OCSI Connections 2024 Spring Edition

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SPRING EDITION SPRING EDITION
Fun to learn! Field trips can be so much fun for students!

Editors

LeadershipTeam

MeganRoe

SarahTurner

DanPallmann

BradSkarin

SosroKarsosoemo

NickMcquillin

Teacher/Staff

DanCusumano

DanielClaxton

DavidKim

AndyRoe

BobReed

JessicaSartore

PhotoContributors

ManamiAoki

AndrewLogan

TommyMahaffie

KeikoMizoguchi

MichalRuiz

AmmieRulida

JessicaSartore

MeganSnow

JodyStelly

DeenaVardhini

KathleenWeber

GraphicDesign

KeikoMizoguchi

EditorialInquires

Dual-accredited private Christian school (PK-12) in Okinawa, Japan
EQUIPPING STUDENTS TO WALK WITH JESUS AND IMPACT THE WORLD FOR HIM.
OCSI CONNECTIONS -2024 Spring 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 Okinawa Christian School International info@ocsi org
5 – Megan Roe FromtheHeadofSchool’sDesk 6 – Sarah Turner ElementaryPrincipalUpdate 10 – Dan Pallmann SecondaryPrincipalUpdate 16 – Brad Skarin TeachingandLearningDirectorUpdate 26 – Sosro Karsosoemo BusinessDirectorUpdate 27 – Nick McQuillin OperationsDirectorUpdate TABLE OF CONTENTS 17 – Andy Roe ChaplainUpdate 18 – Bob Reed ArtatOCSI 19 – Dan Cusumano Woodshop 20 – Jessica Sartore FromGuidanceCounselor 22 – Daniel Claxton FromTestingCoordinator 24 – David Kim AthleticsUpdate 28 MessagefromAlumni

STAY CONNECTED

DON’TMISSOUT! CONTACTUS!

Whetheryougraduatedfiveyearsagoorfiftyfiveyearsago,wewantOCSItobeacontinuing partofyourlife

ConnectwithOCSI!

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MessagefromAlumni Ifyoucouldshare withuswhatyouhavebeenupto,please contactusatinfo@ocsiorgwithyouryear ofgraduationfromOCSIandarecent photo

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Fromthe

HEAD OF SCHOOL’S DESK

ACSI/WASCACCREDITATIONVISIT

ExcitementisbuildingatOkinawaChristianSchoolInternationalasweprepareforasignificant milestoneinourjourneyofeducationalexcellence:theupcomingaccreditationvisitinAprilwith ACSIandWASC.

OCSImaintainsdualaccreditationwithtwoaccreditingbodies-theAssociationofChristian SchoolsInternational(ACSI)andtheWesternAssociationofSchoolsandColleges(WASC) Accreditationisnotjustaformality;it'sarigorousself-studyprocessthatreflectsour commitmenttocontinuousimprovementandadherencetohighstandardsofeducation Italso providesanopportunityforusasaschooltoreflectonourpractices,celebrateour achievements,andidentifyareasforgrowth

OuraccreditationvisitinAprilwillinvolveateamofsixexperiencededucatorsandprofessionals whowillvisitourschooltoassessvariousaspects,includingcurriculum,teachingandlearning practices,studentsupportservices,andfacilities

Asweapproachthisimportantmilestone,Iwanttoassureyouthatwearediligentlypreparingto showcasetheexcellenceofOCSI Ourfacultyandsupportstaffhavebeenworkingtirelesslyto ensurethatourprogramsandpracticesalignwithourmissionandmeettheaccreditation standards.

Aswecountdowntotheaccreditationvisit,Iwanttoexpressmygratitudetoourentireschool communityforyoursupportanddedication YourcommitmenttoOCSIandourvaluesof excellence,growth,andserviceistrulyinspiring.

Together,letusapproachtheaccreditationvisitwithconfidence,knowingthatwehaveworked diligentlytoupholdthehigheststandardsofeducationalqualityandintegrity Ilookforwardto celebratingourachievementsandembarkingonthenextphaseofourjourneytogether.

Warmregards,

ELEMENTARY UPDATE

SarahTurner ElementaryPrincipal

ElementaryWeekofReading

AtOCSIWelovetocelebrateReading!

