School Handbook

Joy to the World’s school year starts in September and finishes in July. Your child’s class placement is based on your child's age as of September 1st. Please check the chart for your child’s class placement.

Joy to the World allows a grace period of 30 days. Children born in September (September 1 - 30) may be considered for advancement. Placement will be decided based on input from parents, teachers recommendations, academic level, behavior, class availability and class composition.

You can enroll your child into Joy Tots program from the age of 18 months old. Occasionally we will enroll children when they are younger than 18 months, based on beavailability and the child’s development. We accept enrollments throughout the school year anytime that seats are available. A Joy Tots student will be eligible to advance to the Pre-Kindergarten class at the beginning of the following term after the child becomes 2 years old if a seat is available.*Joy Tots Class is only open at the schools discretion.

All Kindergarten classes (K1, K2, K3) are 5 day-a-week, full-time programs. In Joy Tots and Pre-Kindergarten we accept 2-day (Tuesday/Thursday), 3 day (Monday/Wednesday/Friday) and 5 day-a-week enrollments. We do accept 4 day and non-standard schedules if requested by the parent, depending on class availability.

To enroll in Joy Tots and Pre-Kindergarten no English language ability is required. For the Kindergarten classes (K1, K2, and K3) some basic English ability is required. The school may conduct an assessment to check the English language level of the child at the school’s discretion. It is possible that the school may request for the child to seek tutorial support classes, in order to improve their English language level so that they can enroll.

This program is open to members, to alumni of Joy to the World, and to non-members who have a strong English language ability. This program allows families to temporarily enroll in our morning Kindergarten without committing to the full school year. We have found this short-term program to be beneficial to all students; improving social skills, interpersonal skills, and enhancing self-confidence, before they continue on to their next placement. The offer is dependent on the child’s English language level, and on available seats. The specific duration of the short-term enrollment will be agreed upon with the school in advance, depending on available seats.

Joy to the World does not have staff with specialized training nor the facilities to support children with special needs. Once accepted into the school, if a child is in significant need of special care that we are unable to provide, we may ask the parents to find a school more suited to the child’s needs.

Visit the schoolExplanation dayOpen schoolTrial/InterviewRead Admissions Guidelines and School HandbookSubmit application & Application Fee　Screening by the schoolChild assessment (if necessary)Notification of results by email or telephonePayment of school feesDetails:We recommend that you first visit the school without your child so that you can fully absorb the school’s system and philosophy. After the first visit, you can schedule an appointment to visit with your child. A viewing for the morning classes typically lasts about 30 to 40 minutes. For the After School Classes and Saturday School, a free 1-hour trial is available. A paid trial lesson is available for the Mommy & Me Class.By reading the Admissions Guidelines and School Handbook in full you will understand all of our school policies. 
Fill in the application in full and sign the application indicating that you understand and will comply with all school rules and policies. Be sure to submit the application fee along with your application.
The school will screen your application.　　
If the school feels it is necessary, we may ask to evaluate your child’s English language ability.
We will notify you of the results of your application.
After you are accepted into the school you will receive an invoice by email. Upon paying your first invoice, you will be considered a member of Joy to the World. Your child’s seat is secured only after tuition and all school fees are paid. Enrollment will only begin when tuition and all school fees have been paid. Any exceptions are at the school’s discretion.
*Please note, priority is given to siblings for enrollment in the school.

Joy to the World’s open application period for the 2021-2022 school year begins September 1, 2020 until March 1, 2021. Applying during this period increases your chance of enrolling your child at Joy to the World.Dates may be subject to change without prior notice.

We accept applications and enrollments all throughout the school year, so long as space is available in the grade for which you wish to apply. We do our best to process applications as quickly as possible. Please allow for roughly one week for us to process your application for the morning programs.When applying outside of the application period (see above), please first check the availability of seats in the grade that you wish to apply for. If there are no seats available, you may be placed on the waiting list by proceeding with the application process, as listed above. Once your application has been approved, you will be informed and placed on the waiting list. You will be notified when a seat becomes available and mailed an invoice when you accept the seat.When enrolling midterm, it is possible that the school may ask you to wait before your child can fully participate in all activities - such as performances and excursions. Please understand that some events need to be practiced and prepared for before a child may participate.

It is not possible to reserve a seat more than two months in advance when enrolling outside of the application period. You may enroll from September 1, 2020 till March 1,  2021 for the school year starting in September 2021. It is likely that a seat in Joy Tots and Pre-Kindergarten class may become available for enrollment or for a switch of days throughout the school year.

When applying more than one term ahead, please hand in your application as soon as it is ready. Successful applicants will be placed on the waiting list. You will be notified about seat availability two months before the start of the term for which you are applying.

