February/March 2016 - St. Mary`s International School

NEWSLETTER
St. Mary’s
International School
1-6-19 Seta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-8668
www.smis.ac.jp
(03) 3709-3411
In This Newsletter Issue
Page
Upcoming Events and Contents
Message from the Headmaster
SMA President
High School Principal Message
Middle School Principal Message
Ball Committee Message
61st International Ball
Donations Committee Letter
Japanese Language Class for Parents
SMA Welcome Tea
JSSG Seminar
Greetings from the Learning Commons
Letter for Carnival/Raffle Donations
Form for Carnival/Raffle Donations
Aprons for Sale
Staff Appreciation Luncheon
SMA Calendar of Events
SMA Volunteer Form
Smiling Faces of the SMA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Upcoming Events
March 18
International Ball
March 24
End of Third Quarter – Spring
Holidays begin at 3:15 p.m.
March 25
Good Friday
March 27
Easter Sunday
April 4
School Reconvenes
April 13
The St. Mary’s Association Newsletter will be published periodically
throughout the school year (September through June), distributed
through the Families Mailing List to all registered e-mail addresses, and
posted on the St. Mary’s website.
Professional Development
Day – Early Dismissal 11:20
a.m.
If you have any questions or comments regarding an article you read
here, or would like to submit an article that pertains to St. Mary’s
International School academic and extra-curricular programs and
student services, or fundraising activities of the St. Mary’s Association,
please e-mail smis.newslettereditor@gmail.com.
May 5
-
No School – National Holiday
Carmen Goff, Newsletter Editor
February/March 2016
Page 1 of 19
MESSAGE FROM THE HEADMASTER
Celebrate the Spirit
The Fall Play had to be moved to the winter this year because the new MultiPurpose Hall was under construction. As a result, Mr. Kasai, the MPH manager,
was put under pressure to keep the hall available for PE, the KPASSP Band festival,
Jazz Night, the ES Nativity play, wrestling practices, assemblies, workshops, special
presentations, Career day, the winter play, the ISCA Dinner Show, and the visiting
Princeton Footnotes. I tell you this story to illustrate not only how one facility is used,
but also to laud the resiliency of the programs at the school to adjust to the
challenges of a new facility. Under some very challenging conditions, the students,
coaches/ directors, parents and supporters have been patient and understanding as
we move forward with events at school.
The month of February signals the end of the debate season as well as the
tournament-ending seasons for basketball, soccer and wrestling. I am happy to
share the fact that the debate team took the Kanto championship, the wrestlers
captured the individual AND dual team Far East championships, the basketball team
tied for first in the league, and took third at the Far East going 6-1 at the tournament,
and the soccer team took second in the league and Kanto tournament. The swim
team is gearing up for a busy late winter and early spring with major swim meets
coming up. And all of this with the academic demands on our students and
staff. The dedication of students, parents, staff and alumni to excel is very
humbling.
All of us have an opportunity to participate and achieve that brings the school
together not only for today, but for the future as well. Recognition and accolades to
all involved to keep traditions alive, and to continually nurture the spirit of the
school. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Saburo Kagei
Headmaster
February/March 2016
Page 2 of 19
Message from the SMA President
On Friday, January 22nd a small group of SMA Board
Members accompanied our lovely International Ball
Chair, Cristina Platzer, to the ANA InterContinental
Hotel in Roppongi to view the venue for the upcoming
International Ball, “Around the World in 80 Days” to be
held on March 18th. After a productive meeting with our
contact at the hotel, we envision the night of the Ball to
be nothing short of spectacular! Many hours of hard
work have been dedicated to the detailed planning of
this important community building event with many
more hours to go. We take this opportunity to
encourage you to book your tickets early as seats are
limited. It promises to be an exciting and fun filled
evening travelling “Around the World in 80 Days”.
I would also like to give a warm thanks to the
Hospitality Committee, Any Marrero and Keiko
Andrews for hosting our second Welcome Tea of the
year on January 26th. We welcome all new families to
St. Mary’s and hope that your son’s educational
experience is a wonderful journey. Thank you also to
the Japanese Speaking Support Group Committee,
Risa Osawa and Tomomi Horikawa for organizing the
seminar, “How to Communicate with your Teenage
Son”. Heartfelt thanks to Ms. Marie Kobayashi and Ms.