Dr.Seusssays:Themorethatyouread,the morethingsyouwillknow Themorethat youlearn,themoreplacesyou’llgo”

Readingisthefoundationofallother subjects-andaboveall,readingisfun!

FromMarch11-15th,theelementary studentscelebratedreadingbyhaving variousdressupdays,BuddyReadingwith asecondaryclass,aBookCharacter parade,areadingchallenge,andsomuch more!CollectivelytheOCSIElementary studentsreadforatotalof99,130minutes fromMarch1-15th

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Characterparade

Okinawa,Asia,&theWorld

TheKindergartnersand1stgraders participatedinaCarrotDiggingexperience atafarm5minutesawayfromOCSI

Formostof3rdquarter,1-5thgrade studentsspendtimebuildinguptoabig projectinMarch

The3-5thgradersworkonCultureFair, wheretheyareputintosmallgroupsand aregivenacountrytoresearch Theyhave toplanouttheirresearchanddecoratea trifoldpresentationboard.Thentheyhave towriteupapresentationonthecountry. OnMarch17th,the3-5thgraderspresented theircountriestotheyoungergradesand parents.Thisprojectsencompassesmany subjectsincludingsocialstudies,reading, writing,grammar,speaking,andmore!

The1-2ndgradersstartlearningaboutthe variousmembersofthecommunityin preparationforKidCity Thestudentslearn aboutwhathappensatvariousplaces aroundacityandpracticethe conversationsthathappenthere.OnKid Cityday,March22nd,thewholegymis convertedintoaminitownandthestudent taketurnsworking,aswellasshopping (withfakemoney),andpracticinggreat speakingskills!

ElementaryCamp CultureFair 5thGradeReadIn

3 R D Q U A R T E R H I G H L I G H T S

1stGradeFieldTrip
CarrotHarvesting KIDSCITY

ReadingBuddies

Oneofthebestpartsof beingaPK-12schoolis thechanceforourbig kidstospendtime readingwithourlittle kids Thankyoutoallof themiddleschool studentsforsharingyour loveofreadingonBuddy ReadingDay!

Thankyoutoallofthe OCSIfamilieswhocame outtohelpuscelebrate KiteDayandspendsome timeinyourchild’s classroom

Readingbuddy KiteDay KiteDay

SECONDARY UPDATE

DanPallmann

SecondaryPrincipal

TakingAdvantageofOpportunities

Wearealwayslookingforopportunitiestoenrichour students’livesandlearning Hereareacouplethings wehavebeenupto:

NHS

NewmembersoftheNationalHonorSocietywere inductedon3/12 Weexpectgreatthingsfrom thesefutureleaders!

HSCamp

HSCamptookplaceon3/13-3/15 Betweenthe SurvivalSkillsTraining,theObstacleCourse,and thepersonaltestimonies,itwasagreattimeof learningandbonding Seethepicturesinlater pages

LearningTrips

TheMarineBiologyClasslistenedtoalecture aboutseaturtlesinOkinawa Afterthelecture,they walkeddowntoSobeBeachandtheygaveusa demonstrationofhowtheorganizationlocates andprotectsthenestsandhowtheymarkand numbertheeggs

AMSJapaneseclassattendedalectureatOIST Thiswassurelyagreattestoftheircomprehension ability

ChamberSingers

WewereblessedtohavetheChamberSingers fromChristianAcademyJapancomeandperform twoconcertsforourstudents

10 Course Presentation
Chamber Singers from CAJ MS Japanese Class Field Trip to OIST

UpcomingEvents

Herearesomethingswearelookingforwardto:

PTC/Coursesfornextyearpresentation

On3/20,therewasapresentationforparents regardingchoosingcoursesfornextschool year

StudentswillreceiveCourseRequestFormsin earlyApriltomaketheirrequests Weareexcitedtobeofferingacouplenew coursesfornextschoolyear

NJHS

TheNationalJuniorHonorSocietywillholdits InductionCeremonyon4/3 Thisisanexciting andimportantopportunityforourMSstudents.

JR/SRBanquet

JuniorshavebeenbusyplanningtheJuniorSeniorBanquetforthisyear.Thebanquetwill beheldon4/26

MSBanquet

TheMSstudentswillhavetheirownbanquet on5/10atalocalhotel Thisisalwaysagreat chancetodressupandpracticegood ettiquette!

