OCSI Connections 2023 Fall Edition. by Okinawa Christian School International

2023 FALL EDITION

OCSI CONNECTIONS

WELCOME BACK

TO SCHOOL

OCSI Connections SY 2023-2024 | Fall www.ocsi.org

Table of Contents

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL’S DESK

ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL UPDATE

SECONDARY PRINCIPAL UPDATE

COLLEGE & CAREER FAIR

Director of Teaching & Learning Update

ATHLETIC DEPERTMENT

12 2ND GRADE: BEFORE HEADING TO THE FIELD TRIP

WELCOME TO OCSI

STUDENT CARE TEAM

BUSINESS OFFICE UPDATE

OPERATIONS UPDATE

First Day of School

HIGH SCHOOL ART CLASS

HIGH SCHOOL MUSIC CLASS

Okinawa Christian School International

FROM THE

HEAD OF SCHOOL'S DESK MEGAN ROE

Dear OCSI Community, As the Head of School at Okinawa Christian School International, it's both my privilege and responsibility to keep our community informed about important developments. I'm excited to share insights into an upcoming milestone for our school - our accreditation self-study with the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), under the new INSPIRE protocol. The accreditation process aligns perfectly with our school's core values of excellence, growth, and service, and reinforces our mission to equip students to walk with Jesus and impact the world for Him. INSPIRE is more than just a name; it embodies our mutual commitment to continuous school improvement. This process of self-examination is essential in our ongoing pursuit of excellence and growth. It's not just about meeting standards; it's about consistently and effectively exceeding them. It's not just about accreditation; it's about enhancing our educational environment for every family in our community. Our aim is clear: to continue providing a nurturing and Christ-centered environment where students not only receive a top-notch education but also grow in their walk with Jesus. By undergoing this self-study through the INSPIRE protocol, we are not merely checking boxes; we are actively seeking ways to enhance the student experience and our overall school community. INSPIRE is about school improvement—a commitment to becoming the best version of ourselves as an educational institution. Thank you for being an essential part of our OCSI family. Together, we are equipping students to walk with Jesus and impact the world for Him. Blessings, Megan Roe P.S. Stay tuned for more updates on our INSPIRE accreditation self-study in the coming months. Our readiness visit is scheduled for December and the full team will join us in April. Your continued prayers and encouragement mean the world to us as we strive for continuous improvement in service to our students.

Elementary

e t a d p U Principal Sarah Turner

Elementary Sarah Turner

Learning to Read VS Reading to Learn Recently, I lead an Elementary Curriculum Coffee Talk to parents describing the different learning that takes place and it even helped me to see all the learning that takes place at OCSI in a new light. K-2nd grade students are “Learning to Read” that’s why there is so much focus on phonics, getting students to read independently, and lots of teacher directed math and reading centers. But when a student reaches 3-5th grade, a switch happens. The students are no longer learning to read, they are now “Reading to Learn.” With spelling tests, science, social studies, even math and Bible, students are now required to read the information to learn facts, to evaluate information, to communicate by presenting, and to create projects.

Whether your child is in the “learning to read” stage or in the “reading to learn” stage, thank you for your partnership as we continue to encourage OCSI students to excel in academics, grow as learners, and be equipped for service.

Fun Learning Events Learning Trips are off to a great start! For the month of October, we had trips for various grade levels to Comprehensive Park, Neo Park, Nature Mirai to explore the mangroves, and Southeast Botanical Gardens. We have many more learning trips scheduled for 2nd Quarter PreK students took a learning trip to the school office. One highlight was the Health Room where Dr. Rodriguez taught the students about the different instruments she uses, about safety and hygiene, and about the careers of doctors and nurses. This trip may have inspired some future doctors and nurses! After school clubs and lessons are off to a great start as well! We have over 100 elementary students signed up for a variety of clubs including ballet, English conversation, Young Engineers, coding, crafts, choir, and more!

