ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 5)

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Nishimachi provides a safe and nurturing learning environment with high social and academic expectations for all students. Classes are small (the maximum size is twenty), and taught by an experienced team of teachers. Each child is assigned to the care of a specific home-base teacher, someone who gets to know the child well and becomes his or her advocate in all school matters. In each of the three kindergarten classes, there is also a bilingual classroom assistant. Grades 1 and 2 each have one assistant who supports the team of teachers. Additionally, one Japanese teacher is assigned to each grade level, and the faculty meets frequently, in teams, to discuss curriculum needs, student welfare, and the integration of Japanese language and culture into daily learning. We are committed to professional excellence, and, to achieve this, teachers meet regularly to plan and organize the educational program with the assistance, where necessary, of student support services.

SPORTS AND FINE ARTS PROGRAM (SAFA)

In addition to weekly art, music, and physical education classes, Nishimachi students have an additional weekly period in which to develop their artistic, musical, physical, and dramatic skills. In groups of approximately fifteen, students participate in four seven-week cycles one for each of the disciplines. At the end of the school year, students will have participated in all activities for their grade level. Activities vary from grade to grade: they include improvisation using puppets in drama; taiko (drumming) in music; collage in visual arts; and speed stacking to develop coordination and movement control in physical education.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP

Under the guidance of the school counselor, elementary students from grade 2 on can participate in Nishimachi’s student council (StuCo). Members are elected by class and represent the interests of their fellow students at biweekly meetings. The voices of our students are important as we work together to develop leadership opportunities for all students.

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Community service representatives are also elected by class, grade 2 through grade 5. This group has biweekly meetings before school to discuss student proposals and school community service initiatives.

HOMEWORK

Homework is a necessary part of the overall elementary educational program. The amount of time for homework will vary from student to student, but, in general, homework assignments range from 10 to 30 minutes per day for students in kindergarten and grades 1 and 2, and up to one hour for those in grades 3, 4, and 5.

CULTURAL LIFE and SCHOOL TRIPS

Students are involved in cultural events which enrich their understanding of our host country, Japan, both during the school day, after school, and on day and overnight trips. Those include planting rice with the students at our sister school in Kurohone (Gunma Prefecture), seeing a taiko drum demonstration, or pounding cooked rice balls (omochitsuki) on a cold winter’s day.

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Our fourth grade students enjoy interacting with our kindergarten students as buddies, reading and playing with them. Grade 5 students do likewise for students in grade 1. Students in grades 2 and 3 have a cultural exchange program with a nearby public Japanese school, Honmura Elementary School.

In grades 4 and 5 Nishimachi students participate in a variety of educational and cultural activities with their buddies at our Japanese sister school in Kurohone,
Each grade level is involved in day field trips which enhance the academic curriculum. Overnight field trips commence in grade 3.

Grade 3   Sleepover at school
Grade 4   Three-day ski trip, with two nights at a ski lodge in Iwappara (Niigata Prefecture)
              Three-day trip to Kazuno, Nishimachi’s outdoor facility in Gunma Prefecture
Grade 5   Three-day trip to Kazuno, as above
              Three-day ski trip, with two nights in a ski lodge, as above

SATURDAY SPORTS PROGRAM

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Elementary students are invited to participate in our sports program. Students in kindergarten and grade 1 play soccer; grades 2 and 3 play soccer and basketball; grades 4 and 5 play volleyball and basketball. Parents are invited to watch practice and games or help out at the canteen.