APExams

StudentsthathaveregisteredforAPExamswill taketheseimportantexamsbetween5/75/23. Theschedulewillcomeoutshortly.

MAPTesting

OurSpringMAPTestingwilltakeplace between5/23-5/31.Itisalwaysgoodtosee howmuchourstudentshavegrown academicallythroughouttheyear

Graduation

Classof2024Graduationisscheduledtotake placeonFridayevening,6/7,7pm@Yomitan OtoriHall

8thGradePromotionCeremony

Wewillcelebrateour8thGradersfinishingup middleschoolwithaPromotionCeremony ThisceremonywilltakeplaceonMonday,6/10, 2pm@YomitanSmallHall.

New NHS Inductees Lecture by Churamura Okinawa Sea Turtle Conservation Project Lecture by Churamura Okinawa Sea Turtle Conservation Project

3 R D Q U A R T E R H I G H L I G H T S

OCSIisproudtohaveestablisheda partnershipwithTELL,acounseling servicebasedinOkinawa Recently, wehadtheprivilegeofhostingDr Wakako,whodeliveredahighly informativesessionononlinesafety andaddressingonlinebullying This sessionwasparticularlybeneficial forourmiddleschoolers,providing themwithvaluableinsightsand knowledge Wearegratefulforthe opportunitytocollaboratewithsuch dedicatedprofessionalsin promotingasaferonline environmentforourstudents.

FirstAidandCPRDemonstration(HSHealthClass) Eachyear,wearefortunatetoreceivetrainingfromthe NiraiFireDepartment,whogenerouslydedicatetheirtime toeducatemanyofourOCSIstaffinfirstaidandCPR Additionally,theyextendtheirinvaluableexpertisetotrain ourstudentsinCPRonceayear Weexpressourdeepest gratitudefortheirongoingcommitmentandservice, whichplaysavitalroleinensuringthesafetyandwellbeingofourschoolcommunity

OCSIHighSchoolCamp

Highschoolstudentshadan amazingtwonightsand threedaysinIshikawafor HighSchoolCamp

Studentslearnedsurvivalskills fromMr Reed

BIG SHOUT OUT & & THANK YOU

ThankyouEVERYONEinvolvedwithour annualeventWalkathonparticipantsand donors,businesssponsors,PTF,parentsand families,vendors,staff,volunteers,board members,andanybodyelsewe're forgettinghere!Wecannotdothiswithout youandwearesogratefulthatit'sall comingtogether!Thisyear,PTFraised 1,776,295yentogotowardaDelta playgroundrefreshproject

Tocelebratethefactthatthestudentscollectively reachedthegoal,Ms TurnerandMr MacHaffie werewearingcrazycostumes

PTF
tto o
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AswereflectonthejoyousseasonofEaster,atimeofrenewal andcelebrationoftheresurrectionofJesusChrist,weextend ourdeepestgratitudetotheParent-TeacherFellowshipfortheir dedicationandhardworkinorganizingthisyear'sEasteregg huntforourelementarystudents Thiseventwasnotonlya delightfulexperienceforourchildrenbutalsoabeautiful reminderofthepromiseofnewlifeandhopethatEasterbrings WeareblessedtohavesuchanactiveandcaringPTF.Yourwork continuouslyenrichesourschool’sculture,makingitaplace wherefaith,love,andlearningflourishtogether Maythejoyof Easterfillyourheartsandhomesthisseason,andmaywe continuetocometogetherinsupportofourstudentsandtheir journeyinfaith

Thankyouonceagaintoeveryoneinvolved Welookforwardto manymoreopportunitiestocelebrateandgrowasa communityinChrist

EASTER EGG HUNT

SATURDAY MARCH23

TEACHING & LEARNING AT OCSI

DirectorofTeachingandLearning

Elementaryteachershavebeenworkinghardto improveourreadinginstruction.Thisincludesa newphonicscurriculumforK-2thatincorporates handsonlearningthroughmanipulatives,sound walls,anddecodablereadingtextsforeachgrade level.Teachershavealsobeencollaboratingto sharehowtheymeetthereadingneedsofour studentsthroughsmallgroupinstruction Wewere abletopurchasenewchapterbooksthrougha generousPTFdonationthatwillhelpusimprove ourreadingskillsthroughtargetedpractice We areexcitedtoseehowthesenewinitiativeswill helpourgrowingreaders!