Janel Callon for a very informative talk on this subject
aided by the wonderful interpreting skills of Rika Atobe.
SMA Board
Advisor: Saburo Kagei
President: Lia Kumar
Vice President: Therese Adachi
Secretary: Mimy Chang
Treasurer: Rika Atobe
Assistant Treasurer: Kiyomi Kunita
Nominations: Mie Ward
Bingo Chairperson: Yukari Ko
Bingo Co-Chairperson: Moemi Matsubayashi
Carnival Chairperson: Mineko Inoue
Carnival Co-Chairperson: Aya Iwamoto
Donations Chairperson: Caterina Tanaka
Donations Co-Chairperson: Aileen Ishii
Hospitality Chairperson: Any Marrero
Hospitality Co-Chairperson: Keiko Andrews
International Ball Chairperson: Cristina Platzer
Japanese-Speaking Support Group Chairperson: Risa Osawa
Japanese-Speaking Support Group Co-Chairperson:
Newsletter Editor: Carmen Goff
Publicity Chairperson: Naomi Takahashi
Publicity Co-Chairperson: Mamee Kaneko
Raffle Chairperson: Nidarshi Fernando
Raffle Co-Chairperson: Urara Utagawa
Recycled Uniform Chairperson: Keiko Fukasawa
Recycled Uniform Co-Chairperson: Tamako Nakamura
Room Parent Coordinator: Bunsei Tanaka
Room Parent Co-Coordinator: Kayako Pang
The remaining months in the school calendar are busy
ones for many of the SMA committees. I am extremely
grateful to all parents and members of the SMIS
community for your valued support of SMA related
events. Your support is vital to our ongoing success
which in turn benefits our students.
I am always ready to answer any questions that you
might have and appreciate any feedback that you can
offer.
Best regards,
Lia Kumar
SMA President 2015-2016
sma@smis.ac.jp
February/March 2016
Tomomi Horikawa
Page 3 of 19
From the High School Principal
BRINGING COLOR TO THE WALLS OF HIGH SCHOOL
It is February; perhaps the bleakest time of year outdoors. A time when most of nature’s color has
abandoned us. It’s a little too early for the splendor of the blossom season, there is often more
grey in the sky than blue, and the temperature is nowhere near what we want it to be. Step inside
our high school’s main hallway and pick up your spirits as you view the amazing colorful art
exhibits that Mr. Stanley’s students have put together.
As part of their IB Art course, Mr. Stanley’s art students have had rotating art exhibits in our main
hallway and in the Titan’s Café. The exhibits have included a variety of art mediums and reflect
not only the personalities of the artists but also the cultures in which they have lived. You will have
an opportunity to scan the QR code attached to the exhibits and be linked to a YouTube
presentation by the artist in which he explains his art.
Feedback books are attached to the exhibit and we encourage you to comment on the art.
This is the first year that our students have exhibited their art in this manner and Mr. Stanley and
the artists are receiving very positive feedback. It appears that a far wider range of parents, staff,
students, prospective students and visitors are able to view our student art at its best.
So, until the blossoms come, please make sure you drop by and take in the color in the halls of St.
Mary’s!
Art by Jinya Yamakawa, who has been accepted into Parson’s School of Art and Design, Pratt Art
Institute and School of Visual Arts, all in New York City.
Best Wishes to all,
Simon Faulkner
High School Principal
February/March 2016
Page 4 of 19
Message from the Middle School Principal
Dear Middle School Parents,
The Middle School continues to be a very active place with opportunities for boys to excel in all
kinds of different ways. Our goal is for every student to discover a passion that he pursues not
because he has to but because he wants to and because he wants to discover the joy of learning
separate from grades and from standardized testing.
Let me highlight a few areas in the Middle School where this is happening.
1. Please note the additional article in this newsletter related to the Learning Commons.
Learning to read, not for grades or because students have to, is one passion that will serve
your son well regardless of what he might pursue academically in his future. Not only is this
happening in the Learning Commons but in many individual classrooms as well.
2. STEAM, or the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math is gaining
steam in the Middle School. Check out the many examples of the good work students are
doing in this area since they are on display in the Middle School hallways.
3. Robotics has become a growingly engaging elective for our students. This includes an
introduction to coding, an area we will continue to expand next year. We also hope to make
the connections between math, coding and robotics transparent as we expand these
opportunities for our students.
