Differences in the U.S./Japanese School Systems

Hello! Welcome to the U.S.!

Before you come to see our school, there's some basic information you need to know. There are some key differences between how schools are run in the U.S. and how schools are run in Japan. Here are some things you may find strange when you come to visit:

-In American high schools, the teachers stay in one classroom for the entirety of the day and the students move from class to class. The time between classes is called the "passing period".

-Cleaning isn't done by students. Certain faculty members called "Janitors" are paid to clean the school. Students are expected to throw away trash, but are otherwise unaffiliated with the school's cleanliness.

-Public high schools in America don't require entrance exams.

-Every classroom has a "whiteboard". Whiteboards are written on with a specific type of marker which is much easier to clean than chalk. Also, some classrooms have interactive whiteboards called "smartboards".

-Certain busses called "school busses" are specifically designed to take students to their school. School busses don't stop at any location other than residential streets (to pick up students) and the school.

-Refrigeration of meals occurs at all times. All of the school's food is sent to the school in advance. There, it is kept in refrigeration until either someone purchases it or it passes its expiration date. Milk is a popular drink at lunch because of its constant refrigeration.

-American football is directly linked to school spirit. You will be arriving in the middle of football season. The student's morale is directly affected by the success of their team.

-Our school has no uniforms. However, there is a dress code. You may wear whatever you wish as long as it fits into those parameters. The dress code for our school district can be found here; http://www.neisd.net/neisdinfo/DressCode.htm under "The Following Rules are to be Followed"

- Every classroom has free internet access. It is not unusual to see students on their phones during breaks or passing period.

-Homework is accepted late in America. However, any late work has its grade penalized.

-There is no school for three months in the summertime. This is called "summer break" and serves as a transition from one break to the next. We will be visiting Japan during our summer break.

-There is no such thing as "cram school" in the United States. Instead, students can choose to have tutoring sessions with specific teachers before/after school.

-More focus goes to extracurriculars and electives. These are the deciding factors that determine whether an American student will make it into a certain college, so they get a lot of attention and focus.

Our School's Basic Info

Hello! Welcome to Reagan!

In America, every school has its own little sub-culture. These include things such as school colors, fashion, and sometimes even a student's choice of words. Here's some basic info about our school to help you better understand our sub-culture;

Mascot: Diamondback Rattlesnake (many students refer to themselves as either "Rattlers" or "Reagan Rattlers" because of this)

School Colors: Hunter green, black, and silver (based off of school mascot)

Student/Teacher Ratio: 19:1

Population: 2,843 students

Current Fashionable Trends: Monograms (on clothing, backpacks, etc.) and the American Flag

Current Fashionable Brands: Dr. Martins (called "Doc Martins"), Converse, Vans, and Kendra Scott.

I hope you all have a great time at our school!

All quantitative information gathered from this website: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/texas/districts/north-east-independent-school-district/ronald-reagan-high-school-19631

Our School!

This is our school's front entrance 

This picture shows our school from an aerial perspective.

Don't worry! It's much easier to find your classes than it looks!

The reagan website lists other info about Ronald Reagan High School including current faculty pages, library resources, etc

Meet the Faculty!

Interviewer: Delaney Felker

Interviewee: Natalia Elizondo

Age: 18

Grade: 12^th

Extracurriculars: -Art Club

                            -French Club

                            -National Art Honor Society

                            -National French Honor Society

                            -National Honor Society

Delaney: “What is your favorite class?”

Natalia: “Well I have three! Psychology, philosophy, and Art History.”

Delaney: “And why are those your three favorites?”

Natalia: “All three I like for the same reasons, with minor differences pertaining to the subject. Before I took these classes, I did not delve deep into subjects. My classes always skimmed the surface. These three classes delved deep into their respective subjects. Some of the information we learned were theories or hypotheses that were not concrete, not absolutely certain, but I loved the sense of ambiguity. Specifically with philosophy and psychology, I loved studying the elementary components of the human brain. I mean how cool is that, that as juniors and seniors we get to learn about the elemental human brain? I also loved studing the roots of religion and traces of spirituality. As far as Art History goes, I loved that we studied wonderful artifacts and masterpieces of cultures that allow for us to grasp their sometimes now nonexistent lifestyle and mannerisms. I also loved the challenge of memorizing so many pieces, their origins, and their artists. Every time I got a perfect score or a high score, I felt so accomplished.”

Meet the Students!

Interviewer: Rachel Smith
Interviewee: Janelle Kalin

Age: 14
Grade: 10th
Extracurriculars: -Orchestra
                           -Creative Writing Club

Rachel: "What are your favorite classes?"
Janelle: "I really like math-related classes, so I guess algebra, geometry, stuff like that."
Rachel: "What are classes like?"
Janelle: "Well, they're pretty challenging."
Rachel: "Is there any advice you'd like to give for anyone visiting a U.S. school for the first time?"
Janelle: "Be prepared for public displays of affection and swearing."



Interviewer: Rachel Smith
Interviewee: Kevin Smith

Age: 14
Grade: 9th
Extracurriculars: -Marching Band
                           -Concert Band

Rachel: "What are your favorite classes?"
Kevin: "Band, I guess."
Rachel: "What are classes like?"
Kevin: "It depends on the class. Some classes are hard, but others are really easy."
Rachel: "Is there any advice you'd like to give for anyone visiting a U.S. school for the first time?"
Kevin: "The hallways are pretty crowded, so be prepared to have to maneuver through people on your way to class."



Interviewer: Ashley Miller
Interviewee: Nick Steitz

Age: 17
Grade: 12th
Extracurriculars: -Number Sense
                          -Calculator Applications
                          -Mathmatics

Ashley: "What are your favorite classes?"
Nick: "Stats, Physics, and Pre-Calculus."
Ashley: "What are classes like in America?"
Nick: "In some classes the students are always talking very loud, and its very colorful with all the personal decorations in the classrooms."
Ashley: "What advice would you give someone new to an American school?"
Nick: "Don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand the material."



Interviewer: Ashley Miller
Interviewee: Mason Vandevate

Age: 17
Grade: 11th
Extracurriculars: -Theater Tech

Ashley: "What is your favorite class?"
Mason: "Theater Tech."
Ashley: "What are classes like in general?"
Mason: "They are really easy going and as long as you remember to study before tests your'e going to be okay."
Ashley: "What advice would you give to someone new to an American school?"
Mason: "Don't get sucked into conversations with people because you will end up missing out on important information in class."



Interviewer: Ashley Miller
Interviewee: Cameron Day

Age: 17
Grade: 11th
Extracurriculars: - Achieve

Ashley: "What is your favorite class?"
Cameron: "History."
Ashley: "What are classes like in general?"
Cameron: "The teachers are usually really fun and talk to the class so things don't get too boring. There are good atmospheres."
Ashley: "What advice would you give to someone new to an American school?"
Cameron: "Don't forget to do homework."



Interviewer: Ashley Miller
Interviewee: Abby Bush

Age: 17
Grade: 12th
Extracurriculars: -Orchestra
                         -(briefly) Model UN

Ashley: "What is your favorite class?"
Abby: "Biology and ecology mainly."
Ashley: "How would you describe classes in general at Reagan?"
Abby: "The classes here are harder then they are at most schools but in the long run it pays off."
Ashley: "What advice would you give someone new to an American school?"
Abby: "Even if the material seems hard to learn at first don't give up on it."