Prepared by the attending parents: Caroline Després, Jean-Bernard Dumerc, Célia Hughes, and Pierre-François Vilquin.
This document is not an official report.

Attendees:

• Administration: Mme Campels, M. Ragouvin, M. Teissonnière, M. Dahmane, M. Jublot
• Parent Representatives: Mme Hughes, Mme Després, M. Vilquin, M. Dumerc
• Student Representatives: Mlle Dimitroya, M. Ritter
• Advisory Members: M. Roussel, M. Joly, Mlle Lienard (CVLC)
• Number of Voters: 11 (quorum reached)

Academic Calendar 2025-2026

(This proposal is not yet validated by supervisory authorities; wait for official publication by LFITokyo.)

All representatives (parents, students, and staff) have expressed a preference not to have school on Wednesday, July 1, but instead to work on Monday, November 3 (a Japanese public holiday not included in the calendar calculation as it follows directly after the autumn break).

• The total number of school days remains unchanged (177), but two additional hours will be worked (903.5 hours instead of 901.5).
• Vote: Unanimous approval (For: 11 / Against: 0 / Abstention: 0).

Staffing Plan

• 127 teachers: 52 in primary, 75 in secondary
• 1 expatriate, 31 seconded from France, 95 local contracts
• Discussions are ongoing regarding increased needs in secondary education (larger student cohorts) and decreased needs in primary (lower enrollments).
• Final staffing decisions will be made in upcoming School Board (CA) meetings.

Various Questions

Publication of Meeting Minutes

Unlike other bodies (School Board Meeting, Assembly of Counselors, and Primary School Council), draft minutes of the LFIT School Council are not published—only the final, approved version is released. However, FLTs can publish their own summaries before the official version is available.

pHARe Anti-Bullying Program

• The pHARe program is functioning well in both primary and secondary.
• A parent information document is being prepared to explain what bullying is, resolution methods, etc. Once finalized, a preparatory meeting will be held with parents representative and families will be informed of the date for the visioconference presentation.
• A survey was conducted:
  • Sent to 766 students (282 in high school, 484 in primary)
  • 726 responses received (244 from high school, 422 from primary)
  • 13 students identified as at-risk across 12 classes.

4 of these students had given their names, but the situations were already known or didn’t constitute bullying. For the others, as no names were given, it is difficult to act and the school therefore remains vigilant.

In primary, paper surveys were proposed, asking students if they encountered certain situations, to the teachers of all 16 classes from CE2 to CM2. The results of 12 classes are available: 2% of answers are a 4 (very often), 4% are 3 (often), 17% are 2 (sometimes) and 76% are 1 (never). It was noted that the rate of 4s and 3s are markedly higher in the 3 CE2 classes that have answered than in CM1 and CM2; the teachers associate this to an incomplete understanding of the issues amongst the younger. The results suggest the likely absence of bullying, even if they can show difficulties in terms of school climate and of student well-being.

• Ambassador Program: 10 students of varied profiles have been recruited in the secondary to help with anti-bullying efforts. Their names will be provided to students and staff and training will be provided.
• Reminder: A red box (near the infirmary) and an email address (cellule-bien-etre@lfitokyo.org) are available for reporting any concerns about bullying (either suspected or verified).

School Psychologist

• The hire of a school psychologist will be discussed in the March or final School Board meeting of the academic year.
• Proposal: Temporarily hire an accredited psychologist from the consular list.

School Trip Policy for Non-LFI Tokyo Events

• Review pending in March or final School Board meeting.
• Key clarification: The request is not to increase trip budget limits but to exclude international competitions (where students represent LFI Tokyo) from LFI Tokyo’s travel policy and the related budget caps.

Kanji Learning Program

• The Japanese department’s kanji program will be published on the school’s website and included in the primary language brochure.
• The JLM program in secondary is defined for SIJ students (aligning with common-use kanji, 常用漢字). Other pathways are still being structured.

School Development Plan & AEFE Agreement

• Parents request that the school’s development plan and AEFE agreement be shared with the FLT board.
• AEFE legal team reviewing the request regarding parental access to the agreement.

Use of Sports Facilities

• Regular and recurring rentals to third parties are not permitted, only occasional use and without compensation.
• A tax study will determine feasibility of paid rentals.

Health Checks

• Full medical check-ups for CP and 6eme; dental check-ups for CM2 this year.
• Parents propose adding pediatrician and gynecologist contacts to the school’s medical resources list.

Civic Engagement

• High school students tutor middle schoolers. We thank the school for this initiative that allows some students to improve academically and others to serve the community.
• Proposal: Allow middle school students to volunteer in primary school (e.g., reading to younger students).

French Citizenship Day (JDC)

• JDC is no longer held abroad.
• French students abroad must request a deferral certificate from the French embassy to take national exams.
• Upon returning to France, they must register with the Perpignan CSNJ to complete their JDC.

Inclusive Education & AESH Scholarships

• AESH financial assistance is managed by the consulate.
• AEFE funding is based on hours worked (max 36 weeks).

CEFR & JLPT Equivalency

• Paris & Versailles academies recognize JLPT N1 as equivalent to CEFR C1/C2.
• Proposal: Discuss aligning LFI Tokyo’s Japanese program with JLPT equivalencies.

International Accreditations

• LFI Tokyo is not pursuing WASC, CIS, ACSI, NEASC, or Cognia accreditation.
• The French baccalaureate and AEFE certification are already recognized.

Questions from French Abroad Counselors

Support for Students with Special Educational Needs

• Current support:
  • AESH: 14 students
  • PPS: 18 students
  • PAP: 60 students
• Some AESH scholarships have not yet been disbursed.

School Dropout Prevention

• A monthly meeting between staff members (admin, CPE, nurse, special needs coordinator) helps identify and support at-risk students.

School Trips & Airline Tickets

• In the past, refundable/exchangeable tickets were available, but they are no longer offered due to high costs making trips unaffordable.

Student Rights & Responsibilities

• A one-time session on student rights in Japan was previously held, but no annual recurrence is planned at this time.
• This year’s focus: Screen addiction awareness program (based on student survey feedback).

Japanese Language Pathways

• SIJ (Japanese International Section) follows French Ministry guidelines.
• JLE (French curriculum Japanese learning) is established, but new JLM pathways need local adaptation.
• Parents request clarification of pedagogical objectives for non-linguistic subjects (DNL) in Japanese immersion programs.

Scholarship Platform (Scolaide)

• LFI Tokyo has not yet received information on access to Scolaide.
• Families must use their NUMIC number (not AEFE number) for registration.

This summary provides a concise yet comprehensive overview of the discussions and decisions made during the School Council meeting on January 22, 2025.

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