School introduction

Tsunan secondary school is the fourth to open in Niigata prefecture.
It opened in Tsunan-machi in April, 2006.
In an environment among rich nature, all the students find “a dream” during their six years at Tsunan secondary school and aim at making it come true.

Fundamental principle of education

We develop our students’ personalities with the aid of the three features below.

a) Two homeroom teachers for one class
To take care of the individuals and give detailed instructions

b) Courteous instruction until students fully understand
To enhance the abilities of self-learning

c) Educational counseling for students with a problem
To enable an early resolution

Dreams will need knowledge, a sound education and a learning attitude to become a reality.

We consider an improvement in student’s scholastic abilities as an overriding educational subject. Also, we contribute to giving the necessary education to make students’ dreams come true and make students become good social leaders in the future.

4 provisions for realizing our dreams and ways to acquire them

1) Scholastic abilities
– learn in a small class for math and English lessons – make a habit of doing assignments through
homework planning card
– take a quiz or read in the morning hour to ensure that students keep a learning and reviewing
attitude
– ensure the number of lessons needed to realize a dream
– make use of mock examinations to give advice on guidelines for study through one-on-one lessons

2) Self-expression
– take part in English conversation class, English camp, and cultural exchange with high school students
overseas
– experience homestaying with a family on an overseas language trip
– utilize IT to cultivate the skills of collecting, analyzing and editing information and information
transmission capability
– have many chances to express in writing such as an essay and a report to nourish thinking
expressive power

3) Understanding of people/nature
– experience local nature and culture at a workshop
– listen to a lecture by local people who are active in the front lines to cultivate motivation for dreams
– experience working at local offices to cultivate a view of a career and consideration for others
– volunteering actively in the area

4) Toughness
– value club activities, school events, student council activities
– study outside of a class in each grade to expand students’ views and stimulate intellectual curiosity
– develop sound mind and body through various experiences in beautiful nature

The Three Stages

At Tsunan Secondary school, unlike students at a standard junior high school, students at the junior level study what is taught at the senior level, too. The reason is that it is sometimes effective to unite overlapping topics between the junior high and the high school and teach them together. This is how students become more comfortable studying at this school and accordingly, at the senior level, they will have plenty of time to prepare for their next career after graduation. Students will acquire the knowledge and skills needed for their future career during their six years in this school.

To take the utmost advantage of this combined junior and senior high school education system, this six-year school curriculum is divided into three sections. Each of the three sections, which has a two-year span, is called a “Stage.” We put two grades together in each Stage, taking their growth process into account. We believe that students will deepen their knowledge and skills steadily as they go through one stage to another.

STAGE1

The Period of Encouragement: Basic knowledge and skills are nurtured, which will be the foundation of the study at the next two stages.
At this stage, students become familiar with school disciplines and nurture the basic knowledge and skills as a foundation for their further study. They are taught the importance of taking notes, studying every day, and having exercise to lead a healthy life.

Such routines as daily classes, assignments and tests make students’ knowledge deeper and deeper. The book-reading period in the morning nurtures the essentials for studying,like cultivation and concentration in students’ minds.

STAGE2

The Period of Enrichment: Going through the study of intermediate level and various training camps, further self-enrichment is achieved.

At this stage, students apply their knowledge and skills acquired during the first stage to the study at this stage in order to deepen them further.

At the same time, they estimate the level of their own knowledge and skills objectively, taking the tests targeting nationwide students of the same age.

STAGE3

The Period of Endeavour: With a concrete vision of their own future, students try hard for its fulfillment.
Students at this stage mature greatly as the main posts of the School Council, or as the leaders of various school events. They each take either the course of the Arts or the one of the Sciences, according to their expected future career.

They try hard for completion of their study at this school and for realization of their own dreams.

Teaching policy

– The basis of our teaching policy and its features –

Acquisition -Emphasis on daily studies-
・The day’s assignment is visualized in an assignment sheet distributed every day.
・Book-reading period is introduced to nurture cultivation and concentration that is also useful to studies.
・The cycle of the class, the assignment, and the review test promote students’ understanding on the
subject further.

Enterprise -Promotion of the features of Secondary School-
・Understanding is promoted by connecting identical contents taught both at the junior high and the senior
high.
・Curiosity for learning is promoted through the original subjects such as Applied History, Geography, and
the Comprehensive Study.
・Communicative ability is developed through the experience at the Language Study Tour and the
Language Training Program.

Application-Development of the skills for consideration and communication-
・The daily studies, knowledge and skills are voluntarily acquired to answer challenging questions .
・By reviewing basic questions again and again, the foundation for reasoning is nurtured.
・By taking prep tests, students are trained to apply what they’ve learned in the class to the questions
asked in real exams.

Career counseling

Basic policy of our career counseling
We strive to instill concrete visions of a future career in every student’s mind and endow them with the knowledge and skills needed to fulfill their dreams.

What is “career counseling?”

(1) “Career counseling” in our school does not necessarily mean to advise students on which school or
company to choose after graduation. Rather, it means to consult with them on what to do for their
future career during the six years at this school.

