International School of Nagano 13th Anniversary
A community, a family, where each individual is a learner
Thirteen years ago, in 2012, ISN opened with 15 students, their families, and 5 staff members, with no idea of what it would be like to be anything more than a daycare center. Looking back, although we had a “direction” for those first few years, it felt like we were groping around blindfolded.
The students who joined us in those early years have since graduated from elementary and middle school. Likewise, in 2025, the ISN team has grown into something much stronger and healthier than could be imagined back then. Because of those who have supported our growth, and who continue to co-create with us today, we are able to learn and grow every day. Thanks to this huge, steady cycle, like a giant wheel of positivity, I am pleased to share with you where ISN is today.
The ISN program is a way-of-life program, and like the IB, ISN sees everyone involved in the program as a learner aiming to move from independence to autonomy.
Personally, my ideal relationship with the ISN community is like that of a second family.
I see ISN as a place where we can explore healthy, family-like wellbeing within ourselves and with those around us; a place where we can deepen our hearts and sense of purpose; a place where we can acquire skills and knowledge on a daily basis. The ISN program and IB workshops are tools that accelerate the realization of ISN’s philosophy, vision, mission, and guiding principles, and I see them as powerful, effective tools.
The difference between those early days of ISN and now is that while our direction remains the same, the ways in which we can achieve our goals, what we can do, have become more clear and concrete. For example, ISN is now more prepared than ever to provide meaningful learning opportunities for all learners in a variety of ways. Learning can take place everywhere: in everyday conversations, at parties, through presentations, at festivals and parent-teacher meetings, by sharing a question, from listening closely to those with a different perspective to ours. Learning takes place when a desired result is not achieved – when we self-reflect on what we could do differently, and reframe it as a personal challenge. In these moments, we discover a version of ourselves we hadn’t seen before, and through that we find joy and hope.
Slowly but surely, we are working to put down roots one-by-one as we aim for new, never-before-seen possibilities for individuals and for society. The fact that we are able to spend every day together with you, our favorite people, is our greatest joy and the source of our energy.
Let’s enjoy every moment, every learning opportunity, to the fullest. And going forward, we look forward to your continued guidance and support.