SecondaryteachersatOCSIrecentlyparticipated inacomprehensivetrainingsession,ledbyMr Claxton,focusedoneffectivelyteachingstudents howtocitesourcesinMLAformat Recognizingthe importanceofinstillingthisessentialskillearlyon, ourcurriculumfollowsascaffoldedapproach In middleschool,studentsareintroducedtothe fundamentalsofproperformatting, understandingwhentocitesources,and incorporatingin-textcitations Astheyprogressto highschool,whereresearchreportsbecomemore prevalentacrosssubjects,studentsareexpected toattributecreditappropriately,evenoutsideof Englishclass Thistrainingequipsourteachers withtheknowledgeandtoolsnecessaryto supportstudentsinmasteringthiscriticalaspect ofacademicintegrityandscholarship.

BradSkarin
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TO KNOW, LIVE AND SHAR THE LOVE OF CHRIST

InMatthew25:35-40,Jesusteachesusthe importanceofservingotherswithcompassion andlove.AtOCSI,westrivetoinstillthisvaluein ourstudents,preparingthemtoservenotonly theircommunitybutalsoChristhimselfthrough theiractions

Recently,ourstudentshadtheopportunitytoput thisintopracticebyparticipatinginvarious serviceactivities TheyvisitedDayServiceAi, wheretheyinteractedwiththeelderlyand contributedtomuch-neededlandscapingwork.It washeartwarmingtoseeourstudents enthusiasticallygettingtheirhandsdirtyand engaginginmeaningfulconversationswiththe elderlyresidents,spreadingjoyandkindness.

Additionally,agroupofhighschoolstudents visitedtheIshikawaYouthCenter,acampsite utilizedforourelementaryandhighschool camps Theydedicatedtheirtimetoprovidea deepcleaningoftheoutdoorcookingarea,tent storagespace,andwindowsofthefacility,while alsotidyingupthesurroundingneighborhood. Theappreciationfromthecenter'sstaffwas evident,astheyexpressedgratitudeand welcomedtheideaofhavingourstudentsreturn nextyear.

Throughtheseserviceexperiences,ourstudents notonlycontributepositivelytotheir communitiesbutalsolearntheprofoundimpact oftheiractionsinmakingadifferenceinthelives ofothers

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AndyRoe Chaplain

ART AT OCSI

BobReed SecondaryArt

“AChristianshoulduse[the] artstothegloryofGod,notjust astracts,mindyou,butas thingsofbeautytothepraise ofGod Anartworkcanbea doxologyinitself” Francis Schaeffer

Learningavarietyofmethods andmediaenablesstudentsto explorenichesandlikessothat theymaybloomintotheartists Godintendedthemtobe

ThisyearHighSchoolArtI,II, MiddleSchoolArt,APArtHistory andindividualstudentsused God-giventalentstoproduce worksofartworthyof professionals TheArtShow providedanopportunityfor studentstobecome professionalartistsby participatinginanactual gallery“showing,”andselling selectedartwork

InFebruary,allHSart,arthistory andartclubstudentsgotto visitTeamLabinteractive installationartexhibit,andthe OkinawaPrefecturalArt Museum

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WOODSHOP

Learningwoodworkingcan beameaningfulwayto connectwithouridentityas creationsofGod By engagingintheprocessof creatingtangibleobjects withourhands,wecangain adeeperappreciationfor thecreativeabilitiesthat Godhasbestoweduponus. JustasGodistheultimate Creator,wetoohavethe capacitytocreateand bringbeautyintotheworld throughwoodworkingand otherformsof craftsmanship.Thishandsonpracticeallowsstudents toexploretheirown creativity,developnew skills,andappreciatethe intricatedetailsoftheworld aroundthem Ultimately, woodworkingcanserveas areminderofourunique roleasco-creatorswith God,shapingand transformingtheworldin beautifulandmeaningful ways.

DanCusumano WoodShop

GUIDANCE COUNSELOR UPDATE

JessSartore GuidanceCounselor

“WhointheworldamI? Ah,that’sthegreatpuzzle.”

Alice’sAdventuresinWonderland

AliceasksherselfthisquestionasshefindsherselfnotonlytryingtofigureoutWonderland,but also discovering who she is and how she fits into a big world that challenges not only her perspectivebutherverysenseofself.

