Sasayama Industrial High School; A school year in summary.

The Japanese school year begins in April. The people of Sasayama can come out of hibernation and enjoy the cherry blossoms, sunshine and the beginnings of warm weather, casting all memories of the winter's bitter cold aside. 


Opening Ceremony usually coincides with the rows of cherry blossoms leading up to the school showing their true beauty. All too soon wind or rain (or both) will end the display, creating a pink carpet across the roads and paths. 

Early June, when most schools enjoy their cultural festival, Sasayama Industrial High School has its sports festival. It is the beginning of the humid Japanese Summer, students skin shines with sweat as they compete for their faculty's victory in a variety of events, some of which have no equivalent in the western world. 


Summer holidays begin around July 20th, and so school becomes quite inside, but outside students are training hard for upcoming tournaments. Teachers often take longer lunch breaks during this time, and may get a chance to use some of their time-in-lieu that have accumulated throughout the busy first Semester. 


September brings the start to the longest of the semesters. With the upcoming regional English competition, students compete against each other for one of the 2 spots in the recitation and speech sections. This is the time when the ALT is his/her busiest, and also accumulates a fair amount of time-in-lieu. 


Come late October (usually around Halloween) it's time to get ready for the 文化祭　or school festival. Some classes arrange displays, food booths, or prepare for the Choir competition; while some individuals or small groups arrange dance, band, or even comedy performances. With the ESS (English Speaking Society) members I've sung the English theme songs of some famous Japanese Cartoons, and told the famous Australian story 'Possum Magic'. 

At the beginning of December, the teachers have their special bounenkai or 'year end party', the kanji for this, literally means 'forget the year party' and while it may be difficult to forget the entire year, some teachers do a pretty good job of ensuring they forget the night. We have a special meal, speeches, a raffle and usually some kind of performance, usually with strange costumes involved. However, there is no need to worry about your behaviour on the night, what happens at the enkai, stays at the enkai. 


Come late January, 3rd Year classes draw to a close, and hence the majority of my work load.  
So during most of February I plan and join extra classes on request. Last year I was asked by the Home Economics department to plan a class for the 'Food Design' class. I arranged an 'Australian BBQ' themed class, and the students and myself made potato salad, pumkin scones, banana damper and rissoles. I really relish the chance to have more interactive classes with my students. 

February is also the time for the school marathon; students despite the cold, run a course set by the school. Graduation Ceremony is held at the end of the month at all three of my schools, and being in a unique situation, I am usually free to attend all three. Proud parents and apprehensive students brave the cold school gym for their final school ceremony. 

The new students are welcomed to the school in mid March at the entrance ceremony. The school year is officially over around the 23rd of March in yet another ceremony, the closing ceremony (Schools in Japan sure do love ceremonies!).  It is also around this time when the teaches have another big party. The soubetsukai or farewell party. Old Teachers are farewell-ed, new teachers are welcomed, and we all eat and drink a lot of beer together. 


When the cherry bloom again, so begins another school year at Sasayama Industrial High School.