Fourth Quarter 2009-10 - St. Mary`s International School

St. Mary’s International School
Newsletter
Fourth Quarter 2010
Inside this issue
Headmaster
1-2
SMA President
2-3
Elementary School
3-4
Middle School
4-5
Learning Support Center
5-6
ES/MS Counselor
6
School Nurse
7
ES Library
8
MS/HS Library
9
Athletics Department
10
Aquatics
PFA
SMA Treasurer
Fall Play
11-12
12
12-13
14
Boy Scouts Troop 15
14-15
Development Office
15
Recycled Uniforms
16
Bingo
17
A Message from our Headmaster
Over the past couple of weeks, elementary/middle school students have
been crowding the atrium conducting their research on the founder of
the Brothers of Christian Instruction, Father Jean-Marie Robert de la
Mennais. This year marks the 150th anniversary of his death.
Fr. Jean-Marie was born in 1880 in St. Malo, a
beautiful fortified city facing the ocean in Brittany,
France. His childhood coincided with the French
Revolution and the beginning of the Republic. This
was a period when Catholics had to hide to practice
their faith and many priests were put to death. The
young Jean-Marie helped many priests find places to
hide and continue their ministry or even to move to
England, putting himself at risk of severe
punishments by the authorities.
After the revolution, Jean Marie could finally fulfill his
desire to become a priest himself. After his ordination,
he worked in St. Malo at the parish and at the
seminary. He was a great educator and the time he spent with his
students prepared him well for the great adventure of his life: the
founding the Brothers of Christian Instruction.
After the revolution, Christian education in that part of France was very
poor for lack of teachers with proper training. Father de la Mennais saw
Advertisements
21-22
this need and tried to have the Christian Brothers established by Jean
Dates to Remember
23
Baptiste de la Salle, who had also come to teach in Brittany. When this
was unsuccessful, Jean Marie de la Mennais and Gabriel Deshayes,
another priest who shared his vision of educating the poor, combined their efforts in 1819 and started the
congregation of the Brothers of Christian Instruction to educate the poor children all over Brittany.
Medical Resources
18-20
The new congregation grew very fast, and schools directed by the Brothers multiplied as well. In 1821, 17
schools were already established and there were 24 brothers. In 1924, the Brothers moved their
headquarters to Ploermel and this is where Father de la Mennais lived and directed the young
congregation until he died. The house is still there today.
The success of the Brothers in France convinced the government to ask Father de la Mennais to send
brothers to the French colonies to provide education for the slaves in order to prepare them for the
abolition of slavery. Many brothers were sent to Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Pierre et Miquelon,
Senegal and other places. The last mission that Father de la Mennais started was in Tahiti and the
Brothers are still there today.
1
On December 26, 1860, Father de la Mennais passed away in Ploermel. He had founded more than 300
schools. Today, the Brothers work in 24 different countries and have over 130 schools.
In Japan, the Brothers operate four schools: St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo, Seiko Gakuin in
Yokohama, Sayuri Yochien in Yokohama and Seiko Gakuin in Shizuoka.
- Br. Michel Jutras, Headmaster
==============================
Greetings from the St. Mary’s Association President
The 55th ST. MARY’S INTERNATIONAL BALL may be over but I would like to thank Akane Jansen and
Miyuki Shimizu, our International Ball Chair and Co-Chair, for organizing this important and wonderful
event which raises funds for the senior scholarships. Akane and Miyuki worked incredibly hard to make
the night both enjoyable and a success. The night was filled with delight and magic, and truly lived up to
its theme of “Fascination”.
I would also like to thank Caterina Tanaka and Roula Leggieri, our Room Parent Coordinators, and the
many volunteers who helped make the HIGH SCHOOL ICE CREAM BASH and the STAFF
APPRECIATION LUNCH successful.
Still ahead is the SPRING LUNCHEON on Wednesday, April 21st, organized by our Hospitality Chair,
Janette Noddin. All St. Mary’s parents are invited to this catered event. It is a wonderful time of celebration
to enjoy performances by our boys, a delicious lunch, and great company. It is also a time to honor our
senior parents, so please mark your calendars for this event.
Preparations are also underway for our final events of the year, CARNIVAL and RAFFLE. The very
capable Rika Atobe and David Taylor are the organizers, and CARNIVAL promises to be a great day for
all. There will be country booths, entertainment, games, vendors, the White Elephant Sale, and much,
much more, so please get involved for this wonderfully fun day. Saeko Kiyonaga and Aki Lewis are once
again putting the RAFFLE together, and will send RAFFLE ticket books home to all our sons on March
31st. Please do your part in helping to buy/sell these tickets and ensure once again this important
fundraiser is a huge success.
One of the most important tasks that the St. Mary’s Association (SMA) faces at this time of year is
funding. As you know, all the funds we raise benefit the students directly, whether they are subsidies for
elementary field trips, travel subsidies for sports/fine arts teams, sports’ uniforms, equipment and awards,
Sakura Medal activities, Brain Bowl, the One Act Play, the Fall Play, the “Mind’s I” student literary journal,
or the annual Yearbook—just to name a few. We ask for your support in SMA events so that we can
continue to enrich the experience at St. Mary’s for each and every one of our sons.
Finally, as we approach the end of the school year, give some thought to getting involved next year as
part of the SMA Board. We are fortunate that some of our Board members will continue next year, but
many of us will complete our terms or are the parents of graduating seniors.
