I am not sure why the Administrative Personnel have such a lack of respect or concern for the children. Yesterday was black flag and they allowed the children to have recess. Are they aware of the ramifications if a child were to die in these conditions? I am sure that yesterday was not the only day. Do they realize they are there for the children and not to collect a pay check? Another example of their lack of concern for the children is the unfinished bathrooms and scaffolding every where. Maybe we should close the school and send the children to a school that cares. I am writing my congressman and I do have pictures.

Interesting, I guess you could homeschool.

WOW~I am glad I am not the only concerned parent. My son comes from Ikego to attend 4th grade there and I have emailed the principal about the weather issue and so far no response.
I was told in the main office on Tuesday that he's the one that would make the decision. With heat index, the weather has been well over 100 degrees F....WTH? I just might have to ask the teacher to keep my son inside b/c that's insane...Today, i saw kids outside around 1230p way way too hot for kids to be outside.
Can we all ICE?

The assistant principal just called me. She said the school consults with the USNH, CFAY, and Japan something to determine if the kids are safe outside. She said black flag was called at 1300 the other day and all kids were inside by that time. It was mentioned that there are many areas of shade/covered pavillion for the kids to play under and sitting for them as well.
Also, that if you have a fair skin child like myself, or any child is allowed to have a hat outside and bring water with them.
Not sure I agree that these other agencies didn't think it wasn't hot enough for the kids to be outside
but what can I do...
They do not have their own policy as they go by whatever those other agencies say.
HTH, Joe

As far as the bathrooms go, I know that the contractors are in BIG TROUBLE. I saw the School Liaison Officer Monday and she seemed beyond embarrassed about that. It was supposed to be done a week or two ago. They are working major overtime to get it done.


I love homeschooling!

Okay guys, time for me to put my two yen in here. There are a few things the administration can do, all within their discretion, power, and moral responsibility to do. Here's the plan:

1) Put the kids in the Gym when it gets to a Black Flag day. The place looks empty during lunch anyway and is air conditioned.

2) Put the kids in the shade as previously mentioned. There are plenty of spots to accomplish that near the playground area.

3) Place a flagpole somewhere on the campus showing the Black Flag conditions.

4) Improve communication between U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Base Safety Office, and the Nurse's Office at Sullivans School. This would be in the best interests of the little guys who don't deserve to be roasting in the hot sun.

5) Allow the kids to wear ball caps and have water bottles. Right now the school policy is that they are not allowed to wear ball caps, which is ridiculous under the circumstances.

Can someone answer this question: Is is true that all THREE - repeat - THREE administrators were absent for the entire summer and left the construction in the hands of a newly reported GS employee who didn't know what was going on?

In any case, it's a fiasco - the bathrooms, exposing the kids to urethane paint, Black Flag conditions. It's high time the base CO or the Admiral get involved before somebody gets hurts at Sullivans.

Per the assistant principal~Black flag was called the other day after the children had gone inside. She said any child was welcome to wear a hat and bring a water bottle. I send a hat and a huge thermos full of water and he has drank it all by the end of the day. I am just not buying that it's not hot enough for these kids by 11am when my son is outside playing.
The first day of school at 10am, I was outside pulling weeds and the heat index was 101.
i just might have to ask that he be kept inside regardless if my son wants to go outside or not.
Not only did the assistant principal talk to me for 20mins she then emailed me to restate what she spoke about over the phone.

My daughter loves recess but since the first day of school, she just stayed under the shade next to the bathroom. I told her to go inside the building but she said kids are not allowed to go inside unless they got hurt and need to see the nurse. As far as I know there are more than 1000 kids at Sullivans and looking at the playground, I don't think there is enough shade for all these kids. I , myself, can't stand to stay outside for more than 10 minutes. It is just so hot. The admin should give the children an option whether they want to play outside or stay indoor. This is just insane!!!

Stars and Stripes ran a story in Sunday's edition stating that Misawa schools closed two hours early this week due to the heat and will continue that policy next week when temperatures are expected to be 100+. Nothing was mentioned about the Dream Team at Sullivans, but maybe an article on the Construction/Heat Fiasco is forthcoming. The article mentioned that DODDS Pacific had sent out some kind of policy directive on the issue. Misawa might be a completely different situation because the classrooms are not air conditioned. The saga continues however and I would hope that leadership remembers to KEEP KIDS FIRST, and not become the ultimate butt-covering bureaucrat that permeate the U.S. Government.

Dear Mayflower - You make a valid point about giving the kids options of staying in or outside. It makes sense. They could allow them to go into the gymnasium, assumng there are no classes in the gym, but that would involve hiring extra personnel to watch over them. They recently changed how they do lunch recess with recess coming first, then lunch afterwards, so that would complicate things for sure. Since the school has THREE principals, surely they can all get together and figure out some feasible plan and work it through with the best interests of the kids involved.