OCSI Connections SY 22-23 Spring Edition

CONNECTIONSO C S I

SPRING EDITION

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

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

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL'S DESK

Authentic Learning at OCSI

Authentic learning tasks are crucial for promoting deeper learning and helping students connect classroom learning to real-world contexts When students engage in authentic tasks, they are challenged to apply their knowledge and skills in realistic and meaningful ways This type of learning can help students understand how what they are learning in the classroom can be used in their future careers and everyday life It can also help students develop the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in their future careers and life

Authentic learning experiences also offer students a unique opportunity to improve language acquisition and communication skills as they provide opportunities for students to practice using the language in real-world contexts. Academic excellence is no longer enough on its own; universities are looking for students who are able to transfer their learning into the real world and who are interested in making an impact in the future.

At OCSI, our program emphasizes the importance of collaboration and service, allowing our students the opportunity to develop their own opinions, to learn how to communicate those opinions respectfully and clearly, and to use their knowledge and skills to serve others in the community Our teachers actively look for ways to incorporate authentic learning tasks like Kid City, Author's Tea, Maker's Fair, Camps, Learning Trips, and Capstone Projects in 8th and 12th grade. We hope these experiences will equip our students to walk with Jesus and make an impact for Him!

G R E E T I N G S

Megan Roe Head of School

ELEMENTARY UPDATE

Week of Reading

March 13-17

From March 13-17th, the elementary students celebrated reading by having various dress up days, Buddy Reading with a secondary class, a Book Character parade, a reading challenge, and so much more! Collectively the OCSI Elementary students read for a total of 126,245 minutes from March 1-15th

Sarah Turner Elementary Principal

AUTHENTIC LEARNING PROJECTS

Culture Fair and Kid City

Formostof3rdquarter,1-5thgradestudentsspendtimebuildingup forabigprojectinMarch

The3-5thgradersworkonCultureFair,wheretheyareputintosmall groupsandaregivenacountrytoresearch.Theyhavetoplanout theirresearchanddecorateatrifoldpresentationboard.Thenthey havetowriteupapresentationonthecountry OnMarch17th,the35thgraderspresentedtheircountriestotheyoungergrades This projectsencompassesmanysubjectsincludingsocialstudies, reading,writing,grammar,speaking,andmore!

The1-2ndgradersstartlearningaboutthevarious membersofthe communityinpreparationforKidCity.Thestudentslearnaboutwhat happensatvariousplacesaroundacityandpracticethe

conversationsthathappenthere.OnKidCityday,March24th,the wholegymisconvertedintoaminitownandthestudenttaketurns working,aswellasshopping(withfakemoney),andpracticinggreat speakingskills!

E L E M E N T A R Y

3RD QUARTER Elementary Highlights

5th Grade Learning Trip to the Okinawa World

4th & 5th Grade 4th 5th Grade Elementary Camp Elementary Camp

SECONDARY UPDATE

Dan Pallmann Secondary Principal

Kyuyo High School -OCSI Science Exchange

On February 20th, Kyuyo High School came to OCSI to participate in a Science exchange with our students Many students commented on what a worthwhile activity this was! A special thanks to Dr. Vardhini and Kyuyo for arranging this exchange.

A BUSY 3RD QUARTER

Opportunities to Share School Spirit

The3rdQuarterbeganwithabangasSpiritWeekwasfrom January23-27 Studentsenjoyedseveralactivitiesthroughout theweek,whichculminatedinHomecomingGame CongratulationstoRikiandShoforbeingcrownedour HomecomingKingandQueen!

OurhighschoolCampwasheldatIshikawaYouthCampon3/13/3.SpecialspeakerDr.BrianWoolerygaveinspiringmessages onthethemeof"Pressingonwiththerightperspective."

