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Spring Events
Look to this column for the most important up-coming events. A reminder to also check out the online calendar and the Husky Express Online (links are in the right sidebar) for further details. Below are important dates to remember. May 23 -- 7:00 - 9:00 pm Board of Councilors Bi-Annual Meeting May 23 -- 7:00 - 9:00 pm Board of Councilors Annual Meeting May 25 - Run for the FUTURE FOR FUKUSHIMA CHILDREN 1:00 - 2:00 May 25, Spring Bazaar -- 11:00 am -- 3:00 pm
June 13 -- 10:30 AM HIS Graduation Ceremony June 17 -- 9:00 am Summer School Begins
Please visit the HIS Calendar for details on upcoming events.
Barry Ratzliff
Head of School
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Summer School 2013 at HIS
Hokkaido International Summer School Program is open to English speaking children in Early Years to Grade 12. Based on IPC and IMYC programs already in place at HIS, Summer School gives students an opportunity to not only continue their English instruction, but also build on their research, computer, math and artistic skills.
Classes are offered in Early Elementary, Upper Elementary, and Secondary levels. For currently enrolled secondary students wishing to improve their current grades, summer school also offers tailored courses, conditional to teacher approval.
The 2012 session of summer school will begin June 17th and conclude on July 12th. The cost is ¥45,000, payable through the summer school bank account.
IPC and IMYC units for this session are:
-- Early Elementary: Treasure
-- Upper Elementary: Pictures, Paintings and Photography
-- Secondary: Creativity
For more information, please contact Ms. Koga at skoga@his.ac.jp
The One Pencil Project
As part of the lead up to Earth Day on April 22, HIS students have been participating in an activity to make the more aware of their privileged position in the world and to consider the resources we can waste as a society. Students were assigned one pencil this week and asked to protect it and do all their work with it. For many of us, this simple task makes us realize how many resources we have at our disposal while others in the world struggle just to purchase the basic materials needed for their education.
HIS is also collecting and weighing it's garbage for one week so that we can tangibly understand the contributions we make to the problem of waste.
Exciting First Year for Outdoor Education Program
The first year for the Outdoor Education Program has been immensely exciting. Students in both the Outdoor Pursuits (grades 9-10) and Outdoor Leadership (grades 11-12) classes practically learn about the "...relationship between the adventure of outdoor education, personal growth and environmental awareness" as well as "...develop the leadership skills..." needed to be leaders of their peers. Classroom studies are made real through weekend field trips and encounters with the incredible environment that we are privileged to be surrounded by here in Hokkaido. Students hike, rock clim and raft in the spring and fall, and study the flora and fauna unique to this island. The real fun, however, is likely reserved for winter when the entire range of winter sports is made available by the volumes of powder snow that Hokkaido receives.
Recently students spent a night at the HIS Niseko campus, skiing Annupuri and Hirafu (see picture above) for two days. Students have already snowshoed Mt. Sapporo and crossed the frozen surface of Lk. Okotampe in nearby Shikotsu National Park.
Outdoor Education is further emphasized through the addition of skate and ski days to school's program for students from K - 12. Elementary students spend a day and, for upper elementary students, a night, in the city-owned camp facilities in the mountainous beauty of Jozankei Spa region, while secondary students spend a night and two days in the snow at Takino Suzuran National Park.
All of these experiences and both the HIS Sapporo and HIS Niseko schools are being captured on film. Make sure to return for the links so you can see HIS in action.
HIS on Diversity and Contributing to Community
As a unique institution, we believe in forging ties of friendship and establishing ourselves as a connection to the world that lies beyond. HIS has many expatriate, bicultural and returnee members who find themselves uniquely placed "between" cultures. Students and HIS community members forge the skills of communicating with others from many backgrounds, while at the same time understanding or coming to understand the Japanese culture that is most immediately around and a part of us. HIS has a mission to fulfill in connecting to the world.
In February, we received a very kind note from a neighbour expressing his appreciation that HIS students weekly remove snow from the steps leading through the nearby park. He also noted that the ward office has run out of money to maintain the steps and are considering closing them. Without the HIS contribution, many people would otherwise be terribly inconvenienced.
Sincerely yours,
Barry Ratzliff / Head of School
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