Secondary

e t a d p U Principal Dan Pallmann

Secondary Dan Pallmann

Back to school While it was nice to have Summer Break, it feels good to be back in school. Students have been getting used to new classes and classmates-- there are a few new teachers as well!

Students in grades 9-11 recently took either the PSAT or the NMSQT. 9th graders take the PSAT, or Preliminary SAT. 10th & 11th graders take the NMSQT, or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. This exam helps students who are US citizens become eligible for the National Merit Scholarship. This year two OCSI students received Letters of Commendation and one became a semi-finalist for the scholarship. Both of these tests help to prepare students for taking the SAT. While the SAT is not always required (check university requirements), it is highly recommended for students to take.

We have had a busy start to the year; here are a couple highlights: Both Middle and High school started off the year with their "Friendship Friday" activities. These events serve to not only welcome new students to our family, but to help students get to know each other better. Fall Sports have begun as well. Over 20 students joined our Cross Country team with several posting personal best times. Our Girl’s Volleyball team has been working hard this year as well and have earned an invite to the Far East Tournament! The girls worked hard to earn most of the cost of this trip. Thank you all for donating!

COLLEGE & CAREER FAIR

2023

We were so excited to be able to once again host a college and career fair here on the OCSI campus. We welcomed almost 40 organizations and more than 600 visitors from all over the world to our campus for the day. Thank you to all of the staff, parents, volunteers, teachers, and students for making this event such a great success. We look forward to growing this event more in the coming years!

g in n r a e L & g in h c a e T f o r o t c e Dir Brad Skarin

Professional Learning Communities This academic year, the Secondary Department is actively engaged in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). Within this framework, Middle and High School educators in each department meet to collaboratively set goals aimed at enhancing our instructional approach for students. These PLC sessions provide a platform for teachers to exchange successful classroom practices, establish standardized assessments, deliberate on differentiation techniques, and refine vertical alignment across their respective disciplines. By participating in PLCs, our teachers are dedicated to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and ensuring the delivery of high-quality education to our students.

This year, the primary emphasis of the Elementary PLCs is on analyzing student data, with the intention of utilizing the findings to enhance instructional strategies within teacher’s classrooms. The Elementary teachers are divided into distinct upper and lower elementary divisions to facilitate more focused and tailored group collaboration, taking into consideration the unique developmental needs and age differences of their students. Teachers set individualized objectives for their classes, monitor their progress, and collectively maintain a culture of mutual accountability, fostering an environment of continuous growth and learning.

300

200

OCSI

100

USA INTL

MAP Reading Scores (Fall 2023) 250 200 150 100 OCSI

50 0

USA

Elementary and secondary students in grades 3-11 completed the MAP Testing for the Fall. MAP scores are one of many measures of student progress. Overall, we were pleased to see so many students exceeding the projected growth. *Please note: Current Data available at the time of this publication was Fall 2020 USA and Fall 2021 International scores.*

INTL

MAP TESTING

MAP Math Scores (Fall 2023)

ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT AGLES, It has been an absolute blessing being part of the OCSI Family as the Athletic Director so far this year. I have had the chance to watch our student athletes practice and compete with such dedication, tenacity, grace, and honor for the sport they are participating in. Individual and team growth has been a huge part of their team building experience. I am so proud of them all and I look forward to helping them grow as a team by providing them with opportunities to practice and play.

Veronica Hernandez Athletic Director

I would also like to express a huge thank you to our coaches for their ability to coach our student athletes in more than just the sport but in life as well as and impart on them how to humbly take life’s wins and losses and learn from them. Communication has been a fundamental and essential part in creating and fostering team cohesion this year and it continues to grow as they grow as a team. The support of the parents, staff, fellow classmates and all who come out to the games and meets to cheer them on, helps to create such an enthusiastic feeling that our teams are filled with and are encouraged by! Isaiah 40:31 reminds us that when we place our hope in the Lord we will renew our strength and we will then be able to soar on wings like eagles, as well as run without growing weary and walk without becoming faint. This is a great reminder as we face all of life’s challenges on and off the fields and courts. Again, thank you all for allowing me to be a part of these OCSI Athletic adventures and I look forward to seeing you all cheering in the crowd or playing in a sport! Let’s Go EAGLES!

