The final days of the 2009-2010 school year have come to an end, and what a great year it was!Throughout the year we enjoyed many successes and also confronted many challenges. It is difficult to remember now the flu season back in October that closed school and canceled the fall festival. The final days of school are a good time to remember the most important aspect of our work: the success of each of the students that attend HIS. We congratulate the Class of 2010 and wish them the best on their new journeys. In addition, we celebrate the graduation of our sixth grade students as they move from elementary to junior high. We hope all students have the opportunity to reflect on their successes and look forward to new opportunities.

During the 2009-2010 school year we brought into our classes the new Transdisciplinary Skills and Dispositions — the foundation of our curricular work. Further, teams of teachers worked on the language arts curriculum, language curriculum, and homeroom curriculum. I thank the teachers for time and expertise in this work as it affects the education of every student. Through the work of the Executive Board, HIS will purchase the campus land and secure its future. New administrative software was implemented to better report student progress and communicate with parents. HIS also piloted a new student testing program called MAP and will begin to evaluate the success of this powerful program for student data. The parents’ association developed a new format for its operation and still supported HIS with its service.  At the elementary level, teachers implemented the new DRA test to monitor student growth in reading and improve instruction to individual students. Add all of this to our teachers’ professional growth and collaboration as well as our students’ successes in the classroom, in athletics, arts and outdoor experiences, and it was quite a year.

Still, I believe our greatest challenges are still ahead, and we must realize that we have much more work in front of us. Many of our initiatives are quite new and will need our attention and monitoring. Our teachers will continue their focus on the language arts curriculum and turn their attention toward mathematics. The administrative software needs to be fully realized. We need to examine the data that we have generated through the MAP test and use it to guide school improvement. We will look for improvement in writing assessment as well. The new PTA has great potential to improve communication and we will need parents to support that effort.

Beyond supporting these programs that we have begun, there are new opportunities. HIS needs to further develop its facility by upgrading the existing building and furnishings and developing new housing for its foreign hire teachers. HIS needs to embrace the opportunities of a changing student population and the challenges of English language development. We will need to improve communication throughout school and find ways to build a stronger school community. And we will need to continue to challenge ourselves to provide the best education for each student through our curriculum, teaching and assessment.

Next year I am looking forward to our new Early Years Program (Pre-K – 2) with a team of teachers working collaboratively to best meet the needs of students. The multi-age model we have used with our youngest children (ages 3 to kindergarten) has been very successful, and we will continue to look for ways to use the power of multi-age classes to best serve our students.

I thank all of our parents for their support of Hokkaido International School; I thank all of our parent volunteers; I thank the teachers and staff for their dedication; I thank all of our community supporters; I thank all of our members of the Executive Board and Board of Councilors for their commitment; and I thank our students who make HIS the community it is.

Mr. Branson

HIS students took the MAP test this year for the first time. When we initiated the test we knew that it would produce much data, and we are now beginning to look at that data for classes and for the school.

Next year HIS will host a MAP night to explain more about the test and what we have found by using it. We encourage all parents to come. Our goal will be to host the night after the student have taken the test at the beginning of the year. This will give us three data points to work with (Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010). After a presentation, we will give parents individual results and will continue to do so as we gain more experience with the MAP at HIS.

Opening Ceremony is Wednesday August, 18. We look forward to seeing all of you there. The first day of classes is Thursday, August 19.

At Opening Ceremony we will be asking for parent volunteers for the 2010-2011 school year, and we hope you will join us. We will need two parent volunteers from each class, and we welcome husbands and wives to volunteer together and share in the experience. The two positions that need to be filled for each class are:

• Volunteer for the PTA Fall Festival. This parent will help coordinate the class participation. This is critical for communication through the parents in the class.
• Volunteer for the PTA Discussion Group. This group will meet just a few times a year to discuss issues important to the HIS community. This volunteer does not have serve on other committees and is not responsible for school governance. This volunteer, or couple, just comes to talk and share ideas.

