OCSI Connections 2024 Winter Edition

OCSI

CONNECTIONS

CONTENTS From the Head of School’s Desk

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Elementary Principal Update

03

Secondary Principal Update

08

Director of Teaching and Learning Update

11

Athletic Department Update

17

Business Director Update

25

Operations Director Update

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Christmas Celebration

Homecoming Winter PTF Highlights

OCSI CONNECTIONS -2024 Winter Edition OKINAWA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL 1835 Zakimi, Yomitan, Okinawa 904-0301 Japan www.ocsi.org | info@ocsi.org EXCEL GROW SERVE The OCSI Connections is published by the Okinawa Christian School International

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From the

HEAD OF SCHOOL’S DESK Welcome Back to School in 2024 As we begin a new year at Okinawa Christian School International, it is essential to remind ourselves of the core values that define who we are as a Christian international school. Our values of Excellence, Growth, and Service are not just words on paper; they are the guiding principles that shape our mission to equip students to walk with Jesus and impact the world for Him. Excellence: At OCSI, we continually strive for excellence in all we do. We believe that when we excel in our academics, extracurricular activities, and character development, we bring glory to God. Encourage your children to set high standards for themselves, seek excellence in their studies, and embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.

Growth: Growth is a natural part of life, and as a Christian community, we emphasize spiritual growth above all else. Encourage your child to engage in daily prayer, scripture reading, and reflection to foster their personal relationship with Jesus. Our teachers, principals, chaplain and counselor are here to support you and your child, so please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Service: Serving others is at the heart of the Christian faith. As a school, we are committed to instilling a spirit of service in our students. Encourage your child to engage in service opportunities both within and outside the school community.

As we move into a new year, let us remember that OCSI’s mission goes beyond academic achievement; it is about nurturing a strong foundation of faith in our students. Together, as a school community, we can inspire and support each other. Exciting things are happening at OCSI as we enter the new year and the board and leadership team are committed to continuous improvement of the campus, facilities, and academic program. Our new secondary science lab is ready for students to learn in, a new elementary playground is on its way this summer, and we look forward to expanded facilities in the coming years.

Thank you for being a part of the OCSI community. Your commitment to these values and our mission is what makes our community truly special.

In His Service, Megan Roe Head of School

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Elementary Principal

Update Sarah Turner

A job well done to all the elementary students for officially making it through the first half of the school year! Get ready, because the 2nd half of the year is just as much or even MORE busy than the 1st half was!

At OCSI, we want students to excel in academics which is why we teach, give assessments, assignments, projects, homework and everything else that comes with academics.

But we also want students to be equipped to serve. This starts by serving each other in the classroom by showing respect and kindness to their classmates. From the classroom, we then want to expand out to our community, country, and finally to the world so that we can equip our students to impact the world for Jesus!

UPCOMING EVENTS

5th graders will be taking a trip to Okinawa World 1/26 Kindergarteners and 1st graders will go Carrot Harvesting 2/9&2/16 4th and 5th graders will be going to Elementary Camp 3/19-21 3-5th graders will be showcasing what they learned from their Culture Projects 3/15 Elementary will be celebrating the Week of Reading with various dress up days. 3/11-15 1-2nd graders will be shopping and working at Kid City 3/22 Feb 23rd will be Kite Day and Parent Observations. We invited all parents to come and take a peak into what a normal school day looks like and to see the teachers and students in action!

After that, please stay to fly kites together with your child(ren) on the OCSI soccer field!

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Elementary

Celebrating

Thanksgiving "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The 1st and 2nd graders celebrated Thanksgiving by engaging in games, crafts, songs, and activities on practicing thankfulness.

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Elementary

Learning Trips 1st Grade Trip to Comprehensive Park 2nd Grade Learning Trip to Neo Park 3rd Grade Learning Trip to Botanical Gardens 4th Grade Learning Trip to Kin Nature Walk 5th grade trip to go Ice Skating

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Secondary Principal

Update Dan Pallmann

The second quarter is a really busy time with midterm exams and many other special events.

In addition, many students are completing college applications and registering for SAT tests. While we know the importance of academics, we also value things that can be experienced outside of the classroom.

Middle Scho

ol Science

Stem Projec

t.

The following pages will have more details about some of the extra activities our students have been involved with: Learning Trips (MS & HS) Service Opportunities (MS & HS) Thanksgiving Activities (HS) Christmas Program (MS & HS) Spirit Week (MS & HS) Athletics, including the Boys Basketball Team and the Cheerleading Squad We are super proud of our Basketball team as they were invited to participate in Far East this year (1/29-2/1).

