winter_mail_16 - Marist Brothers International School

Marist Mail
Winter, 2016
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Marist Brothers
Special events at school have
also featured prominently on
our school calendar. The annual
Elementary Christmas Concert
was a great success, with many new
Christmas carols and songs being
sung. It really was a joyous concert
and was a great way to kick off the
festive season.
International School
Marist Mail
W
elcome to the Winter
Edition of the Marist
Mail. As I write, we will soon be
welcoming four members of a
visiting WASC accreditation team.
The WASC self-study process is
a very intensive and exhausting
task; however, it results in an
incredible depth of information
about our school - how far we
have come, where we are headed,
and what we need to do to ensure
the best possible outcomes for our
students. For those of you who
have participated in the process
so far, including completing the
online survey, I thank you for your
time and effort. As mentioned
in a letter home to you, a parent
meeting has been scheduled for
March 15th, from 9am. I hope
many of you can attend.
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© This newsletter and its content are
copyright of Marist Brothers International
School. All rights reserved.
Most recently, we hosted the MBIS
Model United Nations General
Assembly, with over 110 students
from
international
schools
throughout
Japan
attending.
Having had the privilege of
watching the MBIS MUN for the
past 11 years, I can honestly say
that this year was the best GA I
have ever seen. The delegates were
clearly well researched, and spoke
eloquently and with conviction.
The intense and engaging debates
suggest that we may have some
future leaders in our midst.
Congratulations to Mr. Deyss
and all the delegates for such a
successful MUN.
Lastly, as we celebrate all of the
the wonderful things that are
happening at school, I would like
to remind all parents of another
important celebration - the
65th anniversary of MBIS. The
anniversary party will be held
Although the winter months can be on September 17th, 2016 and all
bitterly cold and a time for staying parents, alumni and friends of
inside, reading through this issue MBIS are welcome. Please reserve
you will see that the school remains your seats quickly as spaces are
extremely busy. Many students filling up fast. I look forward to
have been given opportunities to celebrating our wonderful school
participate and perform in the together.
wider community, and, as always,
they represented the school Marijana Munro
proudly. Alongside the official Head of School
recognition they earn, I frequently munrom@marist.ac.jp
hear and receive compliments
from community members and
parents about their outstanding
performances. Congratulations to
all students for their hard work.
MBIS MODEL UNITED NATIONS
In February, the MBIS Model United Nations program hosted 110 delegates at its 29th annual
conference. Delegates came from a number of high schools around Japan, including Hiroshima
International School, Fukuoka International School, Canadian Academy, Senri and Osaka International
School, Doshisha International School, and International School of the Sacred Heart.
This year's topics included the European migration crisis, the situation in Syria, access to clean water,
and crimes at sea. The Director of the program, Mr. Deyss, was particularly pleased with the high level
of involvement during the committee meetings, where delegates crafted resolutions.
MBIS MODEL UNITED NATIONS
The emergency crisis on the last day saw a mock invasion of Iran by Gulf States, with a simultaneous incursion
of Turkish troops into northern Syria. The Security Council, lead by Russia (Sarina Yasumoto) and Venezuela
(Canadian Academy's Madeline Mito), did an an excellent job turning out a strong resolution in a very limited
amount of time.
As always, "Outstanding Delegate" awards were handed out at the end of the conference. Marist students
recognized with this award included Meg Ueda (delegate from Greece), Sarina Yasumoto (delegate from
Russia), Kaiya Weatherby (delegate from Canada) and Sara Shibata (delegate from Germany). The prestigious
"General Assembly Award” was granted to Marist's very own Hirohito Nango, who, as delegate from Syria, had
a particularly heavy responsibility.
Mr. Deyss would like to extend his gratitude to all the delegates that worked so hard for so many months, with
a special thanks to this year's Student Director, Sara Shibata, for her extraordinary conscientiousness.
A Marist
Christmas
MBIS MODEL UNITED NATIONS
‘Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the school;
an explosion of santa hats announced the advent of Yule.
