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The Final KIS Shinbun of 2019/20

Posted on | by Michael Taylor

Thank you for a great year

As this is the last newsletter of the year, KIS would like to thank everyone for all their support and effort over the course of the year. Last night, I spoke about how people develop skills in challenging times. The adage that ‘rough seas develop skilled sailors’ is very appropriate for KIS. This has been true of our entire community. From the students who have risen to embrace a new Distance Learning world; to our parents as they have needed to go ‘back to school’ to support learning in the home; and last but not least to the resilience and adaptability of the KIS teachers who have risen to the challenge and provided quality teaching and learning experiences.

As KIS pushes toward 2020-21, we can look forward to the challenges and opportunities the next year will provide, safe in the knowledge, as a school community we cannot only ‘navigate rough seas’ but we do it well!

STAFF CHANGES

It is at this time of the year, schools go through change. Staff come and staff go. The school has been lucky to be so well served this year by the following staff and we we wish them well in their new challenges:

  • Taylor Boyd
  • Kate Boyd
  • Josh Robinson
  • Jung Sook Kim
  • Emiko Nishino
  • Debbie Sakura

At the same time as staff leaving we welcome new staff for 2020-21:

  • Sharyn Skrtic
  • Colin Gallagher
  • Chris Corrigan (returning from leave)

Welcome aboard!

Have a great summer, one and all. The entire staff look forward to seeing you back in 2020-21

Best,
Michael Taylor

UPDATE!! Yearbook 2019-20

Our PTA in response to the current year will sponsor the yearbook! All families will receive the yearbook compliments of the PTA.

A special thank you to the PTA for this support of the school community.

Get Involved in Your PTA!!!

Dear KIS community members,
Thank you again for your ongoing support to school and students as always.
We are writing to ask for your help. Despite the current difficult circumstances, the PTA has organized and supported several fun and educational activities. This would not have been possible without you. We would like to thank you for your great support, precious time, and generous donations.

We have organized:

  • the Halloween parade & café
  • the Movie night,
  • the café at the Winter Concert,
  • the uniform selling,
  • several community tours
  • the gown project to Support Horikawa hospital.

We have had discussions with the school to provide a communication platform for the KIS community in the future. In order to maintain and expand our activities, we are looking for new members of the PTA committee.

Please consider joining us!

Our monthly meetings are open to any member of the KIS community at any time and will announce the schedule at the beginning of the new academic year. You are always welcome to drop by! We need your help!
We are especially looking for a secretary and treasurer but anyone who supports PTA and our activities is most welcome!!!

Even though you have not decided yet if you join the PTA or not, just feel free to contact us and ask any questions that you may have!
pta@kis.ac.jp

Thank you again and hope to see you soon!
the PTA

Thank you message to Mr Kinoyama

Mr. Kinoyama has been working hard to keep KIS clean for many years. Thank you for your hard work.

COVID-19 Contact App

Posted on | by KIS Admin Team

Here is an introduction to the official COVID-19 contact tracing app provided by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (MHLW). This app notifies you of close contact with COVID-19 positive users to help the government and healthcare organizations contain the spread of COVID-19. The app is available in 3 languages, Japanese, English and Chinese.

  • iOS App
  • Android App

Downloadable as iOS App on Apple App Store or Android App on Google Play.

It will use Bluetooth to find out whether the user had any contact with any of the infected people out there. After all, a notification platform that is co-developed by Apple and Google. And the application is available on both Android and iOS platforms. Japan named the app ‘COCOA’. Although, the app is currently named as simply COVID-19 Contact App’ in iOS. The COCOA is an acronym standing for COVID-19 Contact Confirming Application. Beyond all, the application developed by Microsoft for the government.

Students on-campus for the full school day starting from Monday 15 June

Posted on | by KIS Admin Team

On Monday 15 June, KIS students will return to a full school day on-campus. The key indicators are consistent to support a return to a full timetable. We will continue to maintain the timetable that has been used over the last three (3) weeks.