2023 OCSI Fall Athletics XC & Volleyball

Volleyball OCSI Girls Volleyball enjoyed a highly competitive and extraordinary season. Transitioning back into a true sense of athletics has truly been a blessing for our girls. There was a huge turnout for volleyball, and we have had multiple opportunities to engage in actual organized games. These girls demonstrated the importance of teamwork on and off the court and the passion necessary to truly be competitive. Their passion and excitement was contagious and the support from the community allowed for their season to be truly successful. The end of season tournament was an amazing experience for these girls and allowed them to showcase their growth from the beginning of the season. Varsity made it to the finals and lost the tournament by only two points in an extremely intense match, awarding them second place. JV also did well coming in 4th place. This showed the amazing talent among our athletes, especially as our middle school students competed with and against other high school students.

Jentry Graham & Jenasy Long Coach and Assistant Coach

Cross Country The 2023 OCSI Cross Country team has enjoyed a great season this year competing with DODEA schools. This year's team, just like all cross country teams in the past, has shown that it takes a little quirkiness, guts and mental toughness to be a part of a team that runs for fun week by week and then competes in a 5km run. I believe that Cross Country running is the hardest sport that a school can offer because of how mentally and physically taxing it is on the body. It takes a lot to be a student-athlete because it’s extra work outside of regular school time too. This season our runners have seen dramatic improvements in their 5km races. Each Meet our runners are getting pr’s(personal records). Some students improving by 3 to 4 minutes. Our fastest runner Andy Qi, a sophmore, ran a 18:14 for his fastest run. He has a lot of potential to get into the 1700s and even lower in the next couple of years. Our fastest girl is Kano Ikehara. This was her first year running and I am so proud of all of her efforts! We also had a breakout runner this year in Caiden Cloud. On one of the last races of the season Caiden ran a 20:48 which was a personal best by 2 minutes. Next year we have the potential to qualify for Far East. I would love to be able to send a team there for the final tournament.

Thomas Mahaffie & Jamie Garcia Coach & Assistant Coach

Welcome to OCSI! NANCY SALZGABER KINDERGARTEN TEACHER

JAPANESE TEACHER

KEIKO KARSOSOEMO KINDERGARTEN TA

JESSICA SARTORE ELEMENTARY TA

JENNY HARTFORD 3RD GRADE TEACHER

LYDIA LOGAN ELEMENTARY ART TEACHER

CYNTHIA MASSENGALE ADMISSIONS COORDINATOR

JUSTIN SMITH

SILVANO KUBO

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

STUDENT CARE TEAM

Our student care team provides a variety of services to our school community including college counseling, pastoral counseling, emotional counseling, and referral services. These are available by appointment or drop-in.

MR. DANIEL CLAXTON Testing Coordinator danielclaxton@ocsi.org Coordination of SAT and ACT exams Coordination of AP exams Support with information about colleges in Japan

MRS. NORAH LOPEZ School Counselor norahlopez@ocsi.org MR. ANDY ROE Chaplain andyroe@ocsi.org Spiritual and pastoral counseling and support to students, parents, staff, and the OCSI community as a whole Weekly chapel services for all students

Child Safety Team Leader Emotional counseling and referral services Student Strengths Assessment. Support College and Career Counselor

MRS. VERONICA HERNANDEZ College Counselor veronicahernandez@ocsi.org College and Career Counseling, College Information Sessions for students and parents, College visit Coordinator, Advise students with 4 year plans

