ITEMS: Staffing for 2021/2020; Gr6 Excursion; Gr10 Lost & Found Fashion Parade; and PTA News.
Principal’s Message
Dear HIS Community
Today, I would like to remind Primary parents that we are running a parent information session on Monday morning from 9:00 am – 10:00 am. We will look at assessment in the Primary Years Program (PYP) and we will also have a chance to introduce our new mathematics program that we have started to use in the Primary. We will live-stream this event so I will send out a link to all parents via email.
One of the reasons that we are introducing the structured mathematics program that includes a range of resources such as texts and student workbooks is to help our parents understand the approach to mathematics that we take within the PYP. The mathematics concepts are developed through authentic connections to the units of inquiry, however, all of this understanding is based on a solid foundation of knowledge and skills. This program maps out these specific skills in a way that is quite easy to follow and we are happy with the conceptual approach taken as it aligns well with our existing PYP approach. Supporting parent understanding of our approach to teaching and learning is very important as the better parents understand what we do and why we do it this way, the better we are all able to work together to support your child’s learning.
On a different note, next week on Friday (16th) we are having a whole-school photo with the new building. We have our final walk-through on this day and the opening ceremony is on Monday (19th). Due to COVID restrictions, the ceremony is a closed event but we will be live-streaming it for the HIS community to celebrate this great milestone for our school. We have a number of special guests attending including the Mayor of Hiroshima City and the Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture so it is wonderful to have such strong support for our school within the Hiroshima Community. I will send some additional details about the ceremony next week. Below, you can see the building in its nearly completed state as of this morning.
Language is extremely important at HIS, of course, and this week’s great TED Talk by Christine Sun Kim explores an interesting relationship between language and the arts. Have a great weekend.
King regards
Damian Rentoule
Crane Video
Staffing for 2021/2020
I would like you let you know about a few staffing changes for 2021/2022.
John Savage (Mathematics Teacher & Secondary Vice-Principal) and Kazuko Savage (Gr4/5 Teaching Assistant) will be leaving HIS at the end of the year to continue their adventures in Fukuoka so I would like to thank both for all of their considerable contributions to HIS over these past three years. We wish you the best of luck on your new journey.
Regarding 2021/2022, enrolments at HIS have declined during this COVID pandemic and although they are once again rising steadily, which is great news, we will be reducing our staffing next year in order to keep our staffing expenses in line with our enrolment income. This means that we will not replace the Secondary Vice-Principal position in 2021/2022 and these duties will either be taken up by me or distributed among the team. Likewise, the Gr4/5 Teaching Assistant position will not be filled immediately and our two teaching assistants will work across the four primary classes. The English as an Additional Language (EAL) teacher will also support Primary classes.
In the Primary, there will be a couple of changes as Nina Sylvestre returns from maternity leave and takes on the EAL teaching position. Ron Crews who is currently in the EAL teaching position will move into the Gr2/3 classroom position. After a break from teaching while taking on the role of primary caregiver for his children and working at HIS in combinations of teaching-assistant and in teaching roles, Ron is ready to get back into the classroom. After a very successful year, Jessy Bosmans will move from Gr2/3 to Gr4/5. Marisa Villereal (Primary Vice-Principal and PYP Coordinator) who is currently working with Gr4/5 will return to the full-time Primary Vice-Principal and PYP Coordinator role. We are very excited to have a very strong Primary team continue their great work in 2021/2022.
With no new teachers joining us in 2021/2022 it makes for a very stable transition and a perfect opportunity to consolidate and build on the teaching and learning practices that make HIS such a wonderful place to learn.
Grade 10 Lost & Found Fashion Show
Thank you, Gr10s, for the great message and hopefully someone in the audience will recognise an item of long-lost clothing.
Grade 6 Excursion to Miyoshi
Today, to support their learning in their Individuals and Societies, and their Japanese units, Grade 6 students visited a historical museum in Miyoshi and learned about ancient tools. They then visited various types of Kofun (ancient burial mounds). They also had hands-on experience making an ancient accessory called Magadama using similar tools to the ones originally used. It was a beautiful day for the trip and the students had a lovely day.
