At Color Me Mine for Skyler’s birthday — get to see the old Iruka friends!

First (two) pets in the house == two betta fish

Egg Hunt activities at school

Playgrond time

Chisato Sensei with Lanlan, Leah and Curtis

Chisato Sensei made this beautiful picture frame for Curtis!

Granma, grandpa, little cousin Athan and Aunt Kimmy is here!

Beautiful 二姨, never miss Curtis’ Special Days!

QQ is getting bored before the ceremony started!

Students Marching in:

Maya

Well, Curtis the second time!

Curtis’ long time friend, Hiro

Yasu looks like such a big boy today!

Mayu, I think she transformed the most from her Penguin year to today.

Beautiful Lanlan with her 旗袍！

Honoka

Shouta got a hair cut and look so handsome!

Ryan has the suit on for this special day!

Yoshi

Cuitie pie Ashley in a beautiful dress today

Leah

And our Emelia

The graduating Class receivin their diploma from the principal

Shirley’s speech time.

I guess Curtis is really paying ‘attention’ at mommy’s speech.

WHAT!!!

here’s the speech:

Speech:

Iruka Yochien Graduation Speech

Dear parents and teachers, and all these lovely Iruka students. Kon Nichi Wa

I can’t believe I’m standing here making a speech today and my little boy Curtis is graduating. It wasn’t long before Curtis started his first day here at Iruka, and now, 3.5 years later, he is graduating and already started kindergarten.

“Why do you send Curtis to this school?”  This is the question we get asked many times.   I think the reason why most people ask this question are the facts that both my husband and I do not speak Japanese, and do not have any background with Japanese culture.

Once, a parent even answered the question right after he asked: “Oh, you want your son to win at the beginning so you added Japanese as a second language for him?”  I laughed when I heard him saying that. 

Like all of you parents here who want the best for your children, we want to make sure Curtis is taken care of by teachers who care about him, and teachers who are willing to share their energy and time with him.

 I visited many schools before I enrolled Curtis to Iruka.  And I was disappointed at many teachers, from so called prestigious private schools, who lack the passion I expect to see in their interaction with children.

** Some may say I’m picky, but my husband and I were not comfortable sending Curtis to a school like that.

 @@ Some may argue these, so called prestigious schools, have better school environment  or even  the best academic resources & programs;but to me, it’s the ‘people factor’  that I care the most

So, let’s get back to the question, ‘why Iruka?’?

We pretty much decided to come to the school during our first visit to Iruka Yochien.  Curtis didn’t want to leave the playground where he met his first teacher, Sayo sensei.  Based on the interaction between Curtis and  Sayo Sensei during this first visit, we knew it is the right school for him.    

At Iruka,  senseis take care of every child with those gentle smiles and loving words.  To me, THAT is priceless.

many more amazing surprises came after we enrolled at Iruka…. for example,

• Teachers “Feed” their penguin classes children just to make sure they are eating enough.
•  Teachers sing and dance with kids every day  with one of the sensei playing the piano. 
• Teachers hug the kids to calm them down when they are having a bad day or just simply missing their mommy or daddy too much. 
• Teachers even pad on the kids’ back to help them fall asleep at nap time… 

The School celebrates the kids’ birthday monthly, they celebrate the traditional Japanese holidays. and That is not all–

This preschool has Olympics, has Christmas plays, and even graduation ceremonies.

 At the school Olympic, you get to see your kids dance and exercise and as years goes by, you see how they develop! (well, the first year, penguin class students usually  just stand there and look at their teachers dance, but when they become an IRUKA class students, they will try to be the loudest when they sing or run the fastest among their friends)

At Christmas plays you see them sing and act and a lot tf time… cry. .From san pi ki no ko buta san to, Pan Pan Panda no pan ya san.  I can still remember their U ru do la Pan pose at the end of the play last year.

And last but not the least, the graduation ceremonies.  You see the kids marching into the church feeling proud on what they have achieved during their learning at Iruka yochien.  

Other than these exciting events, the teachers here are also the reasons why Iruka is such a great school.

1. Mayuko sensei was the teacher who helped Curtis to accept different vegetables and fruits.  She advised me to put the veggie in the lunch box so she could help Curtis accept them before it is too late… 
2. I always see Katzumi sensei  running  and playing with the kids under any kind of weather.  It amazed me so much because on those hot summer days, I knew I just wanted to stay in with the A/C on.
3. Yuko sensei has her own sense of humor when she is with the children.  She let the kids develop their own personality, but guide them to the right direction at the same time.
4.  Chisato sensei has always been the one helping the parents with everything regards to Iruka school.  Curtis learned so much and matured so much during the past year.  
5. I am sure some of you parents still remember Sayo sensei, Aki sensei, and Reiko senesei.  They are all wonderful teachers that teachers, too

You think these teachers are wonderful enough!  Look at  Iruka’s assistant teachers.  I don’t believe you can see any assistant teachers like them anywhere else.

