First Quarter 2011-12 - St. Mary`s International School
Transcription
First Quarter 2011-12 - St. Mary`s International School
ST. MARY’S INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 1-6-19 Seta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-8668 Tel: 03-3709-3411 Fax: 03-3707-1950 St. Mary’S NewSletter Headmaster SMA President 1 2-3 ES Principal 3 MS Principal 4 Learning Support Centre ES/MS Counselor 4-5 6 School Nurse 6-8 ES Library 9-10 MS/HS Library 10-11 Athletics Department 11-12 Aquatics 12-13 PFA SMA Treasurer Development Office 14 14-18 19 SMA Announcements 19-29 Advertisements 30-36 Dates to Remember 1st Quarter 7th October 2011 From the Headmaster The theme for this year is renewal and adaptation. It has been chosen because there have been so many changes recently in Japan and at St. Mary‘s. The March 11 disaster has changed our way of looking at Japan and has affected our school, our parents, our staff and our students. At St. Mary‘s, we are going through an intense period of renewal. We have just finished rebuilding our school and we are using this new environment in a way that benefits our students the most. We are adapting to our new classrooms, our new projectors, bulletin boards and other equipment. We moved from an open campus, totally unsecure, to a new campus surrounded by fences, and we still struggle to find the best balance between security and freedom of movement. We have installed a new student information system called PowerSchool. It has a multitude of possibilities that make for a steep learning curve for our staff and administrators. This software is being adopted in many states in the U.S. and in many international schools, and it provides a powerful means to accumulate and utilize the multitude of data involving students and the school community. The possibilities are so numerous that we cannot explore all of them during the course of one academic year. It will help students perform better by giving them timely feedback on every aspect of their education. It will eventually allow parents and students to follow the learning process more closely through the internet. I wish everyone a great academic year. I realize that the entire world is going through a difficult transition. Each one of us can have his or her little share in the solution by patiently doing everything in a very professional way and looking towards the future, even the immediate future, with eyes that see the transformations taking place for the better. Let us construct the future. Br. Michel, Headmaster 37 1 From the SMA President I would like to welcome you all to St. Mary‘s International School, in the name of SMA, the St. Mary's Parents Association. This is the first Newsletter of the year and I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the 20112012 Board members: Advisor: Br. Michel President: Caterina M. Tanaka Vice President: TBD Secretary: Josie Schmidt Treasurer: Miho Nagano Assistant Treasurer: Miki Repeta Nominations: Lia Kumar Bingo Chairperson: Lia Kumar Bingo Co-Chairperson: Tomoko Sandhar Carnival Chairperson: Carnival Co-Chairperson: Donations Chairperson: Donations Co-Chairperson: Hospitality Chairperson: Roula Leggieri Hospitality Co-Chairperson: Therese Adachi International Ball Chairperson: International Ball Co-Chairperson: Japanese-Speaking Support Group (JSSG): Risa Osawa JSSG Co-Chairperson: Yukari Tsui Newsletter Editor: Sherry Khetan Publicity Chairperson: Mie Ward Publicity Co-Chairperson: Noriko Takahashi Raffle Chairperson: Raffle Co-Chairperson: Recycled Uniform Chairperson: Keiko Andres Recycled Uniform Co-Chairperson: Yumi Shigetake Room Parent Coordinator: Miyoko Lay Room Parent Co-Coordinator: Naomi Takahashi We have three, large school wide fundraising events, planned for this year. We are already busy with the first of them, which is the ―SMILE‖ BINGO night, coming up on October 21st, and throughout that same day the school-wide Bingo Bake Sale. The Bingo Committee, as well as the Room Parents‘ Coordinators, will need a lot of help, so your contribution, however large or small, will play a large part in this. Please send them a word. Meanwhile, we also take the role of coordinating parents‘ support for the activities organized by the teachers, sports coaches and arts department. We also help in organizing class parties, Elementary and HS graduations, as well as cultural outings for parents. 2 The theme for this year is ―Renewal and Adaptation‖, and more than ever, it has become important that we get involved in this community. Volunteer work is just that: we do the best we can, but there will always be something more we can do. I hope that many of you will join in to make this year a successful one. Please consider taking a board position as well, as there are still many openings. I would like to remind all parents to sign up for the SMIS Families mailing list in order to receive important information from school and updates from the SMA. You can access the sign-up page from the SMIS website. Go to Community and click on Family and you will find instructions to register your e-mail. Should you have any inquiries or suggestions or if there is anything we can do to help you, please let us know. We are looking forward to having a great year! Caterina M. Tanaka, SMA President [email protected] From the Elementary School Principal I would like to give a warm welcome to all returning students and parents as well as newcomers for the 2011-2012 school year! We are very happy to see all the new and familiar faces as we look forward to another successful school year. Each year in my first newsletter I talk about the partnership we form with all those in the school community and emphasize that we cannot accomplish what we hope to for your sons without this partnership. I must say that at no time has this been more visible and real to me than over this past week and a half. This is something that is special about the St. Mary‘s community: regardless of the situation we face, we all come together to help each other get through whatever difficulties that may arise. I would like to take this opportunity to send my deepest thanks to everyone for all the support they showed to the Harwood family, to their own children and students, and to each other during this difficult time. Finally, I would ask that we all continue keep the Harwood family in our thoughts and prayers and honor Oliver‘s memory by making this the best school year we have ever had. Michael DiMuzio, ES Principal 3 From the Middle School Principal It is a pleasure to welcome all of the Middle School families back to another school year. I am especially pleased that we have such a large intake of new students at the Middle School level: 24 new 6th, 7th and 8th graders! Each of the new boys is already making a positive contribution to the school, and we hope that they enjoy their time at St. Mary‘s. Five teachers have also joined the Middle School for the 2011-2012 school year and have brought much energy and commitment to their new roles. They are: Mr. Benoit