4. A Middle School drama production is in the works and has had more than 40 students show
interest in being a part of it. This will build on the exposure students have had during their
electives and will get them excited about the possibilities made available because of the new
Multi-purpose Hall.
5. Our Problem-based Learning units continue to allow students to explore a wide range of
topics to see how they might be more serious areas of interest for them in the future. We
continue to explore ways to strengthen these units and have several ideas to do so for next
year.
6. Extracurricular opportunities offer a number of activities that allow students to discover the
challenge of setting goals and for working toward accomplishing them. Our dedicated coaches
do a good job of finding the balance of becoming a student and an athlete with the student part
being the priority.
Finally, in all other classes at the Middle School, we continue to focus on how we can fully engage
our students with their learning and for them to take as much responsibility for it as possible. We
want to do our very best to provide them the knowledge, skill and dispositions that will lead to
independent and self-directed learners excited about their future educational opportunities.
Your continued support of our efforts is very much appreciated.
Sincerely,
Dr. Langholz
Middle School Principal
February/March 2016
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SMA International Ball
Committee
Dear St. Mary’s Families,
Preparations for our International Ball are well and truly under way and we
are now accepting reservations until March 11th.
This elegant evening, which will be held at ANA InterContinental Tokyo,
will kick off with a Champagne Reception, followed by stunning musical
performances by the Jazz Band and International Show Choir, whilst
enjoying sumptuous, fine courses featuring dishes from Around the World
with corresponding premium wines.
After dinner, be ready to dance the night away to the tunes of our celebrity
DJ and St. Mary’s alumnus, Mr. Taku Takahashi.
During the event, we will have a live auction and raffle with amazing
prizes, like hotel stays, spa treatments, meal vouchers, as well as a silent
auction of St. Mary’s students’ art work.
Don’t miss “The Event of the Year”, the St. Mary’s International Ball,
where parents, friends and faculty members all share a very special
moment.
We hope to see you at the 61st St. Mary’s International Ball, “Around the
World in 80 Days”. The 240 seats will fill up quickly, so please reserve
your seats now at ballrsvp2016@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
Cristina Platzer
SMA International Ball Committee 2015-2016
February/March 2016
Page 6 of 19
February/March 2016
Page 7 of 19
From the Donations Committee
The 61st St. Mary’s International Ball
Around the World in 80 Days
Dear St. Mary’s Families,
The Ball Committee is working hard on the 61st St. Mary’s International Ball. Hopefully, you
received an invitation in the mail recently.
This Ball is a great opportunity for the adult community of the school to come together, dress up
and enjoy a fun filled evening with music, dancing, great food and wine. Most importantly, at this
event we raise funds for our students’ learning enrichment in the athletic, fine arts programs and
social awareness projects by holding a live auction and a raffle. This year we will also have a
silent auction of artwork done by upper elementary school students.
In order to offset the cost of putting together this wonderful event, we request your sponsorship in
the form of monetary gift donations. These donations will help defray the following costs: printing
programs and raffle tickets, table and flower decorations, etc.
Please fill out the form in the link http://public.smis.ac.jp/sma/2015-16/ball-family-donation-form2016.pdf and return it to the Donations Committee at smassociation@smis.ac.jp.
We truly appreciate your contribution to the success of this event and we are looking forward to
seeing you on March 18th at “Around the World in 80 Days “!
Caterina Tanaka and Aileen Ishii
SMA Donations Committee 2015-2016
February/March 2016
Page 8 of 19
Japanese Language Classes for SMIS
Parents
with Brother Michel
Brother Michel has started teaching
introductory level Japanese to non-native
speaking parents every Wednesday morning
from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. in Room 134, Level
1, North Campus. A textbook is being used
in addition to other materials. If you are
interested in joining this class, please contact
Therese Adachi at jjtherese@yahoo.co.jp.
にほんご
日
本
語
February/March 2016
Page 9 of 19
SMA WELCOME TEA
On January 26th, SMA hosted a Welcome Tea in the school cafeteria for
all St. Mary’s families. The school administrators introduced themselves,
explained what they do at school and emphasized once again that the
school has an open door policy and that they are always happy to help.
Our headmaster, Mr. Kagei talked about everything that is happening at
school and the importance for parents to have an active role in their son’s
education. In addition, Lia Kumar, the president of SMA, informed us about
all of the special events that are coming up during this school year and
encouraged everybody to participate and contribute for the benefit of our
children. It was a very enjoyable morning and we sincerely thank all those
who made it possible.