We are looking for you! No experience is necessary! Just a willingness to meet people, get involved with
your son’s school and teachers, contribute to your son’s school experience, learn new skills for yourself,
and have a lot of fun along the way. Please consider joining next year’s SMA Board team. If you have any
questions at all, send me an email ([email protected]) and I will be happy to discuss details with you.
Thank you.
Warm regards,
- Gillian Kinjo, SMA President
==============================
2
From the Elementary School Assistant Principal
I would like to thank everyone involved in the success of our Student-Led Conferences, which were held
on Thursday, February 11th. Thanks to the parents for coming to see their sons present, to the teachers
for preparing the boys to present so well, and to the students themselves for demonstrating their learning
through clear, competent and stimulating student-led conferences.
As we have said before, Student-Led Conferences allow each student the opportunity to demonstrate
what he has learned and to show his parents the growth he has experienced so far this year. As I walked
around the school on conference day, I was so impressed to see the students actively engaged in
discussing their own learning. I spoke to many students that day and they told me how happy they were to
be able to lead a conference like this. They were truly proud, not only of their academic accomplishments
but of their performance at the conference itself. In the feedback sheets, many students said they really
enjoyed talking about their school work, demonstrating what they have learned, and getting positive
feedback from their parents. They have done a great job and we are so proud of every one of them!
Parents were quite happy with the Student-Led Conference Day as well. The parent feedback sheets we
received clearly show that they see the value in Student-Led Conferences, both for what they learned
about their son’s academic progress and for the life-skills the boys are learning through the conferences
themselves. Some parents commented that they saw their son exhibit presentation skills they themselves
learned only much later in their academic careers, and virtually all parents congratulated both son and
teacher for a job well-done! Thank you!
We are quite pleased that Student-Led Conferences are such a great success. We promise to continue to
do everything we can to make this experience a positive one for everyone involved. We would like to
thank you for your valuable feedback and for the cooperation and support you gave your son on
Student-Led Conference Day. Congratulations again to your son and special thanks to his homeroom
teacher — JOB WELL DONE!
- Michael DiMuzio, Elementary School Assistant Principal
==============================
From the Middle School Principal
Student-Led Conferences
Thank you to all of the parents who attended our Student-Led Conferences (SLC’s) last month. It is easy
to forget what a challenging stage of development our Middle School students are passing through, and
your support and encouragement mean a lot to each of them. In this article I would like to highlight some
of the main benefits that can be seen when boys take “center stage” in the learning process and share
their knowledge and skills. As one educational researcher has written,
“Successful student-led conferences require changes in the roles each
participant has become accustomed to through traditional parentteacher conferences. Teachers become facilitators while students
become leaders. Parents become active listeners and questioners.” (1)
¾
Connecting:
Most parents lead very busy lives. The SLC’s provide a quiet, structured
environment in which to spend valuable time looking at your son’s schoolwork and listening to his
explanations, without the multiple distractions of telephones, computers or TV getting in the way of
genuine interaction between parent and child.
¾
Empowering:
Your son is given a platform to take the lead and “teach” the material he has
learned. In doing so, his confidence grows and he feels that his knowledge is valuable enough to
share with those who are closest to him.
3
¾
Goal-setting:
A very worthwhile outcome of the SLC is that it promotes the setting of targets
for improvement. The question becomes not only “Where am I now?” but, much more significantly,
“Where do I want to be next month (quarter, semester, year)?” Goal-setting can be a powerful tool
for personal growth and development, whether it is the mastery of a volleyball serve or the ability
to use powerful metaphors in creative writing.
¾
Reflecting:
Education is by nature future-oriented, though every teacher will tell you that
they would value more time to allow their students to absorb new concepts and skills. The focus of
class time is often on what we are doing today and tomorrow, not so much on reviewing what we
learned yesterday or last week. The SLC permits time to reflect on the major themes that have
been taught over the past several months in any given subject.
¾
Synthesizing:
Prior to the SLC’s, each student spends time reviewing a large body of work
from all of his subjects. As he goes through the process of reading and viewing his work, he has
the opportunity to take a broader perspective on his learning over the past several months—to see
the “big picture”.
(1)
Bailey, J & Guskey, T (2001) Implementing Student-Led Conferences. London: Corwin Press.
- Andrew Cross, Middle School Principal
==============================
From the Learning Support Coordinator
Recommended Websites and Other Matters
We have heard some people state: “I can study better when the TV is on,” or “I can study better in front of
the computer.”
However, it appears that the word “better” simply describes a personal opinion or preference that does not
really help anyone remember and retain information in the long run. According to Canadian teacher and
learning-skills specialist Terry Small, the research is CLEAR: Having the TV, stereo, or iPod on while
studying causes a big, big drop in long-term memory.
Another brain guru, John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist from the University of Washington,
School of Medicine, says that the brain is not capable of multi-tasking. Sure, we can talk and breathe at
the same time, but when the tasks involve higher level tasks (such as doing algebra homework, firing off
instant messages, talking on the cell phone, and checking Facebook at the same time), we just cannot do
it. Research shows that with this type of multi-tasking, the error rate goes up 50% and it will take twice
as long to do things. Therefore, your teenager will take longer to finish that math homework as long as he
is in front of the computer screen contemplating cascading layers of open “windows” (that get “minimized”
instantly as soon as you walk in!).
Medina believes that when we are always online, we are always distracted. He considers the “always
online” organization as the always unproductive organization. With this evidence on your side, simply tell
your children to turn off the computer (or TV) when doing their homework.
What about music on iPods and stereos? Surely we can listen to music while studying? The answer is:
Yes, but ... preferably, it should be a certain type of music playing softly in the background. (I guess
music from headphones will always be considered “loud”.)