The Grade Two Nativity showed great love and care;
a story of Christ which we celebrate each year.
The children were nestled together, in front of the stage;
While carols of joy leapt off of the page...
A Marist
Christmas
WINTER BAND CONCERT
A slightly nervous Mr. Keeley picked up the
conductor’s baton, calling up the first notes from the
band in his very first MBIS band concert. Of course,
he had nothing to worry about - MBIS musicians
continue to go from strength to strength, and are
capable of putting on a highy entertaining show.
This year even saw some break-out performances
by student quartets. Well done to Mr. Keeley and
the band - we look forward to your Spring Concert!
FUTSAL TOURNAMENT
On Wednesday, November 25th, MBIS hosted our
7th Annual Futsal Tournament. Marist students
from grades 3 to 6, were joined for an exciting day
of Futsal by international schools from Osaka,
Kyoto, Kobe, and Hiroshima. Judging by the
competition, the Marist field is really beginning to
pay off. Not only do we have many more students
excited about and playing soccer, but their skill
levels have greatly improved. Fans were treated
to a very high level of soccer, with Marist teams
winning first and second place in both the A and
C divisions, and competing very well in the B and
G divisions. The Upper School students from
grades 7 and 8 again performed exceptionally well
in their roles as coaches and referees, keeping the
tournament moving smoothly and encouraging
the students not only to compete well but also to
display excellent sportsmanship.
(Mr. Stang, Elementary Activities Director)
STUDENT LEARNING EXPECTATIONS AWARDS
Congratulations to all SLE Award winners! Recipients of SLE awards are also rewarded a book chosen from a
collection donated by Mr. Jason Good, Director of Booksmart.
SLE
GRADE 1
GRADE 2
GRADE 3
GRADE 4
GRADE 5
GRADE 6
October
Responding
compassionately
and empathetically
to the needs of
others
* Leah Miura
* Mao
Higashi
* Cael
McGilligan
* Lily Sumi
* Sara Kouda
* Mirei Shi
* Kokona
Kuroda
* Caleb
Jackson
* Rika Matsui
* Joshua
Whitney
* Mirei
Kawahara
* Nanami
Shima
November
Developing
spiritually and
emotionally
* Joaquin
Valdiosera
* Manuela
Baptista
* Michelle
Ranni
* Erin
Douglas
* Kousei Tei
* Ayato
Eguchi
* Nina Ishii
* Mia Lipp
* Minseo Kim * Kain
* Alex Murata Tazumi
* Milan
Umeoka
December
Valuing and
developing
teamwork
* Saki
Yamamoto
* Maria
Hosomi
* Robin
Murata
* Karen
Tamayama
* Macy
* Huicheol
McIntyre
Yang
* Emre Duran * Kana
Yamamoto
* Masahiro
Nomi
* Emilia
Nakayama
* Bailey
Jackson
* Michael
Ranni
January
Taking
responsibility for
their own actions
and behaviors
* Win Jin
* Shin
Murasaki
* Sean Dama
* Ria Yanase
* Charlie
Smart
* Minjong
Kang
* Selim Ay
* Juri Kubota
* Ryu
Nocent
* Yuto Mori
* Tsukika
Yoneda
* Kimi Chen
Student Learning Expectations
The MBIS student will demonstrate:
Knowledge by:
Developing intellectually, physically, and artistically
Thinking independently, critically and creatively
Taking responsibility as self-directed, life-long learners
Being prepared for a technologically changing world
Setting priorities and attainable goals in order to maximize potential
Communication by:
Demonstrating competency in reading and writing in English
Being poised, articulate, and effective public speakers
Listening to others with focus and courtesy
Character by:
Developing spiritually and emotionally
Acting respectfully and compassionately
Taking responsibility for their own actions and behaviors
Demonstrating honesty and integrity in all relationships
Citizenship by:
Respecting world cultures and their languages
Building bridges in a multicultural world
Responding compassionately and empathetically to the needs of others
Performing service to improve the lives of others
Valuing and developing teamwork
UPPER SCHOOL SKI TRIP
This year’s ski trip was another fantastic event for Upper School students. Despite worries of the lack of snow beforehand, the ski slopes were open and weren’t as busy as the past two years. With enough snow for each and every one of
us to create memorable moments before our school year comes to an end, we enjoyed two days of fun-filled skiing and
the Marist tradition of homeroom skits.
