TIPS Journal Aug 5, 2024

Dear Parent Community of TIPS,

I hope you are having a fun and safe summer! We at TIPS have worked this summer to get ready for another period of growth.

We have some new faces on our staff for you to meet, including two full-time teachers, three part-time teachers, and a new counselor. You can read more about the newest ones below.

Our afternoon dismissal will be at 3:25 p.m. through August 30. After that, clubs days, which last until 4:15 p.m., will be on Mondays and Thursdays this year. The What-I-Need (WIN) sessions, which also last until 4:15 p.m., will be on Tuesdays and Fridays, or more often as needed.

The weather this time of year can be more than unbearable; in fact, outdoor activity can be dangerous. Our new Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) devices measure outdoor heat safety, and provides guidance for recess and PE teachers about the kinds of activity that are advisable on a daily basis. If the temperature, sunshine and humidity combine to be unsafe, we will have indoor activities instead.

As always, any questions, please ask.

All the best,

Lyn Sato

TIPS Principal

lsato@tokyoips.com

Fri, Aug 16: New Family Orientation 1:30 p.m. Ice cream served!

Mon, Aug 19: First day of school with 3:25 p.m. dismissal through August 30.

Wed, Aug 28: PSA online meeting 5 p.m. at the link below.

Mon, Sep 2: First day of clubs. Regular dismissal time of 4:15 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays begins.

Tue, Sep 3: First day of What-I-Need (WIN) sessions.

Welcome new families! You are encouraged to attend the New Family Orientation on Friday, August 16 at 1:30 p.m. to meet teachers, find your locker, get your schedule, and hear about our systems.

Returning families are also welcome for a review of our systems, to meet your child's new teachers, and to help us welcome our new families. Our PSA leaders will be on hand to introduce themselves and some PSA activities.

New and returning families, if you have not already done so, please let us know if you are coming by clicking the link below for our RSVP. Ice cream is served!

Our Parent Staff Association meetings will be held quarterly at 5 p.m. this year, hoping this time of day will be easier for more to attend. We welcome each of you for the online meeting. Our school is stronger and students learn better when parents are involved!

Ms. Sato will attend each meeting, presenting a Principal's Report. She is eager to hear parents' perspectives!

Contact our PSA leaders at psa@tokyoips.org.

Mr. Sazi Mhlanga will be active in learning support each day at TIPS. On Monday afternoons you can find him in our music room, teaching two sections of "Strings", which at TIPS means ukulele and guitar. Mr. Mhlanga will also serve as our band club sponsor. Mr. Mhlanga has a long and esteemed history of serving international schools in the Kanto region as a classroom teacher and sports coach.

We welcome Ms. Kalin Yokota as the part-time counselor who will work with our students on Thursdays and Fridays this year. Ms. Yokota has a private practice also, where she seeks to guide teens into healthy, emotionally balanced confident adults.

Mr. Reed says, "I could not be more excited about working with the students at TIPS! I have been working with youth for many years, the last 15 years in Oregon, USA. Although my focus areas have been language arts and math, I love to teach any and all subjects!" Mr. Reed will teach Grade 7 science, Grade 10 literature, and Reading Comprehension, as well as being a member of our PE teaching team.

Certified Speech and Language Therapist Ms. Jennie O'Grady is well known in the international school community of Tokyo. She is very experienced with TIPS students and will teach two sections weekly of the Speaking Socially class. You may find Ms. O'Grady here at TIPS on Wednesday afternoons.

• Monday: Yoshizawa Bento
• Tuesday: RyuEn Chinese
• Wednesday: Big Boy
• Thursday: Godawari Food Truck 🚚 curry and sandwiches
• Friday: Yoshizawa Bento

As you can see, TIPS was very well represented at a ISTAA soccer tournament in Shinagawa that ended the season in June. A huge thank-you to our soccer coaches, Mr. Jessen-Petersen and Mr. Nabi, for encouraging the team members to play with integrity. Great looking team!

TIPS is the small and supportive international school in the Futako-Tamagawa area.

Email: tips@tokyoips.com
Website: https://www.tokyoips.com/
Location: 1-5-20 Kamata, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-0077
Phone: 03-5717-0511
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tokyoips

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyoips/