Through participation in the many school events, students are able to put into practice skills taught in the classroom, discover new things, and forge new bonds with each other. Many opportunities are given for students to present what they’ve learned, which helps them develop public speaking skills and help them on their journey to self-discovery.
New students begin their journey at Naragakuen Tomigaoka and are welcomed to campus with their parents.
The new academic year begins.
Midterm examinations for the first term are held in May. This is the first round of exams for students in the academic year
Not long after the entrance ceremony, M3 (7th grade) students travel to Hachi Highlands in Hyogo for a four-day trip. The trip is designed for students to get to know one another and to promote self-motivation as they have to decide the itinerary, rules, and do the preparations by themselves.
M4 (8th grade) students travel to Shirahama in Wakayama Prefecture and spend three days exploring and learning about the area. Highlights include visiting a laboratory, aquarium, and the area’s many cultural heritage spots.
9th grade students travel to Okinawa, and spend time learning about the unique culture and history of Okinawa. The first two days are primarily spent learning about the Battle of Okinawa and issues surrounding the US military presence and bases in Okinawa. The second two days are spent learning about nature and environmental problems facing Okinawa.
Y3 (11th grade) students travel to Queensland, Australia where they spend two weeks fully immersed in an English speaking environment. Students stay with host families and interact with students from a local private school.
Final exams for the first term are held in July.
The opening ceremony for the second term is held around August 21st. Students are welcomed back to school after their summer break
The annual school festival is one of the largest events for students of all grade levels. Preparations begin in June and are the busiest in the two weeks just before the festival. Students engage in a number of activities during the festival, and it provides an opportunity to work together to make the festival a success.
Y2 (10th grade) students spend 3 days in an all-English environment with native English speakers. This allows students to immerse themselves in English and simulate how they might get along in an English-speaking country. Students learn phrases suited for various travel situations such as customs and shopping.
After Shoshisai (the school festival), students return to normal studies and begin to prepare for the mid-term exams held in October.
Students from all levels gather to compete in many different events. One of the highlights is when all 1000 students dance together for the Naratomidan.
Naragakuen Tomigaoka was founded on November 1
Final examinations for the 2nd term are held at the beginning of December.
The 3rd term, shortest of the three, begins in January.
Many different races and fun runs are held during winter in Japan. In February, Middle and Youth students take part in a run along the Kizu River located near campus. Youth students (9-12th grades) run for 11km, M3 and M4 (7th and 8th grades) run for 9km, and M1 and M2 (5th and 6th grade) run for 4km.
Due to the short length of the 3rd term, there are no mid-term exams, so the third term final examinations are the last round of exams for students in the academic year.
The Y4 (12th grade) students come to school for the last day and are sent off with a graduation ceremony. The entire campus is filled with a festive mood as the graduating students celebrate their accomplishments and look ahead to their bright futures.