Items
- Young Americans Tour coming to HIS;
- Coronavirus update;
- HIS Idol;
- HIS Festival;
- ISA Testing;
- Invitation to MYP Exhibition;
- Assessment in MYP, Parent Workshop;
- Art Exhibition;
- After School Clubs;
- Adam Beck, Language Workshop reminder.
Principal’s Message
Dear HIS Community
We have quite a few items this week. I hope you enjoy the read. A big thank you to Jackie who at the moment is simultaneously involved in the planning of three major HIS events: HIS Idol, HIS Festival, and the Young American’s Tour (more about that below). Thank you to all of the parents who are helping to make this a great year of fun events.
This week’s TED Talk provides an interesting look at the way history can be distorted through education systems and it is a good reminder of why we need to approach teaching and learning with the critical perspective we use in our IB programs. The need to consult multiple sources from different points of view when forming our understanding of the world is central to critical thinking. The two TED Talks below have a very different focus, one on the social world and one on the physical world. They both take an existing viewpoint and look at it in a very different way – different topics, but the same idea, as we do at HIS to support the development of critical thinking.
Enjoy your weekend. Remember that there is no school on Monday or Tuesday.
Kind regards
Damian Rentoule
Crane Video
Young Americans Spring Tour – Special Workshop in Hiroshima
2020 ヤングアメリカンズ2020春, スペシャルワークショップ in 広島
Applications for participants and host families open soon!（日本語は英語の下にあります）
THE YOUNG AMERICANS MUSIC OUTREACH 日本語版 from Jibun Mirai Club on Vimeo.
The Young Americans World Tour cast was due to return to Japan at the end of February to tour Kyushu, Yamaguchi, and Kansai, but due to circumstances beyond our control the Asian dates of the World tour have been suddenly canceled, so the cast are unexpectedly coming back early, and we are pleased to announce a special promotional workshop at Hiroshima International School! And the best news is it will be completely FREE! (usual cost ¥18.000 >> ¥0!!!)
We hope many of you will sign up to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity to experience the Young Americans workshop. As a nonprofit organization, the Young Americans tour relies on generous families who are willing to host cast members in their homes for the duration of each workshop. We are looking for host families for this workshop too. See below for details & conditions.
Please don’t miss this chance to be part of this special occasion.
Workshop details:
Dates: Saturday, February 22nd to Monday, February 24th (national holiday) 3 days
Venue: Hiroshima International School Gymnasium
Maximum number of participants: 200
More information available here: YOUNG AMERICANS SPRING TOUR HIS
Coronavirus Update
As you will be aware, there is much talk about the Corona Virus, particularly on social media. When discussing issues that are very topical, it is a good opportunity to give our critical thinking skills some practice. There is sometimes a fine line between keeping informed and buying into the hysteria. A good place to start is evaluating the source of our information.
At HIS, we follow the guidance of Hiroshima Prefecture who has been keeping us informed as a school, including messages from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) that go to all schools around the country.
Hiroshima prefecture has set up a website regarding the coronavirus. There are some instructions and advice for everyone in Hiroshima Prefecture. This page is available in a variety of languages. Please read this information and follow the guidance provided.
【新型コロナウイルス感染症についての情報】
広島県ホームページアドレス
https://www.pref.hiroshima.lg.
As we have had far fewer cases of influenza at HIS so far this winter, I suspect that we have all been more consistent than usual with our regular handwashing and covering coughs because of the coronavirus publicity. At least there has been a positive effect, in this sense.
International Schools Assessment (ISA) Testing
Next week, we start our ISA Testing which we do each year. The ISA tests look at reading, writing, and mathematics across Grades 3-10 in order to provide us some information to help improve our program. For example, if we notice a specific area where our students are not performing well across a grade level, then we can look at ways to improve in that area, such as new content or a target on a specific skill. We can also see if individual student results align with our internal assessment results as a way of providing a further data point to understand our students. In this sense, we use this standardized test to help us improve our overall program and also to help us understand our students better. Please find below the privacy statement: ISA Privacy Statement for Parents
Festival News
（日本語は英語の下にあります）
Thank you to all those who came along to our first planning gatherings for the 2020 HIS Festival, and who have taken the time to fill in our questionnaire. For those who have not been able to attend yet, here is the story so far.
- Date: Saturday, April 18th, 2020
- Time: open from 10m to 3pm
- Place: HIS
We hope this will be a great, fun event for our community and that we can count on contributions from every family in ways that suit their circumstances, to make it the best it can be. Today we have lots of information, but we hope you can take the time to read to the end. of the information linked here, including the next meeting date: The Crane_ Festival News February 7th 2020
HIS Festival Brainstorming Space
In the genkan, you will see a great brainstorming space created by Maki and Harold (Parents of Kiko & Ahane). Great work on the boards and we are getting lots of ideas coming in. Please feel free to drop by and write down your ideas.
HIS Idol Sign-Up
Sign-up for HIS Idol is underway. Sign-ups will continue through next week and the following week, we will be stating auditions.
Invitation to MYP Exhibition-2020
We would like to invite the whole HIS community to the Personal Project Exhibition.
The exhibition is the culminating experience in the Middle Years Program and a milestone achievement in students’ International Baccalaureate careers. The Personal Project showcases the unique skills students develop throughout the MYP and is a significant piece of work, borne entirely of each student’s own initiative and creativity.
Please come to learn about and celebrate our tenth graders’ achievements.
Date: February 21st, Friday
Time: 4:00- 6:00
Place: GYM
Assessment in MYP Parent Workshop
We would like to announce the postponed date for this presentation for MYP (present and future) parents.
The presentation will be about the purpose of the assessment in MYP and how to understand the grades that the students receive at the end of the semester.
Date: February 17th, Monday.
Time: 14:00- 15:00
Place: Secondary classroom #2 (second floor of the main building, second room on the left from the main stairs)
The gate to the ground will be open from 13:45.
Please sign-up here.
Art Exhibition
CASの生徒達が今週末と来週末に障害を持つアーティストのため
Admission: Free
Open: 10:30 (11:00 on the first day) – 18:30
Place: Hito Machi Plaza
Sponsors: Hiroshima City / Certified NPO Corporation Community Leader Hull Pong
For more information:
http://gethiroshima.com/event/
After School Clubs
Dear parents and secondary students,
The after school clubs for 2nd semester will start from March 2nd and run for 8 weeks. I will be sending the sign-up form on Saturday, February 8th. The deadline for the form is Wednesday, February 12th. Please make sure to check your email if you want to join the clubs.
Reminder: Workshop for Bilingual/Multilingual Families in Hiroshima
Adam Beck, a local writer, and language expert is running a workshop in Hiroshima for bilingual and multilingual families. You can find information here: Adam Beck Workshop Adam has spoken to students at HIS as a visiting author and has some great ideas for families raising bilingual children. That is, all HIS families.