TherewereseveralLearningTripsaswellasServiceTrips Be suretocheckoutMr Roe'sarticle

WealsowereabletocelebratenewmembersofNationalHonor Society(NHS),aswellasNationalJuniorHonorSociety(NJHS)

We were blessed to have several colleges and universities come to OCSI either in person or virtually this year including:

Liberty University

Ritsumeikan APU

Kapiolani Community College

Southeastern University

Nagoya University of

Commerce & Business

University of Maryland

Global Campus

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

S E C O N D A R Y

2023 2023

OCSI Homecoming OCSI Homecoming King and Queen King and Queen

Senior Capstone Senior Capstone

Service Project Service Project

Marine Bio Learning Trip Marine Bio Learning Trip

HS Health CPR Training HS Health CPR Training

THANK YOU PTF!

The 50th annual Walk-a-thon was a great opportunity for the entire OCSI community to come together and walk for a good cause. This year, PTF raised over ¥1,700,000 to go toward outdoor lights for the campus We are so grateful to PTF and all of the volunteers for their time and effort into making this event such a success. Thanks

TEACHING & LEARNING AT OCSI

Brad Skarin Director of Teaching and Learning

Professional Development @ OCSI

In February, teachers participated in professional development focused on data informed instruction OCSI teachers collect data through a variety of standardized tests such as MAP, PSATs and SATs as well as formal assessments in the classroom such as with projects, papers, quizzes, and tests Teachers also "collect data" informally through class discussions, daily homework and classwork, and even through making observations. Teachers then aim to adjust teaching based on all of this information with the intention of reaching and teaching each student to the best of their ability It can be quite the balancing act!

THE JOY OF SERVICE

Andy Roe Chaplain

Serving others brings joy and honors God, as Romans 12:11 reminds us to serve with enthusiasm and spiritual fervor Whether it's volunteering or helping those in need, the joy of serving comes from the relationships we build and the impact we make. By serving with zeal, we can experience the joy of serving both God and those around us

Picking Carrots

The 8th graders had a unique opportunity to go and help some local framers harvest carrots The students had such a wonderful time it is almost difficult to call it a service opportunity Never-the-less, the students were able to help harvest carrots, have an opportunity to talk with the farmers, and have a better understanding of what it means to be a person who produces for the community

Cleaning Beaches

The entire 7th grade, 45 students in all, took a trip to Zampa, with the purpose of cleaning the beach, coast line, and the park It is was a big undertaking, but we divided the Zampa area into 4 quadrants, divided the students up, and tackled the challenge When we arrived I heard many students say, "There is no trash to clean up", but as the students went searching there was more than enough trash for us to pick up We went with 10 large city trash bags, and we filled them all and more The student went away feeling very accomplished, and had the joy of the Lord as they served

STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM

Lydie Holmes Guidance Counselor

I am grateful to serve our students and collaborate with parents, teachers, administrators, and community services to help support student development and overall success Our aim is to help students evaluate their own interests, abilities and skills, develop personal and academic goals and create plans for their future We look forward to equipping our students in this way to go out and impact the world for Jesus

How can we partner to help your child achieve their dreams?

Asaparenttherearemanywaysyoucanpartnerwithourcounselorsinthecollege andcareerplanningprocess,weencourageyoutogetinvolved!

Sign-upforCIALFO:CIALFOsupportshighschoolstudentsandtheircounselors throughouttheearlycareerexplorationandcollegesearchandselectionprocess. Withtheircutting-edgetechnology,theyhelpstudentsandeveryonewhosupports them–theircounselors,parents,anduniversityrecruiters-thinkdifferentlyabout theiroptionsinanincreasinglyclutteredandconfusingspace,sotheycantakethe bestnextstepstowardsrealizingtheiridealfuture.

AttendaUniversityVisitSession:AsCOVIDrestrictionsbegintoloosenweare excitedtohavemoreandmoreuniversitiesonceagainvisitOkinawa Pleasejoinus andyourstudentsattheschoolduringthesesessions Don'tseeyouruniversityon theschedule?Sendusarequestandwewillreachouttoscheduletheirvisit

Pleasecontactmeformoreinformationorsupport:lydieholmes@ocsiorg

STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM

Daniel Claxton Testing Coordinator

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 it can help strengthen a student's overall application. Students with a weaker GPA or lack of extracurriculars can take a Standardized Test to have a stronger application. Students who already excel can further prove their achievements with a high score on their Standardized Tests. We offer the ACT and SAT at OCSI.

