At KIST, we aim to provide a safe and supportive environment where students are physically, emotionally and intellectually healthy, and where each student feels valued. We believe that supporting the welfare needs of students is a whole school priority, and that student learning is inextricably linked to student welfare. As such, we have developed a comprehensive network of support systems and programs to ensure an environment where our students are prepared as far as possible to tackle the struggles they encounter as they grow up into young adults, and where they feel comfortable seeking help and guidance when they encounter such issues.
Advisory groups
Each student in the Secondary School is placed in a grade-level Homeroom Advisory group, comprised of 20–25 students with one Homeroom Advisor. It is the role of the Advisor to ensure that students feel supported, both as members of the Advisory group and individually, on both a personal and an academic level. The Homeroom Advisor is a student’s first point of contact for expressing any concerns or seeking advice. The Advisors are a key presence and source of encouragement and guidance in any student’s life at KIST, and go out of their way to make sure that all students in their Advisory group feel at home and comfortable speaking with them about any personal, social or academic worries they may have. Parents are also welcomed and encouraged to reach out to their child’s Advisor regarding any concerns they may have about their child.
Advisory groups meet for a brief homeroom period each morning so that Advisors may take attendance, discuss any necessary upcoming events or relevant topics, and generally touch base with students each day. Additionally, students participate in a fifty-minute Advisory class period once a week, which may be used to prepare for upcoming school events, class excursions, or standardized tests, discussion of study habits, time management techniques, and other necessary academic skills, or social and interpersonal wellbeing lessons prepared in coordination with the Student Care Coordinators, among other topics. Advisors are also available to arrange meetings with students before and after school when necessary.
Social and Emotional Learning curriculum
One of the major topics covered during Advisory periods is Social and Emotional Learning, or SEL. The SEL curriculum used at KIST was developed by the American organization: The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) based on research by leading experts from around the United States. SEL guides students to understand and develop self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. The curriculum breaks down each of these five major competencies into specific skills and concepts that prepare students for resilience throughout their academic careers and beyond.
Student Care Coordinators
In the Secondary School, there are two Student Care Coordinators—one for Grades 6–8 and one for Grades 9–12—who fill an important role in the Student Care structure at KIST. The coordinators support student welfare by facilitating various programs and services to maintain the day to day social and emotional development and needs of the Secondary student body, and work in collaboration with the Homeroom Advisors and Secondary staff in general.
One of the main roles of the Student Care Coordinators is to provide a safe space for students to talk about their problems and issues freely. Students at KIST are encouraged to visit the Student Care Coordinators whenever they feel they need to speak one-on-one about a confidential issue—anything from culture shock and academic stress to bullying or fighting with their parents. We understand that teenagers are at a difficult turning point in their adult lives and want to encourage them to address their problems with responsible adults rather than trying to hide them. While our Student Care Coordinators are not licensed therapists, they regularly attend training sessions and conferences for school counselors, and are equipped to refer students to professionals outside of school when necessary.
The Student Care Coordinators are also responsible for coordinating the implementation of life skills programming alongside the Homeroom Advisors, and regularly conduct lessons with student Advisory groups about issues such as the development of social skills and healthy relationships, community building, and bullying prevention. They also prepare literature and attend school information days and parent evenings to help educate the parent community about available support related to student welfare and pastoral care.
Buddy system for new students
Students may join KIST at any time during the school year according to their family circumstances. We understand that being the only new student in a class that has otherwise been together since August can be an intimidating and challenging experience, so all new secondary school students who join KIST mid-year are assigned a buddy to help ease their transition on the first day. These buddies help mid-term newcomers not only with finding their classrooms and remembering their schedule, but also offer a friendly face and a warm welcome as new students settle into their new classes and social circle at KIST.
Teambuilding excursions
Students in Grade 7, 9 and 11 at KIST take part in overnight teambuilding excursions to various locations in Japan. These two-to-three-day experiences give students valuable opportunities to work together in both small and large groups with others in their grade level and form a sense of camaraderie with their classmates. In the words of a Grade 7 student, these excursions are “a great opportunity for [students] to get to know each other better and develop [their] teamwork skills.” For more information on these and other academic outings, please check our Learning excursions page