Hospitality Team
February/March 2016
Page 10 of 19
On January 27th, JSSG held a seminar, "The Road to College - How to Talk to your
Teenage Son", for high school parents.
Ms. Marie Kobayashi and Ms. Janel Callon presented about how parents with high
school children should approach and speak to their sons, introduced some books that
would be helpful, and guided us in role playing sessions simulating interactions that we
might have with our high school children.
We would like to give special thanks to Rika Atobe for providing translation during the
seminar.
February/March 2016
Page 11 of 19
With Valentine’s Day and Winter Break just around the corner we, in the learning commons, are
eager to hook you up with a blind
date – with a book that is, from
th
February 9 – 17 . As the old
saying goes, “you can’t judge a
book by its cover”. The learning
commons has many covered
books with a few clues on the front
to help you choose your blind
date. There are a variety of
stories to choose from, fiction of
all types, biographies, and story
collection. Take a look at the
clues and choose the one that
sounds interesting to you. Then
you can “rate your date” to let us know how you liked it.
Sakura Medal Art Contest
We are looking for boys who like to create art for the Sakura Medal Art Contest. Boys should
create an original piece of art using any medium they would like as long as it can be scanned. All
entries should be A4 size and something about Japan, reading, or books. The winning St. Mary’s
pictures will be sent in to a competition against students from other international schools here in
Japan. The winning pictures from this competition will be sent to the winning Sakura Medal
authors. St. Mary’s has always had a winning picture that was sent to the author and I hope this
tradition will continue. All submissions should be turned into the Learning Commons by Friday,
Mar. 18th.
Sakura Medal Voting
We are in the middle of the Sakura Medal season and I am sorry to say, but I was hoping to see
more reading being done.
We have a few boys who have
voted but looking at the
numbers in previous years St.
Mary’s has always had
more of a voice in choosing the
winning books. It isn’t too
late to start reading. Please
come to the library and
check out a Sakura book. There
will be a celebration in April
where we will count the votes to
see which book was St. Mary’s favorite. Come be a part of this celebration and make your voice
heard for the best Sakura Medal book in 2016!
Hope to see you soon!
The Learning Commons Team
February/March 2016
Page 12 of 19
St. Mary’s Association (SMA)
Celebrate The Spirit
Carnival and Raffle 2016
Dear Parents,
It's that time of the year again! St. Mary's International School and the Parent Association, St. Mary's
Association, is preparing for its Annual Carnival and Raffle. This popular event is one of the biggest school
festivals in Tokyo – reflecting the international character and cultural diversity of our school. The highlight of
the Carnival is the exciting raffle where large selections of great prizes are awarded. Last year, an astounding
amount of over twenty-two thousand raffle tickets were sold for a chance to win round-trip airline tickets, hotel
and resort stays, electronic gadgets, and gift certificates.
St. Mary's Carnival and Raffle festival is the school's biggest fundraiser with proceeds used to directly enhance
the educational experiences of our students and provide financial support for library programs, IT resources,
sports equipment, arts and music programs, and field trips. This year’s Carnival and Raffle will be held on
Saturday, May 14, 2016 and will feature different country booths, ethnic foods, entertainment, fun and games.
It promises to be yet another great community event that draws a large and diverse crowd.
The contribution and support from parents as well as businesses such as yours is needed to make this a
successful event. To help us achieve our goal, please consider supporting this event by donating:
 Cash donation
 Airline tickets
 Electronic gadgets and devices
 Hotel stay and travel packages
 Restaurant / retail gift certificates
 Sporting goods
 Spa Vouchers
All donors will be acknowledged on the carnival flyer and raffle ticket.
Please complete the enclosed donation and advertisement form. If you have any questions, please feel free to
contact me by email at smassociation@smis.ac.jp .
Thank you again for including us in your charitable giving and supporting St. Mary's International School.
