Mission

We are dedicated to providing a high-quality education to our students. KPIS strives to offer a safe and nurturing environment that stimulates each child's learning and creativity.

The Principal / Director

Ms. Aurel F. Shimo took up the position of Principal/Director of KPIS in July 2002, having spent a great numbers of years in teaching both private and public schools in the Philippines and then the previous 14 years in another International School in Tokyo, initially as a Homeroom Teacher then as the Vice Principal. She assumed the position of Principal for the ESL Division a year later and finally was assigned as Head Principal.

Prior to that, she was a National/Division Demonstration Teacher, a District Science and English Coordinator, Workshop Facilitator and a Master Teacher in the public schools in the Philippines. She was chosen as the Most Outstanding District Science Teacher and a runner up to the division level. She was also a coach to District and Division Quiz Bee and Elocution Contest winners.

Ms. Shimo graduated Cum Laude with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Philippine Normal University, and she has a deep understanding of biological science due to the fact that she took up 3 years of Biological Sciences from University of the East, Philippine. While working in the public schools she was also involved in child study research projects of the Research Center of Philippine Normal University. Ms. Shimo also earned a Master of Arts in Child Psychology from the same institution.

She finished a course in International Leadership at the Principals' Training Center in Miami in 2004. In addition, Ms. Shimo has attended various workshops and conferences locally and abroad that have enhanced her efficiency as head of the school. She also was involved in the accreditation process chairing Student Life, ESL and Science, Early Childhood in an international school that was accredited by the European Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Ms. Shimo's extensive knowledge of administration and supervision, curriculum planning and child psychology is a plus factor in the effective running of KPIS. She is an active member of Japan Association for Supervision and curriculum Development.

Teachers

Providing sound education and ensuring the total well-being of children entails tremendous responsibility and as such the faculty members of KPIS are thoroughly screened and evaluated by the Principal/Director on the following criteria:

• College/University Degree
• Area of Specialization
• Academic Performance in University
• Teaching Experience
• English Proficiency
• Deep Understanding of Children and Dedication to the Profession
• Recommendations from University Professors
• Recommendations from fomer Former Employers

Ecology-Friendly

The facility is constructed of ecology-friendly materials and provides a safe and clean environment for the children.

• Classroom and toilet doors, walls, floors and other features in the facility are anti-bacterial, similar to those found in hospitals.
• The entrance, shoe boxes, walls, floors and surfaces in restrooms and ceiling are sterilized.
• Roll screens in the facility allow sunlight to naturally kill germs.
• Centralized heated flooring is used in the classrooms rather than air heaters to reduce the spread of airborne bacteria and viruses that cause illnesses such as the common cold and influenza.
• The facility is constructed of allergy-free materials and offers a safe environment for children with atopic dermatitis and asthma.
• Many of the toys the children play with are made of wood rather than plastic.

Charity

There are countless organizations involved in helping poor and destitute children. However, many times, particularly with large organizations, it is not always clear as to whether our token of love and goodwill has been received by the people in need. As a result, we never really know in what ways we have made a contribution, if at all.

Children also will feel the same way. In order to nurture empathy and motivation to give and help, it is important for them to experience the joy of sharing. Children must play an active role in this helping process. Simply asking mommy or daddy for money to give to charity would not be meaningful to them. Rather, we want them to offer something that they can do themselves. This led to the idea of holding a charity concert.

Children will perform and experience satisfaction in seeing that many people have come to hear them sing for the underprivileged children and have sent money to them. In this way, the children learn about the plight of children all over the world and develop concern and human compassion. Knowing that they can make a difference also leads to building confidence. Moreover, as an educational institution with a mission to offer quality education to young children, we felt this should not be limited to Tokyo but aimed at children all over the world.

Education goes a long way; it empowers children to gain confidence, take responsibility and make a unique contribution to the world. At the same time, education tends to be second priority as many children deprived of basic needs crucial for survival and barely make it through the day. With this in mind, we decided to allocate our funds to support suffering children’s physical well-being and offer them opportunities to receive an education.

2007 Charity Activities

On December 9, 2007, KPIS held its Charity Concert at Tokyo Gakugei Daigaku Fuzoku Elementary School Hall. In total more than 600 people attended the concert. Everyone enjoyed many classical pieces by multiple professional artists who volunteered their time for a worthwhile cause. The students of KPIS also participated in the concert with their heartfelt songs and dances. Through everyone’s contributions, we were able to raise over ¥800,000! All donations were given to the ERDA Foundation in the Philippines.

2008 Charity Plans

KPIS tentatively plans to hold its 2008 Charity Concert at Tokyo Gakugei Daigaku Fuzoku Elementary School Hall on Sunday, December 7th. Look for more details to come.

