Frequently Asked Questions

Absence, Lateness and Early Dismissal

Q: My child is sick and can’t go to school today. What should I do?

A. Absences should be reported via the Veracross Parent Portal. Log in to the Parent Portal and click on the orange “Student Attendance Notification” button. You will then be prompted to fill out a simple form indicating which day(s) your child may be absent, late or leaving early, and the reason.

Q: My child overslept and will be late to school this morning. What should we do?

A: Please report the late arrival of your child via the orange “Student Attendance Notification” button in the Veracross Parent Portal. In this case, the status selected on the Portal should be  "Arrive Late" with the time of their arrival at YIS. If your child is in the ELC, they should go directly to the classroom. If your child is in elementary school, middle school or high school, he will need to first sign in at the Elementary Office (N206) or Secondary Office (N301) when they arrive at school, otherwise they will be marked as absent.

Please refer to the Absences and Lateness for more details.

Q: My child needs to leave school early for an appointment. What is the correct procedure?

A: No child is allowed to leave campus early without parental notification to the school. When the request for early dismissal is known in advance, it is expected that parents will notify the school via the orange “Student Attendance Notification” button in the Veracross Parent Portal. However, in case of emergency or last-minute circumstances, a telephone call will be acceptable. Whenever leaving school early for any reason, all students are required to sign out in the Elementary Office or Secondary Office. A dismissal slip will be issued that need to be handed to a security  guard upon leaving the campus. 

Parents’ Out-of-Town Travel

Q: My husband and I will be traveling out of town for a few days and leaving our children in the care of another family. What notification do you require?

A: Please make sure you contact the school office with the details of your schedule and contact numbers for yourselves and the family who will be looking after your children. To do so, please submit a “Loco Parentis” form. Please do not leave your children alone without an adult, even if you think that they are old enough to be on their own. The school needs to be able to contact a responsible adult in the event of an emergency.

Illness and Medical Treatment at School

Q: My child called me from school saying they are not feeling well and wants to come home. May they be released to return home?

A: Your child should first see the school nurse, who will determine whether they should return home or not. Sometimes we have a child who is not feeling well rest in the Health Office for a while and then return to class if they feel better. If the nurse feels that your child should go home or be brought to a clinic or hospital for treatment, the nurse will contact you. If your child is an ELC or elementary school student, it is normally expected that you will come to the school to take them home. In middle school and high school, depending on the condition of your child, they may be sent home alone. Parents will always be contacted in case of early dismissal.

Q: My child needs to take medicine after lunch. What is the procedure for this?

A: If medication is to be taken on a regular basis, please complete the Authorization for Medication to Be Taken at School form and bring the medication to the Health Office. In elementary school, for medication taken on a temporary basis, the medicine should be taken to the Health Office in the morning and a form filled out specifying the child’s name and grade together with the name of the medication and any relevant instructions. Your child should then go to the health office after lunch for his medicine. For ELC students, the medicine should be given to the ELC teacher and the appropriate form (available at the ELC) filled out.

School Cancellation

Q: It’s snowing outside and I’m not sure if there will be school tomorrow? How can I find out if school is canceled?

A: School cancellation due to adverse weather or other circumstances will be announced on the school website (www.yis.ac.jp) as soon as any decision is made, usually by 6:00 am on the day of possible cancellation. In addition, you may be contacted by email. If no cancellation notice has been posted on the website and you have not received an email notification, you may assume that school will open as usual.

Q: The weather has really deteriorated from this morning and I’m wondering if school will be let out early? How do I find out if there will be early dismissal?

A: If a decision is made to dismiss school early due to adverse weather or other circumstances, a notice will be posted on the school website and sent to you by email.

Updated July 2024