PFA Frequently Asked Questions
Compiled by the Parent-Faculty Advisory Group
What channels are available to parents for communicating with the school?
What are the school's expectations of student behavior and responsibility?
What channels are available to parents for communicating with the school?
We at St. Mary's are committed to maintaining effective lines of communication to ensure a healthy school environment for our school community.
For informational questions, parents should contact the appropriate people listed below in the Specific contacts for communicating with the school section. For specific classroom concerns, it is suggested that parents follow this procedure:
- Voice the concern directly to the teacher.
- If this does not solve the problem/concern, then see the principal and/or one of the counselors.
- Unresolved issues can be discussed with the Headmaster.
- School-wide or building issues can be submitted for discussion at PFA meetings.
Specific contacts for communicating with the school
| Questions Concerning: | Contact | Position | Phone / E-mail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absences | Main Office | 3709-3411 | |
| Activities | |||
| Sports / After School | Coaches (specific to the sport) See listing on the Athletics page. |
||
| Tom Molina | Athletic Director | 3709-3411 molinat@smis.ac.jp |
|
| Fine Arts | Coaches (specific to the activity) | ||
| Randy Stenson | Fine Arts Coordinator | 3709-3411 fineartscoordinator@smis.ac.jp |
|
| Bus | |||
| Route information | Taichiro Kodama | Bus Coordinator | 3709-3411 taichirok@smis.ac.jp |
| Behavior | Joe Liggayu | Bus Supervisor | 3709-3411 |
| Calendar / Dates for Events | See the Calendar | ||
| Corporate Contribution Plan | Yumi Shimokawa | 3709-3411 yumis@smis.ac.jp |
|
| Donations | Yumi Shimokawa | 3709-3411 yumis@smis.ac.jp |
|
| Education | |||
| College Guidance | Chris Polley | HS Guidance Counselor | 3709-3411 polleyc@smis.ac.jp |
| RP–12 Curriculum | Class/Course Teacher | ||
| Linda Wayne | Curriculum Coordinator | 3709-3411 lwayne@smis.ac.jp |
|
| High School Profile | Click here | ||
| International Baccalaureate (IB) Program | Cris Copping | IB Coordinator | 3709-3411 ib@smis.ac.jp |
| Pastoral Care | Homeroom Teacher, Advisory Teacher | 3709-3411 | |
| Fr. John Szamreta | Campus Minister | ||
| Julie Gordon | ES Counselor | ||
| Specific to Your Son | Your son's teacher(s) | 3709-3411 | |
| Standardized Testing: Elementary/Middle School (ISA, ITBS) | Linda Wayne | Curriculum Coordinator | 3709-3411 lwayne@smis.ac.jp |
| Standardized Testing: High School (PSAT, SAT, TOEFL) | Chris Polley | HS Guidance Counselor | 3709-3411 polleyc@smis.ac.jp |
| Facilities Use | Miha Suyama | Facilities Coordinator | 3709-3411 suyamam@smis.ac.jp |
| Health | Jennifer McCoy | School Nurse | 3709-3411 |
| Parent Faculty Advisory Group (PFA) | PFA information page | ||
| St. Mary's Association (SMA) | Hiro Kosugi SMA information page | SMA President | sma@smis.ac.jp |
| Tuition | Tuition schedule Eriko Kitano Yumi Shimokawa | Accounting Staff | accounting@smis.ac.jp |
| Volunteering | SMA information page | sma@smis.ac.jp | |
| Website | DJ Feldmeyer | IT Program Manager | 3709-3411 dj_feldmeyer@smis.ac.jp |
Please also refer to the Contact Us page.
What are the school's objectives regarding education and the methodologies for achieving those objectives?
Information regarding all curricular subject areas can be found on the school website on the Curriculum pages for each school. A click on any Middle or High School subject area will lead to the philosophy, beliefs, essential teaching agreements and course descriptions developed by the St. Mary's teachers and adopted in May 2004. Links to elementary school grade levels lead to descriptions of each curriculum.
What are the school's expectations of student behavior and responsibility?
The school expects all St. Mary's students to exhibit proper behavior at all times and not only when they are on the school grounds. Our students should be proud of St. Mary's, and the message they themselves convey by their behavior should not tarnish the school's image.
Elementary School Student Handbook
Middle School Student Handbook
What measures does the school take to provide for the safety and security of the students (for earthquakes, fires, crimes, transportation, etc.)?
Security
St. Mary's employs three full-time guards to provide 24-hour coverage of the school buildings and grounds. The school has an excellent relationship with the local police as well as with the U.S. Embassy Overseas Security Advisory Council.
Personal Safety
Student ID Cards
Student Emergency ID Cards are sent with re-registration forms and we request that students or parents complete them and that students be required to carry this card at all times. It should be placed in a protective plastic covering in the student's schoolbag or wallet. Students are also advised to carry a wallet-sized photo, a parent's business card and ¥10 coins or a phone card.
Stranger Danger
Teachers discuss and remind students about the need for personal safety regularly, and we ask parents to reinforce these ideas at home. Talk to your son about the kinds of tactics that may be used by strangers. Teach him not to speak with a stranger or allow himself to be videotaped or photographed. Teach him that, if approached, he should move away from the person and seek help in a police box, public building, store, train station, etc.
Also, remind your son to travel home from school at an acceptable time daily. Our school grounds close at 4:30 and all students should return home soon after that unless they are in a designated, adult-supervised after-school activity that is scheduled to last after 4:30. Students should also travel with a friend or sibling whenever possible.
Traffic Safety
One of the biggest dangers for your son is the way he walks to and from the school to the station and vice versa. Teachers frequently remind students to walk with traffic safety in mind. Playing while walking along the street is dangerous. Another danger is when groups of students spread across the lines into the traffic lanes and ignore traffic signals. Please reinforce the importance of safety while commuting.
Train Safety/Behavior
St. Mary's students are expected to obey all train rules and etiquette, which include the following:
- No eating on the train.
- No loud or boisterous behavior.
- No games or running at stations or on trains.
Emergency Preparedness and Procedures
St. Mary's is located on one of the highest points in Tokyo, on stable bedrock at an elevation that prevents flooding and landslides. The school is also located near one of the main Setagaya-ku emergency evacuation areas, the Tama River.
The school holds emergency drills for students, faculty, and staff. A full-time school nurse is employed. Training in first aid, the Heimlich maneuver, and CPR is provided for various bus drivers, faculty, students, and staff. Disaster supply sheds on the school grounds contain enough supplies to care for our students and staff for up to three days if necessary (food, medicine, water, shelter, aluminum pocket blankets, toilets, etc.). All buses have wireless radios; all drivers have mobile phones.
Further information regarding emergency procedures can be found here and in the Disaster Emergency Measures brochure.