggs,
check food labels and choose foods that do not contain eggs, including processed foods such as sweets.
Some people with food allergies do not experience symptoms even if they consume small amounts ofcertain foods, or if they cook the food by heating it, for example. This can be confirmed by a food oral load
test (actual ingestion of small amounts of the suspected food) under the guidance of a specialist, andelimination can be carried out to the minimum necessary.

A note about food labelling
Allergy labelling is required by Japanese law on the packaging of processed foods (packaged in boxes or bags
or in cans or bottles).
• 7 items are required to be labelled: milk, eggs, wheat, buckwheat, peanuts, prawns and crabs.
• 21 items are recommended to be labelled: almonds, salmon roe, kiwifruit, walnuts, soya beans, bananas,yams, cashew nuts, peaches, sesame seeds, mackerel, salmon, squid, chicken, apples, matsutake
mushrooms, abalone, oranges, beef, gelatine and pork.
However, foods sold by weight in shops, foods packaged at the time of purchase, and lunch boxes made toorder are not labelled.
2) Treatment when symptoms appear
Treatment should be adapted to the symptoms and degree of the disease. If there is urticaria or itching,use antihistamines. If coughing or breathing is wheezing or hissing, bronchodilator inhalation is used. In
cases of severe, generalised or rapidly progressive anaphylaxis, a muscular injection of adrenaline(EpiPen) is required. At KIST, students who have experienced anaphylaxis can be ready to respondquickly in an emergency by keeping an EpiPen prescribed by a doctor in the health office or, for older
students, by self-administering it.
3) Prevention and immunotherapy (oral immunotherapy) of food allergies
Research is being conducted on oral immunotherapy, in which the causative substance is ingested in verysmall quantities and gradually acclimated. However, this is a treatment method at the research level andhas not yet been established as a general practice. Do not be misled by misinformation on theInternet and always follow the guidance of a medical specialist.
Yukiko Yamazaki
School Nurse

Reference:
Japanese society of peadiatric allergy and clinical immunology: Commentary on theprevention of chicken egg allergy development. (2017, Oct 12). Retrieved fromhttps://www.jspaci.jp/uploads/2017/10/69f6d7cc633708191f30fdad9b699c96-1.pdf

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V ol u me 27 | I s s ue 1 | S ept em b er 20 23

University Guidance News
2022–23 KIST university highlights

To open similarly to last year, the offers for the Class
of 2022–23 have been exceptional. While at firstglance, it may seem like the total offers are less acrossthe board than last year, that is because the students
have targeted higher ranking locations and have had
more success in those top areas.
• 54 total offers received from Top 50 Universities(QS Rankings 2024)• 23 total offers from Top 25 – Cambridge (2),Stanford (2), Imperial (4), NUS Singapore (1),
UCL (3), UC Berkeley (2), Toronto (6),Edinburgh (3)• KIST’s first student to enroll in Johns Hopkins
University (Pre-Med)• Top Tokyo institutions had 14 offers between
Tokyo, Keio and Waseda universities• 94% of students who have applied were accepted/
enrolled in their 1st choice• Students this year received offers across elevenunique countries• Japan was the most popular destination with 11
matriculations locally

Future goals?
Maintaining the number of students
getting into their first choice

The university counseling team is pleased to see thenumber of students accepted to their first choiceincrease from 75% three years ago to 85% two years
ago, and now 94% both this year and last year. For
avid readers, you may remember our target has been
90%, which has now been maintained for two years.
Let’s go for more!

How can we maintain this number?

1. Ensuring students have adequate information
about themselves and their future
Students should have multiple “first choice”
schools that fit their ability level and interest. If a
student will ONLY be satisfied with one school andthat school is considered a “dream” or “reach”
school, chances are high that they will bedisappointed.
2. Preparing our academic portfolio as soon as
we canIf a student’s top choices are in the US, forexample, we have a lot of work to do early.
Universities will look at grades achieved from G9–
G11, extracurricular activities and roles held withinthose activities, as well as extra considerations
such as SAT and Duolingo exams. Trying to cramall of this in at the last minute is stressful andunlikely to be successful. However, making plansto accomplish everything little by little will prove
to be simple and rewarding.
3. Working as a teamHigh achieving students get into the schools theywant when they have the support of their friends,
families and teachers. Our role should be toprovide motivation without adding stress. Veryrarely do students who are pushed
to their breaking point produce
results they are happy with. But we need to makesure we are constantly working towards a common
goal and not become complacent.

Our newest goals for 2023–24 to increase
success!

1. Networking, networking, networking
Every year our community is doing more and more
to realize the efforts to aid in our students’success. We have focused on the importance of
GPA, building your personal profiles, and SAT/
Duolingo test scores. For this year, I would like totalk about how networking and showing“demonstrated interest” can be important.

According to the NACAC State of College
Admissions 2023 survey as seen above, 68.6% of
universities surveyed said that they consider
demonstrated interest, with almost half of themsaying that it was of moderate or considerable
importance. This is an area that until recently, washard to influence from overseas. Now that COVID
restrictions have decreased, it is time for us tohave a renewed focus.
2. What have I been doing?
For the past two summers, I have been travelling
during the summer to conferences and universities
to promote our school, our students, and ourefforts to maintain our existing partnerships while
also forming new ones. It has helped me get abetter understanding of what the campuses look
like, as well as helping to form relationships withthe admissions counselors, and get a moreaccurate understanding of what the teams at theseschools are “really” expecting from our students.