Does my child need to take the SAT?

OCSIwilloffertheSATsixtimesforAcademicYear2023-2024(August,October,November, December,March,andMay).Notonlyhaveweincreasedtestingdates,butwealsoincreased seatstorespondtoincreaseddemand AsCOVIDrestrictionsareloosening,pleasekeepinmind thatwemayseeanincreaseinregistrationfromoutofthecountryaswell Thismaymeanthat registrationwillbecomecompetitive StudentsareadvisedtoregisterfortheSATwellin advance OCSIonlyhoststheSATandwecannotguaranteeaspotforourownstudentsdueto CollegeBoard’snon-discriminatorypolicy

Asmanyofyouknow,allinternationalSATsarefullyconductedonanelectronicdeviceandthe testingexperienceissignificantlyshorter.AlltestswillbetakenonCollegeBoard'sBluebook App.Thetestformatandrequiredmaterialsaredifferentfromthepreviouspapertests,so pleasecheckCollegeBoard'swebsiteformoreinformation.TheSATisheldonthe2ndFloorof theMiddleSchoolBuilding BoththeACTandSATstarttestsat8:00AMSHARPandlatecomers aredeniedaccess Pleasemakesurestudentsarriveby7:45AMlatest!

WhattoExpect:https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/digital/what-to-bring-do/what-to-expect

CHILD SAFETY

Norah Lopez Counselor

Your child’s safety is of the utmost importance. As parents, we do many things to ensure their physical safety, but we must also pay attention to their mental well-being by being sure they’re safe online. We’ve been so pleased to partner with TELL counseling services to host an informational session for OCSI families Dr Minamoto-Wood and her team provided a researchbased lecture on online safety for your children Here are some of the highlights:

Online safety means protection from harm or risk that interferes with wellbeing Children and adolescents are at risk of being exposed to inappropriate content or harassment from strangers or people they know Signs of this may be a change in behavior or isolating themselves in their room with their device

We are our children’s role models and must model appropriate behavior with regard to the use of technology We can protect our children by being aware of games, apps, and sites your child uses, use technology to filter content, check our child’s devices, and have them use them in public parts of the home.

STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM

Advice for your children includes: set a timer and limit the time you spend on your device, never send photos of yourself to people you don’t know, do not post full profiles of yourself online, set any social media to private and never arrange to meet with someone you’ve met online

Advice for parents includes: educate yourself about the digital world of your children, monitor and limit your child’s screentime, discuss these issues with your child and take time to listen to what their online life is like, and help support them to become good digital citizens, and ask for your child’s consent to post photos of them on your social media

OCSI holds digital citizenship lessons for students throughout the school year and we appreciate your partnership in helping them be responsible in their digital life. We’re so grateful to partner with you to keep our children safe!

SOAR HIGH!

Isaiah 40:31

Beau Blew Athletic Director

AsweenterintoourlastquarterofOCSIAthleticsfor2022/2023 wetakeamomenttoreflectonourfirstseasons'post-lockdown.

It’s important to remember the resilience our athletes have shown coming back from years without full seasons and the amountofdedicationandeffortourstaffputintoensuringthat last spring they had opportunities to engage in athletic endeavors

ThisfallsawareturntoourVolleyballTeamcompetingagainst ZionChristianAcademy,KubasakiHighSchool,andKadenaHigh School in a full season of matches and meets. Our Volleyball team’sindividualandteamskillsgrewbyleapsandboundsunder thetutelageofCoachLynnandCoachGraham.TheLadyEagles tooktothecourtasayounginexperiencedteamatthebeginning of the year and grew into a cohesive unit that will continue to improveoverthecomingyears

WeallsowitnessedourCross-CountryTeamshockthosesame schoolswiththeirspeedandenduranceundertheleadershipof CoachMahaffieandCoachPacket.Manyofourrunnerswentthe distance this fall and found themselves with times that placed themamongthefastestrunnerscompetingintheDODEAmeets this fall. This includes runners in Okinawa and Mainland Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore. We hope to see our returningrunnersachievegreaterheightsandnewPRsthisfall.

