Japanese Language Supplementary School of Houston

The Japanese Language Supplementary School of Houston (ヒューストン日本語補習校, Hyūsuton Nihongo Hoshūkō, JLSSH) is a supplementary Japanese school in Houston, Texas. Its classes are held at the Westchester Academy for International Studies.[1] and the school office is located in the Memorial Ashford Place office building.[1][2] The school, operated by the Japanese Educational Institute (JEI, ヒューストン日本語教育振興会 Hyūsuton Nihongo Kyōiku Shinkō Kai[3]), is for children between ages 5 and 18 who are Japanese speakers.[4] Many of the students are temporarily residing in the United States.[5]

Westchester Academy for International Studies, the location of the classes
The school offices are located at the Sansui-Kai Center (三水会センター) in the Memorial Ashford Place office building

As of 2020 the principal is Tōshiaki? Ide (井手 登士昭, Ide Tōshiaki?).[6]

History

The school opened in 1972. The original purpose was to give a Japanese-style supplementary education to children of businesspeople stationed in Houston for terms of three to five years, so they do not fall behind on Japanese classwork when they return to Japan.[7] The school's first classes were held at the South Main Baptist Church. In 1974 classes moved to Tallowood Baptist Church, and on August 20, 1983 another campus at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church opened. On March 25, 1986 the school moved its classes to the Westchester Education Center.[8]

In March 1989 the school had 379 students, including non-Japanese.[7]

On May 25, 1999 the school moved its classes to Stratford High School, and classes there began on May 29.[8][9] On August 12, 2000, however, the school moved its classes back to Westchester.[3]

Previously the school held classes for American high school students at the T.H. Rogers School.[10]

In 2015 the school had 480 students. Its student population increased by 71% within the previous two-year period.[11]

Curriculum and operations

The school offers grades 1 through 12 and uses the Japanese school year calendar, a trimester system beginning in April and ending in March. It teaches courses in the Japanese language,[7] including calligraphy.[5] It also teaches social studies, science, and mathematics; the school education committee chairperson, Yasutomo Katsuno, stated that the school offers the courses in subjects other than the Japanese language "because they need to (be able to) read the same question in Japanese, too."[7] In 1989 Yuko Leibrock, the secretary, stated that the school had 23 teachers. On weekdays, over half of those teachers do not teach at schools. The Japanese Ministry of Education appoints the school principal, who serves on a three-year shift. As of 1987 Houston Independent School District (HISD) high school students can take courses from the Japanese school to earn high school credit.[7] Spring Branch Independent School District (SBISD) students may take JEI Japanese courses on Saturdays.[12]

As of 1989 the Japanese government provided 10% of the funding, and tuition and the Japanese Business Association of Houston (JBA; ヒューストン日本商工会 Hyūsuton Nihon Shōkōkai) cover the remainder of the budget. In 1989 the tuition was determined by the age of the student and ranged from $40 ($82.5 according to inflation) to $50 ($103.13 according to inflation).[7]

See also

References
  1. Home page (Archive). Japanese Language Supplementary School of Houston. Retrieved on March 30, 2014. "借用校： Westchester Academy 901 Yorkchester Houston, Texas, USA 77079" and "連絡先（事務局） 火曜 - 金曜日 12651 Briar Forest Dr. Suite 105, Houston, Texas, USA 77077"
  2. "Memorial Ashford Place" (Archive). Moody Rambin. Retrieved on May 13, 2014.
  3. "沿革概要" (Archive). Japanese Language Supplementary School of Houston. Retrieved on May 13, 2014. "平成12年度 (2000-2001)[...]8月12日　ウエストチェスター校に校舎移転"
  4. "Japanese Language Study Program Spring Branch Independent School District Archived 2014-03-30 at the Wayback Machine." Spring Branch Independent School District. Retrieved on March 30, 2014.
  5. Dam, Minh. "Japanese community feeling right at home." Houston Chronicle. April 14, 2013. Updated April 15, 2013. Retrieved on February 17, 2015. Print version: "Culture - Japanese festival bittersweet for 4 girls - The teens have spent 3 years at Cinco Ranch schools, but now it's time for them to go home." Monday April 15, 2013. p. B1. Available from NewsBank, Record Number 15275809. Available from the Houston Public Library online with a library card.
  6. "Gakkōchō no Aisatsu" 学校長の挨拶 [Principal's Greetings]. Japanese Language Supplementary School of Houston. Retrieved 2020-06-14. 2019年4月5日、ヒューストン日本語補習校の第15代校長として着任致しました井手登士昭と申します。
  7. Piller, Ruth. "Students learning in native Japanese - Training at Houston school helps children keep up with peers overseas." Houston Chronicle. Monday, March 27, 1989. Section A p. 9. Available from NewsBank, Record Number 03*27*612374. Available from the Houston Public Library website with a library card.
  8. "沿革概要" (). Japanese Language Supplementary School of Houston. September 26, 2000. Retrieved on April 16, 2015. "昭和46年度 (1972-73)[...]3月 4日 第１回授業開始。名称を「ヒューストン日本語補習教室」とする。幼稚園部、小学部、中学部までとし、６学級を設置。 児童数 ５０名、教員数 ４名。所在地を South Main Baptist Church校舎とする。" and "昭和48年度 (1973-74) 1月 校舎を Tallowood Baptist Church へ移転" and "昭和58年度 (1983-84) 8月20日 Holy Spirit Episcopal Church へ分校開設。" and "昭和60年度 (1985-86)[...]4月10日[...] 3月25日 Westchester Education Center (以下WEC) へ校舎移転。" and "平成11年度 (1999-2000) 5月 25日 ストラットフォード高校に移転。 5月 29日 ストラットフォード高校にて授業開始。"
  9. Home page" (). Japanese Language Supplementary School of Houston. August 23, 2000. Retrieved on April 16, 2015. "借用校 ： Stratford Senior High School 14555 Fern, Houston, TX. USA 77079"
  10. Muñoz, Olivia and Sayoko Yamashita. "Secondary School Program in Japanese Language and Culture in Houston, Texas." The Journal of the Association of Teachers of Japanese. American Association of Teachers of Japanese, Vol. 20, No. 1 (Apr., 1986), pp. 57-60. CITED: p. 57. "[...]at the T. H. Rogers Education Center where the Japanese Educational Institute already conducts a supplemental school for children of Japanese living in Houston."
  11. Takahashi, Paul. "Exclusive: New Asian supermarket to launch first store in Houston." Houston Business Journal. March 27, 2015. Retrieved on January 30, 2016.
  12. "Japanese." Spring Branch Independent School District. Retrieved on February 11, 2016.

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