ITEMS: HIS Student Crane; Congratulations to Ayaka; EAL Support; 24 Hour Race Fundraising Project; International Schools Assessment; PTA News
Principal’s Message
Dear HIS Community
I hope you all enjoyed a relaxing winter break. It is great to get back to school face-to-face even though the COVID situation remains unstable. Thank you to everyone for helping us out by following our Health Guidelines so carefully. We have to all make sure we remain focused on our procedures which can be a challenge as the situation drags on. Yet, we can do it.
In this week’s TED Talk, we have two great role-models for all of us discussing the challenges of sexist stereotypes and the ongoing gender-based barriers in work and leadership. Gender equality is one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and the speakers, Julian Gillard and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala have some great advice for us. Enjoy your weekend.
Regards
Damian Rentoule
Crane Video
The HIS Student Crane
Here is a link to the Student Crane. Great work by the Student Newsletter team.
https://sites.google.com/hiroshima-is.ac.jp/newsletter/events?authuser=0
Congratulations to Ayaka
On 28 December, Ayaka (Gr6) proceeded to the nationwide final round for the Beten Music Competition. She has been awarded a merit of 4th place on excellence in violin performance. Ayaka would like to keep challenging herself by sharing more performances for HIS audience.
English as a Second Language Support
From this week, Ron Crews, who has been supporting students with English as an Additional Language (EAL) as a part of his weekly schedule has moved into the EAL role full-time in order to provide additional language support across Secondary and Primary. Ron will still have a presence in the Early Childhood (EC) class with language support and lunches. The EC class will also be supported by Kazuko (Gr 4/5 Teaching Assistant) who will now be working between EC and Gr4/5.
We are moving toward a model where we provide more intensive EAL support for students when they first enter HIS. For the students Ron has already been working with this year, this change will mean some more contact time with Ron. Next week, as we confirm the schedule and make some adjustments, we will communicate with the parents involved and provide some more details about the program during Semester 2.
We feel that this additional intensive support, particularly for students who are first entering HIS without strong communication skills will help them to more successfully access regular classes. Students need to develop their communication skills before they are able to access the more demanding academic language so it is this first step that is crucial while students are getting used to a new academically-focused English language environment.
24-Hour Race
A student-led service activity is underway. Please see the video below for more information. Also, details of the fundraising part of the activity can be found on the following document. That is great work by the team on this project addressing an important global issue.
International Schools Assessment (ISA)
We have our International School Assessment (ISA) coming up in February for students from Grade 3 to Grade 10. These standardized tests cover English, Mathematics for Primary. English, Mathematics and Science are covered in the Secondary. We will send some further details next week in the Crane.
Primary Trial Tests: February 8-9
Primary ISA Tests: February 15-16
Secondary ISA Tests February 17, 18, 19
PTA News PTAニュース
MAIN POINTS 主な要点
- HAPPY NEW YEAR あけましておめでとうございます
- PTA MEETING 次回PTAミーティング
- VAL O GRAMS Val O Gram の注文
Happy New Year! あけましておめでとうございます!
Thank you to everyone who supported PTA activities in 2020. Sadly many of our usual events and projects had to be canceled due to Covid-19, but we have been delighted to see so many parents doing what they can to take an active part in the things we have been able to do. The PTA team would like to take this opportunity to wish you every happiness in 2021, with the hope that life can return to some kind of normal very soon.
昨年2020年はPTA活動をサポートしていただきましてありがとうございました。残念ながらこのコロナ禍の中、多くのイベントやプロジェクトを中止にせざるを得ませんでしたが、そんな中でも実行できたイベントや活動で、たくさんの皆さまがさまざまな形で積極的にお手伝いしてくださり、私たちもとても嬉しく励まされました。
今年2021年が皆さまにとって幸多い一年になりますよう、そして、これまでの当たり前の日常が少しでも早く戻ってきますよう、PTAチーム一同、心より願っております。今年もどうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
PTA Meeting January 29nd, 2021 PTAミーティング開催のお知らせ: 2021年1月29日(金)
The next PTA meeting will be held on Friday, January 29th from 9am.
At this meeting we will discuss potential activities for the remainder of the school year, and continue our discussion on how we as parents can support the school and our kids in meaningful ways. If you would like to add something to the agenda, please let us know by Wednesday, January 27th.
次回PTAミーティングは、1月29日(金) 午前9時からを予定しております。
内容は、今年度末までに予定されている例年のイベントについて、子供たちが有意義な学校生活を送るために、私たちは親として本校をどのようにして支えていけば良いのかを話し合う予定です。
もしその他にも話し合いたい内容がありましたら、ぜひ1月27日(水)までにご連絡ください。
Val O Grams.
Love is in the air with Valentines Day approaching fast on February 14th!
We will once again be taking orders for “Val O Grams”, an HIS tradition in recent years. You can order a Val O Gram ( a beautiful origami flower containing a chocolate kiss!) for anyone in the community to express your love or appreciation, and the PTA will deliver it on Friday February 12th in time for Valentines Day, in the hopes of spreading a little happiness.
You can find out more and place your orders here:
https://forms.gle/JBt91eB3Aj7MMijW6
もうすぐ2月14日のバレンタインデー、Loveの気配を感じます!
近年、HISで伝統の”Val O Grams”のご注文を今年も受け付けたいと思います。
”Val O Grams”(kissチョコを折り紙で包んだとても美しく可愛らしいお花です)
コミュニティのどなたにも感謝の気持ちやLoveを伝え合いましょう。
ご注文頂くと、PTAがバレンタインデーに間に合うよう2月12日(金)に相手の方にお届けします。
小さな幸せが広がりますように！
詳細とご注文はこちらです。