Students from grades 7 to 12 headed to our traditional ski trip location: Hatsukougen. We arrived at the hotel in Yabu,
dropped off our luggage in our assigned rooms, and ate onigiri and karage bentos for lunch. Eager to start skiing, everyone marched up the hill, rode the lifts and claimed our skis/snowboards. After the introductory session concluded, each
group moved out to the slopes to start the first day of skiing. At first, many of us were rusty and clumsy, but our bodies
quickly remembered the motions of skiing/snowboarding and we soon gained more confidence.
After enjoying our first day of skiing, we headed back and had hamburg steak for dinner. Then, it was a matter of organisation and teamwork, as time was fast ticking by. Each of the six homerooms presented their skit, hoping to win the
pizza party prize. All grades presented fantastic skits, filling the room with laughter and smiles. What surprised many of
us, was how organised the Grade 7 skit was, and how it’s moral was so clear. However, with Daisuke Dellming, Kasumi
Kobo and Ishan Kumar’s lovely singing, Grade 10 claimed the prize for the 2016 ski trip skit competition. We were even
lucky enough to have an encore from Ishan, as he sang “Sugar” by Maroon 5. First day of skiing -check, dinner and
shower-check, skits presented -check. Now we had some free time before we headed to bed. I don’t know what everyone
else did, but I spent my precious time with friends and classmates.
Bright and early (for some of us), breakfast was served at seven in the morning. We were all excited to spend another
day skiing down the slopes, with six hours of skiing time scheduled. The snow conditions in the morning were amazing; fluffy and smooth. Many of the ski groups were able to ski from the top of the mountain. With a break in between,
everyone reunited to dine on curry rice at the cafe at the bottom of the chair lifts. Some of the energetic, quick eaters,
headed outside to have a snowball fight, or, in my case, enjoy some impromptu sledding. With three more hours left,
everyone made the most of their ski time, doing countless runs down the hill, hanging out with their friends, improving
their skills, and trying out new tricks.
Our time on the slopes soon ended and it was time to board the buses. A full day of skiing had truly exhausted many
of us, and by the time the bus started to leave the carpark, many were fast asleep. Once again, the ski trip gave each and
every one of us an opportunity to bond with people from different grades, but most importantly, gave us a well-needed
break from the classroomm. Although this trip may have been the last for the seniors, it was an unforgettable adventure.
Thank you to all the teachers who dealt with us for two full days, putting up with all our mischief, and I hope that all the
students experienced a wonderful trip! (Hana Tachibana)
UPPER SCHOOL SKI TRIP
CALLIGRAPHY WINNERS
The Annual Japanese Calligraphy Exhibition, sponsored
by Kobe City, was held on January 15th and 16th. The
following students recieved awards:
Fine Work Awards
Grade 1: Win Jin, Ranka Kakuta, Shin Murasaki
Grade 3: Charlie Smart, Yunseo Kim, Min Jong Kang,
Ryota Tsutsushima, Jay Muto, Emre Duran, Seong Jun
Shin
Bronze Awards
Grade 3: Riko Noda, Sara Kouda
Grade 4: Alex Hur
Silver Awards
Grade 2: Kokona Matsushita
Grade 5: Min Seo Kim
Gold Award
Grade 7: Yuna Matsushita
Congratulations to all entrants! The students’ work is
currently on display in the Elementary Lobby.