According to Terry Small, the music composed during the Baroque period (1600 to 1750 AD) is ideal, as
long as it has approximately 55 -70 beats per minute. Apparently, this type of music produces brain waves,
known as alpha waves, which calms us, and keeps us relaxed but alert, with our hearts beating 55 to 70
times per minute.
4
For those of you who were not music majors in college (like me), and can’t figure out how many beats per
minute are in a song, there is an organization called the LIND Institute in San Francisco which markets
CDs with selected music from Baroque period composers like Vivaldi, Bach, Scarlatti, Pachelbel, Handel,
and others. I don’t receive a commission for recommending these CDs. In fact, I had to dish out ¥5,000 for
two of their CDs myself, and I’ve been playing them softly in the Student Resource Center every day. My
plants still have a long way to go before they wrap themselves around the CD player, but the students in
the center seem happy enough working with their tutors.
Terry Small and John Medina have websites that I highly recommend to all of you. Please visit
http://www.terrysmall.com/ and http://brainrules.net/.
The verdict is in: No TV, No screens, No iPods when studying!
Watching TV and using other “screens” while studying is a big NO-NO. So, turn it OFF!
- Mitos Molina, Learning Support Coordinator
==============================
From the Elementary/Middle School Counselor
Help For the Child Means Help For the Entire Family
Most families find that coping with illness, loss or major changes in circumstance is difficult. Illness in a
family can be an actual physical disease, mental illness or a chronic disability. A loss in a family can be a
death, divorce, loss of employment, or even the loss that happens during a move when friends and support
systems are no longer around. These are ordinary family problems that happen to ordinary families.
People in general usually believe that other families have fewer problems than their own. This is absolutely
a myth and can be destructive for families, because family members think that they fall short or are failures
themselves. Although all members of the family can be affected, it’s often the children that manifest the
symptoms of the family problem through their behavior. Because of this, sometimes parents and educators
try to solely focus on changing the behavior of the child, when really the better approach is to examine the
entire family and what is occurring with everyone. In clinical terms, the child is often referred to as “the
identified patient”, but it is usually the family who is the true patient.
This concept may be somewhat confusing, so let me give you a few examples. Perhaps mom is suffering
from depression, and her son is having problems in school such as lack of concentration, not doing his
homework, or getting into trouble. Often a family will focus on the child’s behavior and “fixing” it, instead of
going to the root of the matter and helping mom. Another case may be a family situation where dad drinks
too much. No one in the family feels comfortable addressing this issue, so the teen daughter may develop
an eating disorder, or the son may become involved in substance abuse. The family then puts all their
energy into helping their children, once again not facing the bigger issue. One more case may be where
the parents aren’t around very much for a variety of reasons. The child starts getting into lots of trouble at
school as a way of getting attention. Often the parents, school officials and teachers then “talk” with the boy
in an attempt to help him change his behavior, when, in reality, the solution would be simply to spend more
time with him and give him that extra attention.
This probably all sounds reasonable and you may be thinking of some family you know right now that “fits
the bill.” Probably most of you aren’t thinking, “This is me and my family.” That’s normal and common. As
humans it’s very difficult to examine our own behavior. Another phenomenon called “denial” also tends to
interfere with our ability to see ourselves. So, the overall point of this article is really just to bring awareness
and education to you if you are in a situation where your child is experiencing some sort of problem. As I
said before, all families will go through some type of crisis or situation. You are not alone or unusual. The
important thing to remember though is to look at it as a family problem, not just your child’s problem. If you
take this approach, not only will your child improve but the whole family will benefit and get “back on track”
sooner.
- Julie Gordon, Elementary/Middle School Counselor
5
From the International Baccalaureate Coordinator
As we head into Spring Break, and come to the end of the third academic quarter, students are
doubtlessly looking forward to a well-earned rest from school. However, the wise student will also be
looking for ways to set up for the fourth quarter so that the year ends as successfully as it can. Here’s a
little advice from your IB Coordinator!
Sophomores
You have just started your IB course selection process for next year. Make sure that you have put careful
thought into which course of studies you are going to follow, as your choice now will have critical
implications for the next two years and beyond. If you have doubts, get advice from your teachers, and
discuss your options with your parents. You can also pay me a visit in my office on the third floor, where I
am happy to answer questions, and help you make the right decisions. It’s not too late to change your
schedule. Also, look for ways to get involved in community service activities, as this will be important next
year, especially if you are a Diploma candidate. There is a bulletin board on the third floor where you can
find information about on-going activities.
Juniors
Most of you are taking one or two exams this year, so Spring Break will be a good time to review. Make
sure that you have the current syllabus for the exam you are taking before the quarter ends. Also, it would
be a good time to get ahead on your Extended Essay and your TOK essay. Now, that isn’t to say that you
should have no time to relax ... but be sensible! The summer vacation is just a couple of months away,
and you want to get off to a tremendous start in your senior year, when colleges will be looking carefully at
your achievements in the 11th and 12th Grades. So, balance play with work, and feel that you’ve really
achieved something when you return to school at the end of March.
Seniors
So, you’ve got a vacation coming up? Yeah, right! This Spring Break is anything but a vacation! This is
your opportunity to fix things in classes that you are behind in, complete any major assignments due after
the break, and put in some solid review time for the exams that are coming up in May. After you graduate,
you will have plenty of free time on your hands. But, now is the time to get ready for that final push — the
result of which will be that you graduate with pride, and knowing that you put in your best effort till the end.
Whether you are attending a university that will look at your IB scores for admission purposes, or not, it’s
now time to fulfill the commitments you made in you junior and senior years to yourself, your teachers and
your parents.