IimagineourhighschoolstudentshavemuchincommonwithAlice Nolongerchildrenyetnot quite adults, they are being asked big questions about how they plan to fit into the world and whatcontributiontheyhopetomakefortherestoftheirlives.Thiscanbeadauntingquestion toanswer,butIamheretohelp!

One of the most foundational aspects of helping anyone outline their plan for the future is developing an accurate sense of self-awareness. If a student has no idea what their skills, talents, and/or interests are, it is difficult to move forward With that in mind, a starting point I recommendforallstudentsImeetwithistocompletetheAchieveWorksAssessmentsontheir Cialfoprofile

These assessments have been designed based on over 25 years of data and are written specificallyforhighschoolstudents Oncecompleted,eachassessmentprovidesaninteractive report detailing the student’s interests, personality traits, and learning styles, as well as a extensive list of careers and courses of study that are likely to be a good fit for that student. Their personal report will also detail their strengths and weaknesses as well as practical suggestionstohelpthemgrowinallareas

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Once their Cialfo Assessments are completed, I recommend students at this point in the school year focus on the following:

9th graders:

Continuetoengageinandtrackallyourextracurricularactivities

Developandutilizegoodstudyhabits.

Startconsideringhowyouplantopayforcollege

10th graders:

SeekoutvirtualcollegefaireventsandexplorecollegesonCialfo

ConsiderchallengingyourselfbysigningupforAPcourses

Continue engaging in extracurricular activities Pursue leadership positions or try somethingnew.

11th graders:

Startbuildingyourcollegelist!

Seekoutandparticipateinvirtualcollegefairs

Researchscholarshipopportunitiesandstartapplying

Fill out a brag sheet or Letter of Recommendation Questionnaire to submit when askingteachersforaRecommendationLetter.

12th graders:

Finish strong! Colleges may revoke your admission offer if your grades take a significantdip

Compare financial aid award letters from schools (there are tools to help you do this).Appealifyouthinktheofferdoesn’talignwithyourneeds.

Makeafinalcollegedecision

Continuetoapplyforscholarships

All grades:

Stayfocusedonkeepingyourgradesup Don’tlosesteamnow! Exploresummerprograms(locally,online,orabroad)thatmatchaninterestyou’d liketopursue.

Email me or schedule a meeting with me if you need any help! I am here as a resourceforyou

Parents/Guardians:

Registerasaguardiancontactonyourchild’sCialfoaccountsoyoucanstayupto dateontheircollegesearchandapplicationprocess.

Encourageyourchildtodotheirbest,praisingtheireffortandhardwork. Beinvolvedintheirlearningandschoolworkasmuchaspossible Betheirsafeplace,listener,andbiggestcheerleader

If you have any questions or need support, please contact me at jessicasartore@ocsi org

TESTING COORDINATOR UPDATE

More colleges are abandoning the SAT and other standardized tests from their applications However, standardized tests still play a significant role in the college application process because they can help strengthen a student's overall application Students with a weaker GPA or a lack of extracurriculars can take a standardized test to enhance their application. Similarly, students who already excel can further prove their achievements with high scores on standardized tests We offer the ACT and SAT at OCSI.

DoesmychildneedtotaketheSAT?

OCSI will offer the SAT six times for Academic Year 2024-2025 (August, October, November, December, March, and May). OCSI will also offer the ACT in October and February for Academic Year 2024-2025 Please keep in mind that both SAT and ACT registration is on a firstcome, first-serve basis. OCSI only hosts the SAT, and we cannot guarantee a spot for our own students due to the College Board’s non-discriminatory policy Given that testing opportunities in Okinawa are limited, seats may fill up sooner than expected Students are advised to register for the SAT and/or ACT well in advance.

As many of you know, the SAT is fully conducted on an electronic device, and the testing experience is significantly shorter All tests will be taken using the College Board's Bluebook App The test format and required materials differ from the previous paper tests, so please check the College Board's website for more information The SAT is held on the 2nd Floor of the Middle School Building. Students will need to bring their own electronic device, i e OCSI Chromebook, personal laptop, or personal tablet The ACT is held in Room 324, the computer lab (desktop computer) Both the ACT and SAT start tests at 8:00 AM SHARP, and latecomers are denied access Please make sure students arrive by 7:45 AM at the latest!