Applications can be accepted by mail, though we recommend you to bring it in person. When bringing in the application, please make an appointment, so that the school can schedule staff to go through the application to see if there are any adjustments needed. Although we do accept applications turned in via fax or email, a physical copy of the application is required at the earliest possibility

In the case that the school requests for your child to take academic support classes (Joy Private class or After Kindergarten class) in order to enroll (for K2 and K3 classes only), tuition for the recommended classes will be included with other fees and tuitions, and must be paid in full in order to enroll and/or follow class curriculum.

It is possible your child may not be accepted into one of our programs. These decisions are at the school’s discretion and we will not divulge our decision-making process.

We like to think of Joy to the World as a big family, where every child feels safe and cared for. In order to strive for excellent education, parental support at home and cooperation with the school can make the difference. We want parents to be actively involved with their child’s education through open and frequent communication with the teachers and school administration. Parents will receive a login to our internal blog system (Joy Parents Portal) and are asked to check content regularly so that you are always up to date. Doing so avoids misunderstanding, confusion, and frustration.We are open to concerns, ideas, and suggestions and we will do our best to comply, as long as communication is conducted in a respectful manner. However, the school also expects parents to understand that the final decision lies with the school. Unfortunately, we will discontinue a child’s enrollment at Joy to the World if parents are not supportive of Joy to the World guidelines and policies. At Joy to the World, we hope you understand that by helping us you are helping your child. Teachers and administrative staff can be requested for a meeting at any time. If you have concerns to raise or questions to ask, please speak to us to schedule a meeting as soon as possible.

Students enrolling mid-term must pay a prorated fee for the remainder of the current term and full payment for the following term.After you make the full tuition payment, there is a tiered cancellation fee (see chart below). This means that if you cancel after making your tuition payment, you can get a partial refund. If you do not cancel by the first day of the term, there is a 100% cancellation fee. (Cancellation fees are a percentage of the tuition paid, minus the non-refundable deposit.) See Fee Schedule on the "School Year Tuition and Fees" PDFFees include: Utilities, insurance, materials, and snacks and drinks.Late payment of invoices will incur a late fee. Repeated late payments may effect your ability to 
 continue at Joy to the World.There will be no refund or deduction for any class missed for any reason.There will be no makeup lessons for classes missed.School Insurance covers injuries occurring on and off the school premises and food poisoning caused by school snacks or catered lunch.All fees are subject to change.We offer a sibling discount of 10%

Payment of fees should be made directly to our bank or in cash to the office. If you are making a bank transfer please use the bank information provided below. Payment should be made using your Student Number and family name. You are responsible for any fees that your bank may charge for making transfers. For the safety of the school, please make large payments via bank transfer. Please make cash payments in the office in the exact amount. Although we will make our best effort to provide change.Bank InformationBank Name: Resona Bank Branch: Myogadani-BranchAccount No. Normal - 1545065Name: Dream International Co., Ltd.

2021-2022 School Year

1st Term: May 20, 2021
2nd Term: September 20, 2021
3rd Term: December 20, 2021

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https://www.joytotheworld.info/admissions

Fill out a Leave of Absence Form when you plan on being absent longer than 2 weeks. It must be given to the school 1 month prior to your absence if possible

Please fill out the Change of Status Form if you want to make changes during the term to your scheduled days or times. Please submit this form with a non-refundable fee of ¥2,000. It may take up to 2 weeks to process.

Use the Termination of Attendance Form if you are leaving Joy to the World. Please submit 1 month prior to your child’s last day. After proper notice and all accounts are settled with the school, records will be issued if necessary.

Assessments are an integral part of our teaching and learning cycle. Assessments enable us to: • Promote student learning • Evaluate the student's progress • Assist in reporting • Evaluate the school’s program

All children will stay in their allotted class for at least 1 year. New students may start mid-year. Their class will be chosen by availability, age, English level and behavior. In considering what, in the school’s judgment, is best for each child, there may be exceptions to these rules. New students will be subject to tutorial support classes depending upon the time of year they are entering class. Please also understand the special programs outside of the normal school year, such as our seasonal programs, are not necessarily divided by the above-mentioned and may be in a different age group depending on available seats.

It is very important that the school is aware of any special circumstances or changes within your family. Please inform the school of any deaths in the family, divorce, or other changes that may affect the school life of your child so that we can be sensitive to their changing needs, or of changes that may result in a change to the Pick-Up/Drop-Off forms.

If you are a single parent, please fill out the Single Parent Form so that we understand your family’s situation when we interact with your child in school.

We always accept special requests from our customers. These need to be submitted via the Special Requests Form to the office with as much detail as possible. Please submit this form as early as possible to give the office sufficient time to review and process your request to the best of our ability.

Please do not be late when dropping off your child. Classes will always start on time. Being late will cause your child to miss out on valuable learning time. For safety reasons, the school doors will be locked during lesson times - teachers cannot leave their class to open the door for latecomers, as this distracts the class from learning, and is not safe for the class. Please be mindful of this, and arrive on time. Drop off Times: You may drop off your child between these times. The doors will be closed and locked at other times for security reasons. If you miss these times, please follow the steps below.

