Boarding & Commuting

I heard that the campus is closed and you switched to online classes due to the rising concerns of COVID-19. How are the classes run?

As many of the parents live outside of the United States, the School has for many years had a strong Intranet to connect the School and families. Therefore, transitioning into online classes was fairly smooth. The timetable is fixed from Monday to Saturday in Japanese Standard Time and we use both Zoom and Google Classroom to conduct an interactive online learning experience. For students who live in different time zones, teachers will be in contact individually for support.

★ Boarding and Commuting

Do we need to live in the houses?

The great majority of students are boarders and the school runs as a boarding school, but we do have about 30 day students (commuters).

How many students are in a room?

There are two students per room.

How are the roommates in the houses decided?

The School will decide the roommates for incoming students. For those who are currently enrolled, the students will submit their own choice of roommates and the School will decide with consideration.

Can we/you go off campus?

You will need special permission to go off campus on week days. On weekends, there are certain towns close to Keio, White Plains and Harrison, where students can visit without chaperones. With prior permission from parents, Grades 11&12 can go to Manhattan without chaperones. There are off-campus study trips to the museums and shopping tours regularly sponsored by the School.

Who takes care of the students in the houses?

The Head of House is your house parent. He or she is assisted by a Boarding Assistant adult. There are 50 students in each house, spread through Grades 9-12. In case of health issues, the Heath Center is open from 7:00 to 24:00 on the week days, 8:00 to 18:00 on Saturdays, and 12:00 to 18:00 on Sundays.

Do the students do laundry and clean the houses on their own?

Students clean their own rooms and the janitors take care of shared spaces like hallways and shower rooms. Students do their own laundry in the houses free of charge.

Do the students need to leave the house during long vacations?

Yes, the houses are closed during vacations.

How do the commuters commute to school?

Commuters can commute to school via private cars or school buses. If you are using a private car, the car may only be driven by parents. Students are not allowed to drive on their own. The availability of school buses depends on the school district of where you live.

When can students resume to live in the houses as the campus is now closed?

With the safety and well-being of our students as the top priority, we are hoping to reopen the houses in January 2021. Until then, we are continuing our interactive online classes so the transition will be seamless. Staff from the houses will also be supporting the students with pastoral care.