The following guidelines will be in use:

  • ALL students (EL1-G8) will commence school at 8:30 am. Students will be allowed on campus from 8:20 am
  • EL1- EL3 will be DISMISSED at 2:30 pm
  • EL1- G2 students will enter and leave the campus through the Eastern Gate (See map below)
  • G3-G8 students will enter and leave the campus through the Western Gate (See map below)
  • ALL students will continue to enter their classrooms though Entrance 1 , 2 or 3 (this will continue as per the last three weeks)
  • NOTE: The Wednesday schedule is the same as Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (See schedule below)
  • Continue to wear a face mask
  • Continue to submit the Self Screening tool
  • Continue to wash hands as often as possible
  • Continue with only drop off and pick up for all families

Blended Learning Update 3 June, 2020

Posted on | by Michael Taylor

At the Senior Leadership Team meeting this morning it was decided to maintain the Blended Learning model for the week of Monday 8 June to Friday 12 June. This decision was made in light of the recent increase of cases in Kitakyushu area and the increase in numbers in Tokyo. The school is also mindful that Japanese local schools open full time on Monday 15th of June. This will allow the school to monitor the outcome of their return.    

KIS now plans to return to full time classes on campus in Weeks 38 and 39.  

We appreciate that this may impact your decision to return your children to KIS under this model. We fully support your decision.  

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further please do not hesitate to reach out. 

Summer Camp Registration 2020

Posted on | by KIS Admin Team

Thank you for your patience regarding Summer Camp 2020 registration. KIS administration and teachers have planned for a safe and responsible re-entry to school. Feel free to review our current re-entry guidelines, summer camp specific guidelines will be shared at a later date.

Details for fees, dates, and more can be reviewed on the Summer Camp page.

Former students, Saturday School students, and Non-KIS students can use this form to register.

Registration for Summer School 2020 is now closed. Please contact the Admissions officer (admissions@kis.ac.jp) for any inquiries.

Re-Entry Guidelines

Posted on | by Michael Taylor


  • On Friday 22 May at 8:30 am EL1-EL3 will re-enter campus.
  • On Monday 25 May at 8:30 am EL1-G2 will re-enter campus.
  • On Monday 25 May at 12:30 pm G3-G8 will re-enter campus.

Posted Guidelines (subject to change):

We hope these documents help in the smooth Re-entry into KIS.
See you back in school!

Distance Learning Update 18 March – Re Entry to School update

Posted on | by Michael Taylor

Greetings everyone,

Kyoto Prefecture announces miscellaneous schools (KIS) can plan to re-enter

On Saturday 16 May Kyoto Prefecture announced miscellaneous schools could commence planning for re-entry by students into school. The expectation from local government and the Ministry of Education is that re-entry is undertaken as a phased (different grade levels at a time) approach to support social distancing.

Staff have begun planning to ensure a safe and healthy return to campus. This will include changing classroom structures; adjusting timetables; setting up cleaning zones; and putting safe classroom practices in place.  

Early Years Re-Entry to KIS 22 May

  • On Friday 22 May EL1, EL2, EL3 students will re-enter KIS from 0830-1130. More details will be sent out during the week and posted on the school website. 
  • EL1-EL3 will continue this schedule on Monday 25 May until further notice. 

Grades 1-Grade 2 Re-Entry to KIS 25 May

  • On Monday 25 May G1-G2 will re-enter KIS from 0830-1130. Students will continue this schedule until further notice.

Grades 3-Grade 8 Re-Entry to KIS 25 May

  • On Monday 25 May G3-G8 will re-enter KIS from 1230-1530. Students will continue this schedule until further notice. 

Schedule:

  • Friday 22 May: 0830-1130 EL1-EL3 
  • Monday 25 May: 0830-1130 EL1-G2
  • Monday 25 May: 1230-1530 G3-G8 

This phased return allows KIS to focus on cleaning and social distancing, at the same time as welcoming students back on campus in a safe manner.