Gardonio, French 2. Ms. Trisha Hornickel, Grade 6 Homeroom (taught 3rd Grade at SMIS last year). Mr. Robert Lamb, Grade 8 English/Drama. Mr. Jeff Nicholson, Grade 7 English/Speech (taught 5th Grade at SMIS last year). Mr. Brit Ofstedal, Grade 8 Science/Journalism. I would like to thank all of the parents and guardians who took the time to attend the Back To School Day on Sept. 19th. This was a good opportunity to learn about your son‘s academic program and we hope that you found the morning useful and informative. We strongly encourage our students to become involved in at least one extra-curricular activity so that they have a well-rounded experience at school. In addition to the Fall Sports of Cross-Country, Intramurals, Soccer and Swimming, Middle School students can get involved in Boy Scouts, Band, Choir, Student Council and other activities. Careful time management is very important for young adolescents. Academics should be the first priority, and if it appears that a student has taken on too many activities, we may recommend that parents consider whether something needs to be let go. Indications that a Middle School student is over-stretched might include any of the following signs: chronic fatigue; high levels of stress; inability to complete homework; looking sad or discouraged; arriving late to school in the morning. Teachers, coaches and counselors are ready to assist any students who feel that they need support in coping with all of their many responsibilities. Upcoming Events in the Middle School: Grade 7 and 8 Overnight Trips (Oct. 6-7) Staff Professional Development—No school for students (Oct. 10) ISA and ITBS Standardized Testing (Week of Oct. 10) MS/HS Cross Country Finals at Tama Hills (Oct. 15) End of First Quarter (Oct. 26) Andrew Cross, Middle School Principal From the Learning Support Coordinator Welcome to a new school year! I must admit, I started the summer vacation with good intentions and a lot of enthusiasm to go through the pile of articles and magazines on my desk, start making a dent on the piles of books I have, mercilessly cull old e-mail, and do something about the icons on my computer desktop that I had placed there ―in the 4 meantime‖. Well, I must humbly confess that I had been unable to make any significant changes, and October is here already. It seems like as soon as I tackle one pile, new articles, new books, new magazines, new e-mail keep on coming! And this is a fact of life in the 21st century. Every day we are bombarded with information everywhere: from the internet, television, books, magazines, friends, and e-mail (especially the forwards). I find it timeconsuming to skim and scan, to sort out fact from fiction, and figure out which piece of information is reliable and can be trusted, and which can be deleted. And this happens daily, much like the challenge our ancestors probably had, wading through swamps and rivers, trekking through forests and fields in search of food. Which plant to avoid? Which path to use? Just like them, we need a guide to help us get through this jungle of information. So, to make it simple, I will talk about only three things. Three things that might help us through the rest of the school year: 1. Diet 2. Exercise 3. Sleep DIET: Everyone knows about what a good diet entails. Include all the three food groups in every meal: an Energy group (carbohydrates and essential fats), a Protein group, and food that contains Vitamins and Minerals. The idea is to include one food item from each of these three groups in every meal, and you will be assured of proper nourishment. Breakfast is also important. No, let me restate that: Breakfast is critical to your child‘s performance during the day. One part of the brain called the hippocampus is vital to memory and learning. It is also very sensitive to low blood glucose (sugar) levels. So if a child had his last meal at 7 p.m. the night before, skipped breakfast, and went to school, it means that he has had no food (glucose) circulating in his blood for 10 hours or more. No wonder children with no breakfast are sleepy, tired, and inattentive. Grownups would be too! (And grumpier at that.) I also need to mention one more nutrient: Water. We normally do not think of water as a nutrient, but it is. It is true that the body produces water during normal metabolism, but it does not produce nearly enough to hydrate the body. Remember that our brain contains 85% water. Scientists say that if you feel thirsty, it means you are already dehydrated. So keep that water bottle handy! EXERCISE provides our bodies with greater access to oxygen and food that fuels our brain cells. Exercise is the construction crew that keeps on opening up new roads and bridges that we call our blood vessels, so our body can have more access to oxygen and nutrients. When we exercise, blood flow to our organs increases. Therefore, it is imperative that a child‘s routines include a daily staple of movement and play. And don‘t forget what the old folks say about fresh air and sunshine. Fresh air provides the oxygen we need to live, and vitamin D enables the calcium we ingest to be efficiently absorbed. Vitamin D has also been correlated with prevention against the common cold and flu. SLEEP, in my experience, has been traditionally set aside so we can finish important work first. After many years of research, scientists have gradually debunked the wisdom of this work ethic. Sleep turns out to be essential to work. We all need to sleep — a lot — in order to function well. Our bodies have not evolved quickly enough, so we still have the same bodies that our ancestors had before Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. Although the light bulb has enabled us to have light 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, doing more and more work, our bodies still have the same functions and needs of cavemen who slept 14 hours a day! Researchers have recommended at least 9 solid hours of sleep for school-age children. Ten to twelve hours would probably be better for much younger ones. 5 Have a great school year! Mitos Molina, Learning Support Coordinator From the ES/MS Counselor Welcome back everyone. My name is Julie Gordon, and I‘m the school counselor for grades RP-8. Hopefully all of you ―returnees‖ know who I am. For those of you who are new to St. Mary‘s this year, please feel free to give me a call, set up an appointment or just stop by my office to say ―hello‖. In a nutshell, no problem is too small. Please call me even for just a simple question. Speak with your boys, and encourage them to visit with me as well. All of us experience ―trying times‖ throughout our lives. Sometimes it helps just to have someone to talk to. At other times we may need advice from someone who is ―outside‖ of the problem, and can give us a non-judgmental, non-emotional perspective on the matter. Often children (especially boys) will keep their feelings and emotions to themselves. When we ask them if they‘re OK they will tell us ―yes‖ (even when they aren‘t). Keep asking them anyway. Try to ask them questions that they can‘t answer with a simple yes or no. Some of my favorite questions to ask are: ―What were the best and the worst things at school today?