Weekly Update, Monday, 2 February, 2026

Dear all,

Welcome to the wonderful winter month of February! The bright skies and cold, brisk mornings seem set to continue this week, and we can only hope for a few random snowflakes to drift all the way to Rokko Island.

Last week was busy, in the best way, with the always intriguing and inspiring Grade 1 Living Library, continued SEEDS work, and we finished the week with the wonderful Grade 4 and 5 concert. What a great way to celebrate the end of the first month of 2026!

A big thank you to both Rebecca and Dr. Kite for keeping our office up and running so smoothly during Remi’s absence. We are very excited to have Remi back!

This week, we will get together again on Tuesday morning to look ahead to the month to come and what the start of March will bring. On Wednesday, we will have an opportunity to reflect on WIN time and how it has supported learning so far, and what we might want to consider as we plan the WIN model for the coming school year. We will also share an update on the 2026–2027 facilities plans and how they may impact the Elementary School this spring, and especially as we begin next school year.

We will come together on Thursday to celebrate the ES community in our assembly, and finish the week with the always jaw-dropping CA Talent Show, showcasing both familiar and new talents from across the school in support of the Chemo House.

Enjoy the start of February!

Katie, Erin, and Heikki

Rainy Day #	Classrooms & Commons	Classrooms & Commons	Library & MakerSpace	ELAC Gym
First Rainy Day	Grade 1	Grades 2&3	Grade 4	Grade 5
Second	Grades 2&3	Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 1
Third	Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 1	Grades 2&3
Fourth	Grade 5	Grade 1	Grades 2&3	Grades 4
Fifth	Grade 1	Grades 2&3	Grade 4	Grade 5

Soccer Rotation

Grades 1,2 & 3	Grades 4&5	Grades 1,2 & 3	Grades 4 & 5	No Soccer
Mondays	Tuesdays	Wednesday	Thursdays	Fridays

Day	Morning	Afternoon
Mon, Feb 2 Day 3
Tue, Feb 3 Day 4	7:50 Tuesday Morning Briefing (Library)
Wed, Feb 4 Day 5		Wednesday Learning: WIN Time sharing and reflections Facilities update
Thur, Feb 5 Day 1	ES Assembly
Fri, Feb 6 Day 2		6 pm Chemo House Talent Show

Future Dates: Feb 12 Positive Parenting Workshop Feb 16-17 February Break

Weekly Update, Monday, 26 January, 2026

Dear colleagues,

As we head into the final week of January, we’re greeted by Japan’s brisk, sunny winter days, fresh air, bright skies, and that energizing feeling of a new week full of possibilities.

This week brings a wonderful mix of learning and community moments: our SEEDS meeting on Wednesday, and the Grades 4 and 5 concert and art exhibition on Friday, alongside the rich learning happening in every classroom each day. Student artwork will be displayed in the Atrium throughout the week, and on Wednesday morning, our Grade 1 students will visit the Living Library.

A big thank you to Megan Graff for inviting and hosting the wonderful Andy Wright and creating such a memorable storytelling experience for our students last Thursday. It was a refreshing and powerful reminder of the joy and connection that come from live storytelling, especially in a world where so much of what we consume is digital.

Thank you to Rob and the PTA team for ending last week with a fantastic Shinnenkai celebration. It was a pleasure to connect with parents and alumni, and to celebrate the strength and spirit of our community.

Finally, Remi will be away this week, so please support Rebecca and Yuri however you can as they help keep everything running smoothly in the ES office.

Let’s make it a great week full of warmth, purpose, and learning.

Katie, Erin, and Heikki

Rainy Day #	Classrooms & Commons	Classrooms & Commons	Library & MakerSpace	ELAC Gym
First Rainy Day	Grade 1	Grades 2&3	Grade 4	Grade 5
Second	Grades 2&3	Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 1
Third	Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 1	Grades 2&3
Fourth	Grade 5	Grade 1	Grades 2&3	Grades 4
Fifth	Grade 1	Grades 2&3	Grade 4	Grade 5

Soccer Rotation

Grades 1,2 & 3	Grades 4&5	Grades 1,2 & 3	Grades 4 & 5	No Soccer
Mondays	Tuesdays	Wednesday	Thursdays	Fridays

Day	Morning	Afternoon
Mon, Jan 26, Day 7		(Officially 2nd semester starts)
Tue, Jan 27, Day 8
Wed, Jan 28 Day 9	Grade 1 Living Library	Wednesday PD:  SEEDS
Thur, Jan 29 Day 1
Fri, Jan 30, Day 2		Grade 4 & 5 Music and Art Concert

Future Dates: Feb 3 (Tue) Setsubun Feb 3 (Tue) ES Faculty February Briefing Feb 5 (Thu) ES Assembly Feb 6 (Fri) Chemo House - Talent Show Feb 16-17 February Break

Weekly Update, Monday, 19 January, 2026

Dear colleagues,

Thank you all for a wonderful start to the spring term, welcoming returning and new students to campus, and launching into exciting new learning. Having Mark Church with us to reflect on the messages we send about learning was a powerful and inspiring way to continue building a Culture of Thinking as we design for learning and engage with our students every day.

Those who participated in the Acadience training gained valuable experience assessing reading fluency and collecting data to support the WIN organization. This work will also provide important insights to share during three-way conferences.

This week begins with our Tuesday morning briefing, giving us an opportunity to look ahead to January and February and begin planning for upcoming milestones. In the afternoon, after school, Jen Clark will lead a session on the policies and practices we are developing to prevent Identity-Based Harm.

On Wednesday, we will dedicate time to reflecting on our recent units of learning and identifying opportunities for deeper transdisciplinary connections and collaboration between homeroom teams, specialists, and grade levels.

On Thursday, we will welcome visiting author Andy Wright, who will inspire our young writers in the Elementary School. We will finish the week with the Shinnenkai party organized by the PTA. We hope everyone can join the evening to celebrate the Year of the Horse and the exceptional community that makes all we do possible every day.

Let’s have a wonderful week!

Katie, Erin, and Heikki

Rainy Day #	Classrooms & Commons	Classrooms & Commons	Library & MakerSpace	ELAC Gym
First Rainy Day	Grade 1	Grades 2&3	Grade 4	Grade 5
Second	Grades 2&3	Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 1
Third	Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 1	Grades 2&3
Fourth	Grade 5	Grade 1	Grades 2&3	Grades 4
Fifth	Grade 1	Grades 2&3	Grade 4	Grade 5

Soccer Rotation

Grades 1,2 & 3	Grades 4&5	Grades 1,2 & 3	Grades 4 & 5	No Soccer
Mondays	Tuesdays	Wednesday	Thursdays	Fridays

Day	Morning	Afternoon
Mon, Jan 19 Day 2
Tue, Jan 20 Day 3	7:50 January Faculty Briefing - Library 8:45 AI in the Elementary School, Parent Workshop	15:30-16:30 Identity-Based Harm Workshop for faculty and staff
Wed, Jan 21 Day 4		14:40 16:30 Unit reflection, transdisciplinary learning planning BBT
Thur, Jan 22 Day 5	Visiting Author Andy Wright	Visiting Author Andy Wright
Fri, Jan 23 Day 6		18:30 - Shinnenkai New Year’s Party

Future Dates: Jan 23 (Fri) PTA Shinnenkai Party (New Year Celebration on Campus, evening event) Feb 3 (Tue) Setsubun Feb 3 (Tue) ES Faculty February Briefing Feb 5 (Thu) ES Assembly Feb 6 (Fri) Chemo House - Talent Show Feb 16-17 February Break Feb 30th Grade 4 & 5 Concert