Does anybody know anything about this school?
It seems like the tuition is really high.

How much is the tuition?

Each semester(4 months)is 352,000yen, and there is an admission fee as well.

Micky,

I spoke with some people about your question over the costs.

Traditionally Japanese schools are expensive to foreigners. Americans usually dont send their children to private schools, and public school is usually the first choice. In the USA private schools can run anywhere between $500-$3000 a month depending on the location and level of popularity.

I have a friend that pays 2.1 million yen a year for his 1 child to attend off-base school. Thats nearly $20,000 a year, which if you want to calculate quarterly is $5,000 a quarter (3 months).

Are you aware that you have to pay for your children to attend onbase DODDS school?
Govt contractors and Govt civilians have to pay out of their pocket to allow their children to attend school. Most (Not all) receive some sort of compensation from their companies which helps pay for the reimbursement for the fees they will encounter with their children attending school.
I am not exactly sure what the price is, but its somewhere in the ball park of $15,000 a year (per child).

When you break these factors into your first question about Hayama's prices, I dont think they are off-target.

Here is the english website for Hayama International School:
http://www.hayama-international.co.jp/english/


By the way:

* A friend of mine actually works there, and teaches Spanish to the children. I also know the head director, so if you would like me to post some information to your questions, I can ask them to. I dont know much about the school, but my friend Loves working there! She loves the children so much, she is dreading to leave Japan, because she would have to give up her position there.

Thank you so much for your advice.
It would be great if the school could post some information.

Thanks again for your great help!

I researched these rates which come directly off the DoDEA Official Web Site. It appears that the fees are prorated and are in different categories depending on the grade level.

http://www.pac.dodea.edu/supportser...0RATES.pdf

Thanks Mike! Great information!

I started a new post to discuss these rates.

DoDDS School Year 2009-2010 Tuition Rates
http://yokosukabase.com/forums/afv/.../1012.aspx

Am I understand u correctly. That when we report to ur base this spring. We will have to pay for our 5 yr old to attend the school on base?

Well it depends.

Are you or your husband in the military?

These rates apply for non-military.

Contractors, and Govt. Civilians.

There is a big difference.

If you were to choose for your child to attend off-base international school or daycares, then the answer would be "yes" you would have to pay.

Military also have to fork out $ for childcare, but thats a completely different topic.

Hayama International is a fantastic option for those interested in having their children attend an off-base establishment. If you have additional questions about costs, you can follow them up on the new post I did here:

DoDDS School Year 2009-2010 Tuition Rates
http://yokosukabase.com/forums/afv/.../1012.aspx

I would recommend you look up your specific category of employment/service on this web link. It might answer your question.

http://www.pac.dodea.edu/supportser.../index.htm

Yokosuka Base Admin,

Hi! My mother-in-law who is American (I'm Japanese:-)) is very interested in
working at Hayama International School.
I was wondering how your friend got the job and a legal teaching visa.
She has 12 year teaching experience at an international school in Osaka.
She was teaching young children. Also her husband was teaching music and
was a band director for 12 years at the same school.
They love children so much!
I want to help them get the job if possible.

Thanks!

As of right now, I think Hayama International goes up to grade 2. Though they are growing, so I would ask if they will have a 3rd grade for the upcoming year.

The tuition is NOT bad. No where near the $20k mark. You will be relieved at the cost

I have two children who attend and I recommend it. They have a bus that picks up our children near our off base house. We will miss the school greatly when we leave next year!

I have friends whose children go to Ikego elementary. They are happy with it. If you live off base and close to Ikego you can get a waiver for your child to go there and not Yokosuka. It just depends where you live and which school is more convenient. I'm not saying Ikego is better, its just that I don't know anyone that has children who go to Yokosuka.

There is an international school in Yokohama. I found it when I was researching schools for our children. I think the price for that one is VERY expensive. I think it was $20k per child.

Robyne~You get no credit from the Navy for other education for your children..DODDS Schools are excellent in my opinion and I wish mine could graduate from the system. My children have grown and they both started kinder in the system...they are now in the 2nd and 4th grade. you have your problems but that is with any school but i have never had any complaints and always gotten good teachers. They seem to be on top if there's a problem with my child lacking in one subject...My child will get the extra help they need until they are on level.
Nothing but happiness from this momma

Hi Jenn - thanks so much for your response.  We are definitely planning on DODDs for the 3rd grader, but I just wanted to hear from someone who actually has kids in the system now.  Do your kids go to Ikego or Sullivans?  Are there pros/cons for these two schools?  Can you tell me what kind of "specials" are part of the curriculum (art, music, computer, library, PE, foreign language, etc..) and how often?  What kinds of activities are offered after school?   Thanks so much!

Hi Okjapan - thanks so much for the info on Hayama.  It has been recommended to me for my preschooler, but I thought when I looked at the website, the price looked REALLY high.  We are accustomed to about $300-500/month for a part-day preschool, depending on the number of days per week. If it's in that range (and I guess there is a bit of a hefty entrance fee?), I will definitely pursue it further.  Do you know if there is a wait list that we should get on now, or can we wait until we arrive in Japan in August?  I would expect my little one to be in the 3's program.  Thanks! Robyne

Hi Robyne,
I'm not sure what exactly you are looking for in a preschool but my son attends a Japanese Yochien (Seika). It accepts children from ages 2.5 to 5 and is taught in Japanese. It is a preschool, so there is a lot of free play as well as games, crafts, gym class, and a lot of music. They even teach the kids to play an instrument called the Melodian. It is Christian too so there is a sung blessing in the morning and grace at lunch as well as a large Christmas pageant that includes a lovely play of the Christmas story as well as the Santa-type stuff.
They have a bus that looks like a train and picks kids up on and off base and hot lunch at school.

The tuition falls into the range you are used to although there is a fairly hefty initial investment in admission fees and all of the school supplies and uniforms. My son started in April and after a few weeks of adjustment started to really like it. He is getting more fluent in Japanese every day- he greets people on the street and one of my Japanese friends told me that it seems like he has a Japanese switch because he speaks so well! LOL

Anyway, I just thought I'd throw that out there.

Awesome!  Seika sounds like a great option for my preschooler.  It has been recommended by another person as well.  Should I get on a wait list (we will be arriving July or August 2011), or is there always availability?  Thanks!

There is a significant discount from age 4 and up for Americans. Preschool (age 2-3) unfortunately is full price. But they may defer some of the other administrative costs. I have three kids there. They all love it.

International schools in Japan are extremely expensive!! More than college tuition or about the same as "out of state' college tuition. We have three daughters and really wanted to send them to international school however, I called 5 International schools including Hayama and they are unaffordable for military and most civilians in Japan. The cost is anywhere from $18,000 a year to $25,000 a year. They will not give a discount for military. I have a friend who teaches at a private school that used to discount for military but they quit discounting about 6 years ago. They said there were too many problems. Whatever that means??? Maybe that is why the cost is set high!!

Pay them a visit. They don't like to talk about discounts over the phone. They convert the fees on a 100 yen to 1 $ ratio. So even at full price it is about $10K per year. Believe me they do have a discount.

So are we still talking about Hayama?

That's the school I'm interested in for our 4 year old. We arrive by mid May.

For those of you who have knowledge about Hayama, I was wondering...
Is the entire school day taught in English with a class on Japanese? Or how is that?

Hayama International is a really good school. They teach in English. I think in 1st grade they will have a Japanese lesson each day. I recommend you take a tour when you get here and they can answer all of your questions. Don't listen to the previous poster about how expensive it is. For a private school it is very affordable.

Hi Jenn!