‖; ―What was the weirdest thing that happened today?‖; and ―Who got in trouble today and why?‖ (Use this one with care, as sometimes they might answer ―me‖.) You‘ll get a lot of information through these simple questions. Consistently remind them that they can tell you anything, and you won‘t get mad as long as they tell you the truth. Then STICK TO IT! (I know it can be hard, but bite your tongue or something.) If you tell them you won‘t get angry and then you do, you‘ve lost their trust and it will take a long time and a lot of effort to get it back. This doesn‘t mean you will always like what you hear. It may even require some type of disciplinary action. But don‘t lose your temper, and remember to let them know how much worse the consequences would have been if they didn‘t tell you. Most importantly, keep those communication channels open and encourage them to share! Please contact me if I can be of help. Have a great year, Ms. Gordon, ES-MS Counselor From the School Nurse When to keep you son home from school, due to an illness: It is often hard to decide if you should send your son to school when he is not feeling well. In addition, illness is very seldom convenient! As busy parents, you have to consider work schedules, childcare arrangements, transportation and other family matters in that decision, and of course, you want what is best for your son. It's also not easy to achieve a balance between reinforcing the importance of being at school and having the best attendance possible, and making a good parent decision that your son will not be able to be "in 6 attention" at school today because of illness. That's especially hard when you have a "high-achiever" who does not want to miss a day and lose that perfect attendance record. But balance is what being a good parent is all about! We feel very strongly at Saint Mary‘s International School that good attendance is extremely important to your son‘s success at school! They must be here in order to learn. There are also important health reasons for keeping your son home from school. If your son has an illness that is contagious, he may cause others to get ill as well. Just as you do not want your son to be exposed to illness at school, other parents desire the same courtesy. So here are some helpful guidelines to consider when you hear those words, "I feel sick.‖ These guidelines were developed from Center of Disease Control (CDC), Health Protection Agency, and Japanese Public Health Department to assist in the prevention of the spread of contagious diseases. Please assist us in preventing their spread at school. Fever — check your son‘s temperature with a thermometer. If a fever over 37.8 C or 100 F is present, DO NOT send him to school, even for just a little while in the morning to see if he starts feeling better. Also, do not give him medication to lower the fever and then send him to school. That only reduces the fever for a short time, and doesn't take care of the illness that is causing the fever. Coming to school sick (and possibly contagious) not only exposes other boys to the illness, but also delays your son‘s healing time. Once the medicine wears off and the fever returns, your son must be picked up anyway, and valuable healing time has been lost. Children must be fever-free for 24 hours, without the use of medicine, before returning to school. Vomiting/diarrhea — until we know that these are not signs of a contagious illness, such as a stomach virus, your son should be kept home. Consider how uncomfortable these two things are, even to an adult who has better control, and how distressed and embarrassed your son will be at school having to go to the restroom often, or feeling sick while sitting at his desk. If the vomiting or diarrhea happens more than once that day, or if they are associated with fever, you must keep your child home. Even if these things happen only one time before school starts, and your son feels better immediately afterwards, it is still wise to watch for a few hours to see if it happens again before sending him on to class. If your child is spending all his time at school feeling sick, then not much learning is taking place! If your son is nauseated in the morning, please try giving him something to eat and wait at least 1 hour before sending him to school. Nausea may not be anything, but it is best to wait and see if he starts feeling better or worse before sending him to school. Skin rashes - if the rash has any fluid or pus coming from it, the child must remain out of school until the rash has been treated and a note from the doctor states it is ok to return to school, or until the rash is gone, dried, or scabbed over with no new spots appearing. Anytime a rash is associated with fever, the child may not come to school until that fever is gone for 24 hours without medication. Sometimes a rash is a sign of a contagious disease such as chickenpox. Sometimes, rashes are not contagious, but are uncomfortable and itchy from contact with something your son may be allergic to. In that case, although school is certainly a good option, please consider comfort measures such as an antihistamine, following the school‘s policy for medication administration at school and discussing possible treatment with the school nurse. Red eyes, especially if there is also drainage or crusting around the eye — this can often mean your son has conjunctivitis, also known as pink-eye. Not all ―pink-eye‖ is contagious. Sometimes it is just allergies or other irritations that are causing the red color, but until we know for sure (which means we must have a note from the doctor stating the condition is not contagious, or until the redness and drainage are completely gone), your son must remain out of school. If treatment has been started, it is necessary to 7 keep your son from returning for at least 24 hours after the medication has started. In some cases it is recommended that medications be given for 48 hours before returning to school. If your son continues to itch his eyes, it is best to keep him home! Pediculosis (head lice) or scabies — these small insects cause skin conditions that are uncomfortable and itchy, and could become infected with all the scratching. Check with the school nurse to get information on treatment and when your son may return to school if those conditions are present. Remember, household linens will need to be laundered in addition to the treatment for your son. Sore / strep throat (yorenkin) — If your son has a mild sore throat, no fever and is otherwise feeling well, he may be fine to attend school. However, please keep your son home and seek a medical provider for a severe sore throat and if you see white spots in the back of your son‘s throat, with or without a fever. Strep throat (yorenkin) is a contagious illness. Other symptoms may include headache and an upset stomach. Untreated strep throat can lead to serious