1. Marie sensei always has that gentle voice and is always smiling when she is watching the kids play. 
2. And you can always see Taeko sensei  talking to the penguin class, and trying to calm them down. 
3. Nachiko sensei substitutes a lot when other full time teacher is on vacation.  She is always so graceful when you talk to her. 
4. Chishio sensei always greeted me with her energetic “Ohaiyo Gozai Maasu” when I drop off Curtis.  Her smiles will comfort you with all the anxiety you might have leaving your child at school during the first year.
5. Yuriko sensei gave me advises when I felt frustrated with Curtis, and I can never forget about the pencil holder trainer she lend to Curtis when Curtis started writing, but were not strong enough to hold the pencil.

 These little things are all important things to me. From these little things,  you know all these senseis are doing their everyday jobs with passion, sincerity and with their hearts. All these wonderful things are the reasons why We chose Iruka.

Thank You, thank you, to all these wonderful senseis.

Last year, Sarah Chan’s mom made the speech and busted into tears during the speech.  It really touched my heart because I knew, she felt the same way I did about this school and all these wonderful teachers.  Now, it’s our turn to say good bye to Iruka.  I know, these graduates will always remember what they have learned at Iruka, and cherish the friendship they have developed at this school.   

And all these kids are Winning from the beginning already by coming to Iruka.Thank you Iruka Yochien, thank you sensei, and good bye.   So tzu yen  O-mei deo  Gozai masu

After the speech is the performance from the kids.

Graduating Class marching out

Picture time —

Lanlan is sad that she is leaving Iruka.  Mommy is helping her wipe away the tears.

Good Friends!

Nice pictures of this family!

Skyler is so cute in this picture!

Curtis is giving Ryan’s mom and I a hard time taking the pictures…. because he wants to go find Maya

Hiro is Curtis’ first friend at Iruka.  When Curtis irst started Penguin class, he called everyone Hiro…  I guess he thought Hiro means, Firends!

Time really flies.  Curtis has been at Iruka for 3 1/2 years already.  The teachers let me stay with them on his last day at Iruka.  I brought some ice cream for the kids and spend the whole day with Curtis at school.  It is my frist time staying with Curtis at Iruak for the whole day.  Curtis was so excited to he gets to share with me what he does at school.  All I can say is that he is lucky to have such a wonderful experience with his first school, teachers and friends!  He made sure that I will take him back for more Japanese school in September when his Japanese teacher returns from Japan.

Iruka Classroom

Pool day today!

Rakko Classroom

Snack Time with the Ice Cream I brought!!!

Sensei told me the 3 of them play together a lot!  (maybe because they can talk to each other secretly in Chinese?!)

Now Getting Ready for the Pool Time!

Yeah!!!!  Time to Jump in!

Kids changed back to their regular clothes all by themselves, and put the wet towel and swim suits away!  So proud of them

Senseis prepared the lunch for the children before they come in for lunch

Lining up to go to the toilet & wash hands before lunch time

Chisato Sensei is reminding the kids on the eating manner before going inside for lunch.

Lunch Time!

After lunch, Curtis is reading a book on Airplane

The three of them are trying to locate the states of the USA

My Best Friend, Ryan

My Best Girl Friend, Maya

Chisato Sensei

Yuko Sensei with her baby boy!

Katzumi Sensei

Chishio Sensei

Yuriko Sensei

This is Curtis’ forth Iruka Olympic — Curtis is now the oldest one in the class/ no, the oldest one at school…

We got here early trying to set up our Easy-Up.  So many parents are here already.  At least we still got a pretty good spot!

Good Friends, Hiro, Shouta, Ryan, Luke & Curtis

Our Little Rex

Leon and Frannie joined us

Picture time

Yuko sensei and Chisato Sensei.  Yuko sensei has a baby boy in her tommy!

getting ready to march in

Exercising Time 早操時間!

Exercise Time

video:

Baggy Pants Race

Curtis & Shouta are the first one to run!

Emilia and Honoka

Maya and Mayu

Video

Gathering before the Marumarumorimori dance

Video:

First-grader and Adults foot race

Icy time

The infamous Tug-of-war

Kids foot race

I think Hiro is Number 1

Shouta is so fast!!!

video

Next is the obstacle course. Curtis got the chance to do the demo with Katsumi Sensei  before he went with Daddy.

Curtis & Daddy vs. Shouta & grandma?

Mayu with Mama & Yulan and Mama, too

Ethan is teaming up with his little sister, Emelia

Getting ready for the suzuwari (japanese pinata)

The experienced Curtis knows what to do….  Gather as many bean bags as possible before it starts!

Closing Ceremony

video

Curtis & Skyler!