Morning Programs

All Classes: 9:20 am - 9:40 am

Afterschool Programs

Afterschool Kindergarten: 2:45 pm - 3:00 pmA

fterschool Elementary: 3:15 pm - 4:00 pm

If you arrive after 9:40 am, once the door has been closed, you will still need to go to the office to get a late slip and then wait until 10:00 am to be let in.The teacher will try their best to open the door at 10:00am but also understand it could be a little later depending on the class activity and care being given at the time to the children already in the class. This should only be in exceptional circumstances and should not become a habit.If you arrive after 10:00 am, the doors will be closed. You must go to the office and get a Late Slip. The office will then notify the teacher and arrange a time for the door to be re-opened. Please be advised that 2 times late will be recorded as 1 day of absence on your school record.If you are caught in an emergency, please notify the office as soon as possible to let us know what time you will be arriving at school. The office will arrange a suitable moment for your child to be brought into class.Please do not knock on the 4th floor or Pre-K doors. It is against our policies for staff to open up the door other than at scheduled door opening times or by request from the office

You may only pick up your child between these times. The doors will be closed and locked at other times.

Morning Programs

All Classes: 1:40 pm - 2:00 pm

Afterschool Programs

Afterschool Kindergarten: 4:55 pm - 5:00 pm

Afterschool Elementary: 5:50 pm - 6:00 pm

If you will be late for your pickup time, please inform the school office as soon as possible. You must pay for late pick-ups with double Extended Care Tickets. (See Extended Care section for details.)

Please fill out the online absence for at your earliest convenience.
We do not offer any makeup lessons or give refunds for any absences.

This form is used when you cannot pick up your child and must ask another person to take this responsibility. The parent of the child being picked-up must fill out this form and turn it in at drop-off time. We will not, under any circumstances, allow your child to leave the premises with anyone who has not been identified by you on this form (or on your child’s security form). This is for the safety of your child - please respect this rule. This form is to be used for occasional and last minute changes. If someone new will be collecting your child on a regular basis, please make sure to update this information on your child’s Security Form.

Use this form if your child needs to travel to and from school on their own. They must be at least 6 years old (for After-Elementary students only).You must call the office if your child will be late and fill out the online absence form if they will be absent. If you do not inform us of this, we will begin calling you and all other emergency numbers provided after 15 minutes of their class start time.

Extended Care allows children to stay longer in our English environment.

Morning Extended Care (Early Drop-Off), from 8:00 - 9:30 a.m., is available for Joy Tots, Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten (K1, K2, K3) only.

Late Extended Care (2:00 - 6:45 p.m.) is available for Joy Tots, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten (K1, K2, K3), After School Classes, Joy Privates, and Extra-Curricular Classes

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*The Morning Extended Care start time changed to 8:00 am as of the 2021-2022 School Year

You may purchase the tickets at the office. The tickets can be used for Early Drop Off and for Late Extended care as well. Please fill out each ticket with your child’s name and date before handing them into the teacher. Tickets will not be accepted unless filled out. Tickets do not expire. You can share or trade tickets with other parents. There will be no refunds for purchased or unused tickets. For Extended Care ticket use for extra-curricular classes please see your Head Teacher.

Update: September 1, 2022
Tickets are now sold in 30 mins intervals only. All extended care must be covered by 30 min tickets, or paid for in 30 minute intervals. (For example, 2:00 pm - 6:45 pm will be counted as 5 hours.)

You can drop off your child any time between 8:00 and 9:20 am. Give the tickets to your Head Teacher when dropping off your child.

8:00 - 8:30 am Drop-off - 6 Tickets

8:30 - 9:00 am Drop-off - 4 Tickets

9:00 - 9:20 am Drop-off- 2 Tickets

*The Morning Extended Care start time changed to 8:00 am as of the 2021-2022 School Year

Give the tickets to your Head Teacher when dropping off your child. If you have forgotten to give the teacher the tickets but have made a reservation, we will accept them when you pick up (please try to avoid this situation)If you would like to change the collection time, we allow changes until 10:00 a.m. free of charge. Contact the office to make a change. For changes made after 10:00 a.m., contact the office. You must pay double tickets for these late changes. If you will be late to pick-up your child, contact the office as soon as possible and let us know the reason. You must pay double tickets for late collection. Collections must be made on the hour, or at thirty minutes past each hour. This is to avoid regular disruption to classes.

2:30 p.m.

3:00 p.m. (Door is open from 2:45 - 3:00)

3:30 p.m.

4:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

5:00 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

6:45 p.m.