From the beginning of their school life, students are gradually asked to think about what they feel
is worth doing, which future career is suitable to them, and what they should do for its realization.

(2) We give students a motive to choose their own future career by themselves and the skills needed to
achieve their goals.

(3) We encourage the students to study all the subjects, including the subjects they don ’t require for
entrance examinations for university.This is because we need a wide variety of knowledge for
dealing with entrance exams.Take an English examination as an example.The topics of the text come
from science, history, social science and other fields.The students have to learn a wide variety of
knowledge through the subjects other than English in addition to mastering English.Also, they have to
know how to express what they think and feel.If not, they cannot write the answers to the questions of
the examinations.Therefore, we should stop having the idea that we need some subjects but we don’t
need others.

(4) We are sure that we have more opportunities to interact with each school than other schools due
to the small number of students.

– We have interviews with students more than 4 times, and give them some advice for their studying or their future plans. We also make efforts to build up a close relationship between students and families and school by conducting parent-teacher-student meetings, parent meetings, and PTA activities frequently.

Location and enrollment

Location: 298-1 Bo, Shimofunato, Tsunan-Town, Naka-Uonuma Ward, Niigata Prefecture, 949-8201,
Japan
Phone Number: 025-765-2062 (the primary number)
Fax: 025-765-3690
School System: Full-day for 6 years (3 years each for the juniors and the seniors)
Course: General course (the seniors)
The number of classes: 2 classes for each grade from 1 to 6, total 12 classes

School history

School History

November 1, 2005
Tsunan Secondary School of Niigata was established.
(The premise of Tsunan High School of Niigata was shared.)
March 31, 2006
Construction of Lunch Room was completed.
April 1, 2006
Tsunan High School of Niigata was closed.
April 4, 2006
The first Entrance Ceremony was held. (81 students were enrolled.)
October 21, 2006
   The Memorial Ceremony of the founding of the school was held.
October 15, 2007
The first seismic strengthening work was done to the building for the special classes.
October 20, 2008
The second seismic strengthening work was done to the building for the special classes.
October 30, 2009
The first reforming and reinforcing work was done to the building for the ordinary classes.
September 30, 2010
The second reforming and reinforcing work was done to the building for the ordinary classes.
December 10, 2010
Reforming and reinforcing work was done to the second gymnasium.
March 16, 2012
The first Graduation Ceremony was held.

Principals in succession

The goal of our education

The Goal of Our Education

Our educational goal is to create a resourceful person with reason and humanity who will lead our society for the future generations.
For this goal, we help students pursue curiosity in learning, acquire various knowledge and skills, and the ways of self-expression. We also encourage students to nurture compassion for others through a relationship with the neighboring societies and their beautiful nature.

Our School’s Features and Teaching Policy

(1) To enhance students’ capacity to make their own dreams come true
High academic achievement:
・ We ensure as many classes as needed.
・ We deepen students’ knowledge with a review test.
Voluntariness and willingness to study:
・ We encourage students to study at home reviewing a record of their daily works together.
・ We support students who try to take proficiency tests like English, math, and kanji, or Chinese characters.
Education which gives students a vision for their future career
・ We invite professionals in various areas to give lectures to students and hold career
guidance at fixed intervals.

(2) To enhance students’ capability to express themselves to the outside world.
Opportunities for students to express themselves:
・ We have a language learning program overseas.
・ We give students opportunities for presentations ,with the purpose of strengthening their
capability and confidence in expressing themselves.
・ We encourage students to take part in speech contests and debate programs.

(3) To enhance compassion for others and the strength to cope with difficulties
Outside class activities utilizing the local culture and surroundings
・ We have an annual event walking around our neighboring areas.
・ We promote an exchange between lower and upper graders inside our school.
・ We have a ski lesson every winter.
・ We let students experience an internship at local companies.
・ We have as many activities as possible to meet students’ demands.

(4) To enhance students’ self affirmation with caring support from the staff, Caring support is best fitted
to each student:
・ Every class has two teachers in charge.
Learning support by teachers to ensure the full acquisition of the subject matter:
・ We satisfy students’ motivations for studying with persistent support.
・ One teacher takes charge of small numbers of students for them to feel more comfortable in
learning.
Counseling support available to everyone for problem resolution:
・ We have a designated counselor whom students can consult, as well as their teachers.

Curriculum

Junior High School Education (1^st-3^rd Year Students)

NOTE: 1. Numbers in the table show the total number of class hours of the school year.
        : 2. One class hour has 48 minutes in actual daily school life ,but the numbers above are converted
numbers into 50 minutes.

Senior High School Education (4^th -6^th Year Students)

NOTE: 1. Numbers in the table show the number of credits.
 : 2. 35 school hours of lesson per year are counted as one credit ,and 35 is a converted number into
50 minutes.
        : 3. One school hour lasts 48 minutes.

Daily Schedule

April～November

December～March

Club Activities
Students participate in club activities three times (in case of 4^th – 6^th Year Students, twice) a week. The following are the clubs we currently have:
・Soccer
・Athletics
・Baseball (with soft-ball)
・Volleyball（for women）
・Table Tennis
・Fine Arts
・Brass Band
・Science