UPCOMING Coming UpEVENTS

Making and we

dging clay, MS

Art Class

January 24th - End of 2nd Quarter January 31st - Report Cards emailed out February 20th - NO SCHOOL March 20th - Parent Teacher Conference day - No school for students March 25-29 - Spring Break (No School)

Graduation Information Friday, 6/7/2024 Yomitan Otori Hall at 7pm Senior Information Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13uszr7hVj8HzTGY2M9fNxi9ncdSMpRT/view?usp=sharing

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Calligraphy - High School Japanese

Class

Learning

Opportunities

The Kyuyo Senior High School- OCSI Science exchange project : International STEAM Challenge in Okinawa 2023

Fishing Experience

Marine Biology Class: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Observation

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10/25-10/27/ 2023

Middle School Camp

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The Middle Schoolers had a great time going back to ECO Park this year for Middle School Camp. The theme for camp this year was “Faith, Hope, and Love” and was led by Pastor Alex Sartore from Kadena Fellowship Church. Over the course of the three days, the students had a wonderful time playing sports with their classmates, like volleyball, soccer, and kickball. They also had the opportunity to make small crafts and play board games with their friends. On the second day students had a great chance in pushing themselves and challenging the high ropes course located on the campus. The final night the students had a great time cooking and enjoying the BBQ, Campfire, and Student Skits. It was a wonderful time and a great experience for all the students and staff.

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Director of Teaching & Learning

Update Brad Skarin

Winter Highlight This break, although longer than usual, didn't just mean downtime for our dedicated teachers at OCSI. Seizing the opportunity during the extended vacation, a few faculty members spent time preparing training for the rest of us.

Monday, January 8th, while students were savoring their last day of vacation – the OCSI staff enthusiastically immersed themselves in professional development sessions, focusing on topics of their choosing.

The diverse range of subjects included "Fostering a Love of Reading," "Enhancing Bible Literacy," "Effective Classroom Management Strategies," and various discussions on leveraging technology to enhance instruction and work processes. These choices reflect our commitment to staying at the forefront of innovative teaching practices.

Our OCSI teaching team is truly exceptional, with each member contributing something valuable to the collective expertise. This collaborative spirit reminded me of how the church is supposed to function, where each part plays a role, adding value to the whole. The day was a fantastic blend of collaboration and mutual learning.

As professionals, we understand the importance of continuous growth and development. It is vital that we sharpen our skills and embody the mindset of lifelong learners. This commitment not only enhances our individual capabilities but enriches the educational experience we provide to our students.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

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Service

Opportunities

6th graders collected and wrapped gifts to send to the Philippines with their “Christmas in September” project.

9th & 10th graders will be serving at a local Day Service Center.

The visits with the elderly are a great opportunity for the younger and older folks to interact.

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in your power to act.”

Proverbs 3:27

We like to have our students give back to their communities and to others that are in need. Here are some of opportunties our students have already been involved with and there will be more later on during the year.

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High School

Thanksgiving Celebration

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Christmas

Celebration

Elementary Program “Jingle Bell Beach” Music Director: Emily Tuzi Theater Director: Lisa Sorley Acting Coaches: Lindi Claxton, Allison Serjeant, Justin Smith Set Design: Julie Woolery Pre-K & Kindergarten Program Director: Emily Tuzi

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The secondary performing arts students put on another wonderful Christmas program this year. The middle school class was challenged with singing in Latin and Spanish, but still got to show off their sillier side in their tongue twisters and skits. Instead of the usual group pieces, the high school class switched it up with a variety of solos (classical guitar, piano, dance) and even a flute/piano duet.

Finally, The Soaring Sounds made their debut as the new after-school ensemble for traditional music. Despite the unusual mix of instruments and small number of singers, they were able to play and sing challenging instrumental and choral works. The students even got to see our very own Mr. Mahaffie on trumpet and Mr. Smith on cello alongside them.

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GO! EAGLES!

ATHLETICS 17

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Basketball Go Eagles: Soar High!

Coach Grant Bartcher Asst. Coaches Paul Gsell & Julius Langford

For the second quarter we transitioned from Cross Country and Volleyball to Basketball and Cheerleading. The boy's team has had a competitive team this year thanks to the coaching of Head Coach Grant Bartcher and Asst. Coaches Julius Langford and Paul Gsell. Also, a big thank you to Ms. Rush for all her help with the score keeping this year. You all did a great job in assisting in the successful team building and success of this year’s boys basketball team.