- Cris Copping, IB Coordinator
==============================
6
From the Elementary School Library
Sakura Medal Program
The Sakura Medal Reading Program is winding down. This year several of our ambitious students have
read all the books on their Sakura Reading List; that’s 30 books on the Chapter book list and 25 on the
Picture book list. Their photos will be added to our Sakura Wall of Fame in May. At this writing they are:
Chapter Books
5R Ryo Mochizuki, Patrick O’Connor, Takayuki Sanada
5W Kei Nawa
Picture Books
2B Aaryan Batra, Sami Khan, Kota Uchino
2H Sewan Ann, Senin Hyun, Masatomo Shiiki
2W Keun-Seo Hong, Yi Hyun Kwon
3A Nishant Chanda
3H Lucas Frody, Maximilien Emery
3K Ryusei Aomi, Ryan Shimizu, Ji Hyuk Wei
Students who have read five or more books will vote during their scheduled library classes beginning on
April 19 and ending on April 23. The votes will be tallied and added to the votes from all the participating
international schools in Japan. We plan to announce the winning authors during the first week of May.
Sakura Art Contest
Each international school may submit three pieces of art for the various sections of the Sakura Medal
Reading Program. Here in the St. Mary’s ES Library we participate in the
Picture Book, Chapter Book, and Japanese Picture Book sections. The
winning piece of art will be added to the award given to the winning author. It
is a tremendous honor for the student. Last year Rei Machikawa’s stunning
artwork won the Chapter Book art contest.
This year students who are eligible to vote for the Sakura Medal Books will
be given an opportunity to vote for the art that will represent the Sakura
Medal Program and be given to the winning author.
Summer Checkout and Summer Reading Program
It’s time to think about the summer checkout and the Summer Reading Program. We will send home a
letter with all the fun details of this year’s Summer Reading Program in May. In the mean time, I would like
to invite parents who have not registered to use the library to register before the end of May. This will help
to cut down on the amount of time parents and students will need to stand in line during our three day
Summer Checkout extravaganza.
Important ES Library Dates to Remember
May 14, 2010 Last day to Check Out Books
The last day to check out books from the ES Library is May 14.
May 21, 2010 All Books must be returned to the ES Library
All books must be returned to the ES Library by May 21 to ensure all student, parent and teacher library
accounts are cleared before the end of the year.
May 24 to 28 Inventory Week
The library will be closed during this week so that the staff may perform the annual inventory.
June 1, 2, 3 Summer Checkout
Each class will be assigned a date and time during which only their class will checkout books. More
information will follow. Don’t worry we will have plenty of open slots for parents to join the fun.
Happy Reading!
- Tammy Hays, Elementary School Librarian
7
From the Middle School/High School Library
The annual Library Book Fair held on February 16 and 17 was a
super success thanks to all the hard work contributed by the
library staff, our parent volunteers and student helpers! During
the two days we were able sell loads and loads of specially
selected books, all recent bestsellers and popular titles. This year
our selection was augmented and varied by the presence at the
Fair of R.I.C. Publications Asia, specializing in ESL and
educational resources. Sales went well beyond the million yen
mark. Book Fair money goes back into general school funds,
thus supporting school-wide functions and activities all year long.
A special word of thanks must be given to Mr. Cross and Mr.
Kagei and their boys who worked so hard and so diligently to
pack up the leftover books on the last day when everyone was
eager to head off to their mini-break. So, THANK YOU to MS
students Atsuki A., Desmond M., Ren H., Ken G., Billy J., Kyotaro T., Thomas C., Nick F., Julius L., Shota K., and HS
students Yuta K., Peter C., Yoshiaki T., Kelly L., Suraj G., Michael F., and Kosumo Y.— we could not have done it
without you at the end!!! Thank you to Brother Lawrence and Mr. Cross for their help and generous financial support.
And most importantly, THANK YOU to all the moms who helped us price, display, sell, pack up and clean up — you
are the most dedicated and terrific volunteers anyone could ever hope for!!!
To view more photos of the fun and excitement generated by the Book Fair, go to our library website
http://library.smis.ac.jp/mshs/index.shtm
Moving on to the month of March, we are preparing for an author visit. On March 11th we
will host Canadian author Eric Walters (www.ericwalters.net )
The MS and HS students are particularly eager to meet in person this award-winning author
because one of his books, Alexandria of Africa, is nominated for this year’s MS Sakura
Medal, and his book Safe as Houses, was a well-received Sakura Medal Chapter Book in
2009, popular with grades 5 and up.
Eric will be happy to autograph his books during his time with us, so if you purchased some of his titles at our Book
Fair please bring them along on the 11th for him to autograph. We will also have some books on hand that can be
purchased on the day of his presentations.
Be sure to visit our website for the schedule and other details of the Eric Walters visit. Keep checking our website
for future events and programs coming up in the MS/HS Library.
Happy Spring & happy reading!
- Anna Fernicola, MS/HS Library News
==============================
8
From St. Mary’s Athletics
Winter Sports
Varsity Basketball
Once again, the winter sports season ended in dramatic fashion when our Varsity basketball team defied
all odds and finished second at the Far East Basketball Tournament in Yokota. This is the second
consecutive year that the Titans have reached the finals of the prestigious Far East tournament. The team
got off to a great start winning all of their games until stopped in the championship game with Kadena.
Named Far East All-Stars were Toni Taniguchi, Amrit Warraich and Shivang Gupta.