We hope you will consider volunteering for one of these positions that are so important to HIS.

Opening ceremony is a special event, and we need parents to help make it a special event. Homeroom teachers are looking for parent volunteers from each class to help with Opening Ceremony.

Please respond to homeroom teachers and volunteer to help make a great opening day for our families.

We thank Cindy Edwards once again for volunteering to coordinate the event. She has been an inspiration each year and has made each Opening Ceremony a special one.

The Habitat for Humanity presentation will be on Tuesday from 9:10 to 10:00.

Many thanks to all of our parents who volunteer throughout the year. We appreciate your gift of time to HIS. We thank all of those parents who joined us on learning trips, helped with Kitara, supported the library, worked with classes, participated in HuPA events and so much more. Many thanks

• We have heard from the Class of 2010 who are in The Philippines building homes.They are working hard and also enjoying their camaraderie. Continued best wishes the Class of 2010 and their adviser/chaperons Mr. and Mrs. Ratzliff who are on their way to The Philippines on Wednesday for the annual senior Habitat for Humanity community service work.

• Last Day to reserve Sheraton Tickets is Wednesday, June 9.

Thursday, June 10 will be the big day to say “thank you” to HIS teachers and staff for their wonderful work with our children this year.

Parents, can you please send the following to HIS on the morning of June 10th:

Cakes, snacks, cookies, appetizers, small sandwiches – or any of your best treats (sweet or savory, homemade or store-bought).

Please deliver them to the Teachers’ Lounge on the 2nd floor .

Teachers and staff – please come to the Teachers’ Lounge any time during the day! Thank you so much for your hard work all year!

Opening ceremony is a special event, and we need parents to help make it a special event. Homeroom teachers are looking for parent volunteers from each class to help with Opening Ceremony.

Please respond to homeroom teachers and volunteer to help make a great opening day for our families.

We thank Cindy Edwards once again for volunteering to coordinate the event. She has been an inspiration each year and has made each Opening Ceremony a special one.

Please keep on your calendar these key dates: Sixth Grade Graduation Tuesday, June 15, 1:30 – 2:30 This is always a special event. Ms. Deelstra and her class are already looking forward to the day.

Senior High Graduation and Reception Wednesday, June 16, 10:00 – 12:00

The Class of 2010 invites the school community to join them in commencement exercises and reception.The reception is a chance for the HIS community to wish the departing graduates farewell, as well as to renew acquaintance with alumni.

June 16 is not a school day for elementary students.We invite elementary students to attend graduation but they must be accompanied by a parent.

The Foreign Language Department at Hokkaido International School offers three different language programs for K-12 students:

1) Spanish language Program (7-12) 2) Japanese language program (K-12) 3) Advance Placement (AP) Language and Culture Program.

HIS will implement the common standards following the National Standards for Foreign Language Education developed by the American Council on The Teaching Foreign Languages (ACTFL http://www.actfl.org/i4a/ pages/index.cfm?pageid=1).This new curriculum will allow for students in any level to have appropriate instruction.

Furthermore, the language development process for each student will be based on their level. In the Spanish language program, students will be placed in a textbook base group according to the language proficiency level with one instructor, Mrs. Lopez. In the Japanese language program, students will be placed in one of two classes according to the language proficiency, either with Ms. Nara or with Ms. Machidori.The students in novice level should be encouraged to have their sight set on AP Japanese exam as one of their goals in the high school Japanese language program.

The foreign language department program will also share the common assessment rubrics.The criteria of the rubrics are set according to the levels stated by ACTFL. Both Spanish and Japanese will now be consistent and transparent in terms of the curriculum.

The multi-level language class is extremely challenging both for teachers and for students.We always welcome community members who can volunteer to help classes. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any of us;

Mrs. Lopez (clopez@his.ac.jp) for the Spanish program, Ms. Machidori(nmachidori@his.ac.jp) for the Japanese program.