NHS NEWS
Every year, Marist students work hard during our Caring
and Sharing charity fundraiser. This year we raised 260,00
yen, making it one of the most successful years ever. We
would like to thank everybody who contributed and
helped Caring and Sharing run so smoothly.
On January 30th, a ceremony was held to celebrate MBIS
NHS becoming sponsored by the Kobe chapter of the
Soroptimist International group. With this increased
support, we hope that the NHS will be able to contribute
even more to the community. (Sanghyun Park, NHS
President)
KOBE BILINGUAL
SPEECH CONTEST
The Annual Kobe City Mayor’s Cup Bilingual Speech
Contest was held on Sunday, November 15th at the Kobe
Club. This year from MBIS, Momoko Dellming (Grade
12), Konomi Honda (Grade 11), J-Jaascha Alapatte (Grade
10), and JooBin Kim (Grade 10) were selected as finalists.
A total of ten finalists from Japan, India, Korea, and
America, gave 10 minute speeches on the topic “Life is
Priceless” - both in English and Japanese. Momoko talked
about her memory of her great great grandmother and
how she appreciates her precious life, which is passed on
from her ancestors. Konomi talked about the importance
of always putting the best effort into life, by explaining an
episode about her cousin, who has a disability but lives
her life actively and passionately. J-Jaascha made a speech
about her little brother’s much awaited birth and them
growing up together. JooBin talked about watching her
little sister experience a car accident which heavily injured
her. She concluded her speech with a pledge to always
remember to be thankful to have her precious life with her
family; she learned that it can easily and suddenly be taken
away.
At the Award Ceremony, Konomi was awarded the Silver
Prize, and a set of Sony Bluetooth speakers. Momoko was
declared champion of the contest and received the Special
Award - a round trip ticket to Cairns, Australia, and a Sony
Xperia Z3 Tablet.
After the contest, Momoko commented, “Knowing two or
more languages is useful for education, my future career
and helpful in formulating my thoughts and expressing
myself. It was a great privilege to be able to participate in
the contest, and I hope to continue in learning languages!”.
Konomi commented, “I was very surprised when I heard
my name announced for the Silver Award, since everyone
had wonderful speeches and spectacular presentations. I
would like to thank Mrs. Ranni for taking her time after
school to help us prepare for the contest, so thank you Mrs.
Ranni!” Special thanks to Mrs. Munro, Mr. Lipp, parents
and friends for coming and supporting the students.
KOBE ENGLISH FESTIVAL
The Annual Kobe English Festival 2015 (hosted by the Kobe City Board of Education) was held on Saturday, November 14th at
the Kobe City University of Foreign Studies. Eight Japanese junior high schools and two international schools from Kobe city
participated in this contest, with the goal of using English to build friendships between Japanese and international school students.
Each team gave an eight minute presentation on the theme, “Disaster Management: think about what we can do-”.
The Marist presentation team of 21 students from Grade 7 to Grade 9 included: Kurumi Oshima (Team Leader), Saaya Fujimoto
(Team Leader), Hana Omond (Team Leader), Nami Rose Weatherby, Shubhayan Sikari, Aina Maria Akisada Nocent, Yuno Kujime,
Rui Yamamoto, Min Joo Kim, Sora Ono, Moe Kiguchi, Asia Oleastro, Ao Akashi, Yian Xiu, Hiroko Sakurai, Maria Kikawa-Cimino,
Kai Omond, Akimasa Nishimura, Yuna Matsushita, Young Chae Chung, and Masahiro Yoshitaka. The team’s message was that
disaster management is not just about protecting themselves, but to think about what they can do as “teens”, without depending on
adults. They talked about an incident that occurred during the Tohoku Earthquake - junior high school students leading and saving
a whole village from the tsunami.
The Marist team gave a fantastic presentation in front of the large audience, and received the “Kobe City Superintendent Award”.