In a fitting tribute to the late Coach Sava and to the team, Coach Clarkson wrote the following:
“It is only ourselves that can really understand how hard we tried, how badly we wanted to win
and how deeply disappointed we were not to achieve our goal. What other group of young men
could have faced practice every day especially when they were getting regular reports on Coach
Sava’s worsening condition .After his death, they had to continue with college applications and
schoolwork while carrying a great sadness inside themselves. Basketball, the game Coach Sava
loved, and taught us to love could easily have become an insignificant detail and everyone would
have completely understood if the players had decided not to play on. However, these young
men dusted themselves off and got back in the game just as their coach would have wanted
them to. They have represented themselves, their families, and above all ,Coach Sava, with
distinction. So, take a huge bow Toni Taniguchi, Amritpal Warraich, Shunsuke Kuriyama, Shivang
Gupta, Dongwan Kim, Michael Hsieh, Edward Shin, Ali Siam, Yuta Kobayashi, Kenshiro Hori,
Taiki Hirata, Tomoya Minaki, and Steve Hsieh. Coach Sava would have been so proud of you all
for the way you have respected and continued his legacy.”
Hats off to Coach Clarkson himself for accomplishing a remarkable feat with these boys!
Swimming
During the same weekend as the Far East, St. Mary’s also struck at the pool with a record-shattering
performance by our 200 free relay team which broke Japan’s national high school record. The quartet of
Bruno Ortiz, Ryutaro Kamiya, Kelly Moodie, and Christian Brown swam a blazing 1:32.43 to reset Japan’s
national mark. A day before, the same quartet broke the Tokyo 200 meter medley relay record with a time
of 1:52.40. Congratulations to the team and Coaches Moodie and Ichikawa for a job well done.
Varsity Soccer
Meanwhile on the pitch, our Varsity soccer team capped an undefeated season by capturing all titles at
stake. They began with a conquest of the Moanalua Soccer Invitational Tournament in Hawaii in the
pre-season. Next, they dominated league play and finished the season by winning the Kanto Invitational
Soccer tournament. In his first year at St. Mary’s, Coach Mark Van Den Bossche has turned the soccer
program around and looks forward to fielding a competitive team every year. Good job, Coach!
Winter Sports Award Recipients
1. Varsity Soccer
MVP: Kento Nakamura
Coaches’ Award: Robert Atkinson
Most Improved: Saman Herath
Best Attitude: Mikey Taw
Kanto All-Stars:
Mikey Taw, Saman Herath, Kento Nakamura, Robert Atkinson, Tanjib Hasan, Ian Shimizu,
Andrea Leggieri, and Shin Doi
2. JV Soccer
Most Outstanding Player: Aidan Graham
Most Dedicated: Marko Jeremic
Best Goal: Nobuei Fukui
Most Improved: Eiyeon Jeon
Coach¹s Award: Jack Lowe
9
3. JV Basketball
MVP: Tommy Someya
Top Rebounder: Leo Ohyama
Mr. Hustle: Hayden Griffiths
Most Improved: Matthew Miyazaki
Coach’s Award: Shikar Kumar
4. High School Wrestling
Most Outstanding: JP Kwak
Most Improved: JP Kwak
Most Valuable: Soma Yoshida
Most Technical: Hayato Ota
Most Dedicated: TY Clark
Highest Academic: Henry Litt
5. Middle School Wrestling
Best 6th Grade Wrestler: Ryan Vasconcellos
Best 7th Grade Wrestler: Riku Osawa
Most Pins Award: Riku Osawa
Most Inspirational Wrestler: Kentaro Hayashi
Coach's Award: Jeffrey Koo
Outstanding Wrestler: Ryo Nakamura
Most Improved Wrestler: Fabian Cabeza
St. Mary’s Athletics Spring Sports Program
4th week of February to 3rd week of May
School Year 2009 – 2010
Sport
Elementary
School
Middle School
High School
JV Baseball
Mr. Sirkka
Mr. McMillan
Varsity Baseball
Mr. Vanderpool
Mr. Molina
Grades 4,5,6 Intramurals
Mr. Nicholson
Mr. Dixon
Grades 4, 5, 6 Soccer
Mr. Blair
Middle School Tennis
Mr. Willis
Track and Field
Mr. Ikezoe
Mr. Dogra
Mr. McGuire
Mr. Ochola
Mr. Dogra
Mr. Moodie
Mr. Ichikawa
Mr. Moodie
Mr. Ichikawa
Swimming
Mr. Moodie
Mr. Ichikawa
Weightlifting
Mr. O’Hagan
==============================
10
From the Swim Team
2010 Tokyo-To Winter Kirokukai Meet at Tatsumi
Buccaneers Freestyle Relay Establishes New National High School Record !
2,754 swimmers from 148 clubs packed into the International Swimming Complex at Tatsumi for two full
days of fantastic swimming. The meet featured many Japanese university teams, elite athletes, as well as
top junior competitors. The highlight of the meet for St. Mary’s was the finale to the two-day competition
— the Freestyle Relay.
The Buccaneers 400 Free Relay previously qualified for the National Championships two weeks ago. The
quartet of Ortiz/Kamiya/Moodie/Brown wanted to contest the 200-meter Free Relay to challenge the
All-Tokyo record. SMST took the lead right from the start and never relinquished it, and finished well in
front with a 1:32.43 to stun the crowd with a new National High School record. There was a special
awards ceremony after the meet to acknowledge their performance.