complications. If your son is diagnosed with strep throat (yorenkin) he may return to school after being on antibiotics for 24 hours and feeling better. Cough — A mild hacking cough often starts after the first few days of a common cold. Mild symptoms, no fever and otherwise feeling well, your son may be fine at school. If your son‘s cough is uncontrollable or deep, he belongs at home even without a fever. A cough and fever mean your son should remain home for at least 24 hours after the fever has resolved without medications. If your son has other symptoms such as headaches or a stuffy nose, or sore throat, that do not require them to be out of school but that will make them uncomfortable during class, please discuss the use of over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medications with your doctor. Remember you must follow school guidelines for giving medicine at school. Call the school nurse if you are not sure about those requirements. We also understand that sometimes boys exaggerate illness in order to stay home. However, frequent complaints of illness may a physical sign that your son is feeling emotionally stressed or exhausted. If they frequently complain of an illness, please take their symptoms seriously. You may want to seek a medical provider or feel free to share your concerns with the school staff. It is our goal to help your son to have a positive experience at school. Boys who are truly sick will heal better and faster when they have proper rest at home, with healthy nutrition and plenty of fluid for hydration. Your school nurse is available for assistance during school hours if you have questions. It is our goal to help your son have a positive and healthy experience at St. Mary‘s International School. Jennifer McCoy, School Nurse 8 From the Elementary School Library St. Mary’s ES Students Jump into Books I‘ve always known our elementary school students are readers. Even I was surprised by the amount of pages they read over the summer months. With a personal goal of 800 pages for 1st to 4th grades and 1,000 pages for grade 5 and a school goal of 200,000 pages they surprised us all by monumentally surpassing these goals. I am pleased to report that 286 students participated in our 4th annual summer reading challenge: Jump Into a Book– Summer Reading Challenge. Last year 206 students participated! This year‘s combined 1st to 5th grade reading total is 511,485 pages, nearly 200,000 pages more than last year! Participating students who met their personal goal of 800 or 1,000 pages and turned in their reading log will receive a special prize in early November, our special Summer Reading Celebration Day. A note will be sent home as we near the date to remind parents that their sons may come to school in their play clothes that day. New this year, our RP students will begin their reading challenge on October 1. They have until October 31 to read, or be read to, 200 pages. We are looking forward to seeing how many pages our RP students will add to our total. Congratulations to all the students and to their families who read with them and supported their efforts throughout the summer. Upcoming Programs Students in the RP to Grade 3 will participate in the St. Mary‘s Book Award (SMBA) program beginning in October. The SMBA, a children‘s choice award, is an important part of our library program. Students will hear the five short-listed titles during their library classes and will vote for their favorite title at the end of the program. They are encouraged to evaluate the books for both the story‘s content, as well as the illustrations. Last year‘s winner was Chester by Mélanie Watt The Sakura Medal Book Award Program will begin in October for grades 4 to 6. Grades 2 and 3 will be joining the fun by reading books off of the Sakura picture book list in January. Grades 2 to 5 may read from the Japanese Picture Book and Chapter Book lists beginning in October. Sakura Book Bowl teams have been formed by our 4th and 5th grade classes. We have 50 students involved this year. The 10 teams will compete three times. The top two scoring teams will represent St. Mary‘s in the All-Japan Sakura Book Bowl in March. Guess Who’s Coming to St. Mary’s Each year we invite authors or storytellers to talk to our students about their special talents. This year we are pleased to host Katie Van Camp, author of Harry and Horsie and Cookiebot! Ms. Van Camp will work with our RP to 3rd Grade students on October 18th. On December 6, the 4th and 5th grade students will be meeting James Maloney, an Australian author, who has written many fantastic books including The Book of Lies. Mr. Maloney is known for his work with boys who are reluctant readers. More about the ES Library 9 The summer reading program is over, but there are still many books to read in the ES Library. We have approximately 25,000 books and 14 magazine titles available for student and parent use. Last school year, students, parents and teachers checked out 35,905 books. Of that, 4,979 books were checked out for the summer months. From these totals it is easy to understand why our students so easily met their summer reading challenge. Please stop by and see what we have to offer. The ES Library is open Monday to Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Parents are welcome to use the library before and after school. Students may use the library when library classes are not in session. They are also invited to use the library after school to complete their homework, finish their research projects or simply enjoy some quiet reading time. RP students may use the library with an accompanying parent. First grade students and up may use the library without their parent as long as they can work without disturbing others. Occasionally the library will be closed after school. We will do our best to inform you of any closures in advance. I would like to take this opportunity to invite all parents who have yet to register to use the ES Library to stop by before 9 a.m. or after 3:10 p.m. to register. It only takes a few minutes and will allow you to check out up to 10 books. Once registered, you will also have the added benefit of being able to check out books from the MS/HS Library, which has a superb collection of parenting books and so many more treasures to find! Remember to take time out from your busy schedules to spend time reading together as a family. Just a few minutes a day can really make a difference toward your son‘s academic achievements and can foster a love of reading that will help them reach their potential. Happy Reading! Tammy Hays, Elementary School Librarian From the MS/HS Library Check out our MS/HS Library website at http://library.smis.ac.jp/mshs/index.shtm and at a glance you‘ll be able to see what‘s new in the library for this new school year. For one thing, you‘ll notice that we have a new automated catalog. The new catalog is called Destiny. The library staff worked during summer school to get Destiny up and running by the start of this new academic year. The overall response to