To put together the presentation, the whole team got together to practice during lunch breaks, after school, during fall break, and
on weekends. The team leader, Hana Omond commented, “Considering our team had received an award two years in row, I wasn’t
expecting to receive an award at all. That’s not to say that I didn't think our team did not deserve an award, we just have an advantage
seeing as we go to an international school. Nonetheless, I was genuinely speechless when our school name got announced as the
recipient of the award. I remember telling Saaya that I didn't think we were going to receive anything but I’m definitely glad that the
amount of work our team put into our presentation was recognized.” Kurumi Oshima said, “Even though it was my third year in
the presentation team, being one of the leaders was a completely different experience. For the last two years, I had only worked on
things the leaders had assigned for me. However this year, I was responsible for making the presentation, organizing the team, and
assigning work. This would not have been possible without the help of Hana and Saaya. I hope the team next year will have a good
presentation as well.” Saaya Fujimoto said, “I was shocked that there were a lot of fresh faces on our team this year. Although I was
worried about the amount of effort they were going to put into this, I was pleasantly surprised when they showed up at the practices
persistently. In the end, I was very happy with our presentation.”
A huge thanks goes to these students for a job well done and representing our school so well in the Kobe community. Also, a special
thanks to Mrs. Munro, Mr. Munro, Mr. Kobo, Mr. Ranni, and Mr. Mejia for providing useful advice during practice sessions. Thanks
also to parents and friends for coming to the contest and supporting the team.
IB DIPLOMA PROGRAMME:
FrequenTly ASKED QUESTIONS
In this edition of the Marist Mail, we will begin to look
at some of the common questions asked regarding the
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
We will continue to provide information via the Marist
Mail, and will also be hosting further information
sessions for students and parents. Additionally, you
may find a wealth of information at the IB’s website:
www.ibo.org
carefully select courses which meet the requirements
and prerequisites of universities they intend to apply to.
If you have any specific questions, please do not hesitate
to contact the MBIS Diploma Coordinator, Mr. Munro:
munrob@marist.ac.jp
According to the IBO:
“An IB education is unique because of its rigorous
academic and personal standards. IB programmes
challenge students to excel not only in their studies but
also in their personal growth. The IB aims to inspire
a lifelong quest for learning hallmarked by enthusiasm
and empathy. To that end, the IB gathers a worldwide
community of supporters who celebrate our common
humanity and who share a belief that education can
help to build a better world.
The IB connects this higher purpose with the practical
details of teaching and learning. A global community
of IB World Schools put these principles into practice,
developing standards for high-quality education to
which they hold themselves mutually accountable.
An IB education represents a testament to the power
of this collaboration. Education is an act of hope in the
face of an always-uncertain future. An IB education
calls forth the very best in students and educators alike.
The IB believes that together we can help to prepare
students for living and working in a complex, highly
interconnected world.”
Do all students have to do the IB Diploma Programme?
No. All students have to take IB courses. Students
will be learning the same curriculum content, but
may be assessed differently. Students will either be
undertaking the full Diploma Programme (DP),
which has a set of course requirements that need to
be completed, or they will be undertaking IB courses
and will receive a certificate that lists the courses they
have successfully ‘passed’. In both cases, students
who meet the MBIS graduation requirements will
still receive the MBIS Diploma. It is important to
make this distinction - the awarding of an MBIS
Diploma, as always, is determined by the school
and its teachers. The awarding of IB Diplomas
and Certificates is determined by the International
Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), based on official
assessments (such as projects and examinations) that
are carried out at MBIS.
The IB Diploma Programme
Preparing students for success in higher education
and to be active participants in a global society
www.ibo.org
© International Baccalaureate Organization 2015
International Baccalaureate® | Baccalauréat International® | Bachillerato Internacional®
Why should students do the full IB Diploma?