Bucs relay also cracks the All Tokyo record in the 200 medley relay on day one
The Buccaneers 200 Medley Relay [Moodie – Back(26.23)/Ortiz – Breast (27.80)/Kamiya – Fly (24.99)
/Brown – Free (23.54)] bested the All-Tokyo record as well as the All-Tokyo High School record. The Bucs
relay shattered their Open + Area mark from April 2009 by a full 4.1 seconds.
Other top performances were Junior Bruno Ortiz qualifying for Japan Senior Nationals, blazing a 22.94 in
the 50-meter Freestyle, and surpassing older brother, Miguel Ortiz’s 2009 Open + Area record by .03
seconds. This year marks the first time that the Bucs have three Senior National qualifiers. Bucs with
Senior “cuts” are: Ryutaro Kamiya - 100 + 200 Free + 200 Backstroke / Kelly Moodie – 200 + 400 Free /
Bruno Ortiz – 50 Free.
Age Group National qualifying times were Kelly Moodie (50.87) 100 Free + (1:50.51) 200 Free / Bruno
Ortiz (25.19) 50 Fly/ Mokhtar Al-Yamani – 11 + 12 (2:07.33) 200 Free + (28.62) 50 Butterfly. Sixth grader
Toshiki Takahashi exceeded his own Area record in the 11 + 12 Boys 100-meter Breaststroke with a swift
1:16.12. Toshiki also swam a US Swimming AAAA time at 2:42.87 in the 200-meter Breaststroke.
Swimmers turning in US Swimming All-Star Standards, AAA Standards or better, were Shawma Chun
and Kana Moodie. Others producing All-Star Standards were Lisa Torio, Josef Budde, Ryoya Wakamatsu,
Junu Moon Baik, Haruto Ima, and Takashi Kanazawa.
Buccaneers on fire at Tatsumi!!
The J.O. Yosen meet is the Big Enchilada for the winter short course swim season. The top swimmers in
the Kanto Region come together to compete against each other and to try to qualify for Japan’s Age
Group National Championships. 2,968 swimmers from 134 swimming clubs were at the annual event,
held at Tatsumi’s International Swimming Complex.
Buc Swimmers produced fifteen National qualifying times, more than ever in any one meet. The Bucs’
previous best was nine “cuts” at the February 2009 J.O.Yosen meet. SMST swimmers also popped two
Senior national qualifying times and set six Open + Area records along with 2 Area marks.
Tenth grader Kelly Moodie beat Japan Senior National Championships (Nihon Senshuken) qualifying
standards in both the 200- and 400-meter Freestyle. Moodie’s 3:51.93 in the 400 shattered the Open +
Area record by 2.80 seconds. Seventh grader Mokhtar Al-Yamani set two new Open + Area marks for 11
+ 12 Boys, 50 Free (26.01) and 100 Butterfly (1:03.05) as well as an Area record in the 100 Freestyle
(57.92). Christian Brown surpassed Miguel Molina’s 2002 50 Breaststroke record with a 29.84 swim.
Seisen 8th grader Kana Moodie topped the Area standard for the 200 meter Backstroke (2:27.54).
Relays always add a lot of excitement, and the Bucs 15 – 18 relays did not disappoint. Senior Ryutaro
Kamiya, Junior Bruno Oritz, K. Moodie, and C. Brown combined to qualify for the March Nationals in both
the 4 x 100 Freestyle Relay (3:25.63) and the 4 x 100 Medley Relay (3:50.40). The Bucs Free relay were
clearly at the head of the class finishing in 1st place, ahead of Tama ISC, Marine Toneri, and Komaba
High School — and almost a full six seconds under the Nationals “cut”. The Bucs Medley Relay
obliterated the Open + Area records taking 5.11 seconds off the old mark, finishing in 2nd place behind
Komaba High School, and ahead of Mitsubishi Yowa.
11
Buc Swimmers producing
Age Group National Cuts
Kelly Moodie (15-16)
Kelly Moodie (15-16)
Ryutaro Kamiya (17-18)
Bruno Ortiz (17-18)
Ryutaro Kamiya (17-18)
Ortiz/Kamiya/ Moodie/Brown
Ryutaro Kamiya (17-18)
Mokhtar Al-Yamani (11-12)
Christian Brown (15-16)
Moodie/Ortiz/Kamiya/Brown
Bruno Ortiz (17-18)
Mokhtar Al-Yamani (11-12)
Mokhtar Al-Yamani (11-12)
Bruno Ortiz (17-18)
Christian Brown (15-16)
Ryutaro Kamiya (17-18)
Kelly Moodie (15-16)
400-meter Free
200-meter Free
200-meter IM
50-meter Free
100-meter Back
400-Freestyle Relay
200-meter Back
50-meter Free
50-meter Free
400-Medley Relay
50-meter Fly
100-meter Fly
100-meter Free
100-meter Free
50-meter Breast
100-meter Free
200-meter IM
Time
Overall Place
3:51.93
1:49.00
2:02.73
23.17
55.93
3:25.63
2:00.28
26.01
23.86
3:50.40
25.54
1:03.05
57.92
50.88
29.84
51.48
2:06.39
1st place
2nd place
1st place
1st place
1st place
1st place
2nd place
2nd place
2nd place
2nd place
2nd place
3rd place
3rd place
3rd place
3rd place
4th place
5th place
Personal bests were the norm for the weekend. Other Buc swimmers producing US All-Star times were;
Arun Janssens, Josef Budde, Alex Auvaro, Lisa Torio, Masaya Takeda, Shawma Chun, Keila Mitchell,
Shunichi Ichimura, Junu Moon Baik, Yuuki Wood, Haruto Ima, Kacey Ries, Toshiki Takahashi, Hirokazu
Kamei, Kazuki Martin, Yuri Hayashi, Coco Yamamoto, Joshua Ries, and Takashi Kanazawa.