Destiny has been very favorable, with patrons commenting that they like the new clean and uncluttered look with colorful book covers displayed in the search results. You can access Destiny directly from our library website or by visiting the school website. Also lots of wonderful new books came into the library over the summer, so check out our virtual new books shelf on our homepage. Be sure to check there frequently because new books are added at the beginning of every month throughout the school year. 10 A further glance at the website will reveal that we have a distinguished writer visiting us next month: Sakura Award-winning author David Poulsen http://www.davidpoulsen.com/ is coming on October 20th. Mr. Poulsen‘s book N4mbers was selected as the best book of the year 2010 by international school students across Japan. This multi-talented Canadian author, actor, and rodeo announcer will be conducting a writing workshop for grade 9 students and making author presentations to the middle school and the high school. If you would like to attend one of his inspiring talks, please check our website for further details of this outstanding event, or call the MS/HS Library for his scheduled presentations. The library staff would like to thank all the moms who have volunteered in the MS/HS Library this year. We look forward to showing the new moms the workings of the library and to having their help during this exciting school year. Happy reading! Anna Fernicola, MS/HS Librarian From the St. Mary’s Athletics Department St. Mary‘s offers a wide variety of sports all year round. In order to provide a greater opportunity for our students to be involved and to experience different types of sports, the entire year is divided into three seasons. The various sports offered throughout the year are listed below: Fall Season (Sept.-Oct.): Elementary School Gr. 3 Basketball Gr. 4-5 Basketball Gr. 4-5 Baseball Swimming Middle School Cross Country Intramurals Soccer Swimming High School Cross Country Intramurals Tennis Swimming Weightlifting Middle School Basketball Wrestling Swimming High School Basketball Soccer Wrestling Winter Season (Nov.-Feb.): Elementary School Gr. 2 Activities Ball Hockey Swimming 11 Swimming 12 Spring Season (March-May): Elementary School Gr. 4-5 Intramurals Swimming Middle School Baseball Swimming Tennis Track and Field High School Baseball Swimming Weightlifting Track and Field All students interested in any of the above sports are welcome to join. However, some sports in the upper grade levels that compete in the KPASSP league normally conduct tryouts to select their respective teams. Students should pay attention for announcements from the principals and coaches regarding the start of practice for a particular sport. In the case of elementary school sports, a letter from the principal, Mr. DiMuzio, will be sent to the parents. In the middle school and high school levels, every student needs to submit a health form and an activity pledge as a requirement for participation. The health forms are part of the school registration process and are available from the Main Office, while the activity pledge is distributed in homeroom at the beginning of the school year. In the case of sports that compete in the KPASSP league, additional forms (trip permission form and base waiver form) may be required. These may be obtained from the respective coaches. If anyone is interested in supporting our teams at away games inside U.S. military base installations, they would need prior clearance from U.S. security personnel. For this reason, please e-mail the following information to the Athletic Director at [email protected]: Name as it appears on passport Nationality Date of Birth Home Address Car License Plate (if driving) So far, there has been a large turnout for sports since the beginning of the year. And if this is any indication of what to expect this school year, then we hope that this would be another banner year for Titans Sports! Let‘s Go Titans! Tom Molina, Athletics From the Aquatics Department Seahawk Swim Meet at Yokosuka’s 50 meter Natatorium The International Buccaneers Swim Team took a large contingent of 66 swimmers to the Junior Seahawks Fall meet at Yokosuka‘s 50 meter Natatorium. The trip to Yokosuka starts the team out right as more competitive meets are quickly approaching. In the last long course 50 meter meet of the season, the Bucs set 7 new meet records. Bucs swimmers establishing new meet standards were; Mokhtar Al-Yamani (2), Kana Moodie (1), Toshiki Takahashi (1), Kazuki Martin (1), Naoki Nomura (1), and Naoki Martin (1). Swimmers with 4 individual wins were; Kana Moodie (15 - 18), Joshua Brown (11 + 12), and Keigo Hayashi (8 & Under). Mokhtar Al-Yamani (13 + 14) and Junwoo Moon (13 + 14) each won 3 events. Double event 13 wins went to Nicholas Flint, Coco Yamamoto, Naoki Nomura, Stefano A‘De Lima, Marina Chun, and Hosei Kijima. Others capturing individual 1st place wins were Toshiki Takahashi, Kazuki Martin, Yutaro Sahara, Kota Uchino and Young Ju Choi. The Swim Team is working hard for their upcoming Buccaneer Invitational Swim Meet (Oct. 22 + 23). The team won the event with a 7:26.77. Japan Swimming announces Asian Age Group Championships Team Kelly Moodie was selected by the Japan Swimming Federation to represent Team Japan at the Asian Age Group Championships to be held in Palembang, Indonesia, in mid-October. The Japan Amateur Swimming Federation announced their team selection on September 2nd based on results of the Inter-High Championships and Age Group Nationals meet. Japan will field a team of 32 student/athletes - 16 boys and 16 girls; Kelly was the only high-schooler in Tokyo selected and he is St. Mary‘s first swimmer to represent Japan internationally. Japan Age Group National Swimming Champs, Aug. 28-30 at Tatsumi Congrats to both Kelly Moodie and Mokhtar Al-Yamani for their performances at Tatsumi from August 28th30th. Just one week after the All-Japan Inter-High Championships in Morioka, Iwate, the boys competed at the annual summer JOC Cup Age Group Nationals. The Age Group Nationals are contested twice a year, in late March in a short course 25 meter format and in August in the Olympic-sized 50 meter pool. This year‘s March Nationals were cancelled due to the Tohoku earthquake. Kelly made it to the awards podium twice individually, taking a silver medal in the 100 meter Freestyle (50.84) and a bronze in the 200 meter Freestyle (1:51.66). Moodie's time in the 100 Free also qualified for the World Cup meet, making him eligible for the 100/200 + 400 Freestyle events. FINA‘s November World Cup meet will be held in Tokyo at the Tatsumi International Swimming Complex. Freshman Mokhtar Al-Yamani finished 19th in the 13 -14 boys 50 meter Free (25.64), just .37 seconds from qualifying for the top eight finals. Mokhtar also finished 43rd and 44th in the 100 Free (56.46) and 100 Butterfly (1:00.58), respectively. Having just aged up, Mokhtar is well positioned to make a good showing at the March 2012 Champs. The Age Group Nationals