What to Expect: Please contact me for more information or support: danielclaxton@ocsi.org

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Senior Senior

GRADUATION EVENTS

FRIDAY,JUNE7TH

SENIOR WALK @ 8:45AM

We'llbehavingourveryownSeniorWalkon Friday,June7th!Ourunderclassmenalways lovewatchingtheseniorsparadethroughthe schoolintheircapsandgowns

Parents,pleasefeelfreetocomeandwatch withyourlittles!!!

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION @ 7:00 PM

Everyoneisinvitedtojoinusin celebratingtheclassof2024!Ifyouaren’t abletomakeit,wedoplanontakinga videooftheceremonyandthelinkwillbe sharedlater

ATHLETICS

Springishere,andsoissoccer!TheBoys’Soccerteamis3-1-1,withfourmatchesandtwotournaments leftontheregularseasonschedule Meanwhile,theladiesaresharpeningtheirskillsintheGirls’Soccer Club,aswebuildandconsolidateanathletepoolforaformalteamnextseason

MyforemostobservationthusfarasIsettleintoOCSIAthleticsisthecaliberofcharacterIseeinour Seniorathletepopulation Asweneartheendofthissportsseason,andtheschoolyearatlarge,I’ve askedsomeofourseniorstoreflectontheimpactofathleticsontheiracademicexperience Iamhopeful thatthelessonsofleadership,sportsmanship,andteamworkwillequipthemwellinthisnextseasonof life,toimpacttheworldforChrist!

JARINFERIDO

CALINAKANE

SEIYAOHKAWARA

Eversincemyeightgradeyear,I haveactivelyparticipatedinOCSI sports;Icanconfidentlysaythatit hasbeenoneofthebestchoices thatIhaveevermade Beingin sportsallowedmetobeactive andchallengemyselftoworkon mytimemanagementwhen tryingtobalancebothsportsand academics Furthermore,sports havealsoallowedmetoboth growasapersonandasaleader, growinmyrelationshipswith others,andgainabetter understandingofhowtoplaythe sportsIwasapartof Sportshave alwaysbeenahugepartofmylife andIknowtheywillcontinuetobe so,andIwillalwayscherishthe manyamazingmemoriesthatI havemadethroughoutmyHigh Schoolsportscareer

Ihavebeenabletogettoknow peoplethatIwouldn’thave otherwise Sportshelpyoubond withpeople,learnteamwork,test yourpatience,andoverallgrow yourpeopleskills Knowinghowto workwithpeoplethatyoumaynot clickwithissoimportant.You needtobeateamplayer, otherwise,itjustwon’tworkoutfor everyone.IreallylovedourFareasttripduringvolleyballseason Wegottobondonadeeperlevel, andtravelingwithsomany peoplebroughtmanylifelessons Iwillmisstheexcitementthat sportsbroughtand,ofcourse,the amazinggirlsthatIgottoknow andhavesomuchfunwith

Throughoutall5soccerseasons hereatOCSIsincethe8thGrade, itwasafreshfeelingtoseea differentteameachcoming season,withnewplayers, coaches,andoverallanew environmentforeveryone

AsIapproachmyfinalyearhere atOCSI,itwasamazingtosee howquicklytheteamadaptedto becomingteammatesand buildingourchemistryonandoff thefield

Ihopethatthroughthelittletime wehaveleftintheseason,wecan gointoFarEastandbringhome ourfirsteverbanner.

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CALL FOR COACHES FOR THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR

Inspired by these Senior athletes?

Come join OCSI Athletics for an opportunity to equip young men and women like these to walk with Jesus through coaching teamwork and excellence! Openings in volleyball, cheerleading, basketball, soccer, and track are available.

Email us at athleticdirector@ocsi.org if interested.

Reflectingmid-season,anotable eventformewasnotthesquad scoringgoalsorwinninggames;it wasobservingouryounger teammates'development

Theseyoungplayers,whoare frequentlyoverlookedduetotheir ageandexperience,haveworked hardintrainingdespiteadversity anddemonstratedanastounding degreeofbraveryagainstboth varsityandJVteams

Theirpathandaccomplishments haveshiftedmyperceptionofthe beautifulgameandpushedmeto begallantregardlessofthe circumstances

MAXMOYER

Mymostunforgettablemomentso farthisseasoncameonthebus ridebackfromourfirstgame With rainshowersgrowingthroughout thesecondhalf,weconcludedthe gamesoaked,andasaresultthe busridebackwassomewhat unpleasant.