Continued on next page

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17

Continued from previous page

4. What is our role as students or families now?
Now, the part that students and families canparticipate in will be reaching out to universities
yourselves and “watering the seeds” that havebeen planted. KIST has been presented in a goodlight, but they want to hear from our students. By
the time of this reading, our G11/G12 students
will have already participated in the Kanto Plains
Fair 2023. This will give some of them the firstchance to introduce themselves and begin theirjourney towards their university applications, but
this type of connection isn’t limited to G11/12
students.

3. Where did KIST go in 2023?
This summer, I represented KIST at a week-longinternational conference in Miami, Florida, withhundreds of universities in attendance. Outside of
making my best efforts to connect with theadmissions officers from each university topromote our school and students, I also had abooth setup to welcome those that wanted toseek us out for more information. Following, I
travelled to California and met specifically with
USC, UCLA, LMU, Occidental and Pepperdine
universities. All of the above is done with theintention to share awareness of our program,
welcome more people to visit our campus, andgive our students better chances to apply to top
schools.

5. Recommendations• G9 and older students/families interested inuniversities in North America should make a shortlist of 5–10 that are at the top of their list.
• Then, search on that university’s website/via
Google to find a contact/request information/
brochure link to add the student’s details,
including e-mail address, name, school, etc.
• If the school has indicated they will make a trip
into Japan or they will do a virtual presentation,
try to visit their event or presentation at least once
before G12 applications begin.
• If there are opportunities for questions, make surethe questions are smart. Asking for data that isavailable online such as an expected SAT scoreis not smart. Make it personal!
• When it comes time to make applications, these
universities will note that it is not the first timethey have had contact with you, and that is how
you show “demonstrated interest”.
As always, for any questions or further clarification
about any of the above or anything else, pleasecontact me or stop by the office!

Thomas Waterfall
University Counselor
thomas.waterfall@kist.ed.jp
Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00
a.m.–5:00 p.m.
University Guidance Office (3FSecondary Building)18

V ol u me 27 | I s s ue 1 | S ept em b er 20 23“ T h e Co m e t ”

University Acceptances and Offers
KIST Class of 2023
( )=Number of students accepted | []=Scholarship offered | [#]=Matriculation confirmed
Italicized offers indicate students from previous graduating classes
As of September 1, 2023 (students still applying!)

McGill University (1)McMaster University (1)University of British Columbia (5) [#1]
University of Guelph (1)University of Toronto (6) [#1]
University of Waterloo (2) [#1]

University of Cambridge (2) [#2]
University of Edinburgh (3)University of Leeds (5)University of Manchester (10) [#2]
University of Nottingham (2) [#1]
University of Reading (1)University of Southampton (1)University of Warwick (6) [#1]FranceUnited States of America

Audencia Nantes School of Management (1) [#1]

Arizona State University (2)Boston University (1)Chapman University (1) [#1]
Florida International University (1)Fordham University (1)Georgia Institute of Technology (1) [#1]Johns Hopkins University (1) [#1]Michigan Technological University (1)New York University (1)Occidental College (1)Purdue University (5)Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (1)Stanford University (2) [#2]Texas A&M University (1)University of California, Berkeley (2)University of California, Davis (5)University of California, Irvine (2)University of California, Los Angeles (2) [#1]
University of California, Merced (1)University of California, San Diego (3)University of California, Santa Barbara (1)University of California, Santa Cruz (2)University of Hawaii Manoa (2)University of Illinois at Chicago (1)University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (3) [#1]
University of La Verne (1)University of Maryland (1) [#1]
University of Massachusetts Amherst (4)University of Michigan Ann Arbor (3)University of Minnesota Twin Cities (3)University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1)University of Southern California (1)The University of Texas at Dallas (1)University of Washington (2) [#1]
University of Wisconsin, Madison (1)Virginia Polytechnic Institute (2)CanadaGermanyFrankfurt School of Finance and Management (1)GrenadaSt. George’s University (Medicine) (1)
Hungary
Semmelweis University (Medicine) (1)Hong Kong
The University of Hong Kong (1)Japan
Hiroshima University (1)Hiroshima University (Medicine) (1)
Hokkaido University (2) [#1]
Hosei University (1)International University of Health and Welfare(Medicine) (1)Juntendo University (Medicine) (1) [#1]
Keio University Mita (2)Keio University, Shonan Fujisawa Campus (1)Nagoya University (1) [#1]Okayama University (1)Ritsumeikan University (1)Sophia University (6) [#4]Temple University Japan (2) [#1]
Tokyo Medical and Dental University (1) [#1]
University of Tokyo (4) [#3]
University of Tsukuba (2) [#1]
Waseda University (7) [#3]Singapore
National University of Singapore (1) [#1]
United Kingdom
Cardiff University (1)Durham University (5)Imperial College London (4) [#1]
King’s College London (3)Queen Mary University of London (2)University College London (3) [#1]
University of Bath (4)University of Bristol (3)