Caterina Tanaka
Donations Committee Chair 2015-16
St. Mary's Association
Aileen Ishii
Donations Committee Co-Chair 2015-16
St. Mary's Association
Lia Kumar
President 2015-16
St. Mary’s Association
Therese Adachi
Vice President 2015-16
St. Mary’s Association
February/March 2016
Page 13 of 19
St. Mary’s Association (SMA)
St. Mary's International School Annual Carnival and Raffle – Saturday, May 14, 2016
Celebrate The Spirit
Organization / Name (Mr./Ms./Mrs.):
Contact Person:
Donor name to be printed on the Raffle Ticket:
Company logo on Raffle Ticket and Flyer:
Address:
Telephone:
Relationship: Family
Alumnus
Donation Type: Airline
Hotel
Title:
□ Yes
□
No
□ Remain Anonymous
Postal Code:
Fax:
Staff
Friend
Electronic Gadgets & Devices
Email:
Other (please specify)
Cash
Restaurant
Sporting Goods
Other
Donation Item(s) Description: (Please include a description of the donation item(s), expiration date or advance notice required)
Estimated Value of Donation: ¥
Expiration Date of Donation:
We accept donations in the form of cash, checks and bank transfer. Please make all bank transfer payable to:
Bank Information
Mizuho Bank (No. 0001)
Kaminoge Branch (No. 568)
Ordinary Account / Futsu Yokin



Account Transfer Information
Ordinary Account / Futsu Yokin -St. Mary’s Association Carnival (Acct: 1683443)
Ordinary Account / Futsu Yokin -St. Mary’s Association Raffle (Acct: 1656268)
Please send your completed Donation Form by Friday, March 11, 2016.
Company logo submission deadline is Friday, March 11, 2016. Please email company logo file in JPG or PDF to
smassociation@smis.ac.jp by this date.
Donated items can be mailed, delivered to St. Mary's main office during regular business hours before Friday, May 6, 2016 or
we can arrange a pick up from the Tokyo area.
Please return this completed form to:
St. Mary’s International School, SMA Donations
1-6-19 Seta, Setagaya-ku,
Tokyo 158-8668
Tel 03-3709-3411
Fax 03-3707-1950
Email: smassociation@smis.ac.jp
Thank you in advance for including us in your charitable giving and supporting St. Mary's International School!
February/March 2016
Page 14 of 19
STAFF APPRECIATION LUNCHEON
March 1st
February/March 2016
Page 15 of 19
February/March 2016
Page 16 of 19
SMA CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MARCH
18TH – INTERNATIONAL BALL
APRIL
12TH – SPRING LUNCHEON
TBD – HOSPITALITY TRIP TO EDO
TOKYO OPEN AIR ARCHITECTURE
MUSEUM
MAY
14TH - CARNIVAL
February/March 2016
Page 17 of 19
St. Mary’s Association (SMA)
2015-2016 Information and Volunteer Opportunities
What is the SMA and what does it do?
The SMA is an organization consisting of all parents of students attending St. Mary’s. The SMA Board is responsible for
coordinating various fundraising and social events which enhance and enrich the boys’ educational and extracurricular
activities. The main fund-raising events include Bingo, International Ball, Carnival and Raffle. Please refer to the attached
sheets for detailed information on the various events throughout the school year.
How can you help?
All activities of the SMA are carried out on a volunteer basis. Just one or two hours of your time will make a valuable
contribution to the efforts of the SMA which will in turn make the school a better place for our sons.
Please fill out the information below and tick any of the areas that may be of interest to you. Send the completed form to
the Main Office, or fax to 03-3707-1950. You will be contacted by a Board Member in due course.
Thank you for your interest and support for St. Mary’s students!
CARNIVAL (May 14)
RAFFLE (April/May)
___ Entertainment
___ Facilities
___ Supplies
___ Country Booth chair
___ General support
___ General support
___ Donations/Prizes
INTERNATIONAL BALL
(March 18)
HOSPITALITY
Spring Luncheon (April 12)
NEWSLETTER
___ Decorations
___ Donations
___ Entertainment
___ Reservations
___ Food/Beverage
___ General support
___Decorations
___ Flower Arrangement
___ Cake Auction
___ General support
___ General support
RECYCLED UNIFORMS
___ Sales assistance
___ ES ROOM PARENT
___ MIDDLE SCHOOL LIAISON
____HIGH SCHOOL LIAISON
___SMA BOARD POSITION
Your name ____________________
Your preferred language________________
Phone number__________________
Email_______________________________
Son’s name and grade/class_____________________________________________
February/March 2016
Page 18 of 19
The Smiling Faces of the SMA
February/March 2016
Page 19 of 19