Parents with schedule problems (such as job, siblings), please talk with your Head Teacher. Depending on the case we might be able to arrange a different pickup time to suit your family. Tickets would continue to be charged in 30-minute slots. The Extended Care program is not available on certain days, such as during school events, Final Performances, or on other days decided by the school. (See the School Calendar for exact dates.)

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Update: September 1, 2022
Tickets are now sold in 30 mins intervals only. All extended care must be covered by 30 min tickets, or paid for in 30 minute intervals. (For example, 2:00 pm - 6:45 pm will be counted as 5 hours.)

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Extended Care allows children to stay longer in our English environment.

Morning Extended Care (Early Drop-Off), from 8:00 - 9:30 a.m., is available for Joy Tots, Pre-Kindergarten & Kindergarten (K1, K2, K3) only.

Late Extended Care (2:00 - 6:45 p.m.) is available for Joy Tots, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten (K1, K2, K3), After School Classes, Joy Privates, and Extra-Curricular Classes

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*The Morning Extended Care start time changed to 8:00 am as of the 2021-2022 School Year

You may purchase the tickets at the office. The tickets can be used for Early Drop Off and for Late Extended care as well. Please fill out each ticket with your child’s name and date before handing them into the teacher. Tickets will not be accepted unless filled out. Tickets do not expire. You can share or trade tickets with other parents. There will be no refunds for purchased or unused tickets. For Extended Care ticket use for extra-curricular classes please see your Head Teacher.

Update: September 1, 2022
Tickets are now sold in 30 mins intervals only. All extended care must be covered by 30 min tickets, or paid for in 30 minute intervals. (For example, 2:00 pm - 6:45 pm will be counted as 5 hours.)

You can drop off your child any time between 8:00 and 9:20 am. Give the tickets to your Head Teacher when dropping off your child.

8:00 - 8:30 am Drop-off - 6 Tickets

8:30 - 9:00 am Drop-off - 4 Tickets

9:00 - 9:20 am Drop-off- 2 Tickets

*The Morning Extended Care start time changed to 8:00 am as of the 2021-2022 School Year

Give the tickets to your Head Teacher when dropping off your child. If you have forgotten to give the teacher the tickets but have made a reservation, we will accept them when you pick up (please try to avoid this situation)If you would like to change the collection time, we allow changes until 10:00 a.m. free of charge. Contact the office to make a change. For changes made after 10:00 a.m., contact the office. You must pay double tickets for these late changes. If you will be late to pick-up your child, contact the office as soon as possible and let us know the reason. You must pay double tickets for late collection. Collections must be made on the hour, or at thirty minutes past each hour. This is to avoid regular disruption to classes.

2:30 p.m.

3:00 p.m. (Door is open from 2:45 - 3:00)

3:30 p.m.

4:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

5:00 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

6:45 p.m.

Parents with schedule problems (such as job, siblings), please talk with your Head Teacher. Depending on the case we might be able to arrange a different pickup time to suit your family. Tickets would continue to be charged in 30-minute slots. The Extended Care program is not available on certain days, such as during school events, Final Performances, or on other days decided by the school. (See the School Calendar for exact dates.)

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Update: September 1, 2022
Tickets are now sold in 30 mins intervals only. All extended care must be covered by 30 min tickets, or paid for in 30 minute intervals. (For example, 2:00 pm - 6:45 pm will be counted as 5 hours.)

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The Joy Parent Portal may be accessed through the schools homepage: joytotheworld.infoClass updates, information, and occasional photographs are posted by teachers to their class sections. Although the specifics vary by class, information such as reading lists, current sight words, birthday charts, songs, allergy lists, school forms and much more is available. Staying up-to-date is absolutely necessary and will allow you as a parent to avoid missing important information and being uninformed.If you are experiencing any difficulty logging in, please first consult your head teacher.

Please take a moment to decide if your question is best suited for the Office or your Head Teacher. Classroom concerns and specific questions about your child, for example, should be directed to your child’s Head Teacher. General inquiries about the school, questions about enrolling in International Elementary School, and changes to family status, for example, should be directed to the Office.We do not accept group meetings, even for the same concern. Individual meetings only. If you have difficulty communicating in English, the school will do its best to provide someone to assist in translation so please notify us in advance if this is necessary.Office Appointment Please call the office to make an appointment and give the reason for your request at that time so we can arrange for the appropriate person to meet with you.Teacher AppointmentPlease speak with your Head Teacher directly to make an appointment.

During PTM’s you will be given your child’s report card and have the chance to ask your head teacher questions about your child’s life at school and progress. These are only fifteen-minute meetings in order for the teachers to give you a report on your child’s progress. There may be times that support classes will be recommended by the teacher, in which you may be contacted by our office personnel depending on the type of support needed.

It is your responsibility to inform the school when there is a change of address, telephone number or emergency contact number via the Change of Contact Details Form available at the school office.

We do not provide contact information or private/personal information about any of our staff, teachers, or students at Joy to the World. Private information is not shared with anyone other than school administration.