Winter 2010 Kanto Plains Championships at St. Mary’s
The International Buccaneers Swim Team captured their 37th consecutive Kanto Plains Championship on
January 24. The KP Championships has a long tradition and challenges competitors as swimmers
compete in four individual events and two relays in a one-day meet. The coaches would like to thank all
the volunteers for running a meet with thirteen teams on schedule - 937 individual entries and 67 relays!
The host Bucs had many veteran swimmers win high point honors and newcomers breaking into the
ranks. The following swimmers were awarded high point trophies in their respective age groups:
15 – 18 Boys
Ryutaro Kamiya
Kelly Moodie
Bruno Ortiz
Christian Brown
13 + 14 Boys
Shawma Chun
Junu Moon Baik
13 + 14 Girls
Kana Moodie
Keila Mitchell
11 + 12 Boys
Mokhtar Al-Yamani
Ryoya Wakamatsu
Toshiki Takahashi
9 + 10 Boys
Patrick Self
tied for High Point
tied for High Point
tied for High Point
2nd High Point
34 points
34 points
34 points
31 points
High Point
tied 2nd High Point
34 points
31 points
High Point
tied 2nd High Point
36 points
26 points
High Point
2nd High Point
tied 3rd High Point
36 points
34 points
30 points
3rd High Point
30 points
Bucs swimmers with a perfect four individual wins were: Kana Moodie (13 + 14) and Mokhtar Al-Yamani
Takahashi (9 + 10). Other multiple event winners were Ryutaro Kamiya (15 – 18) - 3, Kelly Moodie (15 –
18) - 3, Bruno Ortiz (15 – 18) - 3, Shawma Chun (13 + 14) – 3, Ryoya Wakamatsu (11 + 12) – 3, Christian
Brown (15 - 18) – 2, Junu Moon Baik (13 + 14) – 2, and Toshiki Takahashi (11 + 12) – 2. Kamiya, Moodie,
Ortiz, and Al-Yamani all posted US Swimming AAAA times. Ryoya Wakamatsu, Kana Moodie, and Toshiki
Takahashi swam AAA times. AA performances came from Shawma Chun, Shunichi Ichimura, and Yuuki
Wood. A times were also turned in by Masaya Takeda, Josef Budde, Alex Auvaro, Amelia Abe, Lisa Torio,
Nicolas Flint, Keila Mitchell, Kazuki Martin, Haruto Ima, Yuri Hayashi, Senil Hyun, Soo Yeon Lee, Seung
Yeon Lee, and Naoki Martin.
12
“Into the Woods" returns to Tokyo!
A reluctant Cinderella? A sassy Little Red Riding Hood? An egotistical Prince Charming? A beautiful
Witch? They're classic characters like you’ve never seen before! All of them and more are featured in this
year’s Spring Musical: James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim's fractured fairy tale, Into the Woods!
The story starts with a Baker and his wife who learn they've been cursed by the Witch next door and
cannot have children. As they embark on a quest for the special objects required to break the spell, their
lives intertwine with the adventures of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Jack (of
“Beanstalk” fame) Everyone’s wish is granted at
the end of Act I, but the consequences of their
actions haunt them later with disastrous results.
The story begins as a lively, irreverent fantasy in
the style of Shrek, then becomes a moving
lesson about community responsibility and the
stories we tell our children.
St. Mary’s, Seisen, and Sacred Heart will join together to present the Spring Musical 2010 this April, and
this performance promises to combine Broadway tradition with a unique twist on set and costume design.
Everyone is invited to a special three-night run of the show that combines famous fairy tales, operatic
show tunes, and a dash of kabuki tradition!
Cast members include St. Mary’s students Yun Chul Shin (12), Andrew Jansen (11), Alex Hatton (12),
Tymon Dickson (11), Marc Leuterio (12), Miles Taylor (11), Geoffrey Litt (12), Chris Vilina (11), and Kodai
Iuchi (12). The orchestra, backstage, and art crews also have over 35 St. Mary’s students in total! Come
along and join us as we all go "into the woods!"
Date: Fri. and Sat. Evening,==============================
April 16th & 17th, 7 p.m.; Sun. Matinee, April 18th, 3 p.m.
Venue: St. Mary’s International School Auditorium. No parking is available.
Tickets: ¥1,500 Adults/¥1,000 Students
==============================
From the School Nurse
Just to let you know that we have two new Medical Resources available:
First, a new Eye Clinic here in Kaminoge, right next to the trains station:
Musashi Eye Clinic
Tel: 03-5760-6695
http://www.musashi-eye-clinic.com
Dr. Touline Musashi speaks English and Japanese fluently. National and Private Insurance accepted.
Second, a Dermatology Clinic in Hiroo:
Garden Clinic Hiroo
Tel: 03-6427-9198
www.gardenclinic-hiroo.com
Dr. Chin-Huai Keong speaks English and Japanese fluently. National and Private Insurance accepted.
- Kerry Suzuki, School Nurse
13
From the Parent-Faculty Advisory Group (PFA)
The PFA provides St. Mary’s parents a unique opportunity to communicate
with school administrators and faculty in an open and informal atmosphere.
The PFA contributes by serving the administration in an advisory role. All St.
Mary’s parents are welcome to attend. Topics discussed at recent meetings
include an update on the transition of sixth grade to middle school and a
review of standardized testing results, along with regular reconstruction
updates.