KIS will send out a complete guide to the Re-entry to school during the week.

As a staff and community we are extremely excited by the prospect of having students back with us on campus. 

Have a great week,
Michael

Update: Horikawa Hospital Project by PTA

Posted on | by PTA

Kyoto International School supports local community in Covid-19 fight: Horikawa Hospital Project update

KIS community members, 

Thank you for your generous support of this community project. 

We are pleased to inform you that your PTA handed over more than 600 gowns with messages of support to Horikawa Hospital on May 8th. Horikawa Hospital has received more than 10,000 gowns from all over Japan to date. Though KIS’s involvement in this project is over, you can still support Horikawa Hospital by delivering gowns and masks yourselves directly.

Thank you for your support and stay safe! 
PTA

Horikawa Hospital Project (Update)

Posted on | by PTA

Dear KIS community members, 

Thank you always for your generous support to school. 

According to our previous message sent this Tuesday, there is some correction for the instruction of the handmade gown.  The clinic no longer needs the gown itself but its parts, sleeves and extended front parts which is much easier for us to make! 

Here is the video that Horikawa clinic made for sleeves;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PA3JSiA5Uc&t=6s 

Extended front parts;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FAYegJ5YDg&t=15s 

When you get one bag on the picnic tables, it has plastic bags and a roll of tape and you can make 27 sleeves and 16 extended front parts with the materials. We really appreciate it if you would take as many bags as possible.

As mentioned, joining this program now becomes much easier and younger students can also be a part of this and make a good impact on our community! Horikawa clinic has been a place for KIS students to go whenever our children need medical helps for a long time. This is our turn to show our appreciation. 

Again, today (4/30) and tomorrow (5/1), the materials are on the picnic tables in front of KIS office so please come and pick them and make some contributions during the Golden Week break. 

We will also be waiting for the parts returning at school on 5/7 and 5/8 (9am-5pm). At that time, please put a thank you note or a message encouraging them then we will pass all to the clinic in the evening of 5/8. 

Thank you so much for your support in advance! 

PTA

PTA project: supporting Horikawa clinic

Posted on | by PTA

Dear KIS,

We hope this message finds you well and healthy in these extraordinary times. While the situation is changing daily, we are currently discussing ways in which the KIS community can get together and exchange their experiences, even if only online. Any suggestions are very welcome, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Today, we are writing to you to ask for your help in supporting the larger community around KIS. Horikawa clinic, which is located near Imadegawa, is struggling due to the lack of equipment, in particular gowns that protect the staff from Corona infection. (see the call for help in Japanese here)

The making handmade medical gown & donation project

KIS and the PTA would like to launch a gown donation project. We call for your help making gowns over the course of next week (Golden Week). 

The materials that you need to make the gowns at your own home are placed as follows; (please take safety measures by wearing masks when you enter the school and come alone if you can)

  • Date: 4/30 (Thursday) & 5/1 (Friday)
  • Time: 9am-5pm 
  • Where: the picnic tables in front of KIS office

What you need to bring back home: 70L plastic bags & duct tapes (nearly 3 bags can make 2 gowns & 1 roll of tape can make 6 gowns)

How to do:

These gowns can be made by anyone from very basic materials, as this video shows. 

(A video in English, will be distribute later this week)

There is an update to this project.

The materials prepared by PTA are served on a first come first serve basis so even if you do not have time to pick up the materials at school, you can make it by your own with 2 main materials; 70L plastic bags (0.02 mm thinness or more) & duct tapes! You can find the plastic bags in a drug store or hardware shop.

The clinic appreciates very much for your generous donations and your precious time! Moreover, it would be a wonderful opportunity for students to learn how to make a good impact and some contributions to our community.

We would like to collect the finished gowns after Golden Week at the school entrance on May 7th and May 8th and deliver them to the clinic.

We would very much appreciate your support of this project, which we hope can contribute to strengthening our ties with the community around KIS.

Thanks for your help and stay healthy and safe!

With best wishes
the PTA