Please write the name of the allergy and/or the name of the substance or food your child is allergic to. Joy to the World will not be held responsible for any allergy not reported on the Medical Information sheet or not updated in writing as necessary. Joy to the World also reserves the right to decline acceptance for any reason including but not limited to an applicant with any illness or disease that we cannot assist or provide proper care for.

Sunscreen and insect repellent will be used by the school. If you want to use your own products, apply them at home and inform your teacher. Please do not apply bug stickers or clips on your child before class, please give them to the teacher at drop off time along with a Home Medicine Form.

A health check will be carried out each year, and their height and weight progress will be recorded. Student health checks are conducted by a designated doctor not affiliated with Joy to the World. A dental check will also be carried out each year. During the dental check students teeth will be checked and a note from the dentist will be given to parents. These checks are compulsory. Information will be provided prior to the check being conducted.

Please remember to turn in updated Health Insurance copies when new copies are available and to notify us if there is a change in your family insurance.

In case of emergency the school will contact the parent immediately, so please be reachable by telephone at all times your child is in school. The school will take the child to Mori Children’s Clinic, Mitsuhashi Inn, Koishikawa Inn, or Otsuka Hospital depending on the seriousness of the injury or illness. If they are closed or full we will take them to the next nearest clinic or hospital for treatment. These places are not part of Joy to the World and not associated with us in any way. We will ask the parent to meet us at the clinic or hospital to pick up your child. The school office will notify you of the clinic or hospital your child has been taken to.

Any child with a fever more than 1 degree above what is listed as “Normal” in your Application Book will be sent home. You will be notified by telephone to pick up your child from school as soon as possible.

Please do not bring your child to school if they are sick or not able to participate in our program 100%. You may not make a special request for your child to not participate in any part of our daily planned program for that day. If you feel your child is not able to participate in any part of the planned daily routine because of sickness, please do not bring him/her to school that day. If you arrive at school with your child and he/she doesn’t look so well, you may be asked by the teacher to stay for a few more minutes while the teacher checks the condition of your child.

Parents must fill out our “Home Medicine Form” for any medicine, special sunscreen, insect repellent, or home lunch for medical, health or special dietary needs that need to be given to your child for any reason.

Teachers may administer disinfectants, creams, ice packs, and sprays for minor injuries.

Please have this form filled out by your doctor when your child has contracted a contagious illness before sending them back to school. Take the signed form from your physician to the office for approval before coming to class. The school will make the final decision regarding whether or not your child may return to school, even if you get your physician’s signature and approval to return to school.

Teachers in Joy Tots, Pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten classes will conduct a basic health check on students each morning. Teachers will check for and may ask you about (but not limited to) the following:Changes in behavior or appearanceSkin rashes/itchy skinBoils or weeping soresCuts, scratches, or bruisesApparent fatigue or disorientationBandagesSweaty or sticky skinAny sign of illnessThis is also the appropriate time for you to mention any medical issues that could affect your child at school or that the teacher should be made aware of. Also, please mention to your Head Teacher if any family members have recently been exposed to a communicable illness. This will help us watch for signs more carefully.We need to keep this communication open and honest so that we can all be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of illness.

When a child becomes ill but does not require immediate medical help, we will determine if a child should be sent home based on the following three criteria and the following list of symptoms.

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1. The illness prevents the child from participating comfortably in activities.
2. The illness results in a need for care that is greater than the staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of other children.
3. The illness poses a risk of spread of potentially harmful disease to others.

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We will also call parents if we see the following symptoms (this list is not exhaustive):

また、以下の症状が見られる場合にも保護者の方にご連絡をします（以下の症状のみとは限りません）

• Watery eye discharge without fever, eye pain, or eyelid redness
• Yellow or white eye drainage
• Fever over 1 degree above their normal temperature over two reading 20 minutes apart
• Lice
• White spots or patches in the mouth
• Pink eye with matted eyelids and eye pain
• Appearing or acting ill
• 2 instances of diarrhea (for Pre-Kindergarten)
• Instances of diarrhea that cause “misses” or exceeds 2 or more stools above normal for that child
• Blood in stool not explained by dietary change, medication, or hard stool
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain that continues for more than 1 hour or intermittent pain with fever
• Mouth sores with drooling
• Rash with fever

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In the following situations, we will call parents to inform them that we will a take a child to a local clinic. (If the parent can arrive at school within 30 mins we can wait for the parent to arrive. If you do not or cannot arrive within 30 mins we will go to the clinic.)Fever over 1 degree above their normal temperature and who looks and acts ill
 Appearing and acting very illSevere vomiting and/or diarrheaAn injury that may require medical treatment, such as a cut that does not hold together after it is cleaned, chipped teeth, or hesitancy using arms or legsAny animal bites that break the skinVenomous bites or stings with spreading local redness and swelling, or evidence of general illnessAny medical condition that is outlined in the child’s care plan as requiring medical attention