There will be a special event for parents for April’s PFA meeting. Cezars
Kitchen is the food service provider coordinating St. Mary’s lunch program
beginning in the 2010/2011 school year, and they will present an overview of
their company and their school lunch services. Following the presentation there will be an opportunity
for parents to ask questions.
Thursday, April 8
Cezars Kitchen Presentation for Parents
7:30 p.m.
South Campus – former MS/HS Library
The last PFA for the 2009/2010 school year will be on Thursday, May 6, 7:30 p.m., Meeting Room 263.
Every St. Mary’s Parent is Welcome!
==============================
From Cub Scouts Pack 15
Last month, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) celebrated 100 years of Scouting. At St. Mary’s, Pack 15 —
which is also part of the BSA — has been in existence for 41 years. Every year Pack 15 submits a charter
to BSA with St. Mary’s as the sponsoring organization. Last month, Cubmaster Ben Ward presented the
2010 Pack Charter to Brother Lawrence at the Arrow of Light Ceremony.
The 42 Pack 15 Cub Scouts and their families participate in many activities and service projects
throughout the school year, discovering new skills and interests while having fun. These activities which
Cub Scouts enjoy include camping, the Pine Wood Derby
model car races, ice skating, hiking, and the Raingutter
Regatta wooden boat races. There is at least one family
Pack 15 event each month, and Pack 15 Cub Scouts are
also eligible to participate in BSA sponsored district events
such as summer camp, the district-wide Pinewood Derby,
and Cub Scout Sumo Day.
All boys from 1st through 5th grade are eligible to join. Cub
Scouts meet in dens according to grade twice a month after
school. Each September, Pack 15 schedules a recruiting
drive and parent orientation, and notices will go out prior to
the event. Pack 15 Cub Scouts is a parent-led volunteer
organization with guidance provided by BSA professionals. You will not find a finer group of boys and
parents than those in Scouting!
For more information regarding Cub Scouts, please contact, Tim O’Connor, Pack 15 Committee Chair, at
[email protected].
14
From the SMA Treasurer
St. Mary’s Association Treasury Report as of March 14th, 2010
SMA Income from Jan. 14th 2010 to March 14th 2010
Cash Donation for Raffle
120,000
Cash Donation for Carnival
15,000
SMIS Pocket Calendars Sale
7,400
Newsletter Advertisement
11,000
Recycled Uniform
5,000
Charity Donation from FBC
18,186
Total
176,586
SMA Expense from Jan. 14th 2010 to March 14th 2010
Library
233,954
Student Allocation (G4)
249,000
Sport Allocation
Wrestling Trip to Okinawa
210,000
One Act Play
25,000
Choir Trip to Hawaii
625,000
Stationery
20,737
Others
11,800
Total
1,141,537
Art Funding
Board
NOTE: Ball income/expense will be reported at the next issue.
15
From the Recycled Uniform Committee
This is the last sale of the school year and will take place prior to the Spring
Luncheon, so please arrive early and don’t miss it!
RECYCLED UNIFORM SALE
When:
Wednesday, April 21, 10:00~11:30AM
(Prior to the Spring Luncheon)
Where:
Front of Gym Entrance
Parents who need recycled uniforms urgently can also arrange an appointment
with either the chair or the co-chair listed below.
Donations are always appreciated and very much needed! All uniform items
in good condition may be donated at any time. Please mark your bag or box
with “Recycled Uniforms” and bring them to the main office.
Chair:
Co-Chair:
Yoon Sun Choi, Tel. 080-5688-5749, e-mail: [email protected]
Michal Gordon, Tel. 080-3487-9696, e-mail: [email protected]
16
17
Spring Concert Under The Cherry Blossom Trees
at Ark Hills
on Saturday, April 3rd, 2010 ,11:30AM~12:30PM
In collaboration with Mori Building, St Mary's International School Varsity Ensemble
and Show Choir (SMIS, SIS and ISSH) will perform during the farmer's market,
"Hills Marche," at Ark Hills in Akasaka – well-known for its beautiful cherry blossom
viewing at this time of the year.
For details, contact: Noriko Hatton, SMA Publicity Chair at:
[email protected]
Made possible by:
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Advertising Section
St. Mary’s has no direct relationship with services or events advertised in this section of the Newsletter.
Please contact the advertisers for more information.
19
Advertising Section
St. Mary’s has no direct relationship with services or events advertised in this section of the Newsletter.
Please contact the advertisers for more information.
20
Advertising Section
St. Mary’s has no direct relationship with services or events advertised in this section of the Newsletter.
Please contact the advertisers for more information.
21
Advertising Section
St. Mary’s has no direct relationship with services or events advertised in this section of the Newsletter.
Please contact the advertisers for more information.
22
Advertising Section
St. Mary’s has no direct relationship with services or events advertised in this section of the Newsletter.
Please contact the advertisers for more information.
23
Advertising Section
St. Mary’s has no direct relationship with services or events advertised in this section of the Newsletter.
Please contact the advertisers for more information.
24
Advertising Section
St. Mary’s has no direct relationship with services or events advertised in this section of the Newsletter.
Please contact the advertisers for more information.
25
Dates to Watch
Mar.
22-26, Mon-Fri
No School — Spring Holidays
Apr.
02 Fri
No School — Good Friday
May
05 Wed
08 Sat
10 Mon
No School—Children’s Day (National Holiday)
Carnival
No School—Carnival Recovery
Josie Schmidt, SMA Newsletter Editor
For St. Mary’s Newsletter submissions and advertising
opportunities, email inquiries to:
[email protected]
For the next Year End Issue, all submissions due:
Friday, May 14, 2010
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