Enjoy this short video snippet about Canadian Academy from our 2024 Expo.
Transcript
Canadian Academy
ISTimes Global: (00:00) Hello, I’m here with Ai from Canadian Academy. Welcome.
Canadian Academy: (00:04) Hi.
ISTimes Global: (00:05) Uh, I’ve uh I’ve seen you’ve been very busy here at uh at the Expo. So I have a chance to ask you a few questions about your school.
Canadian Academy: (00:13) Sure.
ISTimes Global: (00:14) Um, first, it seems to be quite popular here, so I I’d love to hear what what draws uh parents and families to uh to your school?
Canadian Academy: (00:25) So, um, we’ve been around since 1913, so over 100 years. Um, we had our 100th graduating class about two years ago. So, um, we’re one of the oldest international schools in the area. Um, we say Canadian, but we’re not really Canadian.
ISTimes Global: (00:42) I was actually about to follow up and ask about that. Okay.
Canadian Academy: (00:44) Yeah. So in 1913, uh we were founded by a group of Canadian missionaries. And so it’s pre-war. Um, the school closed for a few years during the war, but um, again, it was founded by Canadian missionaries and uh out of respect for them, we keep the name Canadian. But since then, the school has evolved to a more international school. Uh, we are the school of choice for many families from the embassies, consulates, um, and multinational companies who are sending their um employees here for a few years.
ISTimes Global: (01:19) Great. Uh now, those those families and companies have other choices as well. They they they um they pick this school in particular, one by how crowded it’s been here at us for a while. Um what are some things that you think really stand out in uh your school, things that really uh makes parents and families notice and makes uh kids really uh excited about going to uh your school every day.
Canadian Academy: (01:48) Well, I think um, we’re very lucky to have our wonderful facilities. Um, and I think that’s a wild factor for the first time anyone visits our school. However, uh what it’s what’s at our core is our family-like uh community, our atmosphere, um and our truly diverse student and our faculty community. So we represent over 43 nationalities. Um, really from yeah, all over the world. And um, and our alumni are also all over the world, but still very tightly connected. So I think it’s that family-like community that really draws the people to our school and even after they leave, they keep on coming back.
ISTimes Global: (02:33) I was about to ask with uh with your school being so old, do you find that graduates, your alumni, do do they come back send their kids to the school? Is that is that part of the school culture?
Canadian Academy: (02:44) Um, amazingly, I am also an alumni.
ISTimes Global: (02:47) Look at that.
Canadian Academy: (02:48) And uh I have another alumni on my staff. So again, um it is a school that we all want to come back to. So I can say that from my personal experience. Um, and not just that, we have a lot of alumni who are back as parents now. Uh, many of my classmates are parents and of course from all different ages. Uh, we do have parents, um, who are alumni. And also, um, every year we have many, many alumni just come back for visits. And this will surprise you, but next week we have 20 people coming to visit our school and they are from the class of 1968.
ISTimes Global: (03:30) 1968. So it’s
Canadian Academy: (03:31) So they’re like over 70 years old.
ISTimes Global: (03:34) So it sounds like you’ve built a very long trusted community over a long time. And I think the fact that they’re that they would come back after so long, it seems like they’ve they’ve they’ve been left with something that’s carried throughout their whole life.
Canadian Academy: (03:51) And we’re really lucky they always say, you know, that you know, many have been here for 10 years, but some have only been here for two years, right? So we call them alumni, but not all of them have graduated our school. But yet, you know, they keep on coming back for visits and they say this has been the profound time period of my time, you know, of my my student life. And that’s why they keep on coming back and they also want to like meet their old teachers, they want to visit their old classrooms, uh walk down memory lane and so that’s always been a pleasure because I’m also in fact in charge of alumni relations. So uh my take care of those as well.
ISTimes Global: (04:26) You seem to be wearing many hats at uh your school.
Canadian Academy: (04:30) Yes.
ISTimes Global: (04:30) You mentioned the uh facility um as a wife factor. Um what about the facility that you think really stands out? Is it is it sports? Is it science? Is it cultural?
Canadian Academy: (04:44) Well, of course, we do have facilities for every subject, uh for every sport. Um and it’s really on huge grounds, but it’s not just that, it’s that uh we have mindfully and strategically renovated our facilities quite recently. Um, we’ve gotten rid of lockers, uh we’ve widened our uh corridors so that learning happens everywhere and that uh classes are very flexible in terms of the furniture they use. Uh, kids can, you know, work on collaborative subject, I mean uh projects, um, and can have, you know, little time out in little groups outside whilst the class is going on. And uh all the classrooms have uh glass walls so that it’s transparent in and out. Um, so again, we’re always thinking of better ways to make uh learning happen in a more productive way because time is limited at school. So it’s always how can we use space, how can we use technology? How do we utilize our teachers and their specialty and skills to make learning the best it can be uh in a limited period of time.
ISTimes Global: (05:55) Well, I think it sounds like uh parents who are thinking about going to your school should definitely visit.
Canadian Academy: (06:00) Yes, please come visit. Yes.
ISTimes Global: (06:02) school. And uh would you be the um contact on on campus?
Canadian Academy: (06:07) Uh, sometimes I do tours, but there is an admissions group that will do much better tours than I do. So, uh just contact the school and uh we’ll organize a tour.
ISTimes Global: (06:18) Well, well, that’s it. Come and uh come and visit the school and uh meet meet the wonderful staff and the very happy uh community here at Canadian Academy. Thank you so much.
Canadian Academy: (06:28) Thank you.
About Canadian Academy
- Founded in 1913 by Canadian missionaries, one of Japan’s oldest international schools
- Located in Kobe, Japan with historic 100+ year legacy
- IB World School offering International Baccalaureate programs (PYP, MYP, DP)
- Diverse community representing over 43 nationalities
- Strong multi-generational alumni network with lifelong connections
- Modern, innovative campus featuring:
- Flexible learning spaces with glass-walled classrooms
- Collaborative work areas replacing traditional lockers
- Facilities supporting all academic and extracurricular activities
- Mission-focused education balancing academic excellence with character development