In the following situations we may take a child to the emergency room or call an ambulance and notify the parents:If we believe a child needs immediate medical assessment or treatment that cannot wait for parents to take the child to the clinicFever with abnormal appearance, difficulty breathing, or a problem with circulation, determined by an abnormal skin color (pale and bluish skin tone)
A child is acting strangely, is much less alert, or is much more withdrawn than usualDifficulty breathing or unable to speakSkin or lips that look blue, purple, or grayRhythmic jerking of arms and legs and loss of responsiveness (seizure)UnresponsiveAfter a head injury, with a decreased level of alertness, confusion, headache, vomiting, irritability, difficulty walkingVomiting bloodSevere stiff neck (limiting the child's movement) with a headache and feverSevere dehydration with sunken eyes, lethargy, no tears, and not urinatingSuddenly spreading purple or red rashA large volume of blood in the stoolsHot or cold weather injuries (frostbite or heat exhaustion)

The following illnesses and conditions are listed with the number of days that a student should stay home from school. All of these conditions will require a Doctor’s Release Form and a visit to the school office to determine if the child will be able to return to school.

It is the school administration that will make the final decision about whether ill children can return to the classroom based on the following guidelines, the Doctors Release Form, and our ability to care for the child without compromising the care of other children in the program.

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• Lice: After treatment begins and with Doctor’s Release Form
• Ringworm: After treatment begins and with Doctor’s Release Form
• Thrush: After treatment begins and with Doctor’s Release Form
• Fifth Disease: With Doctor’s Release Form
• Pinkeye: With Doctor’s Release Form
• Impetigo: 24 hours after treatment begins and with Doctor’s Release Form
• Strep Throat: 24 hours after treatment begins and with Doctor’s Release Form
• Scabies: After treatment begins and with Doctor’s Release Form
• Chickenpox: After all lesions have dried or crusted (usually 6 days after onset of rash) and with Doctor’s Release Form
• Pertussis: After 5 days of treatment and with Doctor’s Release Form
• Mumps: After 5 days of onset of swelling of parotid gland and with Doctor’s Release Form
• Diarrhea (Pre-Kindergarten): When stool can be contained by the diaper
• Diarrhea (Kindergarten and above): When stool  frequency has reduced to fewer than 2 stools above normal for that child
• Ear Infection: When the child can comfortably participate in class and does not need special care from the teacher
• Hand Foot and Mouth Disease: With Doctor’s Release Form
• Seasonal Flu: 24 hours after fever is reduced and with a Doctor's Release Form
• Pandemic Flu: Guidance will be given at that time
• Measles (Immunized Child - prior to contracting measles or immunized within 72 hours of exposure): 6 days after beginning of rash and with a Doctor's Release Form
• Measles (Unimmunized Child): 2 weeks after onset of rash and with a Doctor's Release Form
• Meningitis: With Doctor’s Release Form
• Molluscum Contagiosum: Bumps should be covered by bandages and with a Doctor's Release Form
• Pneumonia: After at least 1 day and with a Doctor's Release Form
• Rotavirus: When diarrhea is resolved and with a Doctor's Release Form
• Rubella: 7 days after onset of rash and with a Doctor's Release Form
  
  

The above list has many illnesses and conditions but is not exhaustive. If you have a question about a specific illness please call the Office and ask about it.

If a child is unable to participate in park activities, such as running, your child should not come to school. In the case that a condition precludes your child from daily class activities, the school will do it’s best to accommodate your child if the school permits your child to attend, but please understand special considerations may be limited or unavailable. Please use discretion when sending an injured child to school.If the injury is long-term and the child will miss a significant portion of the school, please contact the office immediately so the school can determine if another option can be implemented.

If one sibling is sick with a contagious illness, but the other sibling is not showing any signs of sickness they may come to school. In these case be sure to alert the Head Teacher so that we can monitor that student carefully for developing symptoms and be ready to pick-up if any symptoms develop.

If a child has a common cold with the symptoms of a runny nose and cough we recommend that they rest from school for at least one day, especially if they have any aches and pains.After the brunt of the illness has passed and they are left with a runny nose and cough, they can return to school as long as the cough is not a disruption to their learning or the learning of students around them. Also, if a runny nose is uncontrollable or is causing distress to the child, we will ask that they stay home.

In the case that more than a third of a class or floor (at school’s discretion) is absent due to a contagious illness such as influenza, the class or floor will temporarily close. In such cases, the time frame of closure will depend on the illness, and the school will notify parents at that time. There will be no makeup days if this happens. The school may temporarily close due to bad weather. You will be notified by e-mail and we will post updates on our internet homepage. There will be no make-up class days given if this happens.

