Dear 1st Grade Parents,
Welcome to New Life International School! Your child's first-grade year will be an exciting year of growth. The children will learn to read and write, solve math problems, discuss the world around them with hands-on study in science and social studies, grow in morals with Bible classes, draw, cut, and color, sing, and dance, and grow socially with lasting friendships.
First, Safety:
To ensure the safety of your children, we ask all 1st-grade parents to bring their children directly to the 1st-grade door in the mornings and to pick them up in the afternoons directly from the classroom. The teacher will not allow the children to leave the classroom when cars are in the parking lot. From 9:10 to 2:40, the front gate is closed, so no vehicles can use the front parking lot. If you come later, please use the side parking area. NLIS is determined to keep all children safe from harm; this is just one way to ensure this goal. Please see the Child Protection Policies on www.nliskofu.com for more details on school safety protocol at New Life International School.
First Grade Supplies:
If you have any questions about the supplies for the 1st grade, the list is on the website. Go to “Activities” and scroll down to “Supply Lists 2024-2025.” Parents may find most of the supplies at any 100-yen shop.
First Week:
Classes begin on Monday, April 8. The first three days are from 9:00 to 12:00. The school opens at 8:40. There is no lunchtime, so please have your child bring a healthy snack and water or tea. The first three days help the children become accustomed to their new environment in the classroom. Students have fun, engaging activities to help the teachers assess the students’ levels of learning, separate all the supplies, get to know their students, and give time for the students to gradually become more comfortable with their new teacher, their classmates, and in an only English atmosphere.
Regular classes will begin Thursday, April 11, from 9:00 to 3:00. Students should bring a healthy snack, an Obento lunch, and a water bottle. The school has two Obento deliveries that the parent orders and pays directly. The companies deliver fresh Obento lunches to the school. Bear’s Café may be done in English. The information about the Obento companies is on the school website.
Japanese classes will begin on Thursday. Japanese is on Mondays through Thursdays, from 9:00 to 9:45, so please have your child come to school a few minutes early to school. First grade learn all hiragana, katakana, and some Kanji. The teacher only speaks Japanese, and all the children learn very quickly.
If you have questions or concerns, please speak to your child’s teacher, office staff, or the principal.
God bless you!
Suzy Brown,
Principal of NLIS