PTA NEWS
Main Points
- Shop Staff – wanted!
- Korean Mums FRIDAY LUNCHES – starting next week!
- Karaage Fried Chicken Bento order, Monday, April 26th
今週のお知らせ
●PTAショップお手伝い急募！
●韓国ママたちによる、金曜日お弁当 来週からスタートします！
●唐揚げお弁当注文 4月26日月曜日スタート！
SHOP
Thank you to everyone who has been working hard in the PTA shop. It has been great to see parents leaning in to the “Specials” on the days when they are volunteering. The kids have had the chance to try traditional foods from Korea and Mongolia this week alone! We would love to have more of whatever you are all good at making, in bite sized portions so as not to spoil the kids’ lunches! Let us know if you would like to donate something at pta@hiroshima-is.ac.jp .
We have a couple of days in April which have no staff volunteers at this point. If you are available for even half a day on Wednesday April 14th, Wednesday April 21st or Tuesday, April 27th, please let us know as soon as you can, otherwise the shop may have to close on these days.
PTAショップ
PTAショップをお手伝いいただいている皆様、いつもありがとうございます。
KARAAGE FRIED CHICKEN LUNCHBOX ORDER – Monday, April 26th
Next up, Karijju, a popular karaage fried chicken take out chain, has offered to deliver bentos to HIS on Monday, April 26th. If anyone fancies a day off bento making for their kids who like an occasional fried chicken treat, please fill out this form by Wednesday April 21st.
https://forms.gle/NfkWEpja2dAGsw7F9
There will be a choice of 2 sizes:
- Small for ¥500
(Recommended for PYP students and small eaters)
- Regular for ¥600
(Recommended for hungry secondary students and adults)
PLEASE FILL OUT THE ORDER FORM ONCE FOR EACH BENTO ORDERED. (This is for ease of processing. Thanks for your understanding.)
Please put the correct money (no change needed) for your family’s orders in an envelope marked with your name and ” CHICKEN BENTO ORDER” , and hand it into the office before Wednesday April 21st.
ORDER DEADLINE: Wednesday April 21st
Thanks to the Sato family for giving us this opportunity, and for generously donating ¥50 per bento ordered to the PTA.
* Karijju does not stock salad or vegetables, so those who prefer a bit of nutritional balance may wish to provide a salad to go with the bento.
**We can process this order if more than 5 bentos are ordered.
人気の唐揚げチェーン店、カリッジュが４月２６日月曜日にHISのためにお弁当を配達してくれることになりました。唐揚げが大好きなお子様をお持ちの保護者の方でお弁当作りを一日お休みしたい方は４月２１日水曜日までにこのフォームに記入して下さい。
https://forms.gle/NfkWEpja2dAGsw7F9
２つのサイズが選べます：
小さいサイズ 500円
（PYPの生徒さんか小食の生徒さんにおススメです。）
レギュラーサイズ 600円
（いつもお腹を空かせてるセカンダリー生徒さんと大人の方におススメです。）
１つの弁当の注文のたびにオーダーフォームを記入して下さい。（これは注文処理を簡単にするためです。ご理解ありがとうございます。）
封筒に名前、唐揚げ弁当オーダーと書いてお釣りのないぴったりの注文の合計金額を入れ、4月21日水曜日までにオフィスまで持って来てください。
オーダー締め切り：４月２１日
佐藤さんファミリーこのような素敵な機会を設けてくれ、またお弁当1個につき50円のPTAに寄付をして下さりありがとうございます。
＊カリッジュはサラダや野菜は提供しておりません。栄養バランスを考えていらっしゃる方はお弁当の他にサラダを持ってきたほうがいいかもしれません。
このオーダーは合計５つ以上のお弁当注文がないと注文を受け付けてくれません。