MBIS is accredited by the Western Association of
Schools and Colleges. As a result, the MBIS Diploma
has been, and will continue to be, recognized by
universities and colleges around the world. In some
cases, students have been required to undertake
Advanced Placement (AP) courses. This is often
because some countries or specific universities expect
applicants to demonstrate a high level of academic
ability. Similarly, IB offers Higher Level (HL) courses,
which are also widely recognized by colleges and
universities around the world. Students should
The IB curriculum provides a more well-rounded and
integrated approach to education than what we currently
offer at MBIS. It also provides an inquiry-based, global
approach to learning that is well suited to the diverse
range of students studying at an international school.
Will all students be able to do the full IB Diploma?
While we believe that the majority of students at MBIS
are capable of success at this level, we recognize that
the DP is a rigorous program of study that is not for
everyone - just as not all students are capable of success
at the AP level. MBIS will work with students and
parents to ensure that the educational pathway they
follow is the best fit.
In the next edition of the Marist Mail we will begin to
look at the different academic pathways that will be on
offer, and examine the requirements for the full IB DP.
VARSITY GIRLS CLAIM
WJAA TITLE
SETSUBUN
To celebrate Setsubun (the day
before the beginning of Spring on
the Japanese calendar), Elementary
students had special lessons on making
sushi rolls. Students from grades
3 to 6 learned the brief history and
customs of Setsubun in the beginning
of Japanese class. Then, following the
custom of the Kansai area, ate uncut
Makizushi (Eho-Maki). The students
made Eho-Maki with seaweed paper,
vinegar seasoned rice, and cucumber
sticks. After they had fun rolling
and shaping the sushi, they all faced
south-southeast, which is the lucky
compass direction of the year, ate the
rolls silently, and made a wish for the
New Year. The Japanese Department
would like to thank Mrs. Tsutsushima,
Mrs. Kouda, and Mrs. Shrestha, who
helped prepare the special lessons and
also supported students during the
classes.
In January the WJAA Varsity Girls
Basketball Tournament was held at
school. The MBIS team had won
the tournament in the previous two
years and were looking to make
it three championships in a row.
Our first game against the Huskies
was one of the better games that
opposition teams have provided us
with in the last few years. Although
we won 54-36, it probably was not
our best performance. Fortunately,
as the tournament went on, we got
better and better which resulted in
us winning the final against KIUA
by 62-37. The victory in the final
meant that we defended our title and
remained Champions for the third
year in a row. Madeline Smart, Kaho
Toyoyama and Karen Lipp played
well throughout the tournament as
did our Captain Sarina Yasumoto. A
special thanks to our seniors Sarina,
Karen and Hana, for their efforts in
basketball over the years and also to
Kasumi, who we will surely miss a
great deal in the next season. Great
effort girls – now let’s get four in a
row! (Coach Lipp)
SEMESTER ONE
UPPER SCHOOL
HONOR ROLL
The Honor Roll recognizes academic excellence and
consistency. To achieve First Honors, students must
maintain grades of 90% or over in all five core subjects.
Second Honors is awarded to those who maintain grades
of 80% or more. Well done to all those who have managed
to perform at such high levels throughout Semester One.
FIRST HONORS
Grade 9: William Smart
Grade 10: J-Jaascha Alapatte
Grade 10: Joey Shitamoto
Grade 11: Gaurav Chhablani
Grade 11: Kaiya Weatherby
Grade 12: Hirohito Nango
SECOND HONORS
GRADE 7
Taiyo Hozack
Sanako Kitahara
Kasumi Kobo
Woohyeok Hur
Kiichi Nagamine
Ishan Kumar
Kwina Jhaveri
Kai Shitamoto
Jiayu Xue
Minseung Kim
Mahiro Kitamura
GRADE 8
Adam Smart
GRADE 11
Mio Kamioka
Ririka Azumi
Satoshi Matsutani
Haruki Kitamura
Yutei Shi
Madeline Smart
Asia Oleastro
Hiina Shiota
Sora Ono
Nami Weatherby
Aya Nishikawa
JooBin Kim
Sara Shibata
Minseo Kim
Sarina Yasumoto
Karen Ishi
JooHee Kim
GRADE 9
GRADE 10
GRADE 12
Karen Lipp