This policy is for all programs and services at Joy to the World. Including:Think Club, Keiki Ukulele Club, Kids Hiphop Tokyo, Saturday School, AK, AE (new programs)

In the case of one or more positive coronavirus infections occurring at Joy to the World (student or staff), we will work with the Bunkyo Health Office and may close as a school in keeping with their recommendation or as a safety precaution by Joy to prevent the spread of the virus. In this case, we will not offer refunds, credits, or make-up lessons for canceled classes, Set Extended care, and Bus Maintenance Fees.

However, for lunch service fees, we will issue credits to families affected on the days we close. You can apply lunch service credits towards future services.

We want to remind our families that although we will do our best to continue providing our services to our school community, we take safety very seriously and we thank you for your understanding in the case of a school closure for this reason.

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Evacuation drills are held twice a term (fire and earthquake drills) to ensure that all students understand the school’s evacuation procedures.

Please follow the instructions below if a disaster occurs:

Case 1: When a big earthquake such as the Tohoku 3/11 earthquake occurs,please come to the designated evacuation shelter shown below.

During this time, the phones will most likely be out of service.

Our teachers will look after your children until you show up at the designated evacuation shelter of Bunkyo-ward:

Daiichi Junior High School Gymnasium
Address: 5-8-9 Koishikawa Bunkyo-ward

*We will follow the regional disaster plan of Bunkyo-ward. Please refer to the Bunkyo-ward City Office homepage.

School may evacuate or call parents for early pick-up in the case of structural damage or loss of services.

Case 2: When a small earthquake occurs, and you want to make sure your children are safe, please call the school office at 03-5684-0247. Please familiarize yourself with the location of the designated evacuation shelter, so that you will already know where it is in the case of an emergency. A handout with a map is available in the school office upon request.

Please familiarize yourself with the location of the designated evacuation shelter, so that you will already know where it is in the case of an emergency. A handout with a map is available in the school office upon request.

During an emergency, we may not have access to our computer systems and telephones. But, in the case that we have computer access, we will update the following locations. Please bookmark these locations before an emergency happens.Joy to the World Homepage www.joytotheworld.infoJoy to the World Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JoyPreKinderJoy to the World Twitter https://twitter.com/JoyPreKinder

The school holds one graduation per year in March. There are three Final Performances during the course of the school year at the end of each term. The school also has an annual Sports Day, Halloween Event, a Fathers Visit Day, a Mothers Visit Day and an occasional School Bazaar. We encourage parents to participate in our school events whenever possible.

Please inquire with the head teacher of your class about any questions you have concerning class events. There will be only 1 birthday celebration in class per month for all children with a birthday that month. The teacher will choose the day best to have the celebration. Parents who wish to provide food for their parties, must first fill out a Food Acceptance Form and turn it into the office at least two days before the event. Please check with your head teacher for specific allergies that students in your child’s class may have. In the Kindergarten (K1, K2, K3), one parent (or guardian) may attend birthday parties as a helper. Siblings may not attend. Parents may only attend for K1, K2, and K3 birthday parties. No open flames are allowed in the school.

Please refer to the Birthday Party Guidelines on Joy Parent Portal for more details.

Sometimes it is necessary for classes to leave the school grounds for between 30 minutes and an hour or to go to the park or other areas in our community. It is difficult to obtain permission for all short field trips. Your response in the application form will be taken to cover the period from your child’s enrollment until their graduation or withdrawal from the school. This does not include permission for excursions. Excursions will continue to require a separate permission form.

The school goes on 2 field trips a year, in the 1st and 3rd Term

The school will prepare time frames for parties organized by parents for their teachers. The end of the term and year is a busy time for all, so one month’s notice for such events is required. The school principal may not permit you to have a class party with staff if scheduling is full. You must submit a written request with full details of the party including a disclaimer saying that the school or teachers will not be held responsible or any accidents, injuries or damage caused during the event. Teachers are not allowed to accept large gifts especially monies or gift cards. Small tokens from parents such as hand-made cards or photo/message albums are very much appreciated.

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Everyone is required to wear their hat and school shirt for safety and easy recognition by the teacher and community.

 •    Do not alter uniforms or add patches to your uniform or hat.

  •    No jewelry or accessories (bracelets, sunglasses, etc.) are permitted without school approval.  

  •    Appearance (uniform and hair) must be kept clean, neat and tidy.  

  •    Outdoor shoes are to be worn at the park during play and exercise. sneakers, tennis shoes or footwear designed for active play only, please.  

  •    After School Program students do not need a hat.