were televised nationally on Sept. 16th. All Japan Inter-High Championships at Morioka, Iwate This past summer marked the 3rd year that St. Mary‘s participated in Japan‘s prestigious Inter High Championships. The road to Morioka – site of the 2011 National Champs – included 2 preliminary meets: the All Tokyo High School Champs meet (June 25 + 26 at Machida) and the All Kanto Champs meet (Kofu, Yamanashi – July 23 - 25 ). The Inter High series is the major event of the summer and features the top high school swimmers in the nation. The process is merciless; swimmers are limited to 2 individual races and must place in the top 8 or better the National Inter-High Champs qualifying time each time in order to advance to the next meet in the series. All meets are held in long course 50 meter venues. Senior Kelly Moodie successfully qualified for the 3rd year in a row for the National meet in his two signature events - the 200 + 400 Freestyles. Kelly Moodie 200 meter Free (long course) 1:50.98 1st place / 43 participants 14 400 meter Free (long course) 3:56.09 2nd place / 66 participants Dave Moodie, Swimming Coach Parent-Faculty Advisory (PFA) Group The PFA provides parents an unique opportunity to communicate with St. Mary‗s administrators and faculty in an open and informal atmosphere. The PFA contributes by serving the administration in an advisory role. All parents of St. Mary‗s students are welcome to attend. A range of topics is discussed, such as school campus facilities, curriculum, the community at large, school calendar, etc. St. Mary‗s parents are welcome to raise issues for discussion at the meetings by sending an e-mail to: [email protected]. If you would like to request an upcoming meeting agenda, you may do so by sending an email to the same address. PFA Meeting Dates for 2011-2012: October 6 March 1 November 3 April 12 December 8 May 10 February 2 All meetings are held from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in meeting room 263. Every St. Mary’s parent is welcome From the SMA Treasurer We perform our duties, as outlined in the SMA Constitution, to ―coordinate, control and monitor the collection and disbursement of all SMA funds‖ with the aim of maximizing our efforts to ensure transparency in all SMA treasury transactions. Accordingly, the Treasury Report is presented, beginning on the following page. We are pleased to work in our capacity as the SMA Treasurer and appreciate the support of all SMA members. Please feel free to provide us with your comments. We will be more than happy to hear from you! [email protected] 15 St. Mary's Association Treasury Report as of September 28, 2011 SMA Income from June 1 to June 30 (School Year 2010-2011) Carnival 2011 Booth Sale 66,501 Newsletter 2011 Adv. 30,000 Refund Student Allocation (G3) Total Income (6/1/11-1/30/11) 6,000 102,501 SMA Expenses from June 1 to June 30 (School Year 2010-2011) Carnival 2011 Others (Overhead) -10,210 Spring Luncheon 2011 -12,195 Fine Arts Allocation ES Drama, Mr. Clarkson HS Prom -42,929 -100,000 Total Expenses (6/1/11-6/30/11) -165,334 SMA Income from July 1 to September 28 (School Year 2011-2012) Bank Account Interest Recycled Uniform SMIS Pocket Calendars Sales Pocket Calendar Adv. Donations Received as of Sept. 28, 2011 Total Income (7/1/11-9/28/11) 1,163 79,700 105,000 60,000 140,000 385,863 SMA Expenses from July 1 to September 28 (School Year 2011-2012) Pocket calendar Printing Cost -239,820 Total Expenses (7/1/11-9/28/11) -239,820 16 SMA Annual Funding Budget for School Year 2011-2012 Program Budget Request / Condition Varsity Baseball 450,000 25,000yen x 18 to travel Far East tournament in Korea Aquatics: Swim Team 625,000 25,000yen x 25 for international meet Cross Country 150,000 25,000yen x 6 for Guam trip Varsity Soccer 450,000 25,000yen x 18 for Hawaii Tournament MS Soccer 600,000 15,000yen x 40 for trip to Miyagi Speech Team 30,000 T-shirts, awards and other speech-related needs Fall Play 20,000 Stage make-up Vocal Music Model United Nations RP/ES School Trip 1,000,000 375,000 1,095,000 25,000yen used per student for international trip, but up to 1,000,000yen International conference in China or Singapore 15 students 3,000yen per RP,ES student for school trip MS School Trip 705,000 3,000yen per MS student for school trip HS Prom 100,000 Support for HS Prom for Seniors Elementary Library 300,000 MS/ HS Library 300,000 Total Approved Funding 11/12 6,200,000 17 SMA Treasury Report 2010-2011 10,943,414 Balance as of July 1, 2011 School Year 2010-2011 Starting Amount (as of August 22, 2010) 17,296,191 Income St. Mary's Building Fund (Multi Purpose Hall) School Wall Calendar 2011-2012 Mind's I 2011 Sports Allocation HS Wrestling MS Wrestling Varsity Basketball Aquatics: Swim Team Varsity Tennis MS Tennis Cross Country Varsity Soccer Weight Lifting Fine Arts Allocation MS Science Fair Guitar Club Art/Photography Department ES Drama ES/MS/HS Library Allocation Library ES Library MS/HS Students Allocation ES School Trip MS School Trip Senior Prom Scholarship Contribution to Tohoku Contribution to Tohoku (The Japan Red Cross) Contribution to Tohoku (Fukushima Pre.) Contribution to Tohoku (Animal Refuge) Bingo 2,924,675 Bingo Pre-Sale Ticket Bingo night Entrance Ticket Bingo night Extra Card Bingo Bake Sale Bingo night Food Court Bingo Drinks Bingo Prize Bingo Decoration Bingo Others Bingo ES Supervision Bingo Donation Ball 4,183,200 Ball Ticket Ball Ticket (Refund) Ball Adv. Ball Auction Ball Donation Ball Printer Ball Wine Expense -1,908,750 -2,043,300 -967,050 -2,096,052 -400,000 -288,874 -300,000 -400,000 -108,230 -15,360 -125,000 -375,000 -83,588 -239,069 -50,000 -50,000 -96,140 -42,929 -953,912 -466,606 -487,306 -1,364,500 -1,152,000 -112,500 -100,000 -700,000 -10,802,024 -10,436,142 -292,706 -73,176 -210,906 598,000 393,501 289,000 180,631 486,260 163,283 -68,200 -30,628 -89,264 -6,218 -16,596 160,000 654,000 -2,104,202 3,157,500 -1,830,500 510,000 295,700 220,000 -126,420 -15,225 18 Ball Tasting Meeting Ball Others -18,690 -113,367 Raffle 5,819,000 Raffle Ticket Raffle Donation Raffle Prize Raffle Printer Raffle Decoration -272,895 -204,855 -5,549 Carnival 11,670,300 Carnival Booth Carnival Donation Carnival Vendor Carnival Overhead Donation no preference Spring Luncheon Hospitality -483,299 5,479,000 340,000 -6,287,945 10,872,510 155,000 642,790 -2,171,605 -4,116,340 380,000 17,150 Hospitality Welcome Tea Hospitality Outing JSSG JSSG Lecture 20,700 Donation to Save the Children Drive Newsletter Adv. 190,000 Recycled Uniforms 139,700 FBC Donation 16,755 Pocket Calendar 2010-2011 154,500 Pocket Calendar Printer Pocket Calendar Sales Room Parents Room Parents Coffee Morning Room Parents MS Pizza Bash ES/HS Graduation Graduation ES Graduation HS SMA Board Board Stationary Christmas Gift to the School Staff Board Others Bank Account Interest 3,783 Previous Expenses Previous Expense Carnival 09-10 Previous Expense Raffle 09-10 Total Income/Expense (8/22/10 - 7/1/11) 25,519,763 -322,670 -5,000 -3,000 -2,000 17,150 -31,572 -239,820 -239,820 154,500 -30,276 -1,356 -28,920 -105,918 -10,696 -95,222 -240,320 -12,570 -186,300 -41,450 -735,955 -76,020 -659,935 -31,872,540 Miho Nagano, SMA Treasurer Miki Repeta, SMA Assistant Treasurer 19 From the Development Office Our new school building, which was completed last August, certainly made us feel secure when the earthquake hit Tohoku area this spring. Although we experienced a large tremor, all of our students, faculty and staff were safe and sound. St. Mary‘s is now concentrating on raising funds for the interior of our long-awaited Multi-Purpose Hall. This hall will certainly add extra radiance to our facilities. It will be used for shows, the school musical and various concerts. Wouldn‘t it be nice to sit in the comfortable seats to enjoy student performances? We truly need your strong support. This can be done through Annual Giving, for which you should have already received information through mail. We appreciate any donation, big or small, and rely on your generosity to continue the outstanding educational program we offer to our students. If you have any question, please contact the Development Office at 3709-3411 or e-mail [email protected]. St. Mary’s Alumni Association (SMAA) The SMAA will be hosting the “Gala Fundraiser Dinner Show” again this year. It was a huge success last year, and we hope to present another dazzling night full of wonderful music. It will be on Saturday, November 12, 2011 in the gym. The committee is busy at work finalizing the performers, program and the menu. Please watch for updates with more details about the Gala Fundraiser Dinner Show. Development Office SMA is YOU! SMA is a volunteer organisation whose aim is to provide opportunities for parents to meet on a common platform. It encourages parents to develop ideas, in partnership with the faculty and administration to foster a spirit of learning, harmony, creativity and joy. SMA invites all parents to participate in this process of learning and be involved. You can help by donating your time, sharing your skill or providing a donation for any of our events, We look forward to hearing from you soon. 20 ST. MARY’S ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS 2011-2012 Position Name E-mail Home phone Advisor Br. Michel Jutras [email protected] 3709-3411 President Caterina Tanaka [email protected] 5453-3106 090-9131-8250 OPEN OPEN Vice President OPEN Mobile Secretary Josie Schmidt josie,[email protected] 5411-0089 090-8566-1935 Treasurer Miho Nagano [email protected] 5491-4842 090-2210-7607 Miki Repeta [email protected] 5217-9431 ? Nominations Lia Kumar [email protected] 6809-7920 080-5096-8949 Bingo Chairperson Lia Kumar [email protected] 6809-7920 080-5096-8949 Bingo Co-Chairperson Tomoko Sandhar [email protected] 3704-7887 090-4615-2005 Carnival Chairperson OPEN OPEN OPEN Carnival Co-Chairperson OPEN Donations Chairperson OPEN Donations Co-Chairperson OPEN Assistant Treasurer Hospitality Chairperson Roula Leggieri [email protected] 3498-0969 090-6028-2018 Hospitality Co-Chairperson Therese Adachi [email protected] 3705-6264 090-4452-5660 International Ball Chairperson OPEN International Ball Co-Chairperson OPEN Japanese Speaking Support Group (JSSG) Chairperson Risa Osawa [email protected] 3705-3814 090-2332-3741 Co-Chairperson Yukari Tsui [email protected] ? 080-3518-0447 Newsletter Editor Sherry Khetan [email protected] 5797-9735 080-2158-8880 Mie Ward [email protected] 5707-1470 090-2141-4485 Publicity Chairperson 21 Publicity Co-Chairperson Noriko Takahashi Raffle Chairperson OPEN Raffle Co-Chairperson OPEN [email protected] ? 090-3092-1340 Recycled Uniform Chairperson Keiko Andrews [email protected] 3473-6666 090-5081-6666 Recycled Uniform Co-Chairperson Yumi Shigetake [email protected] 3406-1631 ? 090-1210-0225 03-6676-3992 3705-6079 090-6491-5868 Room Parent Coordinator Room Parent Co-Coordinator Miyoko Lay Naomi Takahashi ? [email protected] As of 9/26/2011 Please join us in welcoming SMA Board Members for the new academic year. 22 SMA Hospitality Announces its First Outing of the Year Date : Thursday, October 13, 2011. Venue : Yamashita Park, Yokohama. Departure : 8:45 AM from school. Arrival : 2:30 PM at school. Transportation : School Bus. Please mark this date on your calendars! 23 The St. Mary’s Association (SMA) is a volunteer organisation run by parents. It supports activities and facilities for students through fundraising programs. These include - Library Programs / Senior Scholarships / Computer Resources / Sports Equipment / Extracurricular Activities / Art and Music Programs. Bingo is the first of SMA’s fundraisers. We invite you to get involved in making it a grand success! The Bingo and Donations Committees want all the help they can get to organize the event. So if you enjoy gift-wrapping, organizing prizes or would like to contribute in any way, we would love to hear from you! We are still accepting Prize Donations for Smile BINGO, and have extended our prize delivery date to: Friday, 14 October, 2011. Please contact us at [email protected] or [email protected] SMA Donations is looking for volunteers. If you would like to volunteer please contact us at [email protected]. To find out about SMA Donor benefits, or if you would like a Donation Reply Form, please contact us at [email protected]. Donation Reply Forms are also available at the school’s main office. We look forward to hearing from you. Come join the fun! Anandadhara Kumar, Bingo Chairperson Tomoko Sandhar, Bingo Co-Chairperson 24 25 October 9th – 15th is School FUNdraiser Week with the Foreign Buyers’ Club! If you order from the Foreign Buyers Club (FBC) during the week of October 9th-15th for your favorite products from abroad, you also support St. Mary’s student programs! During School FUNdraiser Week, the FBC will donate to St. Mary’s: - 5% of the total amount of your order AND - 50% of the annual 1,000 FBC membership PLUS you receive a free shipping coupon! Catalogs will be delivered to elementary students, and leaflets will also available in the school office, middle school, and high school student lounges. Or, visit FBC directly online at http://www.fbcusa.com, and type in ‘SMARYIS11’ for the coupon code at checkout. It’s a winning way to get two things done at once, but the real winners here will be St. Mary’s students! Thank you for your support. -SMA 26 From the Japanese Speaking Support Group (JSSG) Our main objective is to support Japanese speaking parents to get more detailed information about the school curriculum, events and volunteer opportunities. We schedule seminars, approximately 1 to 2 times a year, regarding the International Baccalaureate Program. At the seminars, we plan to arrange interpreters for Japanese speaking parents. JSSG will also organize and manage the Japan Booth at the school Carnival, in May. We welcome everyone who is interested in volunteering at JSSG. Please feel free to contact us if you have any question or request. Risa Ozawa, Chairperson ([email protected]) Chisato Kashiwagi, Co-Chairperson ([email protected]) Yukari Tsui, Co-Chairperson ([email protected]) SMA