ATHLETICS

The winter sports season saw us take to the courts once again asourboys'andgirls'basketballteamswerejoinedbyourcheer squad against opponents from all over the island as well as abroad Our girls' team under the watchful eye of Coaches

Mahaffie and Wickens grew together as they faced tough competition including facing some local high schools Their growing skill saw them win the local DODEA Junior Varsity tournamentandbringhomeourfirstpost-lockdowntrophy

CoachGrahamandCoachPacketttookoursquadfromroughbut promising beginnings to pulling stunts and performing complex routines. These athletes were essential to the student and fan supportofourbasketballteamsbothathomeandplayingatour opponents' courts We look forward to seeing their skills and routinesgrowinthecomingyears

Our boys' basketball team, under the guidance of Coaches Mahaffie and Adams, increased their team cohesion and individual skill. We saw them fight through injuries and a sometimes shifting roster to some hard-fought wins and some heartbreaking losses. This season also saw our boys participatingintheDODEAFarEastDivision1tournamentforthe firsttimeandcomingawaywithsomegreatexperiencestobuild onnextseason.

That brings us to our current season, where we are getting to seeourTrackandFieldathletesdeveloptheirskillsandprowess in preparation for upcoming meets under the leadership of Coach Baker and Coach Rodriquez. Our Soccer teams have shown incredible growth as we enter into the back half of the season and we look forward to seeing their performance increase with each passing week as Coaches Mahaffie, Coach Logan, Coach Cusamano, Coach Harris and Coach Heisey refine thematpractice.

BUSINESS UPDATE

Sosro Karsosoemo Business Director

At OCSI, our mission is to ensure a topnotch education experience and a safe environment for our students. From January to March 2023, we focused on two key areas: recruitment and parent support. Recruitment-wise, we aimed to secure a strong faculty and staff for the 23/24 school year. So far, our recruiting efforts have led to 126 applications, 43 interviews, 12 job offers, and ultimately, 9 new contracts signed (plus 1 pending). Although we continue the recruiting process for several remaining positions, we are encouraged by our prospect of securing the best educators for our community

From the technology side, we continue to support students and families with using technology effectively and safely both on campus and at home. To help parents navigate the challenges of online safety, we partnered with TELL Therapists for an Online Safety Presentation on February 10th We tackled cyberbullying and shared valuable resources, including TELL's lifeline phone and chat. Additionally, we're proud to offer OCSI's Employee Assistance Program in collaboration with TELL, providing confidential counseling and support to OCSI employees Together, we're building a brighter future for our students and their families; thank you for your continued partnership!

OPERATIONS UPDATE

Alex Sartore Operations Director

The last quarter of the 22-23 school year is here, which means summer is right around the corner! During the school year, the Operations Team keeps busy maintaining the campus facilities and grounds, facilitating the lunch program and making sure the bus program runs smoothly, amongst many other things However, when the students go home for summer break, we shift gears and focus on big projects around the campus to help improve the school for the future.

Let There Be Light!

When the students go home for the summer at the end of this school year, we have many projects that I am looking forward to We are renovating thirteen classrooms (fresh paint, new tile floors, weather-sealing for the windows), painting the second and third floor hallways, and replacing the stairway railings

In addition to the building and classroom improvements, we are investing in lights to brighten up the campus at night After the sun sets, the OCSI campus gets extremely dark, especially in the parking lot As such, we are installing lights in the parking lot to increase visibility I am particularly excited about this, as the genesis of this project stemmed from parent feedback I want to thank the Parent-Teacher Fellowship (PTF) for their support of this project, as they have designated the funds raised through the Walkathon for this project Let there be light!