We will be hosting an Emergency First Response (EFR) Training course at Joy.

The Emergency First Response Care for Children Course is an internationally recognized CPR and First Aid training course, medically based, following the same priorities of care used by professional emergency care providers.

Here is a link for more information about EFR: Emergency First Response

Our training session will be on Sunday, June 29, 2008 from 9:30 am to 5 pm at our Kindergarten. The signup deadline is June 20, 2008.

For more information please download our application: Joy EFR Training Application (PDF)

We have all the details of our Summer Program 2008! As always, we will be having lots and lots of fun.

This year we have a Pixies Class, Dragons Class, Wizards Class, and a Pirates Class! Click here for more information and details about the Joy to the World Summer Program 2008 in Tokyo.

Did you see a big pink bunny outside of the kindergarten this weekend? I hope you got a balloon if you did. We had an open house during the Bunkyo-Ku Sakura Matsuri on Harimazaka. We met many new friends and saw many familiar faces too.

I hope everyone enjoyed the great weather we had for our annual Sports Day. Special thanks to all the parents who participated in events. I know the kids loved seeing their parents running and doing tug-of-war.

If you have any ideas or suggestions to improve next years Sports Day, please tell your teachers.

Please remember that even warmer weather is right around the corner. So be prepared by start drinking more water and getting ready to put on sunscreen since we will be spending more time outdoors!

We had two great field trips this week. The Kinder went to the National Science Museum, and the PreK went to the Sunshine City Aquarium. Both trips were a great opportunity for the kids to learn about and see things outside of the classroom, but with their school friends and teachers.

We had a great time last week in the Kinder and PreKinder. We celebrated the Japanese custom of Setsubun. We made masks and had our very own “bean throwing” and chased out bad spirits.

Did you celebrate Setsubun at home? Did you go to a local temple? Teachers always want to hear about things you do at home, so let us know!

-Ken

We had a wonderful Final Performance at the Bunkyo-Ku Civic Center. Thank you to everyone that attended. The kids did a great job this year learning all of their songs and dances.

Special thanks to Mrs. Miura for playing piano for K3.

I think we were all surprised by our “Special Guest”…Santa Claus. I’m so glad that he was able to make it this year and I think the kids really enjoyed seeing him.

This year was the first time that we did an inter-class song (Deck the Halls) and it was a great success. I hope that we can find more things for us all to enjoy together.

Please have a safe and happy holiday season and see you next year!

-Ken

p.s. Here is a link to a recording of our School Song. Enjoy!

Don’t they look delicious. Most of the K-3 families spent last Sunday picking oranges and having a picnic lunch together.

We also had a chance to say goodbye and sing Puff the Magic Dragon for our K-2 Teacher Ian Register. Thank you Ian and take care.

I hope you had a great time at our Halloween Party! I loved seeing everyones costumes and I had fun getting dressed up too. Be sure to thank Mamoru at Sandore for giving us so many treats.

Now that Halloween is done we are moving “full steam ahead” into the holiday season. Thanksgiving is right around the corner…and we know what is coming after that!

-Ken