Facts and Figures

KPIS at a Glance
Student Body	KPIS students come from 15 countries including England, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Sweden and the United States of America.
Student Enrollment	Academic Year:	Enrollment:
	2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008	39 51 53 59 66 69 78 95 99
Facility	1,317 square meter ecology-friendly facility 600 square meter grass yard 36 blueberry bushes 24 cherry trees 9 square meter non-allergenic sandbox
Library	The library at KPIS contains more than 1,600 books for teachers and students.
Facility Cleanliness	Classrooms are cleaned 2 to 3 times per day. Toilets and sinks are cleaned 4 times per day. Facility is professionally cleaned ONCE per month. Toys are sterilized at least ONCE per week.
Charity	Since 2002, KPIS has donated more than ¥3,600,000 to various world-wide organizations through its annual charity concert.

Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why are there so many international preschools in Tokyo?

A: The exact definition and purpose of a “preschool” or “kindergarten” can vary considerably between countries and cultures. This flexibility allows many schools to use these titles without adhering to any academic or professional standards. As a result, many so-called “international preschools” are actually closer to nurseries or simple babysitting services. The recent craze in ECE (Early Childhood Education) has allowed many of these schools to flourish. Parents should consider a school’s academic standards and the qualifications of its teachers (areas in which KPIS excels) carefully when choosing the right school for their child.

Q: What are the differences between a preschool that offers ECE (Early Childhood Education) and one that just teaches English?

A: The difference between such institutions is quite clear. A school that labels itself a “preschool,” yet whose primary goal is to offer English instruction, has the following characteristics:

• The school does not embrace a strong and unique educational philosophy.
• The school does not have a year-round curriculum for separate age groups.
• Teachers are hired because they are native English speakers, not because they are experienced or qualified teachers with four-year university degrees in education or related fields.
• The school’s programs focus primarily on teaching English.

Alternatively, a preschool that focuses on ECE rather than only English language development has the following characteristics:

• The school embraces a strong and unique educational philosophy.
• The principal and all teachers are hired based on experience and the relevance of their university degrees.
• Every class has an educational program, designed by its qualified teacher, which is a year-round curriculum tailored to the students’ age group.
• The school offers programs and a philosophy geared towards the acquisition of social skills and emotional maturity, the most important lessons in ECE.
• The school has a curriculum that enables children to transition smoothly into elementary schools after graduation.
• Graduates are routinely admitted to international and Japanese elementary schools without difficulty.

Q: Does Komazawa Park International School offer an inclusive ECE (Early Childhood Education) program, or is it simply an English language school?

A: KPIS is not an English language school. It is an educational institution that embraces a unique educational philosophy, which can only be understood and practiced by specialists in ECE. As a result, all of the teachers are qualified ECE specialists who believe strongly in what they are teaching. KPIS also seeks teachers with warm personalities. These factors help create a loving environment that gives children the confidence they need to develop important skills and a sense of maturity. At KPIS, we work as a team to create this nuturing, educational environment for the children.

Q: What kind of educational philosophy do you embrace?

A: KPIS is committed to offering ECE of superior quality to children of all nationalities, religions, and ethnic backgrounds. The school’s programs are in line with current research in child psychology and are centered on each child’s overall development. KPIS understands the crucial importance of stimulating a child’s mind during its early stages and strives to provide a well-balanced curriculum that does so. We offer a safe, child-oriented environment that nutures pre-academic skills and challenges creativity through varied hands-on activities. In short, we strive to enrich the lives of our children.

Q: How does your school focus on a child’s academic career after graduation?

A: KPIS has an extremely high rate of acceptance to promenient international elementary schools, who often report back that our graduates are doing quite well. These schools often recommend KPIS to prospective students.

Q: Which schools, specifically, do children attend after graduation?

A: The majority of foreign nationals (in addition to some Japanese nationals) are admitted to institutions such as St. Mary’s International School, Seisen International School, and American School in Japan. Even Japanese nationals who choose to attend Japanese elementary schools after graduation take advantage of the school’s continuing education program, which further develops English ability.

Q: What are the qualifications for admission? Is there a test?

A: Priority for admission is given to foreign nationals and returnees. Japanese nationals are also admitted if their parents strongly advocate the school’s educational philosophy. However, we normally admit such children only under the age of 3 and require that their parents have the ability to communicate comfortably in English. While there is no admission test, we ask all prospective students and parents to come in for an interview with the principal.

Q: Why is the tuition so high?

A: Our tuition prices reflect several important factors. Our outstanding facility offers standards of cleanliness and safety unparalleled among Tokyo international schools and is specifically designed to be child-friendly. We also strive to hire only the most highly qualified, professional teachers with extensive experience. These elements create a high-caliber program that is on par with the highest standards for international education and more than justifies the cost of tuition.

(C)2005-2007 KOMAZAWA PARK INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL All Rights Reserved.