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Cheerleading Go Eagles: Soar High!

SENIORS

Coach Jentry Graham Asst. Gymnastics Coach Mia Roe The OCSI Cheer Team has made each game come to life with such amazing school spirit!

Their cheers have made the crowd cheer louder, the team player stronger and their halftime routines have gained so many great comments from both the home and away teams as they leave those in awe at the level of talent they have. All the flips, kicks and stunts have been a delight to watch and it truly shows all the hard work and dedication they put forth every practice with an amazing coach that puts her whole heart into coaching them! Also, a huge thank you to Mia Roe who has shared her gymnastics experience with the team helping them learn and grow in that area.

Team Captains Jayla Langford & Mitsuo Kobayashi

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Homecoming Congratulations to all those students who were nominated by their peers to be part of the royal court. Congratulations to Jarin and Nanaho for being crowned Homecoming King and Queen.

Spirit Week Let's show our school pride

What an incredible week of school spirit we had in January! From themed dress-up days to exciting activities, it was a blast seeing everyone come together and show their OCSI pride. A massive shoutout to everyone who participated, whether it was dressing up, joining in the games, or simply cheering on your fellow students! Your enthusiasm made Spirit Week unforgettable! Thank you, student council, Mrs. Weber for making Spirit Week a tremendous success! Let's carry this positive energy forward into the rest of the school year!

Winter

PTF Highlights Big shoutout to all the amazing parents who took charge of the Christmas Market on 12/8.

Their hard work and dedication made the event a huge success. From coordinating activities to creating a festive atmosphere, their efforts did not go unnoticed. We're truly grateful for your commitment to making our school community special.

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Christmas

Market

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Business Director

Update Sosro Karsosoemo

OCSI's Strong Re-Enrollment Sets the Stage for Long-Term Vision and Strategic Planning Re-enrollment for the OCSI 2024-25 school year is proceeding exceptionally well, with over 95% of students from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 11 choosing to continue their education with us. This strong reenrollment rate highlights our school's positive impact on students' academic and developmental growth and underscores the trust families place in us.

In response to the year's financial challenges, including rising operational costs and inflation, we've made necessary adjustments to our tuition and fees for the upcoming school year. These changes, slightly higher than in previous years, are crucial for maintaining our standards in both academic and extracurricular programs.

Our approach to these adjustments includes a steady, planned increase in tuition over the next four years.

This methodical increment aims to balance the immediate need for enhancements with sustainable long-term growth. It's a strategic move to continue providing high-quality education and to invest in our school's future, focusing on both educational standards and facilities.ontinued involvement in the OCSI community.

We're committed to fair and equitable staff compensation, understanding its importance in recruiting and retaining qualified educators. This commitment not only helps in maintaining a high standard of education but also ensures that OCSI remains a viable long-term career destination for teaching professionals.

We understand the impact tuition increases can have on our families. To assist, we remind you of our financial aid program, available for those experiencing financial difficulties. We encourage interested families to reach out to our business office for more information on this program.

Your partnership in education is invaluable to us, and we are grateful for your continued involvement in the OCSI community.

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Operations Director

Update

Nick McQuillin

Embracing Growth Recognizing the need to meet our growing student body and community, we're embarking on the development of a comprehensive master plan. Over the forthcoming months, we're eager to share this master plan and introduce a substantial immediate upgrade to the playground equipment as well as increase the number of parking lot spaces.

Safety remains a top priority, and we're dedicated to further enhancing security measures and response across the campus. As part of our ongoing safety plan, improvements to emergency response systems, increased fencing, security team schedule, and more surveillance cameras will fortify a secure environment for everyone.

Our school is soon introducing Veracross, a student information system designed to make things simpler for everyone, both incoming and current families.

Veracross streamlines administrative tasks and enhances communication between parents and the school. This improvement is aimed at strengthening our partnership with parents, ultimately enriching the educational journey for students.

Moving forward, our vision surpasses immediate improvements.

We're strategically directing resources toward ongoing renovations, campus upgrades, and potential expansion of learning spaces. Our collective goal is to continuously enhance our learning environment, fostering a safe, welcoming, and innovative space for everyone.

Stay tuned for the upcoming edition of OCSI Connections, where we'll delve deeper into our projects for the coming year, providing more insight and details!

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1957 Established in

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570 students

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# of countries represented by our students

OCSI CONNECTIONS 2024 Winter Edition ©2024 Okinawa Christian School International. All Rights Reserved. www.ocsi.org | info@ocsi.org