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News and Updates

3 middle school girls wearing white shirts facing the camera
Making an Impact

As a school, we are always looking at pushing ourselves for continual improvement, and as the name of our Impact Strategy suggests, we want to make improvements that will have a positive impact on learning for all students, make us a better school, and create more opportunities for learning for all of our community.

Read Article about Making an Impact


Upcoming Events

Meet Our Community

White female student standing on turf field wearing a black soccer uniform with her left foot on soccer ball
Veronika

Veronika

Middle School Student

My favorite YIS event is definitely Spirit Week. It happens right before our winter break when everyone is hyped for the holidays. I have good memories of coming to school dressed as a Minion during my Grade 5 Spirit Week.

Read More about Veronika
White female elementary student wearing sleeveless blue and white striped top and beige trousers looking at camera
Florence

Florence

Elementary School Student

I like music because I can express my emotions in a different way. I’m self-taught on the piano and I love coming up with my own songs.

Read More about Florence
Male Asian teenager wearing black and red soccer shirt sitting down with red and white soccer ball
Mio

Mio

Middle School Student

I love the new Honmoku campus for its modern and spacious build. My favorite place to spend time is the fourth floor deck.

Read More about Mio
Female Asian high school student standing with painting in front of shelves
Harumi

Harumi

High School Student

The amount of freedom and flexibility the school gives us really shows the trust teachers have in us as students. There are so many opportunities to get involved and to discover new interests. 

Read More about Harumi
Japanese middle aged male with grey sweater and blazer sitting at desk and looking at the camera
Junichi Yamakawa

Junichi Yamakawa

PYP, MYP & DP Japanese Language Teacher

The inquiry-based approach to learning and teaching is invaluable and leads to a fostering of lifelong learners who can take positive action to make the world a better place.

 

Read More about Junichi Yamakawa
Filipino man wearing yellow lifeguard t-shirt and holding red lifesaver float by swimming pool
Rod Malig

Rod Malig

Head Lifeguard/Swimming Coach

I volunteered and helped with water safety when I was still in the Philippines, so for most of my life aquatics has played a large role.

 

Read More about Rod Malig
Larissa Sears
Larissa Sears

Larissa Sears

Gr. 2 Learning Assistant & ES Service Learning Coordinator

I love being able to share my passion for gardening with our Grade 2 students through our hands-on kitchen gardening for Service Learning.

 

Read More about Larissa Sears
Daniel Patterson
Daniel Patterson

Daniel Patterson

Kindergarten Learning Assistant

Living in Japan there are countless places to explore, and always new things to see and plenty of international opportunities to experience.

 

Read More about Daniel Patterson
Female Asian woman standing in front of a community room in a dress with black, white and orange pattern
Jessie

Jessie

Parent

I feel completely welcome and relaxed at YIS, I have found soulmates here. That’s how wonderful this community is.
 

Read More about Jessie
parent library volunteer
Miyuki

Miyuki

Parent

Since my time as a student at YIS I have wanted my children to get educated in the same wonderful environment I grew up in.
 

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Ken
Ken

Ken

Parent

The climate change and sustainability action event that was held by students, faculty, administration and parents last year stands out for me.

Read More about Ken
parent library volunteer
Nuri

Nuri

Parent

I volunteer at the library regularly. I get to understand what the students are like, what teachers are like, and I can find books I think my daughter will like.

Read More about Nuri
White middle aged male wearing a blue checked shirt posing for photograph in front of Japanese tori gate
Alex Patient

Alex Patient

Class of 1996

The Hiroshima field trip was one of my most memorable moments as a student at YIS. It was really emotional being there in the city, but I also remember making some lasting friendships. I still have a photograph in my study from that trip.

Read More about Alex Patient
Asian University female student in blue top standing in front of red sports banner
Eileen Chen

Eileen Chen

Class of 2019

I tried sports like tennis but honestly sports was not really my thing. I did like the Chowa yearbook committee, where I felt a sense of belonging.

Read More about Eileen Chen
Nikita Modekurti
Nikita Modekurti

Nikita Modekurti

Class of 2015

YIS has a very international environment and teaches values of not just tolerance, but acceptance. Truly a school that embraces and celebrates all cultures, faiths, genders, orientations, and abilities. It’s a little more difficult to find that out in the ‘real world’, and I would like my future children to experience similar respectful values that YIS has.

Read More about Nikita Modekurti
Leslie Helm
Leslie Helm

Leslie Helm

Class of 1973

I was born and raised in Japan as were both my parents as well as one of my grandfathers.

Read More about Leslie Helm

Building for our learning community

Our new purpose-built campus in Honmoku unleashes myriad learning opportunities for students, teachers and parents.

Student Leadership Retreat

In line with our mission of Live, Learn, Lead, at YIS we believe leadership can be learned. What is leadership, and what are the practices that make someone a good leader?

Expeditions at YIS

Adventurous wilderness expeditions create authentic opportunities for students to develop knowledge, skills and conceptual understandings for life-long learning and appreciation of the natural world.

Learning at YIS

Learning changes our thinking and behaviors, enabling us to acquire skills, knowledge and attitudes while providing a catalyst for creativity, critical thinking and independent reasoning.