Whilehavingabusfulloffifteen sweatyboyswasn'toptimal,one opportunityarosefromthegiven conditions:foggywindows I,along withmytwobroskis,Jarinand Schon,tookadvantageofthe momentandwrote"JesusLoves You"backwardstoserveasaW billboardforothervehiclesto observe

Attimeswewouldaccidentally writethelettersthewrongway,but seedswereplantednonetheless.It wasamazingtobeabletoconnect withmyfriendsandteammates overthisparamountmessage,and asaresult,Iwouldcertainly designatethisasoneofmy favoritememoriesoftheseason.

JAYLALANGFORD

DoingsportsatOCSIhas introducedmetonewpeoplethey otherwisewouldn'tnecessarilytalk to WhichsoundsbadbutI'vegot tomeetpeoplethatIabsolutely love

Especiallythepeopleonmycheer teamthisyear,Itrustallofthem tremendously,andIthinkthey wouldfeelthesamethingabout me

I’vemadealotofmemoriesinmy lasttwoyearscheeringforOCSI I thinkmyfavoritememoryis watchingtrustbuildovertimeand seeinghowourtrustbetteredour stunts I'lldefinitelymissitcause I'vegrownsoclosewithmyteam butifi'velearnedanythingit'sthat IcandoallthingsthroughChrist whostrengthensme.

BUSINESS UPDATE

BehindtheScenes

Theacademiccalendar,fromlateAugusttoearly June,formsthecoreofourworkatOCSI Thisperiodis bustlingwithteaching,learning,andopportunitiesfor growth Duringthequietersummermonths,ourteam worksdiligentlytopreparefortheupcomingschool year,ensuringaseamlessstart

JanuarytoMarchmarksoneofourmostactive phases Inthiscrucialwindow,wefocusonplanning fortheupcomingacademicyear Followingthe completionofre-enrollmentinFebruary,weshiftour attentiontowelcomingnewstudentstoOCSI Weare currentlynavigatingoursecondadmissionseason, withdecisionsforthenextschoolyearsettobe announcedbyJune10.

Anotherfocalpointduringthistimeisstaffing Atthe startoftheyear,weseekoutdedicatededucatorsto enhanceourteachingteam,withthegoaloffinalizing ourstaffrosterbyApril Thisschedulepermitsusto manageessentialarrangements,includingvisa processesforourinternationalstaffmembersandto ensuretheyarepreparedtowelcomeyourchildrenin August

InMarchwehaveconcentratedonwrappingupthe financialaspectsofthecurrentfiscalyearand establishingthebudgetforthenext,whichbeginson April1st Thoughthisaspectofouroperationsmight notbeasvisible,it'scriticalforupholdingthequality andsustainabilityofoureducationalprograms.

Thesebehind-the-sceneseffortsarefueledbyour dedicationtomakingOCSIaremarkableplacefor learning.Wedeeplyappreciateyourcontinued supportandtrustinus

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SosroKarsosoemo BusinessDirector

EnhancingOurClassrooms

Thissummer,ourschoolistakingaleapforward ineducationalexcellencewithaseriesof enhancementstoourclassroomfacilitiesand technology Teachersandstudentswillbe suppliedwithnewTVs,MacBooks,and Chromebooks,fosteringanimprovedEdTech learningenvironment Theseupdatesarepaired withsignificantstabilizationandrewiringofour campusnetworktomeetthedigitaldemandsof ourfacultyandstudents.

Moreover,we'recontinuingtheextensive renovationofover20classrooms,aprojectthat beganlastyear.Thiswillincludenewtilefloors,a freshcoatofpaint,soundproofingforselected walls,weatherproofingforwindows,andsome newflexiblefurniture,allcreatinganinvitingand well-equippedlearningspace.