Thanksgiving serves as a special occasion for expressing gratitude and appreciation. Researchers from Harvard, after an extensive analysis of multiple peerreviewed studies, have discovered that engaging in consistent acts of gratitude, such as prayer or maintaining a gratitude journal, significantly contributes to elevated levels of happiness and overall well-being. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Says Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. “Give thanks in all circumstances”, this seems impossible, life is full of problems and challenges, However, it is important to notice we are not supposed to give thanks for all things, but in all circumstances. No matter what trials we may be facing, there are plenty of reasons to give thanks! God’s grace, promises, presence, and salvation through Jesus, just to name a few. OCSI’s school counseling program provides academic, personal, and social support to students to meet their needs so they can be successful. This year we’ve met with individuals to help them create and work towards personal goals, small groups for problem-solving and mediation, and joined classrooms for lessons on growth mindset and managing emotions. We want to remind our students that one of the biggest predictors of school success is attendance! Let’s do our best to be at school, be on time, and be prepared to learn each day. Several families took part in the Step Up Challenge hosted by TELL for suicide awareness. This campaign created awareness and support in observance of suicide awareness month. A giant and heartfelt thank you to those who participated and let’s continue to pray for those whose lives have been impacted by suicide.

Student Care Team Update

To start the year off in chapel, we have looked at some of the parables that Jesus taught. Looking at big questions that Jesus addressed; who is my neighbor? How many times should I forgive my brother? What type of heart am I going to have towards the gospel and others? Parables are interesting to learn from, they are simple stories, but when we think deeply about them, we can gain insight into God’s character and God’s expectations. Our pre-schoolers started the school year learning about creation, and how God spoke everything into existence.

Business Updates Sosro Karsosoemo

The OCSI Business Office is always seeking ways to improve our services and to find ways to better support our students' wellbeing and education. Here are some exciting updates from the first quarter of this year: Health and Safety Measures Students' medical needs are now being taken care of by a full-time nurse on campus who is able to provide prompt medical attention as needed. Our staff has also undergone EPIPEN and CPR training to ensure we are prepared for emergencies. For students with specific health needs like asthma and allergies, we have developed tailored health management plans that reflect our commitment to supporting our Christ-centered community. Streamlining Operations for Enhanced Service We are implementing two new systems, Schrole and VeraCross, that will streamline our hiring and admissions processes, respectively. By aligning our invoicing system with the latest governmental regulations, we have improved billing transparency for services like Bus, Lunch, and Merchandise Pricing. These upgrades are a testament to our commitment to providing exceptional customer service and a nurturing environment for your children. We appreciate your continued support as we work together to enhance the OCSI experience for our families.

FACILITIES AND SAFETY UPGRADES In our ongoing efforts to improve and update the school's operations, we are pleased to share our progress with the community. Over the summer, we have achieved significant milestones in the areas of facilities and safety enhancements. This includes the installation of four new lights in the parking lot and the completion of one-third of the planned classroom renovations, featuring new flooring, fresh paint, updated furniture, and the replacement of whiteboards. Additionally, we've diligently worked on safety enhancements, which involved installing outdoor walkways and stairs with new railings and a fresh coat of paint.

SERVICES AND TECH ADVANCEMENTS In our commitment to providing the best services for our students, we are proud to have the addition of a new bus, ensuring the comfort and safety of our students. Within our lunchroom, we have reintroduced water and tea options to enhance our lunch service. In the realm of technology, we've invested in the future of our teaching staff and students by providing 35+ new MacBooks, 170+ new Chromebooks, and installing five new 65" flat screens in some classrooms. We remain dedicated to the ongoing enhancement of our school's learning environment and eagerly anticipate sharing further updates as our projects continue to progress.

Operations Updates Nick McQullin

OKINAWA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL 1835 Zakimi, Yomitan, Okinawa 904-0301 Japan www.ocsi.org | info@ocsi.org TEL 098-958-3000 / +81-98-958-3000 (International) Fax 098-958-6279 / +81-98-958-6279 (International) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------