Joy Tots / Pre-Kindergarten

1.    Indoor Shoes  (Taken home and cleaned/replaced monthly)
    

2.    Diapers (at least 3 disposable diapers) 
          *Write your child’s name in English on the back of each diaper
    

3.    Wet wipes to clean your child (write your child’s name in English on the package) 
    

4.    Full change of clothes 
    

5.    Towel with a loop ( Size: No bigger than 35 cm in length from corner to corner)
  

6.    Bib
    

7.    Lunch 
    

8.    Lunch items (spoon & fork set, wet towel - No chopsticks) 
    

9.　Water bottle
  

10.    A toothbrush with handle no larger than 1.5cm width (Replaced at the
vbeginning of every month)
  

11.    A cup to rinse mouth and for drink time (You must bring a cup and take it home daily.)            

12.    Smock

Kindergarten: K1, K2, and K3 Classes    

1.    Indoor shoes (Taken home and cleaned/replaced monthly)
　

2.    Full change of clothes 
　

3.    Towel with a loop (Size: No bigger than 35 cm in length from corner to corner) 
    

4.    Lunch 
    

5.    Lunch items (spoon & fork set, wet towel)
    

6.    A toothbrush with a handle no larger than 1.5cm width (Replaced at the
 beginning of every month) Although the toothbrush can be kept at 
          the school, it may be necessary to bring a new one once a month or at the
          teacher's request.) 
  

7.    A cup to rinse mouth and for drink time (You must bring a cup and take it home
          daily.) 
    

8.    Smock

After Kindergarten & After Elementary    

1.    Indoor shoes (Taken home after each class)
  

2.    1 full change of clothes (A change of clothes is optional for After-Elementary
　　　classes) 
　

3.    Towel with a loop (Size: No bigger than 35 cm in length from corner to corner) 
　

4.    A cup for drink time (Taken home after each class)

Joy to the World provides an optional lunch service throughout the week (Mon-Fri). Lunch is to be brought from home or can be ordered through the school. A menu will be issued each month. To order lunch for your child, follow the instructions online. All lunch sign-ups are online. School lunches are planned by professional dietician who consider children’s health. *Please provide your own drink. The lunch box set does not include a drink

Please provide an ice pack in your child’s lunch bag to keep it fresh. The classroom temperature will be around 25 to 26 degrees Celsius. Staff will not microwave your child’s lunch. Please provide a healthy lunch.

Due to food allergy and religious concerns, food and drink items brought from home must not be shared with other students. Please explain this to your child at home.

Peanuts are completely banned from our school and school events on and off of school premises due to allergy concerns. We also highly discourage bringing any form of nuts into the school. Staff cannot allow students to distribute any gifts that contain any form of nuts.

Please fill out a “Food Acceptance Form” at the office at least prior to the event and get it approved before you bring any food into the school. You must hand that acceptance form to your teacher with the food brought in.

All items found in the school or school premises will be returned to you if there is a name on it. The Lost-and-Found is located above the shoe cubbies on the 4th floor. Items that are found and have no name will be put into sacks, including the ‘found’ date and the location it was found written on a piece of paper inside the bag. After 1 week, if no one has claimed the lost item, we will dispose of it.

Web camera viewing and passcodes are available to Pre-K, K1, K2, and K3 only. Viewing schedule will change periodically and may become discontinued at the school’s discretion.The web camera will not be available during the first week of school of each term due to maintenance checks, as well as holidays and special events inside the school.

The school holds one graduation per year in March. There are three Final Performances during the course of the school year at the end of each term. The school also has an annual Sports Day, Halloween Event, a Fathers Visit Day, a Mothers Visit Day and an occasional School Bazaar. We encourage parents to participate in our school events whenever possible.

Please inquire with the head teacher of your class about any questions you have concerning class events. There will be only 1 birthday celebration in class per month for all children with a birthday that month. The teacher will choose the day best to have the celebration. Parents who wish to provide food for their parties, must first fill out a Food Acceptance Form and turn it into the office at least two days before the event. Please check with your head teacher for specific allergies that students in your child’s class may have. In the Kindergarten (K1, K2, K3), one parent (or guardian) may attend birthday parties as a helper. Siblings may not attend. Parents may only attend for K1, K2, and K3 birthday parties. No open flames are allowed in the school.

Please refer to the Birthday Party Guidelines on Joy Parent Portal for more details.

Sometimes it is necessary for classes to leave the school grounds for between 30 minutes and an hour or to go to the park or other areas in our community. It is difficult to obtain permission for all short field trips. Your response in the application form will be taken to cover the period from your child’s enrollment until their graduation or withdrawal from the school. This does not include permission for excursions. Excursions will continue to require a separate permission form.

The school goes on 2 field trips a year, in the 1st and 3rd Term

The school will prepare time frames for parties organized by parents for their teachers. The end of the term and year is a busy time for all, so one month’s notice for such events is required. The school principal may not permit you to have a class party with staff if scheduling is full. You must submit a written request with full details of the party including a disclaimer saying that the school or teachers will not be held responsible or any accidents, injuries or damage caused during the event. Teachers are not allowed to accept large gifts especially monies or gift cards. Small tokens from parents such as hand-made cards or photo/message albums are very much appreciated.

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