Inconjunctionwiththeseimprovements,the expansionofourparkingfacilitiesisunderway, enhancingcampusaccessibilityand complementedbyacomprehensivesafety initiative,whichincludestheinstallationof additionalsecuritycameras

OPERATIONS UPDATE

NickMcquillin OperationsDirector

Furthermore,inoursteadfastcommitmentto studentsafety,weareupgradingourschool buseswithinternallive-feedcamerasandGPS trackingsystems Theseenhancementswill enablereal-timemonitoringandprovidean additionallayerofprotectionforourstudents duringtheircommutes Thisadvanced technologywillnotonlybolstersecuritybutalso offerpeaceofmindtoparentsandguardians, assuringthemoftheirchildren’ssafetywhilein transit

TheParent-TeacherFellowship's(PTF)

contributionsfromtheWalk-a-thonare designatedforplaygroundimprovementsinthe Deltaarea,ensuringasuperiorplayexperience forouryoungerstudents.

Wearegratefulforthecommunity'ssupportas wecontinuetoinvestinasecure,connected,and enrichingeducationalsettingforourstudents.

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO?

Haisai!It'samazingtothinkthatIvegraduatedfromOCSI27yearsago!Sincethen, I'vemovedtoLosAngelesforcollegewhereIhavesettled I'mcurrentlyworkingasas DirectorofITConsultingatKaiserPermanente,oneofthelargesthospitalsystemsin theUSA Myjobistoleadatechnicalteamtointegratedatafrommedicaldevices flowintoelectronicmedicalrecords I'mveryblessedtobedoingsomethingnotonly excitingbutfulfilling!IalsoteachchildrenSundayschoolandpreachinyouthservice atmychurchonoccasion OCSIgavemethefoundationtolearntheimportanceof disciplineandleadership Ithashelpedmebeanadvocateformyselfandbe assertiveinadvancinginmycareer EnjoyyourtimeatOCSI!

KingLeungHar,Classof1997

Workingasaflightattendantforthepast8yearswithtwo differentcarriers Visited25countries,and45prefectures

ShunMiyagi,Classof2014

IgraduatedfromBethelUniversityinSaintPaul,MNin2020 SincethenI havebeenworkingatTreehousewhichisanonprofitthatworkstowards endinghopelessnessamongteens Iammarriedtomywife,AddieKay, andweenjoyparentingourbulldog,Bruce Wearealsoexpectingour firstchildinAprilthisyear Inmyfreetime,IcoachtrackatBetheland enjoyingsharingmyJapaneseculturewithfriendsandfamilythrough cookingfoodforthem

ShawnMonroe,Classof2016

IwenttocollegeinPhiladelphiaandgraduatedin2021withaBS inMicrobiologyand aMinorinStatistics Fromthere,IdecidedIwantedtofollowinmyDad'sfootstepssoI appliedandgotacceptedtoArmyOfficerCandidateSchoolandamcurrentlyserving asaLogisticsOfficer IfindmyroleveryrewardingasIgettoleadandpromotethe welfareofmorethan50menandwomenandtheirfamilieseachdayinplaceslike KoreaandSeattle IcreditOCSIforgivingmetheconfidenceandknowledgeneeded formyrole

DonaldOuellette,Classof2017

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WearealwaysexcitedtofeatureaMessagefromAlumniIfyoucouldshare withuswhatyouhavebeenupto,pleasecontactusatinfo@ocsiorgwith youryearofgraduationfromOCSIandarecentphoto

Godhasgreatlyblessedmesincemygraduationin2019!Ihavebeenstudyingat collegewhilebeingenrolledinaMarineCorpscommissioningprogram Forthelast twosummersIhavecompletedtwo6weekincrementsofOfficerCandidates SchoolintheUSThisyearinMayIwillfinallygraduatewithmybachelorsin marketing,andcommissionasa2ndLieutenantintheUnitedStatesMarineCorps! I’mprayingforeverystudentatOCSIastheynavigatetheiryearsofeducation! CongratulationsClassof2024!

MasakiEyre,Classof2019

HiI’mEllie!IgraduatedfromOCSIin2022andI’masophomoreatBarnardCollegeof ColumbiaUniversityinNYCstudyingCognitiveScience Collegehasbeenanincredibly liberatingexperiencedespiteitschallenges,andI’vefoundmyselfconstantlyundergoing personalgrowth AsIcontinuetonavigateunfamiliarsituationsandmeetnewpeople, whoeachofferauniqueoutlookonlife,Ifindmyselfgainingadeeperenjoymentforlife itselfwhilesimultaneouslycreatingspacefortrueself-discovery Lastsummer,Iinterned inJapanforToeiAnimationandthissummer,I'mplanningonundertakingaresearch internshipatmyschool!

EllieSuzuki,Classof2022

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

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