We have published a new Shimbin post on our portal!
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Thanks & Regards,
KIS Admin
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!
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:
At the same time as staff leaving we welcome new staff for 2020-21:
Welcome aboard!
Have a great summer, one and all. The entire staff look forward to seeing you back in 2020-21
Best,
Michael Taylor
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.
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:
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
Mr. Kinoyama has been working hard to keep KIS clean for many years. Thank you for your hard work.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
Posted Guidelines (subject to change):
We hope these documents help in the smooth Re-entry into KIS.
See you back in school!
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
Grades 1-Grade 2 Re-Entry to KIS 25 May
Grades 3-Grade 8 Re-Entry to KIS 25 May
Schedule:
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
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
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