Calendar for 2011-2012 (As of 9/27/2011) September Parents‘ Welcome Tea Back to School Day for Parents Recycled Uniform Sale Q1 Newsletter Article Deadline Room Parents Coordinators Meeting 14 19 Wednesday Monday 28 Wednesday October 5 7 13 21 Wednesday Friday Thursday Friday SMA Board Meeting Q1 Newsletter Publication Social Outing (Hospitality) Bingo Bake Sale Bingo November 2 25 Wednesday Friday SMA Board Meeting Q2 Newsletter Article Deadline December 7 9 10 Wednesday Friday Saturday SMA Board Meeting & Holiday Luncheon Q2 Newsletter Publication ES Christmas Concert Recycled Uniform Sale 28 January 11 Wednesday SMA Board Meeting February 1 3 17 Wednesday Friday Friday SMA Board Meeting Q3 Newsletter Article Deadline Q3 Newsletter Publication March 6 7 9 13 Tuesday Wednesday Friday Tuesday HS Ice Cream Bash SMA Board Meeting International Ball Staff Appreciation Luncheon April 4 5 16 17 18 Wednesday Thursday Monday Tuesday Wednesday SMA Board Meeting Q4 Newsletter Article Deadline Q4 Newsletter Publication Spring Luncheon Set-Up Spring Luncheon Recycled Uniform Sale May 11 12 16 25 30 Friday Saturday Wednesday Friday Wednesday End of year Newsletter Article Deadline Carnival and Raffle SMA Board Meeting and Luncheon Year-End Newsletter Publication HS Graduation June 7 Thursday ES Graduation 29 Advertising Section St. Mary‘s has no direct relationship with service or events advertised in this section of the newsletter. Please contact advertisers directly for more information. 30 Advertising Section St. Mary‘s has no direct relationship with service or events advertised in this section of the newsletter. Please contact advertisers directly for more information. 31 The only after school academy for international students!!! 10 minutes from St. Mary’s!!! International Juku After School Program (Grades K ~ 12) Subjects : English & Math Homework Assistance : Mon – Fri 3:45~7:00 p.m. Classes : 90 minute lessons: once or twice a week Schedule : Mon - Fri: 3:45~5:15 p.m., 5:30~7:00pm Saturday: 10 a.m. ~1 p.m. and 1.30~4.30 p.m. Private one-on-one tutoring also offered English Conversation Course for non-native speakers. Winter Study Program 2011 December 19th ~ December 28th We are pleased to offer a winter study program for all students, aimed at reinforcing their learning in English and Math Course contents: English and Math Grades: RP and up Student/teacher ratio: 6:1 (maximum) Class/Grade Time Subjects Morning Class 10:00am – 11:00am English Afternoon Class 11:00am - 12:00pm Math 1:00pm - 2:00pm 2:00pm – 3:00pm English Math Discount available for students who attend both morning and afternoon classes Places are limited, so early enrollment is recommended! http://www.juku-inter.com Tel: 03-3707-8718(English) 03-5797-5570 (Japanese) Fax: 03-5797-5571 E-mail: [email protected] Advertising Section St. Mary‘s has no direct relationship with service or events advertised in this section of the newsletter. Please contact advertisers directly for more information. 32 Advertising Section St. Mary‘s has no direct relationship with service or events advertised in this section of the newsletter. Please contact advertisers directly for more information. 33 Do you want to learn Japanese? Learning Japanese for daily life!! Beginners and Middle level classes (Learner with kids welcomed) ≈Only ¥1,000 per month! ≈ Three Times Lessons on Saturday from 10:00~11:30 in a Month ☺Where ? Meeting Room; 1-27-37 Takanawa Minato-ku, 5-minutes walk from Shirogane Takanawa station (Nanboku line, Mita line) -- next to Sets Beauty Salon, Lincos Supermarket. Or Shirogane Takanawa station building 3F. Bus: from Meguro sta. take #93, Via O-oikeibajo or Shinagawashako( 大井競馬場 庫 ) or 品川車 at Terminal side in front of Mcdonald and get off at Takanawa Keisatsu Mae( 高輪警 察前 ) bus stop. ■ Come and learn daily Japanese through friendly and casual conversation! − We also use 『みなのにほんご Ⅰ, Ⅱ』 (Minano Nihongo 1,2) etc. − You don't need to buy a text book ◙ All our teachers have completed the Tokyo Human Rights Japanese Teacher Training Project - or - a 420 hour training program at a Japanese school. We are registered as a volunteer group in Minatoku. Contact us ● Ms. Kim (Asai): [email protected] ( for English or Korean speakers ) ● Mr. Yamaoka: [email protected] ( for Japanese or Chinese Speakers ) ●Ms. Enomoto: [email protected] ( for French speakers) Advertising Section St. Mary‘s has no direct relationship with service or events advertised in this section of the newsletter. Please contact advertisers directly for more information. 34 INTL SWIMMING Swimming is a lifelong skill that every child needs. Swim Lessons are for anyone who wants to swim well. A regular swimming routine can provide the best overall fitness and improve cardio-vascular system, muscular strength, flexibility, posture, and endurance. INTL has one goal in mind when teaching individuals to swim which is to provide a happy, safe, and successful swimming experience ! Pre-School Program is designed for children from 4 - 6 years of age ready to go into the water without a parent. Children’s program from age 6 and up. All classes are 50 minutes in duration. Kinuta Lessons Thursday Lessons 4:00 ~ 4:50 / for kindergarten students 5:00 ~ 5:50 / for elementary school students Nakamachi Lessons Monday Lessons Friday Lessons 6:00 ~ 6:50 6:00 ~ 6:50 for kindergarten ~ middle school students for kindergarten and elementary school students Lessons will be taught in English and / or Japanese. To register or to obtain more information, contact us at: Website: Email: Phone: http://home.g08.itscom.net/intlswim [email protected] 090-5218-4258 Swimming is proven to be the best exercise for lifelong health maintenance. Swimming makes your body better able to resist disease and quicker to recover from illness or injury. Beyond your body - Swimming helps you decrease stress, increases alertness, improves mental functioning, and even enhances your self-esteem. Advertising Section St. Mary‘s has no direct relationship with service or events advertised in this section of the newsletter. Please contact advertisers directly for more information. 35 Advertising Section St. Mary‘s has no direct relationship with service or events advertised in this section of the newsletter. Please contact advertisers directly for more information. 36 Dates to Remember 21 October, Friday ............................... Smile Bingo 26 October, Wednesday .................... End of 1st Quarter 11 November, Friday .......................... No School (Parent Teacher Conference) 23 November, Wednesday ............... No School (National Holiday) 25 November, Friday .......................... Submission Deadline for 2nd Quarter Newsletter 9 December, Friday ............................. Publication 2nd Quarter Newsletter 17 December, Saturday, to 4 January, Wednesday ....................... Christmas Holidays St. Mary’s Newsletter Desk Editor – Sherry Khetan If you have any suggestions or comments please contact me at – [email protected] 37
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